Manning: Bill would boost psych help in schools

By JUSTIN DENNIS

jdennis@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

State Rep. Don Manning of New Middletown, R-59th, on Monday morning met with Austintown Elementary educators on addressing students’ mental and behavioral health issues earlier.

Manning said he’s working on legislation that would allow psychologists to perform some of the services only provided by psychiatrists, such as prescribing medication for mental health treatment, “one of the big, key issues.” The bill is intended to increase availability of mental health treatment and therapy providers in the state, he said, noting a statewide shortage — especially in schools.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can diagnose mental illness and prescribe appropriate medication. Psychologists can offer mental health therapy, but can’t prescribe medications. Ohio is currently lacking the former, Manning said.

“Right now, we’ve got about a third of the psychiatrists we need in the state,” he said. “If we had the people, there would be a psychiatrist in every school. Right now, they’re not there.”

Jarod Thomas, an elementary school counselor, said it’s easier for schools officials to identify and address mental health issues while students are in elementary school. He added schools could use more funding for dedicated social workers who can develop relationships with pupils and their families.

“We could find out what’s going on there — is there a mental health issue, is there a drug issue?” he said. “If you hit it down here [at lower grade levels] they would have less work to do up there.”

Manning said those representing psych doctors want psychologists to clock at least 1,000 hours of training — at least half of which would be spent with a psychiatrist — and at least attain a Master’s degree in pharmacology before being allowed to dispense medication. Psychologists hope for closer to 450 training hours, Manning said.

“I think these are all workable things. ... We do have people on both sides of the aisle that know this is a priority topic for the governor’s office,” he said, adding he plans to meet today with Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague on funding.

Manning is vice-chair of the Ohio House Health Committee and has worked for the past eight years at Youngstown nonprofit Youth Intensive Services, which provides behavioral, mental-health and drug and addiction management services mostly aimed at juveniles.