Mayor’s Message
Improving Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Awareness and Resources
The numbers are troubling. Nearly 25 percent of Ohio adults are experiencing mental health illness according to the State of Mental Health in America, a 2022 report published by Mental Health America (MHA). Only three other states reported higher figures. Based on MHA’s study measuring the prevalence of mental health issues as well as access to health care, Ohio’s national ranking dropped from 11th to 25th in just one year – suggesting the situation is drastically worsening year after year.
Dialing things in a bit closer to home, a new analysis by MHA finds in 2020 and 2021, of all large counties in the United States, Franklin County had the highest percentage of help-seeking population screen at-risk for psychotic-like experiences.
While not always the case, mental health issues and substance misuse are often directly or indirectly connected to one another, and Grove City is not immune to the consequences. Substance misuse often contributes to criminal behavior, which the Grove City Division of Police does an amazing job combating. Yet most unsettling is the resulting dismantling of families and loss of life.
The number of reported overdoses in Grove City remains alarming at approximately 226 in the last two years combined; 23 of those incidents resulted in death. Fortunately, our first responders are equipped with naloxone and administer the opioid agonistic medicine, when possible, to save lives.
Despite their importance to a person’s overall well-being, mental health and substance use disorder treatments have long been stigmatized. Though this started to change for the better in recent years, there is still a hesitancy to seek help or even talk about it with family or physicians for fear of judgment or encountering unnecessary criticism.
It’s beyond the time for all of this to change, and improving awareness while increasing availability of resources could quite possibly be an important part of the solution.
With that in mind, I signed a resolution passed by City Council in February 2020 that includes the formation of a committee to create a mental health and substance use disorder action plan. The committee is comprised of 17 qualified and highly motivated members, including physicians, recovery professionals, attorneys, educators, first responders and other community stakeholders. This dedicated group, overcoming the challenges of a pandemic, have routinely met to create the soon-to-be-implemented plan that promises to positively impact progress toward our goals.
It’s important to create a citywide movement that fosters collaboration and integrates the efforts of all parts of our community while connecting with county and state-level initiatives to break down stigma, increase resources, support recovery and redefine mental wellness.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a coming together to raise awareness of the importance of improved mental health and support for those living with a mental illness.
May 8-14 is National Prevention Week, focusing on the importance of substance use prevention and encouraging others to offer support.
It’s important our community understands there are places to go, resources available and a growing understanding to let them know they are not alone. I encourage residents to join us in embracing this opportunity to make a change and elevate the conversation.
Mayor Stage Signature
Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage
Council Briefs: Seasons of Life
In November 2021, I was enjoying the outdoors on a sunny afternoon, riding my bicycle to pick up litter along the Marvin Holt Trail. On the way to the trail that day, I saw a couple walking toward me with litter grabbers picking up trash. I stopped and met Al and Marilyn Reeves for the first time. They are relatively new to Grove City, having moved here from the west side in June 2020. We clearly had something in common, each of us doing our small part to keep Grove City beautiful. It impressed me in that brief exchange that they felt it was their civic responsibility to take care of the area around them. I realized the three of us were like-minded in our unique “season of life.”
Being a retired senior citizen, for many of us, the long workhours and busy days of raising our children are in the rearview mirror. It is a time to slow down a bit, ponder and discover what gifts we can offer to make our community better. It’s living with purpose in our twilight years.
Our community is blessed to have many seniors giving back and contributing to the richness of our city. There are many engaged seniors, especially women, who are just flat out “getting things done.” They value keeping healthy, exercising, meeting people and trying to make something better than how they found it. I am so encouraged when I meet people like Al and Marilyn Reeves.
I caught up with them again recently in our Quail Creek neighborhood, where we’d first met. That area was available to be adopted in the Grove City Adopt-a-Street/Park program. I asked them to consider formally adopting Quail Creek Drive, perhaps they could even engage more citizens around them in incorporating this in their daily walks. As Al put it, “We are already going out and getting our daily walk in. Cleaning up as we do it gives us a chance to contribute to the community. It gives us a sense of connection when we do this and easily see the results for all of us to enjoy.” After visiting with them this past week, they signed up for the program.
The Keep Grove City Beautiful Committee offers the Adopt-a-Park/Street program mentioned above. It is a very efficient program that can easily engage seniors, like-minded citizens, civic groups, schools and the faith community to help us keep our city clean. However, the committee also offer this opportunity for neighborhood clean ups as needed. It can supply the grabbers, bags, gloves and vests. It even provides a pick-up service for bagged trash upon completion. Please think about this and consider how you can be involved in such community service. More can be learned about the programs at bit.ly/GCadopt.
Finally, I believe our citizens, in all of their unique seasons of life, can find fulfillment in helping keep our city clean. We are best when our citizens and the city work together as one. I hope that for all of us every day can be a Keep Grove City Beautiful Day.
Mark Sigrist
Council Member-At-Large
Development
Town Center Businesses Keep Legacies Alive in Harmony with Redevelopment
By Kyle Rauch, Development Director for the City of Grove City
Weather is warming and the community is taking advantage of Town Center’s walkability and dining options while noticing both new and established businesses in a glance. As Grove City continues to grow, recognizable redevelopment will occur. But rest assured, as breaths of new life weave through Broadway, there is a continued commitment to preserve Town Center’s iconic small-town feel.
A 2019 community survey revealed “dining out” was a top activity citizens enjoy while visiting Town Center. It’s no surprise our community holds dear the restaurants that have been Grove City staples for decades. Local spots that hold a special place in the hearts of our residents continue to do so even through ownership changes. Over the years, restaurants like Jolly Pirate Donuts, Tammy’s Pizza, Lilly’s Kitchen Table and Memories Food & Spirits have changed hands and continued operating with their same names and beloved business models. This devotion to maintaining Grove City’s character is what makes our community and Town Center so unique.
In addition to the commitment to preserve, the survey also surfaced a popular desire for more dining options in the heart of the community. In recent years, the growth of Grove City has attracted many new restaurants and the redevelopment of underutilized Town Center space holds the promise of more to come. The former Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Services and Fifth Third Bank spaces, as well as the Columbus Street Plaza, are attractive for prospective restaurant locations.
Grove City will continue to see familiar shop windows neighboring reimagined spaces, and the Town Center will grow as a meeting place of old and new, traditional and revival.
