BOARDMAN — Boardman Township will become the hub of wellness for first responders in Mahoning County, thanks to opioid settlement money.

Boardman Township trustees earlier this week approved a resolution to provide $122,000 to renovate a property donated to the township to become the Clarence R. Smith Family Mahoning Valley First Responder Wellness Center.

Trustees also will accept an additional $464,000 from Mahoning County commissioners for the same purpose, although commissioners have not yet officially approved the funding.

“The men and women who are first responders, they have to go about this work every day.

There’s a lot of trauma they see every day, and it’s only natural that, as human beings, this would have a profound effect on them,” said Trustee Larry Moliterno. “So, we want them to have this opportunity to talk about these challenges and receive services in a place that feels safe for them, with their peers.”

Moliterno also is the CEO of Meridian Healthcare in Youngstown, which provides mental health and addiction recovery services for residents from all over the Mahoning Valley.

“I think that, seeing the devastation the (opioid) epidemic has had on our communities, our families and our first responders, when they are out there dealing with this, we felt like this would be a good use of some of this settlement money,” Moliterno said. “And we feel like first responders around the region will be able to take advantage of this. It’s also a way for us as a community to show our respect for the work they all do.”

In 2021, a national settlement was reached with opioid distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen. Since then, multiple other settlements have been reached with other companies found liable for the widespread abuse of opioid drugs like Oxycontin.

Ohio’s memorandum of understanding established, among other things, the OneOhio Recovery Foundation that provides grants to local nonprofits, agencies, businesses, and service organizations for treatment, recovery and prevention.

OneOhio receives 55% of the money that comes to the state from the settlement administrator. Another 30% goes directly to local government bodies for use at their discretion and the remaining 15% goes to the state. So far, Ohio has received about $420 million. Of that money, $231 million has gone to OneOhio, another $126 million to local governments and the state government received the remainder.

To date, Boardman has received $122,000 and will spend $131,000 from the general fund. Police Chief Todd Werth said that as more opioid money comes in, which it does at random intervals, they will use that in place of the general fund dollars.

Mahoning County will receive about $7.4 million over 15 years and already has received about $1.7 million of that. As of February, the county had allocated approximately $300,000 of it — $200,000 for training through the Mahoning County Fire Chiefs Association and $100,000 to Meridian Healthcare for renovations to one of its detoxification facilities.

“I think it’s very forward thinking of both the Boardman trustees and county commissioners to take this step and use these dollars,” said Duane Piccirilli, executive director of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board. “Throughout Ohio, they are not being used so

here I’m glad to see they are definitely putting the money where it needs to go. One of the strategies we identified was taking care of our safety forces.”

Werth said the township has been working on the project for about five months.

“Boardman owns this property and the question was: what is a good use?” he said. “I had just read an article on a wellness center for first responders in Kentucky, so we looked into it more, did some background work, and decided this would be a very worthwhile project.”

Werth said he and other officials also visited a similar facility in Columbus, used for Franklin County’s first responders.

The work began last week on the building on Raupp Avenue off Washington Boulevard, just east of Market Street.

“It’s gone from a good idea and worthwhile cause to something that’s actually going to happen,” Werth said.

WHAT’S IN IT?

Just like the land where the Boardman Township Government Center and bus garage now sit, the buildings and property for the new wellness center were donated to the township by Clarence “Sonny” Smith.

Smith, the founder of Compco, former Mahoning County Republican Party chairman, and owner and operator of Adamas Gem Shop and Diamond Steel, died in April 2021 at the age of 92.

“He was very much into supporting our local community, and he had a passionate love for first responders and what they do for the community,” Werth said. “So we want to take this property, make it into a wellness center and dedicate it to someone who was always there to support first responders in times of need.”

The funding approved so far, totaling more than $715,000, covers the cost for the main building, the grounds and parking. Werth said the facility will be used to provide services for mental health as well as training. The rehabilitation of the residence includes outfitting the facility with audio-visual equipment and furniture.

While it is not related to the opioid epidemic, Werth said events such as the explosion at the Realty Tower in downtown Youngstown last year highlight the level of stress first responders encounter.

“You have these significant and critical incidents where they have to step up and rally, then you have just the daily drama, and those difficult situations and daily exposure to trauma, which can impact not just a first responder but also their family,” he said. “With this center, we want to help them manage their well-being and also learn how to deal with these situations in a proactive way.”

Werth said the facility will provide space for first responders to seek support and support each other mentally, emotionally and even spiritually, through camaraderie and fellowship as much as through professional support.

He said he is working with Piccirilli and other local organizations to identify and establish programming for the center. The goal, he said, is to have the main facility open and operating by fall.

Werth said the second phase of the project will be renovation of a detached building about 50 yards from the main house for a physical wellness annex. Werth said the second building will be for physical fitness, wellness and rehabilitation specific to first responders.

“This whole project is about a holistic approach, taking care of all aspects of our people,” Werth said.

The second building will cost about $450,000 to install locker rooms, equipment, HVAC, electric, plumbing and other necessities. Werth said they will continue to fundraise for that facility, but he’s grateful for the support they have already received from the community.

“People across the community, businesses, political leaders, have all stepped up and embraced this to make it a reality,” Werth said.

For example, he said Sky Roofing was contracted to replace the roof for $54,000 but will be donating about half of that cost back to the township for the project.

“Mahoning County has been at the forefront of helping first responders with their mental health issues, and nothing here is reinventing the wheel,” Werth said. “We’re just focusing those resources and acting as a hub for first responders to connect with them.”

He said they are still in the process of establishing a nonprofit organization, which will help them to continue to seek funding for the facility and its programming.

Piccirilli said his office already plans to hold its twice-yearly police training sessions, to help officers learn how to identify people with mental health issues and de-escalate those situations when they encounter them.