Board has plenty to offer during these tough times

NORWALK — Be safe. Have peace of mind. That's just one of the many messages the Huron County Board of Mental Health & Addiction Services hands out every day. The group held an open house Saturday to show off to the community just how much is has to offer. And coming off a pandemic, it hasn't been easy the last year-and-a-half. "The goal real is just for the board to thank the community for their ongoing support. Just to say thank you," said Kristen Cardone, director of the Huron County Mental Health & Addiction Services. "We appreciate you. We purchased the building and actually the day of the shut-down for COVID they just finished the remodel. We did not have time to have it open to the public. "We want to have resources available to the public." The group has just two employees — Cardone and Ashley Morrow. That's a lot two people to handle. And it's a Catch-22 situation — you want people to use your resources but you don't want too many people. "We don't want people to need it — some day, hopefully we will get there," Cardone said. How bad way the pandemic. "I think that is, unfortunately, yet to be fully determined," she said. "We have seen an increase." Alcohol sales have increased and substance abuse overall is on the rise, Cardone pointed out. "I don't know if we are capturing all of it. I think some people do (keep it inside). How do we address the stigma of mental health? They are not alone. We are here to help. They have access to it and they are reaching out." Is the word getting out? "I think we have so many more services than we did a decade ago," Cardone said. "And that is everywhere. Right at the beginning of Covid we transitioned Ashley from an administrative assistant into a title of community engagement and outreach manager ... just to get the word out there. I think, I hope, we are making progress. "Because of the pandemic more people are talking about mental health. Whether it is self care or anxiety ... it's OK." "It's OK to not be OK. Everybody struggles sometimes. Everybody need help sometimes." Cardone has been on the job 2 1/2 years and said every day is a learning experience. "I don't know if I will ever know all of it," she said. "I feel like I am constantly learning. I just try my best." The office is located at 2 Oak St. in Norwalk and office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call 419-681-6268 or log onto https://www.hcbmhas.org/.