Commissioner proposes shrinking Mental Health and Recovery Services Board amid appointment difficulties

A commissioner who serves as Richland County’s mental health board liaison told colleagues on Feb. 12 that persistent vacancies and lengthy meetings make it difficult to staff the county’s Mental Health and Recovery Services Board and proposed reducing its statutory size under Ohio law.

The liaison said the board currently sits at 10 because of vacancies and described the statutory process under Ohio Revised Code 340.02: solicit feedback from the existing board, then pass a resolution if the county elects to reduce membership. ‘‘Ohio revised code 340.02 allows commissioners to reduce the mental health board size,’’ the liaison told the panel.

The liaison recommended reducing the board to nine members to improve efficiency and noted the change would typically take effect as terms expire rather than removing sitting members. The liaison said the board has struggled to fill appointments and that smaller boards ‘‘get things done’’ more readily.

Commissioners asked procedural and composition questions. Staff and the liaison described that a nine-member configuration would be composed of six local appointees and three state appointees and confirmed that local appointees must be county residents. The liaison said the topic would be placed on the mental health board’s agenda next week so the board can provide formal feedback before any resolution is drafted.

No formal resolution or vote to change the board size occurred at the Feb. 12 meeting; the item was presented as a proposal and next steps were described.