Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce outlines mental-health programs, crisis center and resource guide

Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce laid out a package of local mental health efforts, saying the county has focused on stigma reduction, centralized resources and a one-year-old crisis center that aims to keep people out of emergency rooms and jails.

"One in four Franklin County residents battle with some type of mental health issue," Boyce said, framing the county's programs as responses to that prevalence. He described Soul Talks, a public conversation series, as part of a strategy to normalize talking about mental health and connect residents to services.

Boyce also described the Wellness Within Reach guide, a free printed directory the county distributes that lists "over 200 resources" for mental health and related supports. "Well, it's a free guide," he said, adding the book is intended as a discreet, easy-to-use reference so people can review options privately.

On the county's crisis response, Boyce said the Franklin County Crisis Center — open about a year — provides a triage alternative to emergency rooms and incarceration. "Before this thing existed, unfortunately, a lot of people who were having a mental health crisis would end up in emergency rooms or even the county jails and they weren't getting the help that they needed," he said, describing the center's role in assessing needs and directing people to appropriate services rather than hospitalizing or jailing them.

Boyce and the interviewer discussed the center's physical design and service model; the facility offers both short-term stay (inpatient-style observation) and outpatient supports so people can be assessed and connected to ongoing care. He characterized the center as "cutting edge" for the region and argued that preventing crises through timely care is less costly than treating downstream medical or legal consequences.

Looking ahead, Boyce said the county seeks a regional approach so residents across Franklin County can access local triage services without long transports to a single site, and so crisis services can better link to substance-use treatment and detox when necessary.

The county also subsidizes CredibleMind (crediblemind.com), a web-based program the commissioner described as a free, guided portal that helps residents find services when they are not yet ready to use a crisis center or the printed guide.

Boyce framed the work as both public service and personal commitment, referencing childhood trauma and the belief that earlier intervention could change life outcomes. He closed by saying the county will continue to expand resources and community outreach; no formal motions or votes were taken during the interview.

The county did not announce new funding or a timetable for regional expansion during this segment; program details such as operating budgets and exact rollout dates were not specified.