Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center Works Through COVID Challenges

Presented By Rathkamp Financial

While many individuals, businesses, and organizations have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic since late 2019, mental health workers have been kept very busy trying to meet the needs of those suffering the impacts of the world-wide health crisis.

Locally, the Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center has been kept very busy with many of these concerns.

Litter Media’s Mike Smith spoke to some of the staff concerning their mental health services, which you can see their comments in the following Litter Media video found below:

Barbara Mahaffey, Executive Director of the Center, says they have had to adapt many of their day-to-day operations in working with those in Ross, Fayette, Highland, Pickaway and Pike counties. Some of what they traditionally did in group settings had to be adapted during the worst of the pandemic, while still maintaining in-person services for serious issues.

Tonnie Guagenti, Associate Director of Social Work Administration and Director of the Crisis Center says they have three separate hotlines: COVID Care Hotline, Crisis Hotline and their affiliation with the National Suicide Hotline.

Guagenti says they have seen their walk-in patients having various needs from being anxious or depressed, to being suicidal, and some with some type of psychotic behavior. Tonnie says family of those experiencing mental illness can also call Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center to alert them of family members experiencing some type of mental health need which could also potentially require law enforcement or even the courts to become involved for the safety of the patient as well as others.

Another service offered by the Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center is the Rulon Center, which is a 36 bed men’s inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center located in Chillicothe.

Their residential treatment facility for females is in Greenfield, called the Lynn Goff Center.

Both drug treatment centers are directed by Monica Boucher.

The main office for Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center is operated inside the Martha Cottrill Clinic, with their phone number being (740) 775-1260. They can direct your to the specific service you or a family member or friend might need,