Cuyahoga County mental health officials want to know what residents’ needs and challenges are so they can provide better mental health support. 

The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County is asking residents to fill out a needs assessment survey to help the board make funding and advocacy decisions. The survey, also available in Spanish, closes this Sunday. 

The board conducts a needs assessment survey every three to five years. 

The survey asks county residents about their experience with mental health and substance use services. 

People can also share their concerns about mental health and substance use in their community and what barriers people face when trying to access treatment. 

Clare Rosser, chief strategy and performance officer for the ADAMHS Board, said the survey is part of a larger effort to gather information from residents and mental health and substance use care providers. The board hired RAMA Consulting to put the interview together and gather responses. 

RAMA is also analyzing publicly available data – for example, the county medical examiner’s data on overdoses and suicide – and holding focus group discussions with community leaders, Rosser said. 

The board gave RAMA consultants a list of community organizations to reach out to and invite to the groups. Survey takers can also indicate if they want to be involved in group discussions, though the discussions may wrap up by the end of April. 

“We wanted to make sure that our consultant was talking to leaders in various sectors in Cuyahoga County, not necessarily just within the mental health and addiction service network,” Rosser said. “So that’s going to include … different community leaders who may be coming into contact with individuals that need services.” 

In early June, RAMA and the ADAMHS Board will invite the community to a larger discussion about what mental health and substance use services county residents need. 

RAMA will publish a report with all the information they gather, and the ADAMHS Board will use that to inform its decision-making. 

“We think it’s important to have this … so that we can elevate community voice and input as a part of our decision-making process,” Rosser said.