Published: Sun, February 24, 2013 @ 12:05 a.m.

By William K. Alcorn

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

More-efficient and potentially better health care for adults and children is at the heart of a plan to integrate current, stand-alone physical and mental-health care facilities in Mahoning County.

One Health Ohio, based at the Youngstown Community Health Clinic on Wick Avenue, and Turning Point Counseling Services and D&E Counseling Services, two core agencies funded by the Mahoning County Board of Health, say they are deep into making the integration a reality.

The concept of integrating medical and mental health in one facility is not new.

Weve had a satellite clinic in Valley Counseling in Trumbull County; we have a long- standing relationship with the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, and Turning Point has a physician we placed at its facility, noted Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, One Health Ohio chief executive officer.

But the step we havent taken, and what is being planned, is to build a new one-stop medical facility in close proximity to existing mental-health facilities, said Dr. Dwinnells, architect of the medical- integration plan.

Turning Point Counseling, which provides behavioral-health care and substance-abuse services for adults, is at 611 Belmont Ave. Immediately north across a parking lot is D&E Counseling Center, a mental-health center that provides behavioral-health services to children, adolescents and their families.

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The goal is to facilitate integrated medical and mental health care.