Clinton County Commissioners Declare May as “Mental Health Awareness Month”, Designate May 5-11, 2024, as “Correctional Officers’ and Employees’ Week”
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN—The Clinton County Commissioners met for their bi-weekly voting session Thursday morning. One of the first orders of business was approving a Proclamation designating the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Other items on the agenda included recognizing the hard work and sacrifices of correctional officers, approving grants for the Clinton County Women’s Center (Roads to Peace) and for the Probation Department, and accepting the retirement of a long-time employee at the Clinton County Correctional Facility.
The Commissioners began the meeting by approving Proclamation No. 5 of 2024, which designates May 2024 as “Mental Health Awareness Month.” This Proclamation emphasizes the importance of mental health and the challenges faced by those with mental illness. It also highlights alarming statistics on the prevalence of mental illness and the lack of treatment, particularly in rural communities.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), among other organizations, report that 50% of all lifetime mental health disorders commonly begin at the age of 14 in adolescents and 75% by the age of 24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 14, and it is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 24 in the U.S.
The Proclamation further stated that people with mental illnesses are prevalent in our nation’s jails and prisons, with approximately two out of every five incarcerated people having a history of mental illness. 70% of adolescents in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health condition. Approximately three out of every five inmates detained in state and federal prisons have a history of mental illness and do not receive treatment.
Cathy Snyder, an executive board member of the National Alliance of Mental Illness of NorthCentral PA, was present to accept the proclamation and to provide her statements. Snyder gave insight into the unique challenges faced by rural communities when it comes to addressing mental health issues, such as higher suicide rates and fewer mental health professionals. She emphasized the need to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues and highlighted the efforts of the Rural Minds Organization in providing mental health awareness within rural communities.
Snyder said that NAMI’s goal this year is to provide education and support to rural communities through outreach events and invited the community to attend the upcoming “No One Walks Alone” event, which is a 24-hour walk that will take place along the Susquehanna River Walk to raise awareness for the unique challenges that veterans and first responders face when it comes to mental health. The event will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17, and continue through Saturday, May 18, 2024. For more details, visit the NAMI North Central Pennsylvania Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NAMINorthCentralPA.
Also approved at the meeting was a Proclamation designating May 5 through May 11, 2024, as “Correctional Officers’ and Employees’ Week”. Commissioner Snyder read the Proclamation, which recognizes the work of correctional officers and personnel for their service, honor, and integrity and aims to raise awareness of the hazards, duties, and sacrifices made by corrections officers. The Proclamation acknowledged Clinton County Correctional Facility employees for their role in safeguarding the community. Several correctional officers from the facility were present at the meeting to accept the proclamation.
The commissioners approved a Resolution that allows a portion of the Clinton County Sewer Authority’s Articles of Incorporation to be amended regarding the membership of its board of authority. The Sewer Authority currently has nine members, and the resolution will change two of them, making Wayne Township Landfill a Member at Large and removing Allison Township as a member. Allison Township’s spot on the authority will go to Stephen Gibson, who was appointed by the commissioners during Thursday’s voting session. Gibson also serves as the county’s Director of Planning and the County Engineer.
The Clinton County Women’s Center, Inc. (Roads to Peace) requested approval for grant funding under the 2025-2027 STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Grant during the commissioner’s work session on Monday morning, and at the voting session on Thursday, approval was granted. The grant funds will be used to provide legal services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as to support coordinated efforts between law enforcement, victim services, and other community organizations as they assist survivors in navigating legal proceedings. The goal of the STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program is to support victims and survivors and to hold offenders accountable.
The commissioners approved the Clinton County Probation Department’s request to apply for the 2024-2025 Intermediate Punishment Treatment Grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) in the amount of $115,000.00. The grant funds will be used to pay probation department employees’ salaries and for electronic monitoring equipment expenses.
Also approved was a revision to the memorandum of understanding between the county and Council 86 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to amend the collective bargaining agreement for correction officers and maintenance workers at the Clinton County Correctional Facility. The revision includes salary increases for current staff members as well as increases in the starting salary.
The 2024 Liquid Fuels funding for four municipalities’ road and infrastructure projects was approved by the commissioners. The funding will go to Allison Township for widening areas of existing roadway on Glenn Road in the amount of $41,859.50, Bald Eagle Township for culvert pipe installation on Shade Hollow Road in the amount of $5,140.50, and Beech Creek Borough to pave Park Street in the amount of $23,000.00.
The commissioners approved Michael Young’s retirement as Captain at the Clinton County Correctional Facility after 20 years of service and presented him with a Retirement Certificate. “It is with great honor and heartfelt gratitude that [we] announce the retirement of this remarkable individual who has dedicated 20 years to serving the Clinton County Corrections Facility. His commitment and hard work have left an indelible mark on our community. We extend our deepest appreciation for his tireless contributions,” the commissioners said in a joint statement. Young’s retirement is effective as of May 3rd, 2024.
The commissioners will hold their next work session on Monday, May 13, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting can be attended in person in the second-floor conference room of the Piper Building, located at 2 Piper Way in Lock Haven. The meeting is also live-streamed through the county’s Facebook page; search Facebook for “Clinton County Government”.
