Demolition started for CBHC expansion

| December 30, 2021

Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices wants to get Narcan into the hands of those who could help someone at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose. (File)

Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices has grown from counseling individuals to being able to help entire families with behavioral healthcare needs, and in 2022 it will have a new look to better help those in need.

“CBHC provides behavioral health needs including addiction and mental health counseling to the entire community, from birth to death,” said Beth Cormack, executive director. “Our Flight School, our wing for children, has grown exponentially with evidence-based programming including trauma-informed care. They also expanded services, adding a full-time nurse practitioner and nursing staff to handle medicinal needs, which can enhance the counseling process.
“These added services have created a one-stop shop for families with behavioral healthcare needs. That is very appealing to families, and the increase in clients has caused a need for additional therapists. The agency, which housed eight full-time licensed therapists last year, now employs 12 therapists with additional full-time supports including the nursing staff, case managers, preventionists and administrative staff.”
The agency sees more than 80 individual clients daily and has 26 full-time employees.
“We had 11 parking spaces. That’s it,” Cormack said. “Our clients used street parking and the city lot, but with other successful businesses cropping up on Sixth Street, parking was difficult. Many of our clients were parking two blocks away, which is not customer friendly.”
CBHC found itself at a crossroads with two options.
“We either abandon our current buildings and purchase a new building with a large parking area or renovate our existing campus,” Cormack said. “We have a stellar reputation in our community as a caring, committed, professional agency, and people know that the corner of Sixth and Walnut is where we are.
“We wanted to maintain that presence and the Bachert Building, which is our corner pinnacle and has been well maintained and cared for over the years, so we wanted to continue to maintain and care for that piece of Coshocton history, as it was built by the Bacherts, who founded the paper mill in Coshocton. The building has been home to many businesses and tenants throughout the decades.”
CBHC decided to stay in its current location and purchase the dilapidated building next to it to demolish and create room for parking.
“Regarding the demolition, it is bittersweet that the Fall Building and the home next to it has been razed,” Cormack said. “Sadly, the building was in a great amount of distress, and rehabilitation was not possible. While it had a rich history in our community, the lack of maintenance and repair for decades caused the demise. Employees’ vehicles were occasionally hit by bricks and broken windows. The mortar had deteriorated, the roof had caved in, the staircases were dry wrought and broken. Sadly, the building was in such disrepair we were advised not to enter it, due to the danger involved.”
Plans also are being made to renovate the back of the CBHC building.
“In summer 2022 our building entrance will face the new parking area, with an entirely new entrance that will be new, well-lit, ADA-accessible and beautiful, all while keeping with the historic theme of the building,” Cormack said. “We are committed to the local community and will only utilize local contractors. William Albert Excavating has begun the process with the demolition, Matt Williams Asphalt will complete the parking area and Joe Weaver Construction will complete the exterior renovation. We also plan to paint our entire structure to maintain its integrity. That will be completed by a firm in Mansfield, as that specialized service is not available locally.”
This addition will be paid for by many local donors and grantees including the Coshocton Foundation, the Schooler Foundation, the McWane-Ductile Foundation and other funds.
“We are pleased that the community provides local levy funding through the Mental Health and Recovery Service Board to keep our services available to those who cannot afford services due to income,” Cormack said. “We are good stewards of the dollars we are given and manage those funds to the best of our ability. The total cost from the property purchase and demolition to the total exterior renovation is estimated at coming in under $400,000.”
A bronze plaque, thanking funders, will be included in the project. The community will be welcome to come see the updates at an open house in July 2022 when CBHC celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“Our logo is the dragonfly because dragonflies are fragile and resilient, all in the same body — much like humans,” Cormack said. “We meet adversity in our lives, but when we rely on our strength, our resiliency prevails, even though, at the time of crisis, we feel fragile and torn. At CBHC we help people mend their tattered wings, and they grow back stronger. That logo will be displayed on the building as a reminder to the community that there is hope in adversity, and we are here to help you find hope.”

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