ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County Community Access Resources Education and Solutions program is proving helping residents connect with resources and is now partnering with East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, which is facing similar issues and is searching for a CARES coordinator for the county’s school districts.

“They will be hiring a CARE coordinator as well, and we’ll be working hand-in-hand,” . county CARES Coordinator Jamie Betts said. “They’ll be providing much of the same, similar services. They will be working with the seven school districts and the vocational school in Belmont County, working with social workers and guidance counselors in schools to identify the needs, and then going out and meeting with them in the community, in their homes, and trying to alleviate the problems that they have.”

Lori Robson, executive director of educational service with ECOESC, said there is an advantage in dealing with a single person who is able to navigate available services.

“When kids are hungry or don’t have stable housing, when they come to school that’s what’s on their mind, not reading and math, so we need to remove those barriers first,” she said.

“This is a dire need that we have recognized within our schools in working with school counselors and principals, social workers, etc., that work in the school districts,” she said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on learning. “Mental health is a huge need.”

She said ECOESC’s CARE coordinator will serve Belmont County’s schools and the career center.

“Their job is basically to remove the non-academic barriers for students to be successful in school, things such as food insecurity, housing instability, clothing, cleaning items, medical, home, all those things that interfere with our success at school, that’s where our CARE coordinator will be working,” she said. “One of the other huge things at schools right now is chronic absenteeism. Our CARE coordinator will also work with schools, why kids aren’t coming to school, kind of get to the root cause of what’s happening in that family and help solve some of those issues.”

Robson added that the ESC looks forward to coordinating resources and services with Betts.

“We work better together than individually, so I think this is going to be a great partnership with the fire district,” she said.

She said ECOESC hopes to fill the position of coordinator soon.

“We want somebody that knows Belmont County really well. We want somebody that’s from Belmont County, somebody who grew up here, who’s familiar with the communities, their resources,” she said.

She said the coordinator will be “building a relationship” with families, learning their needs and assisting them in navigating state and community resources for needs such as transportation and child care.

“Sometimes that’s not so easy, but a CARE coordinator can tell them who to call, when to call, and follow up with them,” she said.

A coordinator would need an associate or bachelor’s degree in early education or social work, human services or family development.

“Anyone in that line who’s looking for meaningful work and has the right heart,” she said.

Betts said the county program was in the works for two years before launching in November and coordinating medical and social needs for people at high risk in the community.

“It’s been overwhelming the number of calls, hundreds and hundreds each month,” he said, adding he received more than 500 calls in March. “Needs vary, anything from medical needs to social needs, help applying for food benefits, vast.”

Betts said residents have tended to use emergency services for needs a family doctor or urgent care could handle, but they often lack transportation. He said another issue is the high demand for in-home care for the elderly.

“The first several months of my job was explaining who I am, what I do and fill all those relationships, so working hand-in-hand with the education service center will be very beneficial for them as well as us, the workflow back and forth,” he said.

Betts said he looks forward to seeing the CARES program expand, with additional people hired to coordinate in the future.

J.P. Dutton commended Cumberland Trail Fire District Chief Tim Hall for initiating the program, after Hall spoke to residents and became more aware of the difficulties many have faced in finding services. Hall said another potential benefit is a lower call volume for emergency services entities.

“The whole county is benefitting from it, and it’s going to benefit even more with this talk of expansion into public schools,” Dutton said.

Commissioner Josh Meyer agreed that the need for services has proven extensive.

Hall thanked the commissioners, the Department of Job and Family Services, the Belmont County Health Department and Senior Services.

The CARES program can be reached at 740-827-0004 or jbetts@cumberlandtrailfire.com.