Butler County voters will vote in November on a proposal to renew a 1-mill, 10-year property tax levy for the county’s Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board. The levy is projected to cost property owners around $20 annually for every $100,000 in assessed value, generating close to $8.5 million each year, which represents approximately one-third of the board’s funding.
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The Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services (MHARS) Board is responsible for overseeing prevention, treatment, and recovery services for residents dealing with mental illness and addiction. It also coordinates inpatient psychiatric care for those civilly committed through the probate court, serving children, adults, and seniors. In addition to this levy, voters approved a separate half-mill levy in 2024, which replaced an existing levy from 1985 and generates about $4.2 million annually. Though the board obtains federal, state, and local funding, 64% of its revenue comes from local levies, with total revenue expected to reach $21 million next year.
However, as the levy renewal is contemplated, concerns about the board’s financial management have arisen. The Journal-News reported in June that MHARS initiated multiple independent reviews after identifying discrepancies between its accounting systems over the past three years. These discrepancies occurred between the Munis system, which functions as the board's main financial account, and Traverse, its internal checkbook. The two systems have been out of balance since at least March 2023, with initial estimates of the variance ranging from several hundred thousand dollars to as much as $3 million. An independent review by Clark Schaefer Hackett later clarified this figure to a net variance of $170,411.57 across all board funds, attributed to various accounting errors including incorrect entries recorded in one system but not the other.
Executive Director Scott Rasmus indicated that the review found no evidence of fraud or theft, stating the discrepancies were due to reconciliation issues rather than missing funds. He assured that steps would be taken to address the variance before the end of September and to enhance financial controls moving forward. The audit has recommended either making a single adjustment across multiple fiscal years or correcting every transaction since the last fully reconciled period.
Moreover, an expanded audit by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health found significant operational, accounting, compliance, and internal control deficiencies, indicating that leadership was aware of ongoing issues yet struggled to manage accountability. Problems included failure to complete month-end closings and inconsistent accounting methods across grants.
The board has been working on resolving these deficiencies and improving its systems. Rasmus noted that meeting minutes have been updated and the agency's bylaws revised. Although MHARS operates independently, the Butler County commissioners must approve all levy requests. They approved this request on July 21, with Commissioner Cindy Carpenter emphasizing the need for continued support for mental health services. Commissioner Don Dixon expressed skepticism, urging the board to rebuild voter trust, while Commissioner T.C. Rogers acknowledged steps taken to adjust accounting practices.
If the levy fails, Rasmus stated the board would have to reevaluate its priorities, potentially reducing programs vital for those struggling with mental illness and addiction recovery. He highlighted their focus on critical services, reflecting on the decrease in suicides from 57 in 2024 to 45 in 2025, though concerns remain as there have been 35 suspected suicides and 35 suspected fatal overdoses in 2026.