Photo by Liz Copan / Summit Daily News archive
Two Summit County officials have been named to state task force subpanels created to find solutions to familiar issues within the state: access to behavioral health resources and affordable housing.
State Rep. Hugh McKean appointed Summit County Sheriff Jamie FitzSimons to the state’s Behavioral Health Task Force Subpanel, and Rep. Alec Garnett appointed Summit County Commissioner Tamara Pogue to the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force Subpanel.
Both task forces were created in this year’s legislative session, which also set aside $850 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds dedicated to housing and behavioral health initiatives. The role of these task forces is to make recommendations to the Legislature on how best to allocate the funds and to come up with policies and opportunities to improve on issues related to housing and behavioral health. The subpanels, composed of appointed experts from around the state, will be responsible for advising the task forces.