FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Geauga County Auditor Partners with Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services
CHARDON, OHIO – November 21, 2025 – Geauga County Auditor Charles E. Walder is pleased to announce a collaboration with Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services to increase awareness about the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 988. Christine Lakomiak, Executive Director of the Geauga County MH & RS Board, views the partnership with the Auditor’s Office as a valuable opportunity to broaden awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Although 988 operates as a national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the Auditor’s Office partnership advances Ohio’s statewide campaign to increase visibility and understanding of this vital service.
Ohio Law requires that dog owners license their dog through the County Auditor’s Office, which issues dog tags and licenses. Executive Director Lakomiak thought of offering residents a doggie bag dispenser (while supplies last) when they come into Auditor Walder’s Office to license their dog in the month of December. Each dispenser displays the 988 logo to remind residents that support is always within reach.
“Dogs provide unconditional love and create a sense of purpose through their daily care and routine,” Auditor Walder said. “By incorporating the 988 information into the dog licensing process, we deliver critical public health information to Geauga residents who may be struggling.”
988 is the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number, created to provide quick, easy access to emotional support during mental health or substance-use crises. When someone calls 988, the call is answered locally by a trained crisis counselor who can offer support, de-escalation, and resources. Again, it is available 24/7, free, and confidential for anyone who needs help.
More information about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available at https://988lifeline.org/get-help/, or you can call the Geauga County Board of MH & RS to learn more about this lifesaving program that is available to all Geauga County residents.
