Hancock County voters approved a replacement levy for mental health services in the county in the Tuesday primary.

Unofficial results have the levy passing by a wide margin of 62 percent for it and 36 percent against it.

The Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) says supporting mental health not only benefits the individuals who need the help, but the entire community.

Dr. Ami Orr, a local pediatrician, says without taxpayer support, a lot of mental health services that people rely on would cease to exist.

ADAMHS says, in the past year, thousands of Hancock County residents were directly impacted by mental health and substance use services provided by local agencies including: Ohio Guidestone (formerly A Renewed Mind); Family Resource Center; FOCUS Recovery and Wellness Community; and, NAMI Hancock County.

Local levy dollars were used to subsidize the services when there was no other source of funding.

The 1.3 mill replacement levy will be for continuing operations as well as an expansion of services beginning this year.

The levy was the only countywide issue on the ballot in Hancock County.

Click here for results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, here for the Hancock County Board of Elections, and here for the Putnam County Board of Elections.