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For families whose lives are touched by addiction, the effects are felt by every member, especially young children. A child who is surrounded by substance use early in their life often experiences long-lasting impacts that follow them well into adulthood. Find local programs and resources to help support these vulnerable children so they remain safe, hopeful and resilient.

Unfortunately, substance use is becoming an increasing concern for younger children in our community. Children who develop drug and alcohol dependencies early in life often experience problems in the classroom, which can lead to long-lasting disadvantages in life. Find community-based prevention and recovery resources, including youth counseling, to help support children whose young lives are touched by addiction.

Substance use and alcoholism can be devastating for teens. They may not realize the serious, long-term effects addiction can have on their bodies and developing brains, so it is important that they get support from adults and advocates who care. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, learn about the prevention, treatment and recovery services for teens available in Stark County.

Addiction is a complex problem. People who struggle with substance use physically and psychologically crave a drug, even when they know the adverse effect it has on their body, their relationships and their community. Stark Help Central is committed to helping young people to overcome their addictions and develop into productive, stable adults. Find local resources dedicated to supporting young people who are affected by substance use.

Substance use is one of the contributing risk factors that may increase the risk of suicide. Fortunately, substance use is treatable, and recovery is possible. The road to a healthy and hopeful future often starts with professional prevention and intervention services, and resources are available here in Stark County.

Whether you are a young person looking for help or someone who is concerned about a young person, there are local organizations that can provide assistance for mental health and substance use. Taking support beyond a traditional office setting can be beneficial for some people.

Community-based treatment allows families to access high-quality services for mental health and substance use with few barriers. Family-based treatment allows those seeking help to get treatment safely in their community alongside their families.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, it is important to seek help immediately. No matter if you’re struggling with depression, substance use, relationship problems or family turmoil, free and confidential support is available. You are not alone and talking to someone could help save a life.

For Stark County families to grow stronger and healthier, it is important that everyone has the support they need to maintain their emotional well-being. There are hundreds of mental health, substance use and trauma recovery resources available here in Stark County, including individual, family and faith-based services.

Stark County offers a wide range of basic needs services from food, medicine and family assistance as well as targeted services for veterans, those in substance abuse recovery, homeless persons, parents and more.

Addiction leaves countless individuals and their loved ones reeling from its devastating impact. As a disease, addiction is frequently misunderstood and stigmatized. Beyond the stereotypical images of substance use, addiction can have behavioral and psychological effects.   

If you’re helping someone with addiction issues, the first thing is to know there is always hope and a way forward.   

To provide meaningful help to a loved one struggling with addiction,

Overdose kits include Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray that reverses the effects of opiate overdose. Once administered, it can quickly restore breathing, reverse the effects of opioids, and prevent death. (It’s harmless if given to someone not having an opiate overdose.)

With the rise in the use of opioids in Stark County, you should know where you can get an overdose kit. This is especially true if someone you know is using opioid drugs—you may save their life.

In 2023, 2-1-1, Stark County’s helpline, transitioned to StarkHelpCentral.com. 

Closing the Stark County information system and online database—that was run by United Way of Greater Stark County—and moving resources to StarkHelpCentral.com helps streamline the process for community members looking for resources and information.  

StarkHelpCentral.com can help you find community resources available to you and your family. The searchable community resource website is supported by Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR),

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We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy, at any time and without notice, simply by posting the changes on our site. Any such change will be effective immediately upon posting.

We do not collect personally identifying information from users of this website.

Opioid use is a growing concern in Stark County. For the past several years, opioid overdose has been the leading cause of injury-related death in Ohio. According to the Ohio Department of Health, 37 percent of unintentional overdose deaths are caused by prescription painkillers.

Opiates and opioids are similar, highly addictive drugs. Opiates, including heroin, morphine and codeine are made from the opium poppy plant. Opioids is a broader term that includes opiates and synthetic opioids such as prescription painkillers like hydrocodone and oxycodone,

In recent years, heroin use has been on the rise across the nation, throughout Ohio and in Stark County. According to Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR), 1,444 members of our community were treated for opiate use in 2016 – nearly six times the number treated 10 years earlier. Find resources and programs to help raise awareness, educate the community and combat this growing epidemic.

People in Stark County need our support now more than ever. If you are invested in the success of our community, use that passion and turn it into action. Find opportunities to partner with StarkHelpCentral.com and become an active, engaged advocate.

Mental health is a part of mental wellness and is extremely important. Men tend to have a more difficult time openly speaking about their mental health than women do. Use these mental health resources for men to learn how to communicate what you are feeling about your mental state.

As the opioid crisis in Northeast Ohio continued to grow, the Stark County Opiate & Addiction Task Force was created in 2011 to help educate the community and provide necessary resources on opioids. In 2014, Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided With Naloxone) was created by the Ohio Health Department to bring together educational and naloxone distribution programs during the opioid epidemic. In order to prevent opioid overdose and to further harm reduction strategies, these organizations provide free overdose kits for anyone in Ohio who wants one.

Recovery houses are places where someone who is recovering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol can find a safe, stable, substance-free place to live. They are also sometimes called sober living houses, halfway houses, or transition houses.

Recovery housing may require residents to follow certain rules. For example, no drinking or drugs allowed. But these rules can help residents change their behavior and stay sober.

If you’re looking for recovery housing for yourself or a loved one,

If you or someone you know could use a helping hand, community support is available here in Stark County. Learn about the local support resources working to address some of the most common concerns facing our community’s residents. Hope for a happy, thriving future starts today.

Are you a resource provider who is not represented on our website? If you have information on your organization, programs, services or related topics that you would like to see represented, please submit your request using the form below. In order for a resource to be considered, it should be open to the community and support the needs of Stark County, Ohio, residents.

Students with developmental disabilities are often disciplined by removing them from the learning environment – such as through suspension or expulsion. Nonviolent crisis intervention training works to keep all students in the classroom using positive behavior supports and other preventative measures. Contact your local school district to learn more about nonviolent crisis intervention training.

StarkFresh serves the people of Stark County through a variety of ways, all in the name of their mission: “Tackling the causes of hunger by creating realistic pathways out of poverty.” Many in the county know StarkFresh for its grocery store located in downtown Canton on Cherry Ave. NE or its mobile grocery market that travels throughout the area; though the programs offered through StarkFresh go past the scope of bringing food to people in need.

Occupational and physical therapists support children with disabilities by developing fine and gross motor skills, self-help skills and sensory control. Stark County schools must provide this service when a child’s education needs demonstrate their necessity. Using direct and indirect services, as well as assistive technology and classroom modifications, therapists collaborate with parents, teachers and other intervention specialists to help children reach their full educational potential.

Caring for children with developmental disabilities presents unique challenges. For children up to age 3, Stark County Early Intervention (EI) provides services for families to help children reach their full potential. Using a team approach, developmental specialists and therapists, who are specific to the needs of the family, work with caregivers and children to coach, teach specific techniques, and provide appropriate resources to parents and caregivers. Learn more about the programs and services available for young children with developmental disabilities.

In some instances, a child who has experienced trauma or another mental health challenge may struggle to cope as they get older. If your child seems to be battling feelings of hopelessness, sadness or difficult behaviors, consider seeking the help of a mental health provider in Stark County.

You can ask your child’s pediatrician for referrals and guidance throughout the process of seeking services. This may include direct counseling for the child or family and community-based treatment.

The UK organization LifeSIGNS started dedicating March 1st as Self Injury Awareness Day in 2002. Now, 20 years later, it is a national awareness day for many countries, including the U.S. Self-injury goes by other names, including self-harm and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and encompasses a large range of actions that one takes to cope with extreme emotion, release tension from these emotions, or take back a perceived loss of control. While teens tend to be the most likely to self-injure,

I love to take my children out of the house. Whether it is shopping, the park, going for a walk around the neighborhood, to church, or on an adventure- we are always on the go. However, as a parent of two special needs daughters, both with different needs, this can be a challenge. Having one child with physical disabilities means we must make sure the location is accessible and can be accommodating to our specific needs.

Who We Are

In 2015, The Legacy Project of Stark was founded by Eugene Lingenhoel. As he was delivering backpacks & school supplies at Lehman Middle School in Canton City, the principal, Jeanne McNeal, who is now the principal at Oakwood Middle School in Plain Local, asked Eugene if he would be willing to meet with some of her students.  Jeanne saw a need for her students to have a positive role model in their life and saw an opportunity to provide that for them.

Once your family is seated around the dinner table, the typical conversation starter is: “So, how was your day?”

And the typical answer? “Fine.”

Getting your child to say anything more can be a lot of work.

But what if you stopped thinking of the child’s attitude as the problem, and started with the question? What if there were some truly interesting questions you could ask your family? And what if they were excited to think about them and answer?