Brandon Perry, Tara Plymesser, and Kyle Plymesser from the Adams County Health Department and Courts, and Scot Isaac of Scioto County Diversion Teen Court. (Photo provided)
Scioto County Youth Violence Summit
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. On May 2, Scioto County Juvenile Court sponsored a Youth Violence Summit at Shawnee State University. Tara Plymesser co-presented at the event with Kyle Plymesser and Brandon Perry from the Adams County Health Department and Courts. Tara relayed that the conference focused on mental health, substance abuse, trauma, and conflict resolution.
The attendees were youth in the system and local leaders who work in the trenches. Clasp.org reports, “For many young people in the United States, community violence is an unfortunate part of daily life. Also called neighborhood violence, community violence is an interpersonal form of violence between individuals not involved in familial or intimate relationships. It includes incidents such as shootings, stabbings, and other aggravated assaults; it is often carried out by young people and frequently occurs in public settings. These situations happen when complex environmental factors like poverty, structural racism, systemic disinvestment, and easy access to alcohol, drugs, and weapons coincide.”
Scot Isaac of Scioto County’s Diversion Teen Court facilitated the day. The Portsmouth Daily Times quoted Isaac, “Our community has suffered unfortunate loss of life in the past two years with juveniles in our community due to violent acts committed by other juveniles,” Isaac explained. “Approximately 60 percent of the cases filed in Scioto County Juvenile Court in 2023 were crimes of violence in one capacity or another.”
A range of presenters discussed mental health issues, trauma, effects of substance abuse, conflict resolution, and relationships with law enforcement.
Clasp.org further reported that community violence and trauma go hand in hand, as violence is a stressor with lasting and damaging effects on young people’s mental, social, psychological, physical, and economic well-being. Violence also creates barriers to developing healthy relationships with peers and community members. “Exposure to community violence and the ripple effects of trauma and grief place enormous strain on children and youth, families, schools, employers, hospitals, government systems, and entire communities.”
The Adams County panel initially thought they would serve as informational vendors for the event but learned they were slated to present on trauma. In a quick pivot, Tara said, “We pulled it together. We all three have lived experiences.” She explained, “We talked about what we’ve gone through, the trauma we’ve experienced, and how we deal with it now.” Their testimonies were well received and people approached them to express appreciation after the presentation.
The Plymessers and Perry were vulnerable and shared their stories to reach those in attendance. Tara explained that each of them maintains their motivation by helping others. Every community is impacted by mental health conditions, and many that lead to trauma and violence. Community awareness and prevention efforts are vital for the well-being of all.
