Governor DeWine Announces Formation of RecoveryOhio Advisory Council

Press Release

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today the creation of a new council that will advise the Ohio Governor's Office on critical matters concerning mental illness and substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery support services in Ohio.

This afternoon, Governor DeWine signed an executive order creating the RecoveryOhio Advisory Council.

"As I travel the state, I constantly hear from struggling families who say Ohio's system for treating those with mental health and substance use disorders needs repair," said Governor DeWine. "I'm calling upon the members of this council to advise my administration on strategies to mend this fractured system. With improvements, I truly believe that Ohio can better assist those who are struggling to recover and help them lead high-quality, productive lives."

RecoveryOhio Director Alisha Nelson will chair the council, which includes a diverse group of individuals who have worked to address mental illness or substance use issues in prevention, treatment, advocacy, or support services; government; private industry; law enforcement; healthcare; learning institutions; and faith organizations. The council also includes individuals who are living with mental illness and/or a substance use disorder and their families.

Members of the RecoveryOhio Advisory Council include:

Ted Strickland, Former Governor of Ohio
Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired, Project Director, The Stepping Up Initiative
John Tharp, Lucas County Sheriff
Pastor Greg Delaney, Outreach Coordinator, Woodhaven
Suzanne Dulaney, Executive Director, County Commissioners Association of Ohio
Joan England, Executive Director, The Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition
Orman Hall, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area / Ohio University
Dr. Navdeep Kang, Director of Operations Behavioral Health, Mercy Health Cincinnati
Teresa Lampl, Associate Director, Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Service Providers
Jessica Nickel, Founder, Addiction Policy Forum
Terry Russell, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio
Dr. Shawn Ryan, Chair of Payer Relations, Ohio Society of Addiction Medicine
Brenda Stewart, Founder, The Addict's Parent United
Sarah Thompson, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery
Cheri L. Walter, CEO, Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities
Juliet Doris Williams, Executive Director, The P.E.E.R. Center
Additional members will be announced at a later date.

RecoveryOhio Advisory Council members will be tasked with issuing actionable recommendations to Governor DeWine and each cabinet-level state agency, board, and commission that provides services to individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders.

Governor DeWine has directed the council to issue recommendations on several pressing issues including, but not limited to:

Providing high quality prevention and early intervention programming in communities and schools;
Improving access to treatment services in Ohio for mental health and substance use disorders;
Developing support strategies on issues such as peer support, employment, and housing as foundations for wellness;
Improving the quality of care for mental health and substance use disorders in the community and in healthcare and criminal justice settings;
Creating efficiencies across systems;
Serving more underserved populations including youth, older adults, and veterans;
Measuring critical outcomes to gauge improvements in Ohio's system of mental health and addiction services;
Coordinating federal, state, and local resources to ensure optimal use.
The advisory council will also make recommendations on fiscal appropriations in the state budget.

Governor DeWine has asked the council to issue their recommendations no later than March 8, 2019.

The council will also meet no less than quarterly to provide guidance on carrying out the recommendations.

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