By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall

We asked Mr. David Schick, Director of Marketing and Communications, for some statistics on the ADAMHS Board success rate. He was quick to provide the following information.

• Do you have any statistics on the ADAMHS Board success rates helping Lake County residents?
  • The road to recovery is not one-size-fits-all. In fiscal year 2024, our Recovery Housing served 50 residents, with nearly 70% maintaining sobriety and completing aftercare treatment (compared to national averages of 40-50%), each on their own unique journey toward healing. As we look ahead to 2025, the demand for mental health and recovery services is expected to grow. Individuals are reaching out for help—and through the Lake ADAMHS Board, they’re finding the support and resources they need to move forward.

• Are there any “feel good” stories that can be shared with Lake County residents?
  • A Mother’s Journey: Colleen’s Story of Loss, Recovery, and Hope – from Lake-Geauga Recover Centers, Inc.
    Colleen is living proof that recovery is possible, even after unimaginable loss. Her journey began in a dark place, when she was contemplating suicide. At that moment, a knock on the door from her children saved her life. At the time, Colleen describes her home as a “party house,” a place where alcohol was ever-present. But everything changed when her son’s health began to decline. One day, he came to her, not feeling well. He was hospitalized—and shortly after being discharged, he died of an overdose in her arms, in their home. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” Colleen shared through tears. That heartbreaking moment marked a turning point. Colleen entered recovery and began the long, difficult journey toward healing. Today, she is sober, supported, and armed with the tools to maintain her recovery. “My life is better now,” she said. “I would tell people: don’t start. But if you’re already drinking or struggling, you can change.” Colleen shares her story in the hope that it will help others who are facing the same pain she once did. “I would do anything to go back,” she said. “So I’m telling those out there—find help now, so you don’t have to say that too.”
    

• How many Lake County residents use the ADAMHS Board services?
  • We served more than 60,000 residents during fiscal year 2024. Approximately 20,000 access clinical services and supports, and another 40,000 benefit from prevention and education programs. (Our fiscal year runs from July to June, in alignment with the State budget.)

• How many different agencies does the ADAMHS Board support financially?
  • For fiscal year 2025, we are investing in 16 agencies to provide nearly 90 distinct mental health and recovery services. These agencies include: BRIDGES: Mental Health Consumer Empowerment, Catholic Charities, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, Crossroads Health, Extended Housing, Family Pride, Fine Arts Association, Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers Inc., Lifeline Inc., NAMI Lake County (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare, Signature Health, Torchlight Youth Mentoring Alliance, University Hospitals, Windsor-Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine, and WomenSafe.

LFC thanks Executive Director, Kim Fraser, and the staff at the ADAMHS Board for their support of those in need in Lake County

Categories: ADAMHS Board

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