New state agency combines mental health, addiction issues

Earlier this month the Department of Mental Health with the Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services were officially combined into the newly created Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (Source: “Merged state agency to tackle mental-health, addiction issues,” Columbus Dispatch, July 2, 2013).

The new agency created by Gov. Kasich has a two-year budget of nearly $1.4 billion and 2,400 employees.

Tracy Plouck, the former mental-health director, was sworn in July 1 as head of the consolidated agency, tasked with coordinating a system that includes 460 treatment providers, 400 mental-health agencies and six state hospitals. The consolidation will not affect 50 county alcohol, drug-addiction and mental-health boards.

The agency’s website is http://mha.ohio.gov.