John Annarino, Chief of Staff
John Annarino was named Chief of Staff on May 28. John, who has proudly served the State of Ohio for 33 years, will lead our critical programs in treatment, community services, and criminal justice.

John previously served as Chief Medical and Health Officer at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) where he led its health care reforms, coordinating with medical staff and senior management to create a cutting-edge health care delivery system. He also worked with the chiefs of medical services, medical operations, and BWC’s medical director to lead managed care, provider relations, and other everyday operational responsibilities. For the past three years, he concurrently worked as Senior Advisor to the Director of the Ohio Department of Health. John served as BWC’s Chief Legal Officer from 1995 to 2005 and Executive Director of the Industrial Commission of Ohio from 1994 to 1995.

John’s busy schedule of service to Ohio and teaching are fueled by his frequent retreats to the Abbey of Gethsemani. He is also a world traveler and mountaineer who has climbed  to the Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, The Julian Alps of Slovenia, Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Great Wall of China. John clearly enjoys challenges and overcoming obstacles.

John received his law degree from Capital University, and his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice (with minors in philosophy and political science) from the University of Dayton. John is a Flyers super fan. 

Jaime Erickson, Chief Human Resources Officer
As Chief Human Resources Officer, Jaime will provide focus on strategic workforce planning, building and nurturing business partnerships, and leading transformation toward agency goals. Jaime started her human resources career at Mount Carmel hospital before joining the Ohio Department of Health, where she held multiple roles over 23 years. Her leadership is marked by customer focus, passionate professionalism, a strong ability to build lasting relationships with the colleagues and constituents she serves, and a preference for data-driven action and results.

As a member of the Business Intelligence Council, Jaime helped Ohio implement the OAKS HCM reporting modules, including the operational and financial metrics necessary for executive decision support. As the Chief Human Resources Officer at ODH, Jaime has a history of innovation through technology, the ability to create efficiencies and economies of scale through strong processes and procedures, and a relentless spirit of partnership in the pursuit of organizational goals. She is also recognized as an expert with multiple accolades for streamlining processes and ensuring responsible stewardship of state and federal money. Jaime has led many critical initiatives for the State of Ohio including the COVID-19 Call Center and virtual chatbot that assisted Ohioans with information during the pandemic. Jaime has also directed agency facility management and public health warehouse teams at ODH.

Jaime graduated from Ohio University with two bachelor’s degrees and also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management.

Meredith Cameron, Deputy Director of Community Services
Prior to joining OhioMHAS, Meredith served as the Chief of Medical Operations for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. In this role, she led the Medical Operations unit consisting of provider relations, pharmacy benefits, and medical support.

With an extensive career in government administration, Meredith has worked with both local and state agencies on a variety of projects focused on public health accreditation, performance management, and quality improvement. Before joining BWC, Meredith served for 15 years in various leadership roles at The Ohio State University, College of Public Health, Center for Public Health Practice. She then spent two years with the Ohio Department of Health as the agency performance manager and accreditation coordinator. 

Meredith serves as a volunteer mentor for Mental Health America of Ohio’s Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms (POEM) program. In this role, she mentors new and expectant moms, offering guidance and support as they navigate the challenges of motherhood. 

Meredith earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University. She lives in Worthington with her husband and two sons.

Staci Swenson, Deputy Director of Treatment Services
As a Licensed Independent Social Worker Supervisor with more than 25 years of experience in Ohio’s community mental health system, Staci’s entire career has focused on improving models of care for populations served by Ohio Medicaid. With a concentration on person-centered, trauma-focused treatment, training and education, program direction, and staff recruitment and retention, her passion has led her to work in urban, suburban, and rural areas of Ohio. She has served on interdisciplinary integrated health care teams with expertise in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, harm-reduction, Motivational Interviewing, and clinical practice with individuals with histories of complex trauma, severe and persistent mental illness, and addiction.

Prior to joining OhioMHAS, Swenson was the Director of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic at Southeast Healthcare, a community mental health and federally qualified health center (FQHC) with multiple sites across Ohio. Previously, on a state-university partnership funded by the Ohio Department of Medicaid to teach, train, and retain interns in working with the Medicaid population in Ohio, Swenson worked on a collaborative research project between The Ohio State University College of Social Work, Mental Health America of Franklin County, and PrimaryOne Health, through Ohio's Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program (MedTAPP). She spearheaded the arm of the PrimaryOne Health component into what would later become the Behavioral Health Department at one of the largest FQHCs in Ohio, providing care to underserved populations.

A graduate of Interdisciplinary Studies at Appalachian State University, Swenson left the mountains of North Carolina to pursue her graduate education at The Ohio State University, earning master’s degrees in Women’s Studies and in Social Work. Thirty years later, she has three grown children and two grandchildren and lives in Central Ohio where she is in the process of launching her youngest who lives with complex health disabilities and attends Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

Note: Erickson, Cameron, and Swenson are expected to join the department on June 17.

On Monday, federal, state, and local officials joined mental health advocates to celebrate the groundbreaking of Dani's Place, a new, 16-bed mental health rehabilitation center designed to serve the citizens of Northwest Ohio.

Located behind Northwest Ohio Behavioral Healthcare in Toledo, Dani's Place is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County (MHRSB), OhioMHAS, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio (NAMI), and 33 Forever.

The facility is named in honor of Danielle Leedy who died by suicide at the age of 33 following a long battle with chronic depression. It will address a critical gap in mental healthcare by providing a supervised living environment with continued treatment and care for individuals leaving inpatient psychiatric care for up to 90 days.

Currently, people recovering from a major mental health crisis leave the hospital after a short stay of 3-10 days. This does not give adequate time for a person to stabilize. They are sent home alone, dropped at a homeless shelter, or released to family members who often aren’t prepared to give the needed rehabilitation services. Alarmingly, up to 30% of people leaving inpatient care are discharged to homeless shelters, and those released from the hospital too early are 14 times more likely to die by suicide.

"People recovering from physical illnesses have access to rehabilitation settings before returning home. However, those recovering from mental illness often lack this crucial step," said Scott A. Sylak, Executive Director of the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County (MHRSB). "Dani's Place will fill this gap, providing lifesaving services and allowing individuals to heal with dignity and support."

OhioMHAS Chief of Staff John Annarino (pictured inset) noted that OhioMHAS contributed $7 million, including $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, towards the project. Dani's Place is anticipated to open in spring 2025.

On Wednesday, June 12, OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn presented to the OneOhio Recovery Foundation about OhioMHAS’ role and responsibilities, as well as ongoing priority work. The presentation illuminated how the agency funds programs and services across the behavioral health continuum of care. The OneOhio Recovery Foundation was created to distribute a portion of the funds received from the pharmaceutical industry as a result of its role in the opioid epidemic. 

Inset Photo: OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn poses for a photo with OneOhio Recovery Foundation Executive Director Alisha Nelson. 

The Ohio Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative is currently offering funding for community and/or faith-based organizations to implement the Creating Lasting Family Connections (CLFC) curriculum. The deadline to apply has been extended to 5:00 p.m. on June 28. More information about the project can be found in the RFP.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new brief titled, “Taking Action to Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Ohio.” 

The brief is a summary of the information and resources available through HPIO’s Ohio ACEs Impact Project. It also includes guidance for local and state partners working to elevate ACEs prevention policies or program interventions. In addition to the policy brief, HPIO has also created standalone resources with guidance on choosing ACEs prevention strategies, coalition-building and advocacy.

Since 2020, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) has researched and analyzed adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what Ohio can do to address them. HPIO analysis elevated 12 evidence-informed and cost-effective ACEs prevention strategies for public and private partners at the state and local level. These represent a comprehensive and strategic approach to preventing ACEs in Ohio. 

Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery (OCAAR) has announced a Recovery Peer Support Booster Program — a six module series, presented over two Fridays in June. The training will equip and empower peers to take their peer support to the next level. Leading experts will present on critical recovery peer support topics. You must register for each session individually. Questions? Email moneill@oca-ohio.org.

June 14 | Language of Recovery, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Peer Support | Register

June 21 | Managing My Own Recovery, Ethics and Boundaries, Professionalism | Register

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO) will host a virtual Annual Meeting on June 18 from 11:00 a.m.-noon. All are welcome to attend. PGNO staff will highlight new programs, services, staff, and discuss past-year impact. The meeting will provide a platform for attendees to gain deeper insight into PGNO's planning process for programs and services, and share in accomplishments and successes over the past year.

Key topics of discussion will include the annual problem gambling conference, service consultation and fellowship programs, and the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network. PGNO staff and its members will finish with exciting news on programming for next fiscal year.

A limited number of tickets remain for the 2nd Annual Suicide Prevention in the Black Community Summit, which will be held on June 20 at the Conference Center at OCLC in Dublin. This year's keynote speakers will bring their expertise and lived experiences to address critical issues surrounding mental health and suicide prevention within the Black community.

Keynote Speakers:

• Josephine Ridley - Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Consultant at the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
• Victor Armstrong - Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Jasper Person III - Leadership Coach and Trainer, Tailored Fit Consulting

A continuing education application has been submitted for prevention, addiction counseling, mental health counseling, social work, and psychologists.

Black Women Cultivating Change has announced that it will host the Southwestern Ohio Black Mental Health Summit on July 20 from 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio's Holloman Center for Social Justice, 3539 Reading Road, Ste. 100, Cincinnati. 

This in-person event aims to raise awareness and provide resources for mental health in the Black community. The Summit will feature guest speakers, panel discussions, community resources, giveaways, and more. Join fellow community members and experts to discuss important topics, share experiences, and support one another.