View as a webpage  /  Share

March 4, 2025

New Chief Medical Officer Named

Please join us in welcoming Dr. John Kennedy as the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for OhioMHAS. Dr. Kennedy spent a decade at The Ohio State University, completing medical school, graduate school, and his psychiatry residency. He then continued his training in forensic psychiatry in New York, working in a maximum-security forensic unit upon graduation. In 2000, he returned to Ohio to serve as the Director of the Institute for Psychiatry and Law at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, integrating the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship into Summit Behavioral Healthcare and serving as the Director of Forensic Services at Summit. For the past 20 years, Dr. Kennedy has held CMO and VPMA positions in university, psychiatric, and general medical hospitals, with oversight of the medical staff office, quality, accreditation, case management and graduate medical education, and outpatient mental health programs. Dr. Kennedy joins the team on March 12.

NBH CEO Dave Colletti Retires After 36 Years of Service

Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH) CEO Dave Colletti retired on Feb. 28 after 36 years of service. Royall Chambers will serve as Interim CEO until a new CEO is named.

Dave served as CEO at NBH since 2019 where he oversaw a staff of approximately 480 employees and was responsible for the well-being, care, and treatment of 258 patients at the hospital.

Dave reflected on his time with OhioMHAS saying, "It has been an honor to serve as a leader in this department. The State of Ohio has always been a support to those with mental illness. I am grateful for all the people I have worked with over the years!"

Dave began his career as a caseworker at the Summit County Children Services Board in 1984 and became Director of Social Work Services at Fallsview Psychiatric Hospital in 1993. In 1996, Dave was hired at NBH as Director of Social Work Services and Patient Care Coordinator. He advanced to Cleveland Campus Administrator in 2001 and was first appointed as NBH CEO in 2009. Dave has also served as CEO at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare and worked in Central Office as the Assistant Director of Hospital Services.

Thank you, Dave, for your service and contributions to OhioMHAS!

Chief of Hospital Services and Forensic Operations Merissa McKinstry presents former Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare CEO Dave Colletti with a proclamation signed by Governor Mike DeWine in recognition of his service to the State of Ohio.

Updated Letterhead Reflects New Lieutenant Governor

The Office of Communications and Marketing has recently updated all of the letterhead for the agency to add recently appointed Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel. The new letterhead is available on the Communications and Marketing page on myOhio. Please use the updated letterhead in your agency communications.

Don't Forget to "Spring Forward" This Weekend

Daylight Saving Time occurs twice a year -- in the spring and fall. Daylight Saving Time originated in 1918 as an effort to conserve electricity during the first World War. When Daylight Saving Time begins on Saturday, March 9, we will move our clocks forward an hour and gain an hour of daylight.

Even though this may not seem like a significant change, our bodies may still need some time to adjust.

Below are a few tips to help your body to adjust to the time change:

• Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time.
• Practice good sleep habits. Avoid using electronics such as your phone at bedtime — the light can affect your ability to sleep. Take a warm bath or shower.
• Keep your evening meals consistent.
• Get outside. More light can boost seratonin levels and help regulate your internal clock.
• Take a short nap. A nap that last 20 minutes or less can help with sleepiness you may feel from the time change.

Hocking Hills Named One of the Top 50 Most Beautiful Spots in the U.S.

One of the most beautiful places in the U.S. is right here in Ohio, according to a renowned national travel magazine. Condé Nast Traveler recently named Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio on its list of The 50 Most Beautiful Places in America, stating, "Open (and beautiful) all year round, Hocking Hills State Park is packed with hiking trails that pass by waterfalls, cliffs, thick forests, and gorges canopied by hemlock trees. The trail leading to the Whispering Cave — a 300-foot-wide recess cave with gentle waterfalls — is particularly lovely."