LAKE ADAMHS BOARD BEGINS 2016 FISCAL YEAR WITH NEW OFFICERS, NEW BUDGET, ANNUAL AWARDS

The Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board officially transitioned to a new fiscal year Monday evening during its annual meeting and dinner at the American-Croatian Hall in Eastlake.

 

Established by Ohio Statute, the ADAMHS Board is responsible for planning, funding, monitoring, and evaluating Lake County’s community-based mental health and addiction recovery services. Those services are delivered through a network of agencies. Board members – all Lake County residents who serve without compensation – include mental health and recovery experts, consumers (people who need and use services), relatives of consumers, community leaders, and business professionals.

 

The board approved $11.2 million in ongoing non-Medicaid funding for its 2016 fiscal year. Those funds will provide services for local individuals and families who are dealing with mental illness or addiction issues.

 

During the meeting the ADAMHS Board elected new officers for its new fiscal-year. The slate includes Tricia Hart, chair; Joanne Zeroske, vice-chair; Roberta Kalb, treasurer; Dione DeMitro, secretary; and Jim Garrett, past chair. Other fiscal-year 2016 board members include, Troy Hager, Douglas Klier, Frank Sarosy, Peggy Kiikka, Jim McBride, Alice Walker, and Karen Tarase.

 

Following the formal board meeting, board members, staff and guests shared dinner and a program that included awards presentations. Executive Director Kim Fraser used her time at the podium to emphasize the ways the Lake County ADAMHS network is embracing the Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC) way of evaluating and delivering services. The presentation included video clips of a number of community stakeholders underscoring the “Recovery is Beautiful” theme that is attached to the ROSC initiative.

 

Retiring ADAMHS Board member Dr. Gail Fedak was honored. Fedak joined the ADAMHS Board in 2008, and has served as chair, vice-chair, treasurer, and secretary. She also served on the board’s Program, Long-Range Planning, Executive/Personnel, Mental Health, Alcohol/Drug, Evaluation/Quality Improvement, Allocation, and Grievance committees.

 

The ADAMHS Board bestowed its three annual system-wide awards at the event.

 

Steve Gielink was given the 2015 ADAMHS Consumer Achievement Award. This award recognizes a consumer who has been especially successful in working toward and achieving important goals.

 

The Unsung Hero Award salutes a staff member at one of the ADAMHS funded service providers. This year’s award went to Deborah Gurney of Signature Health.

 

The 2014 ADAMHS Advocate Award recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to the system’s missions. That award was given to Nathan Peters, Public Education Specialist with the City of Mentor’s Fire Department.

 

Award-winners and the retiring board member were presented framed pieces of art from the system’s annual Expressions of Recovery consumer art show.