The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is a cabinet-level State agency that oversees Ohio’s behavioral health system. The director of OhioMHAS, Lori Criss, reports directly to Governor Mike DeWine, and the OhioMHAS leadership team assists Director Criss in the day-to-day decision making.
OhioMHAS formed as a result of the merging of the former departments of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services and Mental Health, creating a single agency that delivers a wide variety of services to Ohioans affected by addiction and mental illness. No direct service is offered to clients at its downtown Columbus location. The work that takes place at “Central Office” is administrative and focuses on planning, policy-writing, funding, licensing the almost 1000 facilities statewide where direct service is offered and providing leadership.