The County of Summit ADM Board is responsible for planning, funding, monitoring and evaluating treatment and prevention services for people who experience alcoholism, drug addiction and/or mental illness. The ADM Board does not provide any direct service, but contracts with local agencies to provide quality, affordable services for people at critical times in their lives. The ADM Board system of services provides opportunities for recovery and hope for a better life.

Alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are real medical conditions that can affect anyone. Effective treatments are available and people do recover. One in four families experiences either a mental health or substance abuse problem. Summit County residents have a rich array of services and supports available to them through the ADM Board system.

In Ohio, local Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Boards are given the statutory responsibility for seeing that services and facilities are available locally to help people with mental illness or alcohol / drug addictions. The ADM Board of Directors is comprised of 18 community volunteers who provide leadership in policy formation and fund allocation. They, along with ADM Board staff, assess community needs, plan, and manage public resources in order to provide essential services.

We are grateful for strong support from our community and more than half of the ADM Board’s system resources come from the property tax levy approved by Summit County voters. It is through those levy dollars that people without insurance can still be served. The remainder of the ADM funding comes from state, federal and private sources.

On an annual basis, the ADM Board funds services and supports for over 25,000 Summit County residents in need of treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues, whether they are children or adults. The Board also funds prevention services to over 22,000 people with a high concentration of child and adolescent programs.

Special programs

Prevention
The ADM Board provides funding and significant support to the Summit County Suicide Prevention Coalition and funds a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline. We also fund and collaborate with Community Partnership to prevent substance abuse in our community with emphasis on youth.

Collaboration with Criminal Justice System
The ADM Board works with the courts and police departments to help our communities be safer places to live and see that people receive treatment when needed. For the last twenty years, Summit County has led the way in evidence based “state of the art” treatment.  We have been recognized by multiple, reputable outside experts for our innovation in designing programs to meet the needs of persons with mental illness who also become involved with the criminal justice system.

Crisis Intervention Training CIT                                                                                                            

CIT is a forty-hour course for law enforcement personnel where participants learn how to recognize and effectively respond to someone experiencing a mental health crisis. The class teaches effective techniques for de-escalating crises with the goal of helping to direct persons with mental illness into treatment instead of inappropriate incarceration.

In 2000, Summit County became the first location in Ohio to hold CIT training through the collaborative efforts of the Akron Police Department, and the Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health (ADM) Services Board, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and local mental health service providers. Over the last 10 years, over 400 law enforcement officers have completed the training.The Collaboration was enhanced the following year when the Ohio Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence (CJ/CCoE) was established to promote jail diversion alternatives for people with mental illness throughout Ohio. One way the Center does this is to help other communities in Ohio develop ongoing CIT programs.