SEEDSof Hope
Walk Right In. We’re Ready When You Are.
Millions of people in the U.S. are impacted by mental illness each year, and timely access to person-centered care can be a lifeline for individuals and families in crisis. However, with a significant behavioral health provider workforce shortage across the country, almost a third (28.2%) of all adults with a mental illness are not able to receive the treatment they need (2024 State of Mental Health in America).
At OhioGuidestone we are focused on innovative accessible care models that eliminate barriers to access and reduce wait time for services, including the addition of immediate walk-in service options across our footprint. From our Behavioral Health Urgent Cares to our Walk-In Clinics for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and our Rapid Access to Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, OhioGuidestone is responding to the needs of our communities and providing alternative ways
for individuals to receive the support they need precisely when they need it. These models help bridge the gap in access to care and eliminate barriers for those in need of services.
According to a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN, 90 percent of Americans believe there is a mental health crisis in the United States. An alarming number of young adults surveyed—more than half—report seeking mental health services, but services were not accessible to them.
At the heart of OhioGuidestone’s strategic initiatives is the recognition that urgent behavioral health needs require immediate intervention. Through our established Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in Berea, Cleveland, and an upcoming expansion to Bryan, Ohio, OhioGuidestone provides walk-in Urgent Care for Behavioral Health and
FROM THE CEO
While the COVID-19 pandemic compounded a critical and ongoing behavioral health workforce shortage, OhioGuidestone has never wavered in its delivery of high-quality personcentered care.
I am proud to say that OhioGuidestone has not only maintained our high standard of care but has fully recovered from the significant impacts of the pandemic and has ended the fiscal year financially healthy and programmatically stronger than ever before as we move into FY25.
Our internship program is thriving with a dynamic team of 113 interns, 38 of whom have already transitioned to employment roles within our agency, bringing diverse and new perspectives into our workforce (see page 3).
We have significantly invested in our leadership team, adding additional clinical expertise that will be integral in furthering our mission and deepening our impact in FY25, including our new Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Quality and Clinical Care (see page 7).
Our strong focus on access to care has led to expanded walk-in services and innovative new treatments, and I am excited about our ongoing commitment to integrated whole person care.
I am confident that our high-quality leaders and caregivers will continue to bring unparalleled service to our communities, building on our successes and reaching great heights in the new fiscal year.
Brant Russell, President and CEO
offers critical support during mental health crises. By providing intervention promptly, these urgent care locations not only ensure individuals receive appropriate care, but they also help alleviate the strain on Emergency Departments and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations. With support from the Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board of Lorain County we are adding a new Walk-In Urgent Care for Youth Behavioral Health to our Lorain County Office. This clinic is among the first in the state to cater specifically to the needs of youth and adolescents, a significant step forward in accessible behavioral health care.
Walk-In Clinics for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in Bryan, Findlay, Medina, Toledo, and Wauseon, serve as another example of OhioGuidestone’s dedication to breaking down barriers to accessing care. Our AUD clinics eliminate the need for appointments, offering immediate access to a provider. Through an accessible care model that includes linkage to ongoing treatment and support, client engagement and success in recovery is enhanced.
Rapid Access is our longest-standing walk-in program that provides those struggling with substance use disorders immediate, and often lifesaving, access to a medical provider and medication assisted treatment (MAT) in our Cleveland, Findlay, Medina, New Philadelphia, and Perrysburg locations. In 2020, 1 in 15 U.S. adults experienced both a substance use disorder and a mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. By offering MAT through expedited assessments and immediate prescriptions for medication, Rapid Access ensures individuals have a direct path to treatment and ongoing therapeutic support. Walk-in treatment is available for those seeking it when they are ready, a critical component for recovery.
Our Psychiatry First service further emphasizes OhioGuidestone’s commitment to prompt, comprehensive care. By connecting clients directly with psychiatric services across sixteen locations statewide, wait times are reduced, ensuring timely, direct access to those seeking psychiatric care.
By reducing barriers, OhioGuidestone empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards their recovery and mental wellbeing. Prompt access to services addresses immediate needs and lays the groundwork for long-term success. By providing accessible, person-centered care, we are helping individuals pave the way for brighter futures. Addressing urgent demands and the growing need for care improves mental health outcomes.
Pathways to Growth, Our Unique Internship Program
The demand for qualified behavioral health professionals—licensed social workers, counselors, behavioral health specialists and marriage and family therapists—is greater than ever. Increased recognition of mental health needs, coupled with ongoing societal stressors like economic uncertainty and trauma, necessitates not only keeping pace with the current workforce but outpacing it.
As we celebrate National Intern Appreciation Day, we take pride in sharing our efforts to build a strong behavioral health workforce for the future and the exceptional impact of our internship program.
We welcomed 113 interns this past fiscal year, 38 of whom have already transitioned to employment roles within our agency, highlighting our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering professional growth.
personalized experiences define our program, allowing interns to tailor their journey across regions, programs, and client types. Extensive training resources and professional development opportunities ensure interns acquire diverse skills crucial for career advancement.
What sets our program apart is its comprehensive support and unique initiatives designed to empower interns. From our annual Welcome Event in the Fall to the Intern Appreciation event in the Spring, we cultivate a community where interns feel valued and supported throughout their journey. The recent launch of our Intern Hall of Fame further celebrates the achievements of former interns who now contribute as valued staff members. Flexibility and emphasis on
Collaboration with universities is integral to our program’s success. By aligning with academic curricula and participating in programs like the Great Minds Fellowship, we tailor experiences that meet educational requirements while offering practical, real-world applications. Adam Peltier, Regional Director of Operations, emphasizes the reciprocal benefits of our partnership with The Ohio State University, where insights from his role on the Field Advisory Committee enrich both curriculum development and intern experiences.
By actively engaging with academic institutions such as Bowling Green State University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, The Ohio State University, The University of Akron, and The University of Toledo, among many others, we can attract a talented group of passionate interns aspiring to make a difference. These partnerships not only enrich our clinical programs, but also contribute to the ongoing evolution of our industry.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding our internship program, forging the next generation of leaders in behavioral healthcare.
DBT Therapy: Effective Treatment for Today’s Challenges
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), originating in the 1970s as a treatment for borderline personality disorder and suicidal behavior, has recently garnered new attention and accolades for its effectiveness across a broader spectrum of disorders and age groups. Derived from cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT is tailored for individuals with intense emotions whose symptoms are resistant to conventional therapeutic approaches.
OhioGuidestone is seeing the success of DBT in treating a range of conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder.
“DBT unlocked the trauma behind years of unsuccessful substance use disorder treatment,” said Catherine Crawford, OhioGuidestone’s Clinical Manager, about a client who came to OhioGuidestone in a last-ditch effort at recovery. “She is doing great and on a healthy path,” Catherine said, “but only after DBT enabled her to uncover and treat the root of her substance use disorder.”
Nicole Klimas-Morrison, Director of Community Counseling for Lorain and Erie Counties at OhioGuidestone, highlighted DBT’s role in filling
a crucial community treatment gap for youth with moderate to high needs.
“With the skyrocketing numbers related to anxiety and depression among teens, DBT is an effective way to treat those symptoms,” Nicole said. “It addresses interpersonal skills, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance.”
Recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a pivotal evidence-based treatment, DBT has demonstrated sharper reductions in suicide attempts and self-harm among adolescents than compared to more generalized therapy.
OhioGuidestone is proud to be a top resource in DBT and extends its gratitude to the Mental Health Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board for their support and funding to expand DBT services in Lorain County.
DBT CEU Event Recap
Catherine Crawford, MA, LPCC-S, a clinical manager at OhioGuidestone, led a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) event on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in Findlay, Ohio. The session provided an overview of DBT and highlighted DBT’s efficacy in addressing suicidal behaviors and complex challenges. The event taught mindfulness interventions through culturally humble implementations. OhioGuidestone continues to lead with informative CEU opportunities across the state. This opportunity equipped 57 licensed clinicians from the community with skills to apply DBT principles effectively in their clinical roles and personal lives.
(left to right) Victoria Graham, Regional Director of Operations, Catherine Crawford, Clinical Manager, and Derek Rader, Campus and Community Outreach Coordinator.
“The
Worst Thing That Could Happen Is Your Life Gets Better”
“I was 11 the first time I did meth,” Sierra said of her introduction to methamphetamines, “My mom had to work so my sister would watch me and take me to this nasty house, and her friends thought it would be funny to watch me being all tweaked out.”
Sierra remembers feeling like it was a rite of passage, “I just wanted to be cool like my big sister and be a rebel,” she said. By the time she was 15, Sierra was using drugs regularly and felt like she was on a path from which she could never recover. To the outside world, Sierra looked like she was fine.
“I had perfect attendance in school,” she said, “I lived with my mom, stepdad and brother, spent time with my dad on weekends, and played softball from t-ball through high school.”
Meanwhile Sierra was quietly in what became an 18-year nightmare that included 2 prison terms, 23 attempts at detoxification, and an intentional overdose attempt to end her own life—a friend used Narcan to revive her.
Sierra had been hiding from her parole officer, but after the overdose she turned herself in and went back to the Correctional Treatment Facility in Lucas County. This is where she says she made the best decision of her life, when she connected with the OhioGuidestone program, Project Direct Link (PDL).
PDL is offered to those incarcerated in Lucas County Corrections Center and the Correctional Treatment Facility as a chance to embark on a path of recovery and break free from the weight of substance use disorder.
PDL combines monthly injections of Vivitrol along with intensive therapy to control drug cravings and learn skills to modify behavior. The program and treatment begin during incarceration and continue after the individual is released.
Sierra met with OhioGuidestone’s Christopher Langenderfer to determine if she was a candidate for PDL.
“My role is to provide a diagnostic evaluation before an individual is released,” Christopher said, “and I coordinate services while they are incarcerated, including connecting them to the people who will be administering the medication.”
When asked to describe Sierra with one word Christopher said “survivor” and that Sierra is a great candidate for PDL because she is determined to get better. Christopher also coordinates with parole officers to let them know that an individual like Sierra is in the PDL program and receiving the medication along with therapy and behavioral modification. The medication Vivitrol is an extended-release
continued on page 6
“The Worst Thing That Could Happen Is Your Life Gets Better”, continued from page 5
formulation of Naltrexone, which works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and lasts up to a month. It blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief and euphoria. The Food and Drug Administration approved the medicine for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence.
“They set me up with the Vivitrol injection before I was released,” Sierra said. “The first time I had the shot I was stressed about not being able to feel opiates for 30 days,” Sierra said, “and when I first came home the shot was my safety net, but now I forget I am even on it.” Sierra continues with her monthly shot of Vivitrol, along with Outpatient Therapy and Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP).
Youth Urgent Care
She works with OhioGuidestone Therapist Kaitlyn Smith as part of OhioGuidestone’s PDL continuum of care. Sierra said Kaitlyn goes above and beyond to empower her, even helping her secure a professional, well-paying job despite a criminal record.
For the first time, Sierra said she feels hopeful of what’s to come and able to handle any obstacle that comes her way. “I feel like an adult for once, I pay bills, work full time, pay off my debts, and have great relationships.”
Her advice to anyone considering PDL? “Open up, become vulnerable, let someone help you heal those wounds you keep opening by using—the worst thing that could happen is your life gets better.”
OhioGuidestone is proud to announce the launch of a new Youth Urgent Care in Lorain at our Lorain Outpatient Counseling Center, with support from the Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board of Lorain County (MHARS). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reveals rising depression and anxiety rates among children, emphasizing the urgent need for accessible services among this population. This new urgent care offers immediate assessments and urgent intervention without appointments, helping to reduce strain on emergency services and bridging outpatient gaps.
The Urgent Care is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00am to 2:00pm for now, with plans to expand as the need grows. While the urgent care will focus on ensuring timely access to crucial care for youth and families experiencing urgent mental health needs, it will be accessible to clients of all ages. Funding has been provided through June 2025 by MHARS, as part of their pledge for sustained support for community mental health, promising improved outcomes for adolescents and their families.
Measurement-Based Care
OhioGuidestone’s talented behavioral health professionals consistently deliver behavioral health outcomes that exceed clinical research-based outcome expectations, as shown through routine client outcome measures collected periodically during treatment. As we move into the new fiscal year, we are thrilled to expand our ongoing strategic initiative committing to an even greater investment in measurement-based person-centered health care.
OhioGuidestone is thrilled to welcome two new members to
our leadership team!
source: Greenspace Mental Health Ltd.
Measurement-based care (MBC) shares many characteristics with routine client outcome measures but elevates the outcome process by integrating the best available research with clinical expertise. MBC provides reliable tools for caregivers and clients to visualize trends and progress over time and in real-time. Data from patient reported surveys and caregiver reports offers invaluable insight to support dynamic changes made in partnership with the client during the treatment session.
OhioGuidestone’s new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Julia Bruner, and Vice President of Quality and Clinical Care, Dr. Kathleen Kern, are enthusiastic about the impact of MBC not only on client outcomes, but on the evolution of behavioral health care from fee-for-service to valuebased care.
“One of the areas of focus in my role that I am really looking forward to will be to enhance the application of measurement-based care within the clinical services,” said Dr. Kern. “MBC is all about utilizing patient self-assessments to guide shared decision-making about the course of treatment. Just as a primary care provider assesses blood pressure before making changes to blood pressure medications, assessing the severity of the mental health symptoms that brought a client into care is important for informing the course of treatment.”
Dr. Bruner is equally as excited about MBC and the significant impact it is shown to have on client outcomes. “Value-based care prioritizes high-quality person-centered care that improves client outcomes,” shared Dr. Bruner, “and the research on MBC shows clients receiving measurement-based care report 42% higher overall improvement in clinical symptoms and 40% lower cancellation rates.”
Individuals and families can expect the same high-quality of care OhioGuidestone has always offered with an even deeper commitment to collaborative person- and family-centered care that empowers clients to take steps towards a healthier future.
Julia Bruner, MD, MS, MBA, FAAFP, joins us as Chief Medical Officer, bringing a wealth of expertise from a distinguished career in family practice. Board Certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Bruner is committed to integrated care and a holistic approach to well-being. In her role as Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health and Correctional Medicine at The MetroHealth System, she established a new standard of care and measurably improved community behavioral health practices. Her leadership will be pivotal in advancing OhioGuidestone’s clinical excellence and integrated care strategies.
Kathleen Kern, Ph.D., steps into the role of Vice President of Quality and Clinical Care, drawing from her extensive background in psychology and leadership roles at Lorain County Health & Dentistry and the Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board of Lorain County.
Dr. Kern’s focus on enhancing quality and clinical outcomes through datadriven measurement tools will guide the continued growth of evidence-based practices and value-based care initiatives at OhioGuidestone.
The additions of Dr. Bruner and Dr. Kern mark a significant step in OhioGuidestone’s commitment to innovation and excellence in behavioral health care. Their leadership will help shape the future of our organization as we continue to expand our impact to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve.
OhioGuidestone
343 W Bagley Rd Berea, Ohio 44017-1370
844-6CALLOG (844.622.5564) OhioGuidestone.org
Seeds of Hope is a publication of OhioGuidestone Our Promise
Our Mission
To provide pathways for growth, achievement and lifelong success.
Our Vision
We are the state’s leader in community behavioral health.
Our Motto
We heal the heart, soothe the soul, engage the spirit, and expand the mind.
EVENTSand fundraising
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Licenses and Certifications
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
September 14, 2024
Race Details
Join us for a 5k, 10k or 1 mile run/walk to benefit individuals served by OhioGuidestone. After the races, stick around for some “PostRun Fun”—re-energize with delicious food and healthy drinks from local food trucks, and enjoy family-friendly activities. For more information and to register, please visit: ohioguidestone.org/promise-run
Why
We Run
We run for those who are forging new life paths with the help of OhioGuidestone. We run because we are committed to mental health and well-being. We run because our programs are the keys to surviving — to thriving. We run because every success story began with a first step.
