Columbus, OH - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today convened a new working group to address the increasing number of criminal justice-involved (forensic) patients being treated at Ohio’s six regional psychiatric hospitals.

Ohio’s six state-run regional psychiatric hospitals exist as a safety net for Ohioans experiencing serious mental illness and provide comprehensive in-patient care and treatment to more than 1,000 patients daily. These specialized facilities provide services for civil patients as well as those referred by criminal courts. Over time, the forensic population has steadily increased, squeezing out access and capacity of civil beds in the state hospitals. Forensic patients - which include jail transfers, restoration to competency and Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity patients - currently account for about 93 percent of the available beds (1,085).

“Nine out of 10 beds at our state psychiatric hospitals are occupied by forensic patients, which challenges our ability to keep pace with court referrals for forensic admissions,” said Governor DeWine. “This limits our state psychiatric hospitals’ ability to serve citizens with serious mental illness who are not criminal justice involved. My hope is that through this working group we will reach a consensus around recommendations that alleviate the strain on our hospitals and ensure that Ohioans living with serious mental illness get access to the care they need to get well, be well, and stay well.”

The Governor’s Work Group on Competency Restoration and Diversion will be chaired by Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director LeeAnne Cornyn. Membership is comprised of representatives from Ohio’s criminal court and penal systems, the Governor’s Office, the Ohio Departments of Mental Health and Addictions Services, Rehabilitation and Correction, Medicaid, and Public Safety, RecoveryOhio, behavioral health provider agencies, advocacy groups, local stakeholders, and Ohioans with lived experience. The group will hold bi-weekly meetings over the next three months with a goal of issuing a final report and recommendations by summer of 2024.

The work group’s goals include:

Ensuring adequate access to state psychiatric hospital beds for those experiencing a crisis who are not criminal justice involved.
Developing recommendations to enhance Ohio’s outpatient competency restoration program.
Developing best practices and strategies for expanding jail diversion programs for those with mental health and substance use disorders.
Developing strategies to expand access to jail-based competency restoration and treatment.

“Ohio’s regional psychiatric hospitals serve thousands of Ohioans each year, helping to treat them to wellness, not just stabilization. Through high-quality treatment, recovery-oriented programming, and intensive transition supports, our hospitals help more Ohioans thrive in their home communities,” said OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn. “We want to ensure that all Ohioans in need have access to this quality care, not just those involved in the criminal justice system.”

Work group members include:

LeeAnne Cornyn, Director, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Aimee Shadwick, Director, RecoveryOhio
Maureen Corcoran, Director, Ohio Department of Medicaid Director
Annette Chambers-Smith, Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Molly Harris, Ohio Department of Public Safety
Nick Schrantz, Butler County Probate Monitor
Judge Kevin Taylor, Van Wert Probate and Juvenile Court Judge
Sheriff Thomas Riggenbach, Van Wert County
Michael Marion, Miami County Jail Administrator
Elizabeth Miller, State Public Defender
Ron Welch, Muskingum County Prosecuting Attorney
Judge Allison McCarty, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Administrative Judge
Jenny O’Donnell, Forensic Evaluation Service Center (Hamilton)
Linda Janes, COO, Alvis House
Emily Ribnik, NEOMED Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence
Scott Sylak, Executive Director, MHRS Board of Lucas County
Donnie Willis, Jackson County Commissioner
Doug Smith, Chief Clinical Officer, County of Summit ADM Board/NAMI Ohio
Alicia Smith, Peg’s Foundation, Director of Policy & Implementation
Lovell Custard, President & CEO, Murtis Taylor Human Services System
Brenda Stewart, RecoveryOhio Council Member & Founder, The Addict’s Parent
Jesse Roberts, Vocational Program Manager, My RecoveryWorks

About Ohio’s Regional Psychiatric Hospitals

OhioMHAS operates six regional psychiatric hospitals, including: Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare (Athens), Heartland Behavioral Healthcare (Massillon), Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (Northfield), Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital (Toledo), Summit Behavioral Healthcare (Cincinnati), and Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare (Columbus). All six hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission and CMS and can bill third party health care organizations as well as Medicare and Medicaid. The inpatient services are provided 24/7 by approximately 1,900 staff consisting of physicians, registered nurses, licensed social worker, psychologists, and direct care nursing program workers. The annual budget for the system is for FY 24 is $300,000,000. Learn More.