System Transformation

Transformation is underway in Ohio to better serve people with mental illnesses and emotional disorders. In the past two decades, Ohio has made great strides to move from institutional care to community care, move toward a recovery orientation, include consumers in decision-making processes, investigate and use evidence-based practices and work collaboratively across systems. But resources are tight, the system has become even more complex and many people with a mental illness seek care and rely on resources outside the mental health system – whether in primary health care, schools or the law enforcement system. To address these current issues as well as to prepare for the future, Ohio’s mental health system is engaging in various activities to transform itself into a cohesive, accessible and effective system of care for all who enter it so that they can live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities.