Summit ADM Board starts transition as director leaves for new position

After about 10 years, Jerry Craig is leaving his post as executive director at the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board.

Craig, who's worked at the ADM Board since 2007, was the manager of clinical services before becoming interim director in 2010. He was appointed to the position officially in 2011.

He led the board as it saw the beginning and the worst stages of the opioid epidemic. Along with that came many new harm reduction strategies, ways of dealing with both mental health and addiction and an ever-evolving conversation around mental health.

Craig is leaving the board to become a director with the Community Support Network, which has mental health programs in Cuyahoga, Lake and Mahoning counties.

"I think it's a change of pace," Craig said. "It's a new opportunity and a new challenge. It was very difficult to make the decision to leave the board."

The ADM Board is responsible for planning, funding, monitoring and evaluating treatment, prevention and support services for people in the communty with alcoholism, drug addiction and/or mental illness. The ADM Board does not provide any direct service, but contracts with local agencies to provide care.

Craig will stay on through the end of January to help with the transition to a new director. He said one of the hardest things to leave behind is the staff, whose hard work helped develop a lot of services and support for people, particularly when it comes to dealing with addiction issues.

"I'm confident that our staff are engaged in sustaining and building on the things we've been building over the years," Craig said.

ADM Board President John Williams said he's grateful to Craig for his years of service.

"As a board, and as a community, we will certainly miss Jerry," he said.

Williams also is counting on the existing staff, who he said have done an outstanding job in light of all the challenges they've faced.

A search committee has already been formed to find a new executive director. Williams said they'll work to conduct that search safely and to make sure the board reaches out for input from the community in the search.

Reach Reporter Sean McDonnell at 330-996-3186 or smcdonnell@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit ADM Board starts transition as director leaves for new position

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