Ohio Merged State Agency To Tackle Mental-Health, Addiction Issues

Circle Connections: New Talent A new state agency, the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, has been created, absorbing one formed 23 years ago by a Democratic governor. The new agency has a two-year budget of nearly $1.4 billion and 2,400 employees. It is the product of the merger of the Department of Mental Health with the Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services. Tracy Plouck, the former mental-health director, was sworn in on Sunday as head of the consolidated agency, tasked with coordinating a system that includes 460 treatment providers, 400 mental-health . . .