The Organization

The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County is responsible for planning and coordinating behavioral health services throughout Lorain County, Ohio.

The Challenge

Following the combination of the county's mental health and addiction services organizations, MHARS needed to establish a strategic direction for the newly combined organization.

The planning process needed to incorporate the perspectives of Board leadership, behavioral health stakeholders, community members, people who had received services, and families.

Brown Consulting’s Approach

Brown Consulting was selected to lead the strategic planning process.

The engagement began with project planning and assessment. Brown Consulting worked with Board members and staff leadership to:

• Establish the project focus and schedule

• Identify stakeholders

• Develop survey and interview content

• Review existing planning documents and community health information

• Identify strategic planning priorities

• Facilitate stakeholder discussions and focus groups

• Incorporate community and consumer perspectives into the planning process

In March 2020, Brown Consulting facilitated five focus groups. MHARS also publicly invited community members and individuals who had received mental health or substance use services, along with family members, to participate.

The Result

The stakeholder input and assessment work informed MHARS Board's 2021–2023 Strategic Plan.

According to the publicly available strategic plan, Brown Consulting led the strategic planning process, conducted stakeholder focus groups, and gathered information used to develop the plan's objectives. The completed Strategic Plan was presented to and approved by the Board of Directors in October 2020.

One of the resulting strategic initiatives focused on promoting high-quality, cost-effective, accessible behavioral health programs and services responsive to the diverse needs of Lorain County residents.

Why This Matters

This engagement illustrates Brown Consulting's approach to strategic planning for organizations serving both mental health and substance use populations.

It also demonstrates the importance of bringing multiple perspectives into behavioral health planning—including leadership, providers, community stakeholders, consumers, and families.

Documented engagement: MHARS Board of Lorain County
Service: Strategic Planning, Assessment & Stakeholder Engagement
Focus: Mental health, addiction services, community needs, stakeholder focus groups, consumer/family input, strategic priorities

Source documentation: MHARS Board of Lorain County Strategic Planning Assessment, 2021–2023 Strategic Plan, and public focus-group announcement.