More than 300 community members, private and public sector leaders and advocates gathered May 14 to celebrate a pivotal moment in Franklin County’s approach to mental health and addiction crisis care. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Franklin County Crisis Care Center marked not just the near completion of a facility, but the realization of a vision years in the making.
The Franklin County Crisis Care Center, located at 465 Harmon Ave, is slated to open this summer.
Sally O’Neil opened the event by welcoming guests to what she called a milestone for the community. As the daughter of Tad and Nancy Jeffrey, O’Neil reflected on her mother’s early vision of a comprehensive, compassionate response to mental health and addiction crises. The Jeffrey family made a $2-million donation to the capital campaign in memory of Tad and Nancy.
“(Nancy’s) dream was for one destination where people in crisis could come, be evaluated in a compassionate and respectful setting and then be connected to the appropriate care,” she said. “The Jeffrey family is truly honored to have been part of the support that enabled this facility to be built, realizing our mother’s vision for a single on-ramp where all community resources are connected.”
Erika Clark Jones, CEO of the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH) addressed the crowd with a clear message: mental health is health.
“Together, we believe one thing: that we can, and we must, do better for individuals and families experiencing mental health and addiction crises,” Erika said. “Crisis care must be equitable and accessible. This is more than a facility. It’s a promise to our community that those in crisis will be met with dignity, care and hope.”
The event also featured remarks from LeeAnne Cornyn, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Erica Crawley, president of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners; and Shannon Hardin, president of Columbus City Council. Their leadership and the support of their respective agencies were instrumental in making the construction of the center possible.
David Covington, CEO and President of Recovery Innovations, the organization that will operate the center, further emphasized the importance of the facility for Franklin County.
“At Recovery Innovations, we believe that a crisis is not the end, it’s the pivotal moment where compassion, connection and care can change everything,” he said. “That’s what drew us here – the shared belief that people in crisis deserve dignity, respect and real help right when they need it.”
He highlighted Recovery Innovations’ trauma-informed, person-centered approach and explained how services will be delivered differently, focused on compassion and connection.
“This center is a game-changer,” he said. “Franklin County isn’t just keeping up, it’s leading. This center is a national model for what crisis care should be in this new era of 988.”
The ceremony concluded with powerful words from Jennifer Johnson, an outpatient counselor with Maryhaven. Jennifer, who has lived experience navigating the behavioral health system, spoke from the heart about how transformational the crisis center will be for those in need.
“This new crisis center stands as a lighthouse for anyone who has ever felt lost, isolated or overwhelmed,” she said. “So today, a new door opens — for every person in crisis, every worried parent or partner, every neighbor trying to hold on. A new place of hope.”
View recent coverage of the crisis care center: NBC4, 10TV, ABC6, WOSU