This past August, two major mental healthcare institutions in Lorain County, The LCADA Way and The Nord Center, merged to form Riveon Mental Health and Recovery. 

The partnership enabled the creation of a crisis receiving center, currently under construction, which will offer a “one-stop shop” for high-end mental health and substance use services, where individuals seeking help at community agencies can immediately get appointments or support instead of being handed a list of resources. The 30,000-square-foot facility, with 16 beds, would split its space between treating those with mental health and addiction disorders and crises. 

“When we first started the project, The LCADA Way was going to run the second floor, and The Nord Center was going to run the first floor,” Dan Haight, the former CEO of The LCADA Way, and current COO of Riveon Mental Health and Recovery said. “As we looked at operational efficiencies, we realized we don’t need two medical directors, two chief nursing officers, or two front desk staff that would run from each company — it made sense for us to start talking about a partnership.”  

The merger aims to benefit residents by streamlining care for both mental health and substance use disorders, which are often co-occurring. According to Haight, over 60 percent of the people that sought addiction services at The LCADA Way end also had a mental health issue. 

Riveon’s treatment aims to be hands-on and immediate, eradicating the need to approach behavioral health care from either a mental health or substance abuse initiative — rather, they can treat both in a timely way. The new facility will simplify access to care by integrating services, making it easier for individuals to receive assessments and treatment in one place without being referred elsewhere. 

Prior to the merger, Nord primarily treated severe and persistent mental health conditions, while LCADA supplied a full continuum of care for substance use. However, individuals who struggle with mental health often develop substance use disorders — or vice versa. 

“The future of healthcare, not only in our community, but in the state and the nation, is to really ask, ‘How do we help the whole person?’” said Haight. “When somebody comes to us, let’s not be siloed with only helping them with [substance use disorder], and sending them somewhere else for mental health, and then somewhere else for physical care or whatever it may be.”

Riveon currently operates six locations in Elyria and five in Amherst. They plan to continue their goal of providing timely care to those who are dual-diagnosed with mental health and addiction struggles by opening up another urgent care and crisis center in Southern Lorain County, in the Oberlin and Wellington area. The LCADA Way brought 12 buses into the merger initiative in order to aid any transportation needs to and from facilities. 

“Mental illness and substance use disorder are brain disorders, medical conditions where the brain is the organ affected,” Debbie Kelley, who is in charge of the Rural Response Network at Riveon, said. “Having them under one umbrella helps us talk about them together and humanize the struggles people face.”

While the merger has increased the scope of some initiatives, the Nord Center and LCADA will continue to work on their long-term projects. The Rural Response Network aims to reduce stigma, and increase access to services such as prevention, treatment, recovery, support, and harm reduction.

Riveon will hold events like roundtable discussions and educational sessions at Oberlin this September, during National Recovery Month, aimed especially at students and focusing on stress management and safety in college environments.