Presenters:
Speaker #1: Lori Criss, Director of the Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
A native of eastern Ohio, Lori Criss has been engaged in the behavioral health field since 1992. Her experience includes working for the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and Amethyst, Inc.
Prior to coming to OhioMHAS, Lori served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers.
Ms. Criss holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from The Ohio State University. She graduated from SAMHSA’s 2010-2011 Women's Addiction Services Leadership Institute, a year-long nationally-selective, intensive program designed to build leaders for the nation’s behavioral health field.
Lori has most recently served on the Advisory Board to Ohio’s Criminal Sentencing Commission, the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Addiction Policy Committee, and Ohio’s Housing and Homeless Collaborative.
She is a former board member for the National Alliance for Recovery Residences and served as the Principal Advisor for Ohio Recovery Housing.
Speakers #2: Hayley Fahrnbach, Director of Clinical Services at Beckett Springs
Hayley Fahrnbach, LISW-S, received her undergraduate degree from Xavier University and her Master of Social Work from Northern Kentucky University. Hayley began her work in the field in 2013 with Talbert House Pathways where she worked with women who were reintegrating into society from the prison system. In 2016, Hayley worked as a case manager for Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health where she was on an engagement team to connect those who suffer from severe mental illness to services. Hayley acted as a Lead Therapist on a dual-diagnosis inpatient unit at Beckett Springs Behavioral Health Hospital since 2018 and was recently promoted to Director of Clinical Services.
Speaker #3: Loyal Ownes, Chief Executive Officer at Beckett Springs
Loyal has over 25 years of working in behavioral health. He started his mental health career as a Mental Health Tech on an inner-city psychiatric inpatient unit in Trenton, NJ. Since then, he has had numerous positions on clinical and leadership levels. He has experience in traditional outpatient settings and has even worked leading a mental health program in a jail. Loyal was an integral part of a community team that brought the CIT, Crisis Intervention Team for Police, concept to New Jersey. Over his career, he has held multiple leadership roles including Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services, Senior Director of Behavioral Health, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. He has worked in New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and currently as the CEO for Beckett Springs Hospital in West Chester, OH. In addition to these roles, he has also been a presenter at various conferences and even an adjunct Professor at Drexel University where he taught a course on early intervention for behavioral health.
Speaker #4: Kevin Swearingen, Vice President at CuraLinc
Kevin is the Vice President at CuraLinc Healthcare, one of the industry leading providers in stand-alone EAP services. Kevin joined the CuraLinc team in June of 2022, where he brought over 8 years of healthcare experience. Prior to joining CuraLinc, Kevin worked for other employer-health organizations to deliver EAPs, digital behavioral healthcare programs, and employee well-being solutions. Kevin has experience working with groups of all sizes to develop dynamic mental health and well-being programs for organizations, especially during the pandemic. Kevin is based in Panama City Beach, Florida and holds a degree from Florida State University.