Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently announced that LeeAnne Cornyn, the current Director of the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, will be stepping down from her role as of October 8. The announcement, which came through on October 2nd, highlighted Cornyn's contributions, particularly in the areas of mental health and substance use disorder advocacy, according to a release from the official Ohio Governor Mike DeWine website.
During her tenure, which began in December 2023, Cornyn has been described as "a champion for some of our most vulnerable citizens." Ohio Governor Mike DeWine further stated, LeeAnne has been tireless to advocate for our work building out a system of care across the state, which indicates her active involvement in expanding mental health services throughout Ohio. Previously, Cornyn held positions including Deputy Chief of Staff for the governor, overseeing significant policy areas such as health and education, and was also Director of Cabinet Affairs.
LeeAnne Cornyn's initial foray into the Ohio government was marked by her being named the first Director of Children’s Initiatives, a new post created right after Governor DeWine assumed office. Her work there laid the foundation for her eventual advancement to helm the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. Assistant Director Tia Marcel Moretti is set to take over as interim director in the interim before a new director is determined.
The Governor's office has not yet announced a timeline for selecting a permanent replacement for Cornyn. However, the community and stakeholders in Ohio's mental health and addiction services sectors will be closely watching to see who will step in to continue the advocacy and expansion efforts that Cornyn was known to actively push forward in her role. As Tia Marcel Moretti prepares to step into the interim position, there is an expectation that she will maintain to effectively lead the department through this transition.
