The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County announced that Executive Director John Garrity, Ph.D., will retire in September 2026 after eight years of dedicated leadership.
Since joining the Board in 2018, Dr. Garrity has provided strategic direction for the planning, funding, and oversight of Portage County’s behavioral health system, helping ensure residents have access to high-quality mental health and addiction treatment services.
Known for his compassionate, collaborative leadership style, Dr. Garrity championed initiatives that strengthened Portage County’s recovery-oriented system of care. Under his leadership, the county expanded access to medication-assisted treatment, peer recovery support, and the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program. He also secured significant state and federal funding, helped increase local levy support for behavioral health services, and fostered strong partnerships among healthcare providers, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, and community organizations…