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Oriana House’s ADM Crisis Center director receives chamber award
BENJAMIN WHITE
Associate Editor
Published: September 6, 2013
In a different world, Chris Richardson might have followed his dream of being a lawyer, but he lives in the world where his brother openly struggled with addiction for years.
“I can remember being 12 or 13 years old and seeing his addiction to crack cocaine impact not just him and his family, but also our family,” Richardson said. “I really wanted to be able to help, but I know it couldn’t all come from me – it had to come from him.”
His brother recovered, but Richardson remained moved by the experience and decided to develop his passion for helping those in similar battles.
Now, as the director of the ADM Crisis Center in Akron, Richardson oversees an operation that diagnoses, treats, refers or provides a safe haven to over 700 clients with substance abuse or mental health proglems each month.
Along with his leadership at the crisis center, Richardson’s robust community service record spurred the Greater Akron Chamber to award him one of its 30 for the Future Awards given to area trendsetters between the ages of 29 and 39 at its annual banquet on Sept. 12.
Oriana House, the Akron-based nonprofit, runs the ADM Crisis Center, which is housed in a Frederick Street building owned by the Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services Board of Summit County. Along with a wholly voluntary detoxification unit, the crisis center operates a drop-in center for the publicly intoxicated and a central assessment program that refers both voluntary and court-ordered clients to the proper substance abuse and mental health programs. The center also operates a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline.
The drop-in center offers 16 beds and five licensed counselors to provide a safe haven for public inebriates. Richardson said that while police regularly use the drop-off center to avoid taking offenders to jail, most of the center’s clientele consists of self-referrals.
The crisis center also runs Summit Link, a free diversion program for misdemeanor or traffic offenders with drug infractions. Area drug courts also work through the Crisis Center as one of the first steps in providing treatment.
“Our relationship with the courts is great, and we have a lot of sharing of clients, per se,” said Richardson. “That partnership is great because they rely on us to coordinate those levels of care.”
In his six years at the helm of the Crisis Center, Richardson crafted several new programs, including support groups for clients waiting to enter residential treatment. Sometimes such waits can last up to ten weeks, and Richardson said the support groups, run by volunteers, effectively bridge the gap between referral and treatment.
“We’re servants to the customer that walks in the door and says, “Hey, I need help,’” he said.
Because much of the crisis center’s role involves referrals to more specialized organizations, Richardson said tracking success rates often proves difficult. He did say that over half of the clients make it to the first appointment - the “warm handoff.” Because so many clients at all the crisis center’s programs come by their own volition, Richardson said many do not follow through with treatment after diagnosis and referral.
“Just because they walk in the door does not mean that they want the help, surprisingly enough,” he said. “We treat them, we diagnose, they leave, and we don’t really know what’s happening.”
Along with his work at Oriana House, Richardson remains active in the community, serving on a slew of boards around the Akron area. He currently serves on the boards of the Tarry House, Mature Services, Torchbearers, Axxes Pointe, and both Kent State University’s Rehabilitation Department and its Learning Development & Educational Sciences Department.
“It does come at a price, and it’s a time commitment,” said Richardson. “My whole goal was to get engaged into boards where I could make a difference or my opinion could be heard and respected.”
Richardson also teaches a class at KSU for master’s level students on drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Though much of his time revolves around the public service, Richardson said his family and faith take the highest priority and help him follow his lifelong dream.
“I knew early on that I wanted to help others,” Richardson said. “I had this ability to listen and to empathize, to be genuine and help those who aren’t as fortunate.”
After graduating from KSU with a degree in criminal justice, Richardson took a job at Oriana House as a caseworker. He worked for five years before accepting a position as a clinician at Psycare Inc., where he worked with the mentally ill. In 2007, Oriana House approached Richardson to run the ADM Crisis Center.
“It’s a rewarding feeling when you can help someone,” he said. “If you can help one out of 20 people, you have feeling like you made a difference.”
Now, Richadson’s focus is fixed on the future of the crisis center amid healthcare reform and a stagnant economy. The center’s $3 million budget comes entirely from public funds, including an important levy up for renewal in November’s election. Richardson cochairs the door-to-door committee currently campaigning for the renewal of the 2.95 levy that provides 75 percent of the Crisis Center’s budget. The levy currently costs the owner of a $100,000 property $7.50 per month.
Between all his responsibilities, Richardson said he was thrilled and grateful to receive the 30 for the Future Award.
“I was told at a young age that your actions speak louder than your words,” he said.
“My mom and dad always taught me to stay humble, and I’ve always been that way. But I’m not fearful of going out there and trying to accomplish what others think isn’t possible. I believe that I can do that.”