Members appointed to MHARS board

New Board of Director members have been appointed to the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County.

Two members were appointed the week of Sept. 27 to the MHARS Board and one was reappointed earlier in September.

Hope Moon

Hope Moon, of Lorain, was reappointed to serve on the MHARS Board of Lorain County.

Moon was appointed by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Currently, she is a professor of nursing at Lorain County Community College.

As an educator, her focus is to appropriately educate the workforce on addiction and mental health issues, the release said.

Moon served as a nurse in the emergency department of the former St. Joseph/Lorain Community Hospital.

She earned a bachelor of science in Nursing from Kent State University, a master of science from School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, and ultimately, a doctorate of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership.

Patricia Bell

Patricia Bell, of Oberlin, was appointed by Lorain County commissioners to serve on the MHARS Board.

Bell, who was sworn in Sept. 28, has nearly 20 years of experience working in the fields of mental health and addiction and is a registered nurse.

She holds an associate degree from Lorain County Community College.

Michele Flanagan

Michele Flanagan, of Avon Lake, was appointed by Lorain County commissioners.

Flanagan, who was sworn in Sept. 28, is a partner at the Westlake-based Comprehensive Behavioral Specialists LLC.

She has more than 20 years’ experience as a therapist working throughout Northeast Ohio.

Flanagan is a licensed social worker and professional clinical counselor.

She earned her bachelor of arts from Westminster

College in Pennsylvania and her master of arts from the University of Akron.

“Our new board members bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge,” said Board President Dan Urbin. “I welcome them to the MHARS Board of Directors and look forward to working with them.”

A website at mharslc. org, indicates how friends or loved ones can support someone with an addition or with mental health.