I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the newly hired and inaugural Executive Director of Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO).  The mission of OhioPRO is to serve as a unifying force for Ohio peer recovery organizations and programs to speak with a unified voice in all aspects of the mental health and substance use disorder systems.

As such, OhioPRO will become a champion of peer support services across the state of Ohio and will serve each peer recovery organization through advocacy, outreach, and education.

The field of peer support continues to grow nationally as peer support services have become an integral component within behavioral health care systems.  At its core, the mission of OhioPRO is to promote the value of peer support services so that every community recognizes how peer support ensures better quality of life outcomes for people in recovery.

As a person in recovery, I am passionate about the need for peer support.  I can’t imagine success in my own recovery journey but for the support I have received from those with whom I share a lived experience.

By way of background, I am a 1997 graduate of the University of Akron School of Law.  In one capacity or another, I have spent the bulk of my professional career advocating for the needs of vulnerable populations.  Whether it was ensuring the safety of a victim of domestic violence or helping a single parent in desperate need of decent, safe, and sanitary housing find a home, I am passionate about the welfare of others.  I am grateful to now have the opportunity to utilize the skills and experience I have honed over the course of my career in the affordable housing industry for those in recovery from a mental illness or substance use disorder.

Personally, I’m invested in being a compassionate advocate for people in recovery.  Professionally, I expect to grow OhioPRO into the preeminent resource for peer recovery organizations in the state.

Sincerely,

Michael J, Krause