Local mental health services director to retire

FINDLAY — Precia Stuby, executive director of the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, will retire in March. Stuby announced her retirement, effective March 6, 2026, at Tuesday's monthly board meeting. Across Ohio, there are 50 Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Service boards, representing all 88 counties. When Stuby was hired as the executive director of Hancock County ADAMHS in July 1997, she was the youngest ADAMHS executive director in the state. Today, with 28 years in the role, she is the longest serving. ADAMHS Board Chair Jim Darrach said Stuby has been a guiding light for this community since 1990. "Countless lives in the city and county have been positively impacted by her tireless work for those with addiction and mental health diagnoses," he said. Darrach said that, while Stuby's accomplishments serving the residents are well known locally, she has also gained national recognition for her groundbreaking work here in Hancock County. Seeing opportunities to bring state and federal grants to this area, he said Stuby has been responsible for approximately $20 million in program funding coming back to Hancock County. "These funds allowed for expansion of treatment programs without having to ask voters for an increase in levy millage over the past 20 years," he said. "The ADAMHS Board expresses our gratitude to Precia for her countless hours, her compassion and her dedication, and wishes Precia much happiness in her retirement." In all, Stuby's career in social work and public mental health and addiction systems spans 43 years, 35 of which were at ADAMHS, where she served seven years as deputy director before taking the helm as executive director in 1997. Along the way, she has led Hancock County's Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) transformation, spurred community coalition building, increased recovery housing, and secured significant federal and state funding to enhance the system of care for Hancock County residents. Over the years, she received numerous awards including the Leadership Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio, the National Association of Social Workers, Ohio Chapter, Lifetime Achievement Award and the Athena Award. She was named "Public Health Champion of the Year" by the Findlay City Health Department and is a past board president for the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities. Stuby, a master's degree-level licensed social worker with a passion for inclusion, evidence-based service delivery, and lifelong learning, has been a steady advocate for at-risk populations in Hancock County. Mary Beth Dillon, vice chair of the ADAMHS Board, has worked with Stuby for over 20 years in various roles. Dillon said she admires Stuby's focus on "following the science and using evidence" to develop strategic plans for new and innovative programs and services. "She is skilled in bringing community members together to work on shared issues and achieve goals that benefit the residents of Hancock County," Dillon said. "Her creativity and tenacity in obtaining and maintaining funding for the Board and the agencies we serve are remarkable. Words cannot adequately express our appreciation for her service to the Board and the community." As executive director, Stuby has supervised a seven-person staff, managed contracts, budgets, and property, and served and advised the 18-member volunteer ADAMHS board on policy and program decisions. Stuby earned her degree from Ohio State University. Her first positions were as a medical social worker at St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima (June 1983 to May 1988) and as deputy director of residential services at Allen County Child Welfare Services (May 1988 to March 1990). Stuby first joined the ADAMHS staff in 1990 as deputy director, hired by Phyllis Putnam, the first executive director of Hancock ADAMHS. As deputy director, Stuby would help secure a grant to establish the Hancock County Community Partnership, one of Ohio's oldest prevention coalitions. She became executive director in 1997 after Putnam's retirement.