Elevating understanding of mental health; investing in research and treatment

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today members of the Ohio Business Roundtable (OBRT) will convene at Cardinal Health to discuss the growing mental health epidemic in Ohio and across the country. Recognizing the importance of this issue, these business leaders will share how they are working to meet the mental health needs of their workforce. The OBRT is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that includes more than 120 presidents and CEOs of Ohio’s top companies who work together to improve Ohio’s economic vitality.

 

Joining the Roundtable will be K. Luan Phan, MD, chair of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, who will share highlights of the work of his department’s new Center for Psychiatry and Resilience. The Center provides clinical services, educates patients and conducts research to explore the root causes of mental illness and addiction.

 

To help bolster those efforts, Cardinal Health is giving $1 million to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center that will be directed to the Center to turn learnings into practical strategies that prevent mental health disorders, support recovery and build resilience. 

 

"Mental health issues impact people in every community and every business across the state,” said Jason Hollar, chief executive officer of Cardinal Health. “We’re pleased to support the Center for Psychiatry and Resilience and its work to better understand and treat these issues and improve the quality of life for our employees and our communities.”

 

The Center for Psychiatry and Resilience’s mission is to improve and save lives by integrated world-class patient care, research and education to transform the way we understand mental health and treat mental illness and addiction now, and for generations to come. It serves as the virtual home for nationally known programs in suicide prevention, addiction, trauma, mood disorders and early psychosis. 

 

The Center for Psychiatry and Resilience is also home to SOAR Studies, a statewide, multi-generational research project designed to uncover the biological, psychological and social patterns related to mental health. It seeks to identify the innovative strategies to build resilience in our workplaces, communities and schools.

 

“We’re grateful to Cardinal Health for their support,” said John J. Warner, MD, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State. “This generous gift will have a significant impact on the development of our Center for Psychiatry and Resilience, which will help improve the health and well-being of all Ohioans, and ultimately, help transform the future of mental and behavioral health care across the country and around the world.” 

 

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Caption for top photo, from left to right:  Robert H Schottenstein, CEO or M/I Homes, Inc. and a member of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Board of Trustees; Jessie Cannon, vice president of Community Relations for Cardinal Health Foundation; Jason Hollar, CEO of Cardinal Health; Ola Snow, chief human resources officer for Cardinal Health; K. Luan Phan, MD, chair of The Ohio State University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and John J. Warner, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State.

Caption for bottom photo, from left to right: Jessie Cannon, vice president of Community Relations for Cardinal Health Foundation; John J. Warner, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State and Jason Hollar, CEO of Cardinal Health.

 

Eileen Scahill, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations; Eileen.Scahill@osucmc.edu; 614-293-2092

Michelle Leitzy, Cardinal Health Media Relations; Michelle.Leitzy@cardinalhealth.com; 614-757-1282