Caring for Our Community Since 1965
The commitment of Firelands Health to community wellness stretches back over a century, yet we proudly celebrate 40 years as a unified leader in behavioral health. Since 1965, Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services has grown from a single psychiatric unit into one of Ohio’s largest hospital-based programs, fueled by an unwavering mission to deliver hope, healing and truly integrated care.
In 1965, a small but vital 12-bed inpatient behavioral health unit opened at Good Samaritan Hospital. This initial unit established the commitment to mental wellness that would guide our future.
Firelands Community Hospital
The official start of our modern mental healthcare was in 1985. Good Samaritan Hospital and Sandusky Memorial Hospital merged to create Firelands Community Hospital. This merger led to the creation of Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services.
The newly formed entity immediately transformed local mental health care. We expanded the original 12-bed inpatient unit to 34 beds, and we broadened the scope of outpatient behavioral health services to better meet the needs of the community.
In 1992, Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services became a true innovator by developing one of the area’s first partial hospitalization programs (now called Day Treatment). This service was designed for individuals with severe mental illness who also had substance use disorders. By helping the most vulnerable clients achieve stability outside of the hospital, the program dramatically reduced hospital stays and promoted successful community living.
A comprehensive continuum of care
Today, Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services operates a robust system of care providing more than 100,000 outpatient visits and 1,600 inpatient admissions per year.
Services are highly integrated between inpatient and outpatient behavioral health. Psychiatrists, leadership and case managers are among those who work in both inpatient and outpatient care to help streamline care coordination.
Firelands Health operates six offices located within a five-county region: Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca counties.
Our continuum of care includes:
- Diagnostic assessment
- Individual and group therapy
- Day treatment intensive outpatient programs (IOP), which provide 9-19 hours of drug/alcohol treatment per week to help people recover from substance use disorders
- Case management
- Medication services for mental health or substance use problems
- Crisis intervention services
Stigma, negative attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes people may hold toward those who experience behavioral health problems still exists today. However, awareness of behavioral health problems and the social and biological factors contributing to these problems has grown over the last 40 years. Firelands remains committed to advocating for persons with behavioral health disorders and providing the services needed to promote recovery and quality of life.
As the behavioral health needs of our community continue to grow, so does the dedication and reach of Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services. For 40 years, we’ve translated a legacy of compassion into a future defined by hope and recovery.
Services are funded in part by The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Erie County, and North Central Behavioral Health Board (NCBHB), which covers the counties of Seneca, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot.
