In a significant development for behavioral health care in Northeast Ohio, two leading nonprofit organizations—The Nord Center and The LCADA Way—have announced a behavioral health nonprofit merger effective July 1, 2024. Both headquartered in Lorain, Ohio, this merger will create a $45 million organization employing approximately 425 staff members and operating about a dozen locations, marking one of the largest consolidations in the region’s behavioral health sector.
This behavioral health nonprofit merger aims to establish a “no wrong door approach” to behavioral health and substance use disorder services, ensuring that individuals can seamlessly access the care they need regardless of which facility they enter. According to The Nord Center’s CEO Don Schiffbauer, this integrated approach will break down barriers and improve outcomes for people seeking help.
What the Behavioral Health Nonprofit Merger Means for Local Communities
Both The Nord Center and The LCADA Way have long been trusted providers of behavioral health and addiction treatment services for adults and children. The merger will combine their extensive resources to provide addiction treatment, mental health counseling, prevention programs, harm reduction, and crisis intervention services more effectively.
Leadership will remain strong with Schiffbauer continuing as CEO and Dan Haight, currently CEO and President of The LCADA Way, stepping into the role of Chief Operating Officer. This leadership team will guide the merged organization through a smooth transition, with plans for eventual rebranding yet to be announced.
The scale of this behavioral health nonprofit merger allows the combined entity to leverage financial and human resources more efficiently, optimizing care delivery across Lorain, Erie, and Cuyahoga Counties.
From Partnership to Merger: The Crisis Receiving Center’s Role
The collaboration on the Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center laid the groundwork for the merger. Construction on this critical facility began in December 2023 and is set to open in 2025, providing urgent behavioral health crisis services.
This joint initiative demonstrated the benefits of combining expertise and resources, prompting leadership from both organizations to pursue a full behavioral health nonprofit merger. As Dan Haight put it, the integration marks “a major step forward” in delivering consistent, high-quality care to the community.
Behavioral Health Nonprofit Mergers Reflect Broader Industry Trends
This merger aligns with a broader movement in the behavioral health nonprofit sector where organizations consolidate to improve sustainability, reduce administrative duplication, and better serve their communities. Such behavioral health nonprofit mergers are becoming more common as providers face growing demand and financial pressures.
For example, in September 2023, Ohio-based providers I Am Boundless and Koinonia completed a merger that created a powerhouse generating over $135 million annually. This trend highlights how nonprofits in behavioral health are strategically aligning to build stronger, more impactful organizations.
According to federal data from 2022, nearly half (48%) of addiction treatment facilities and over 60% of mental health treatment centers in the U.S. are private nonprofits. The success of behavioral health nonprofit mergers like this one is critical to meeting nationwide behavioral health care needs.
What to Expect Moving Forward
Clients and communities can expect several key benefits from this behavioral health nonprofit merger:
- Expanded access to integrated behavioral health and substance use disorder services
- Streamlined care coordination under a “no wrong door” approach
- Improved workforce capacity and stability
- Greater financial sustainability to support innovative programming
- Stronger partnerships across the region to enhance community health
The new organization will continue to build on its strong foundation, prioritizing client-centered care and community impact.
Conclusion
The behavioral health nonprofit merger between The Nord Center and The LCADA Way signals a promising future for behavioral health services in Northeast Ohio. By uniting resources, expertise, and leadership, the new organization will better serve thousands of individuals and families, providing accessible, high-quality care in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.
This merger not only exemplifies a proactive response to community needs but also reflects an important trend across the behavioral health nonprofit landscape, where collaboration and integration are key to sustainable growth and improved patient outcomes.
Stay tuned for more updates as this merger progresses and the new organization begins to take shape in 2024.
