SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — The County of Summit Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (ADM) Board hosted a ribbon cutting and open house to celebrate the completion of the Dr. Fred Frese Residential Center on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Northfield.

The Frese Center is a 16-bed residential stepdown center and will serve as transitional housing with clinical and transitional supports for individuals departing from inpatient psychiatric hospitalization with an average stay of 60-90 days.

Aimee Wade, County of Summit ADM Board Executive Director, said, “Often, individuals are discharged from hospitals without adequate transitional support, stable housing or sufficient time to reconnect with treatment support. The Dr. Fred Frese Center creates a place where individuals can stabilize, recover, reconnect and prepare for long-term success in the community.”

Dr. Fred Frese was a psychologist and one of the first professionals in his field to publicly disclose his diagnosis of schizophrenia. He rose to prominence as an internationally renowned advocate for the rights and dignity of people living with serious mental illness. “Dr. Frese transformed countless lives by challenging stigma and helping the world better understand that individuals living with mental illness are not defined by diagnosis, but by their strengths, talents and possibilities,” Wade said.

This project was made possible through a partnership between the County of Summit ADM Board and the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health with the support of the Frese family through archival resources and approval. Community Support Services will provide the center’s operations.