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Retirement party held for Dr. Joe Gay

The Logan Daily News - 8/1/2017

ATHENS - A Retirement celebration was held on Wednesday, July 26 for Joe R. Gay, Ph.D., L.I.C.D.C-CS, Executive Director of Health Recovery Services, Inc.

Dr. Gay worked for nine yeas at the state psychiatric hospital in Athens, (Appalachian Behavioral Health Care ? ABH). He was the Clinical Director for HRS for eight years, the Program Director of Bassett House, a residential facility for chemically dependent adolescents, for five years and has served as Executive Director since September 1999.

He is well-known state-wide, as well as nationally, for his efforts in combatting the Opioid Epidemic. In 2003, Governor Robert Taft appointed Dr. Gay to the newly created Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, and he served as the first chair of that board.

Dr. Gay was also recognized in 2003 as one of the first "Mental Health heroes" at the NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Annual Conference, received the Sister Ignatia Award from recovery advocates in Ohio, and was named as Outstanding Contributor of the Year by the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers since 2014.

Among the well-wishers included Ohio House District 94 Representative Jay Edwards, Adam Williams, a representative from Congressman Steve Stivers office, as well as local office holders and agency executives, past and present.

Dr. Gay was presented several certificates of appreciation or letters of commendation for his expertise in addiction. Through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission Dr. Gay invited Fred Wells Brason II, of Project Lazarus to Ohio which helped in the initiation of the Project Dawn project in Ohio. Project DAWN utilized the medication naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses.

In addition to his professional activities, Dr. Gay has a long history of community service. In 2012 he retired after an active fifty year career as a volunteer firefighter. In his retirement, Dr. Gay's plans are to do some fishing.