OAADAC HISTORY

The Ohio Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors was incorporated in December of 1975, in Columbus, Franklin County, by C. Thomas Wein, Richard Whitaker and Fred Asbury, under the name of Ohio Association of Alcoholism Counselors and Trainers, Inc.

The purpose of incorporation was to provide a unified voice for staff members of alcoholism treatment, rehabilitation and recovery programs, as a communication center and to act as an advocate before federal, state and regional agencies relating to alcoholism programs in Ohio.

In 1978 the Ohio Association of Alcoholism Programs (OAAP) received a grant from the Ohio Department of Health to start a certification process for alcoholism and drug abuse counselors.

During the 1980's as more counselors became certified the need for a unified voice became apparent at all levels of government and in the late 1980's the association, became affiliated with the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), and contracted with The Ohio Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Programs and Pat Liggett, OAAP Administrative Assistant, provided administrative services for the association under the contract.

In 1992 under the leadership of Ed Magiste the association changed it's name from The Ohio Association of Alcoholism Counselors and Trainers to The Ohio Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. During the 1990's under the leadership of John Roberts, Terry Leach, Don Christian, Mary Melton and John Lisy, OAADAC focused on the education and training of counselors through it's chapter in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Mansfield by providing three days of extensive training each year at its Annual Conference.

In February of 1998 when Pat Liggett became employed by the Ohio Physicians Effectiveness Program (OPEP) as the Client Services Coordinator, OAADAC signed a contract with OPEP for Pat to continue providing services to the association under the new contract.