Helen Jones-Kelley to Retire from ADAMHS
- The Dayton Weekly News
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Montgomery County ADAMHS announces the retirement of Executive Director Helen Jones-Kelley. Jones-Kelley has led policy setting, funding, and strategic programming for the delivery of Montgomery County’s public behavioral health system since 2011. She has provided oversight for federal and state behavioral health programs at the local level while developing partnerships across the continuum of care, including hospitals, law enforcement, the court system, social services, and other key stakeholders, to ensure quality delivery of evidence-based mental health programs.
ADAMHS employees 32 staff and maintains a $40 million annual budget.
Jones-Kelley’s career of service and leadership has been well regarded throughout the region.
“Helen’s exemplary leadership and expertise will be difficult to replace. But with every change new horizons unfold. Helen leaves a very strong foundation for ADAMHS to continue to thrive; Montgomery County ADAMHS has become a strong organizational model. On behalf of the Board, the very best is extended to her on her future personal and professional journey. It has been a pleasure working with her in my tenure and leadership of the ADAMHS Board,” said Victor McCarley, Psy.D., Chair, ADAMHS Board of Trustees.
Reverend Vanessa Ward, President, Omega Community Development Corporation, added, “We extend heartfelt gratitude to Helen for her years of distinguished service that has rippled throughout the Dayton community, the State of Ohio, and the Nation. Her dedication and leadership have laid the groundwork for organizations like Omega Community Development Corporation to expand our reach, strengthen our professional standards, and enhance both our expertise and impact.”
“Helen is a visionary thinker, an expert in her field who has demonstrated what it looks like to lead alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services. She leads with yes, and her empathy and compassion are present in all she does, not just for the clients she serves, but also the stakeholders with whom she collaborates,” said Michelle Riley, CEO, The Foodbank.
Before joining ADAMHS, Jones-Kelley served as the Special Assistant for External Affairs to the President of Central State University (CSU), where she also served as University Counsel and Secretary for the Board of Trustees.
Prior to CSU she served as Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), where she was responsible for policy setting and the allocation of state and federal funds for child welfare, public assistance, child support enforcement, unemployment services, and other grant-funded programs. Key accomplishments include implementing gap coverage for youths aging out of the foster care system who desired to attend college, leading the expansion of Ohio’s Medicaid programs to cover pregnant and parenting women, and increasing eligibility for uninsured children.
Jones-Kelley also led in many roles in Montgomery County, all focusing on improving the lives of children and their families. As the Director of Job and Family Services, she reduced the number of children entering foster care while increasing the number who went on to higher education opportunities. As the Assistant Legal Director of the Montgomery County Juvenile Court, she implemented the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program to prepare community volunteers to serve as Guardians at Litem, thus enhancing the quality of representation and reducing the Court’s cost to pay attorneys for this role. The CASA Program continues to serve children today.
Helen credits the staff and Board at ADAMHS for the strong position the organization is in. “The team we’ve built is knowledgeable, compassionate and tireless. I know I leave the organization in great hands, with strong Board leadership and the most effective, talented staff getting the work done every day, on behalf of all the entire community,” said Jones-Kelley.
Jones-Kelley is a servant leader, serving on many boards, including:
Sinclair Community College
Dayton Children’s Hospital
Parity, Inc.
OnMain, Inc.
Montgomery County Family and Children First Council
Immediate Past President of the Dayton Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Co-Founder of the African American Women’s Giving Circle
Prior civic service includes:
Clothes That Work (Co-founder)
The Dayton Foundation
University of Dayton School of Law Advisory Board
Ohio Supreme Court Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Children, Families, and the Courts
PEW Commission on Children in Foster Care
Miami Valley Hospital and Premier Health
Helen has been recognized with multiple honors for her community service and leadership, including:
Dayton Daily News Ten Top Women
YWCA Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement
Top Ten African American Women in Dayton
DBJ Power 50 and Women Who Mean Business
NCCJ Humanitarian Award
Urban League Pillar Award
John E. Moore Sr. Diversity Lifetime Achievement Award
Service Leadership Award, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Dayton
She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Miami University, where she also completed graduate studies in Aging and Human Services Leadership in the Scripps School.
Throughout her career, her family has remained her top priority and is the reason she is driven to improve the lives of families and children. Her last day with Montgomery County ADAMHS will be February 5, 2026.
