MANSFIELD — A recovery home in downtown Mansfield will open its doors next week, giving Richland County residents a place to rebuild their lives with support, stability and hope.

Danielle’s Lighthouse will begin serving clients Monday, May 18 at 87 E. First St. The 10-bed recovery home aims to help residents achieve stability and independent living. To reach Danielle’s Lighthouse, call 419-229-2200.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five adults in the United States lives with mental illness. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 34.

“According to the NIMH, the rate of suicide attempt is 12.5 times higher in the three months following a mental-health hospitalization,” Jeff Heck said during the ribbon-cutting in November. “These aren’t just statistics — they are people.”

Jeff noted with hip replacements, strokes, or heart attacks, people don’t go home immediately; instead, they go to rehabilitation.

“That is what a home like this can provide,” he said. “Residents will have the chance to get their lives back and thrive.”

A legacy of light and hope

The project honors Danielle “Dani” Leedy, whose parents, Donna and Jeff Heck, founded the nonprofit 33 Forever after losing their daughter.

“Immediately after losing Dani at 33, Jeff and I knew her legacy could not be her suicide,” Donna Heck said. “She lived to help others, her smile lit up every room and she was an amazing life changer.”

When asked to help name the home, Donna said they settled on Danielle’s Lighthouse due to its deep, personal meaning.

“In 2018, months before we lost Danielle, we bought a place near Marblehead Lighthouse,” she said. “We FaceTimed, and I told her she would love it there. She never made it.”

The 33 Forever foundation donated a custom mural and art installation showing Danielle sitting in front of the lighthouse. Donna noted she now has made it to the lighthouse. 

Beyond honoring Danielle’s memory, officials said the home addresses a long-standing need for continued mental-health support in Richland County.

Filling a gap in care

The Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board led the project’s planning, design and development. Officials chose Coleman Health Services to manage and operate the site because of the organization’s experience providing person-centered mental health care and recovery services across Ohio.

During the ribbon-cutting, former Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Executive Director Sherry Branham-Fonner said the county identified a major need for continued mental health care.

“It is important to note that a couple of years ago, the board identified a gap in continued care here in Richland County,” Branham-Fonner said. “That gap is being filled today.”

Hattie Tracy, president and CEO of Coleman Health Services, said the home represents more than housing.

“This is much more than a renovation,” Tracy said during the ribbon cutting. “This represents hope, stability and new beginnings.”

Community collaboration made project possible

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services funded 90 percent of the renovation costs. Local partners, including Amcrete and NAMI Ohio, also supported the project.

Founded in 1968, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Richland County partners with agencies that provide services for individuals experiencing mental illness and substance use disorders.

Coleman Health Services is a nonprofit behavioral health organization serving 57 counties across Ohio.

With a mission to foster recovery, build independence and change destinies, Coleman provides mental health care, substance use treatment, residential services and employment supports to more than 40,000 individuals annually.

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