Bridget Stuntz Joins Mental Health & Recovery Board

Bridget Stuntz is a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter and Case Manager at OhioMeansJobs Portage County with 12 years of experience in the mental health and addiction field.

Drawing on both her professional expertise and her own long-term recovery, she is passionate about helping individuals achieve stability, overcome barriers, and successfully reintegrate into the community.

Her background includes work in residential and outpatient treatment, detox services, and the adult probation department. In 2022, she earned an Associate of Applied Science in Criminology and Justice Studies, further strengthening her knowledge of the criminal justice system. In her free time, she currently serves as President of the Portage Housing Services Council and led Portage County's 2026 HUD Point-in-Time Count of individuals experiencing homelessness.

In addition to her direct service work, Stuntz coordinates several countywide initiatives, including the monthly Citizen Circle, the annual OhioMeansJobs Reentry Resource Fair, and the Building Bridges Community Reentry Experience. She also provides in-reach services within the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) and NEOCAP, helping individuals prepare for release, connect with community resources, and establish continuity of care before returning home.

Stuntz is currently leading the development of the Reentry Coalition of Portage County, a collaborative initiative that brings community partners together to strengthen and coordinate reentry efforts throughout the county. The coalition is guided by data gathered through Sequential Intercept Mapping and continued by the Stepping Up Initiative, creating a strategic, data-driven approach to improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals.

Most recently, Stuntz was appointed to the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County, where she was sworn in to serve a four-year term. When asked why she chose to serve, she shared:

"I hope to be the voice of the people who are too often judged by their worst mistake, because everybody deserves a second chance – to be believed in, to believe in themselves, and to have the opportunity to build a better life."

Guided by this principle, Stuntz is committed to building stronger systems of support, reducing barriers to recovery and reentry, and creating meaningful pathways to stability, dignity, and opportunity throughout Portage County.

Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, attending live music shows, listening to nü-metal, and spending time with her dogs.