In 1913, Harbor began its journey as the Girls Protection Agency, founded by Luella Cummings with a vision to provide dependent, neglected, and underprivileged girls with proper home life, education, and vocational training. What started as a single focused mission evolved over more than a century into a comprehensive behavioral health organization serving over 30,000 youth, adults, seniors, and families annually across Ohio. The organization grew through thoughtful evolution - expanding from mental hygiene services to becoming a full-spectrum mental health and substance use disorder treatment provider through strategic mergers and program development, including the 1995 merger that formed Harbor Behavioral Healthcare and the 2014 merger with Behavioral Connections of Wood County.
Today, Harbor operates 24 locations across Northwest Ohio with a team of over 550 employees, including approximately 300 clinical staff and more than 30 prescribers. The organization provides a full continuum of care including mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, developmental pediatrics, primary care, vocational rehabilitation, telehealth services, and an Employee Assistance Program. Harbor's Mental Health Urgent Care, opened in 2023, exemplifies their commitment to accessible care - offering same-day walk-in services without referral or appointment. Guided by core values embodied in HELPS (Help First, Everybody, Learn & Grow, Positivity, Safety), Harbor is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and certified by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health.
