Peer and Specialty Services Manager
Kelly Garza is a Licensed Social Worker, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor III with Gambling Endorsement, Certified Prevention Consultant, Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist, Certified Animal Assisted Intervention Specialist and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and English from the University of Toledo.
Kelly’s career spans 30 years and has focused on working with adolescents with mental health and substance use disorders. She’s created, implemented and facilitated several programs, including a Life Skills and art curriculum at a detention center, and equine and canine assisted psychotherapy and learning programs. Kelly is a member of the Association of Animal Assisted Intervention Professionals, Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Workers and is the recipient of a Senatorial Citation from Ohio State Senator Teresa Fedor for her work with her therapy dogs with abuse victims. Kelly has done numerous local presentations, presented at the State Problem Gambling Network of Ohio conference, the National EAGALA (Equine Growth and Learning Association) conference in Utah, the National Council on Problem Gambling National Conference in Washington, DC, in Indiana, and the State of Delaware on the topic of Animal Assisted Interventions.
Kelly assists the EAP team with training development and implementation in topic areas including Drug Free Safety, Health & Wellness, Mental Health First Aid, and Workforce Development. Kelly is also the Manager of Peer & Specialty Services at Harbor in Toledo. In her career, she has developed a Nationally-Recognized prevention program including problem gambling prevention services, holistic wellness programs, PAWS (Pet Assisted Wellness Services) and a Northwest Ohio Regional Behavior Based Addiction & Wellness Network (BBAWNNO). Kelly is thrilled to be working with an exceptional group of individuals locally and across the State in developing a program bringing animal rescue groups together with Purple Star Schools, Veterans, Military and First Responders. She is a certified instructor for Adult, Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid. Kelly is privileged to be the Board President for the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, a member of Prevention Action Alliance’s GAP (Grief Advocacy Prevention) Advisory Board, and a 2021 Graduate of The Ohio Gambling Treatment Fellowship Program.