Deb Johnson, the longtime Chief Executive Officer of St. Clair County Community Mental Health, announced her plans to retire during the agency’s Annual Awards Celebration May 14th at the Blue Water Convention Center.
Johnson is currently in her 38th year with the organization and shared that her final day will likely come in early 2027, depending on the timeline for hiring and transitioning her successor.
The announcement follows a significant period of growth for the agency, which celebrated its 60th anniversary milestone last year. Johnson emphasized that her primary goal over the next several months is to ensure a seamless leadership transition to protect the continued success of the organization’s programs and the thousands of residents they serve.
Though she is retiring from her professional role at the helm of Community Mental Health, Johnson told WPHM she plans to remain a visible and active figure in the Port Huron area. She noted that she will continue her service on various local boards, including the YMCA and the Child Abuse and Neglect Council, to name only some.
Johnson’s tenure has been marked by a major expansion of mental health and substance use services across St. Clair County, serving over 7,200 people last year alone, an 11% increase over 2023.
The SCCCMH board’s selection process will focus on finding a leader to build upon Johnson’s nearly four-decade legacy. A formal search process for a new CEO is expected to begin in the coming months.
