Consultant, author, educator

Paul Komarek is a consultant, author, and educator who works on tough social issues, including criminal justice reform, education of children with disabilities, violence prevention, addiction treatment, and health care for the poor.

Career Highlights

Justice System Reform and Prison Re-Entry

What do former prisoners actually experience? Komarek is currently working with several former Federal prisoners on issues related to reentry into the community and federally supervised home confinement. How can a person reintegrate into the community when they are stuck at home?

Re-Entry Reform. From 2018- 2020, Komarek was a member of the Leadership Team for the Kentucky Criminal Justice Forum. KCJF hosted community forums bringing together formerly-incarcerated or otherwise justice-involved people with criminal justice professionals and state and local legislators. KCJF used the forums to collect data on the concerns and ideas of those affected by the justice system in areas such as entry/diversion programs, sentencing reform, access to healthcare, and reentry.

Mediation and Restorative Justice -- The Cincinnati Mediation Project. In 2010-2011, Komarek developed a business plan for an Ohio State Bar Foundation-funded effort to bring volunteer-delivered community-based mediation services to Hamilton County. He researched best practice solutions, developed project publications and white papers, in collaboration with community groups, residents, law enforcement, government officials, church groups and local funders.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Courts and Jails

Komarek has participated in several major initiatives linking justice systems with healthcare systems. In 2000-2001, he worked with NAMI Ohio, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, and officials from the Supreme Court of Ohio to develop and field-test Ohio’s first statewide mental health training curriculum for courts, jails, and probation officials. He later helped NAMI Kentucky and Kentucky’s Criminal Justice/Behavioral Health Interface Work Group adapt this program to improve care for local jail prisoners with mental illness and to reduce jail suicide. From 2000 to 2004, Komarek served on the Leadership Team for the Hamilton County Ohio SAMI Initiative, a multi-agency, multi-sector initiative to develop an integrated system of care for people with co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders.

Building Systems of Care

Since 2013, Komarek has supported efforts to build systems of care and community responses to the opiate epidemic in Northern Kentucky and across the US. He worked with Dennis Banks, the founder of the American Indian Movement, on Longest Walk 5, a series of walks across America to address addiction, domestic violence and trauma in Native communities. In 2015, Komarek developed Supporting Success, a state-certified 12-hour training curriculum for Kentucky Medicaid-funded Targeted Case Management service. Komarek’s consulting work also includes supporting licensing and accreditation efforts for behavioral health providers, youth services and social service programs, as well as program evaluation services. His clients have included Joseph House for Homeless Veterans, New Directions Treatment Services, Recovery Resource Center Inc., MBHS Inc., Winton Place Youth Center, Cenikor, Poetry for Personal Power, NAMI Ohio, and YMCA Cincinnati Child Care Network.

My Brother’s Keeper. Since 2020, Komarek has supported a successful CARF accreditation effort for a foster care group home. It is now certified as a Qualified Residential Treatment Program serving multisystem youth (mental health, developmental disabilities, criminal justice, foster care). He does ongoing quality improvement work, attends monthly team meetings, and organizes training for staff.

National Warmline Project. Paul Komarek is part of the leadership team at www.warmline.org. What's a warmline? The concept is evolving. Originally, these telephone lines were set up to help people with significant mental health concerns connect and support each other. But nowadays, warmlines are increasingly seen as a way to address loneliness and social isolation. The U.S. Surgeon General says loneliness and isolation are as deadly as cigarette smoking. Everybody needs social support. In 2023, Komarek was part of a national expert panel on Warmlines organized by SAMHSA's Office of Recovery.

Publications

Komarek’s first book Defying Mental Illness: Finding Recovery with Community Resources and Family Support, was named a “Top 20 Book for Parents and Teachers” by Special Needs Book Review. His latest book, SHARP Stop Heroin and Rescue People is a workbook for communities that outlines the infrastructure necessary to save lives, and includes a strength-based approach to personal recovery.

Direct Service, Community Engagement, and Policy Advocacy

My Neighbor’s Place. Since 2021, Komarek has worked with organization leadership and persons served by a faith-based nonprofit that operates a food pantry, clothing closet, NA groups, and other community service programs. He provides practical system navigation and support (e.g. restoring electrical service, connecting people to public assistance and federal relief funds, applying for Social Security, SNAP, and Medicaid). Many of the persons served have existing relationships with behavioral health and primary care case management agencies, yet have many practical issues that go unaddressed.

Longest Walk 5. From 3015 to 2022, Paul Komarek served as project consultant and Washington DC Event coordinator for Longest Walk 5, a series of walks across America, initiated by Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement.

Education

Paul Komarek has a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and International Studies from American University’s School of International Service, and graduated cum laude from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Extensive continuing education, including X-LAB (Xavier University’s Entrepreneurship Laboratory); Civic Engagement Intensive Workshops with Peter Block; CoreChange Appreciative Inquiry Summit with Peter Senge and David Cooperrider; Restorative Circle Process with Dominic Barter; Innovation Engineering with Doug Hall; GrassRoots Leadership Academy; Beech Acres Mediation Training; FBI Citizens Academy; Collaborative Law Institute; Criminal Justice/Mental Health Institute. Ohio Trauma-Informed Care Certificate. Many other continuing education conferences and workshops.