Clinical Education Specialist Office of Opioid Safety
MetroHealth Medical Center Office of Opioid Safety
Kristin Hess, BSN, RN, CCHP, CARN
Clinical Education Specialist, Office of Opioid Safety, MetroHealth
Kristin Hess joined the Office of Opioid Safety in June 2022 as the Clinical Education Specialist. A dedicated member of the MetroHealth team for over 22 years, Kristin began her career in March 2003 as a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Prior to her nursing career, she served as a Paramedic and Firefighter and remains certified as a Paramedic in the State of Ohio.
Kristin has served in various roles at MetroHealth, including as a Charge Nurse and Education Coordinator at the Cuyahoga County Correctional Center and as a Flight Nurse Specialist with Metro Life Flight. Her diverse background has provided her with a unique perspective on the many facets of nursing, all of which have been impacted by substance use and human trafficking.
Kristin holds certifications as a Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) and a Certified Addiction Registered Nurse (CARN). She earned her Paramedic certification from Cuyahoga Community College, her RN from Lakeland Community College, and her BSN from Indiana Wesleyan University. She also completed the Women in Leadership Executive Education Certificate at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
Kristin works closely with the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission Healthcare Subcommittee and co-chairs the Criminal Justice and Mental Illness Education and Stigma Subcommittee. She was appointed to the Lake County ADAMHS Board in 2025 and will be presenting at the 2025 Ohio Attorney General Human Trafficking Summit. Kristin is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable—including those who are incarcerated, battling substance use disorder, and experiencing human trafficking. Recognizing that these worlds heavily intersect, and bringing light to these underserved and underrecognized areas remains one of her greatest passions.
