Our Founder

Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, the founder of Charak Center for Health and Wellness was trained in an academic tertiary care setting; therefore, he was always interested in integrating clinical research findings into clinical care. Additionally, he also had an opportunity, in his early career to work at a community mental health center (CMHC), which provided him invaluable insights into the challenges inherent in treatment of the severely mentally ill. Dr. Ranjan received his initial training in psychiatry as a resident (1989-1993) at Akron General Medical Center, Akron, Ohio (Affiliated with Northeast Ohio Medical University — NEOMED, Rootstown, Ohio) and as a research fellow (1993-1994) in psychopharmacology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio (CWRU). Thereafter he served as the Medical Director of the world renowned Psychobiology Clinic (founded by an eminent psychopharmacologist, Dr. Herbert Y. Meltzer who closely mentored Dr. Ranjan throughout his stay at CWRU). It’s worthy to mention that The Psychobiology Clinic was featured in numerous local and national television/radio shows as well as in Time Magazine as a cover story. In 1996 both Dr. Ranjan and Dr. Meltzer departed from CWRU. Dr. Meltzer joined Vanderbilt University to initiate a comprehensive schizophrenia research program. Dr. Ranjan, joined by family members (many of whom were prominent Cleveland citizens) of his patients at CWRU, founded a brand new outpatient psychiatric clinic named The Psychobiology Clinic of Greater Cleveland in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In his role as executive and medical director of the newly founded clinic, his interview was featured in Crain’s Cleveland Business. Dr. Ranjan always believed in empowering his patients and their families; therefore the entire board of The Psychobiology Clinic of Greater Cleveland consisted of family members of patients receiving care at the clinic. During his leadership this fledgling non-profit clinic was able to receive grants from numerous local foundations such as Prentiss Foundation, Mount Sinai Foundation, St. Lukes Foundation, Woodruff Foundation to name a few.

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Dr. Ranjan left The Psychobiology Clinic of Greater Cleveland in 2000. Since then he has been providing care to his patients at his private clinic, initially known as Rakesh Ranjan MD and Associates, Inc and now known as Charak Center for Health and Wellness. Charak Center now has five locations in 5 different counties covering Northeast Ohio: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, and Summit Counties. Charak Center is a unique hybrid of private practice and community mental health center settings. It is certified by Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH), Ohio Department of Drug and Alcohol Services (ODADAS), and The Joint Commission. ODMH and ODADAS now operate under one entity called Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (Ohio MHAS).

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Having worked in various mental healthcare settings, Dr. Ranjan has developed an acute awareness of the fragmented nature of mental healthcare delivery. One of his main goals as a health executive and a psychiatrist has been to create a system which provides seamless delivery of integrated care involving body and brain both. To this end he also founded, in 2007, Spectrum Home Health Care, LLC, later known as Charak Home Health Care, LLC one of very few home health care agencies which provided both psychiatric and non-psychiatric in-home medical care. Once again, in his role as the CEO of Charak Home Health Care, LLC, his interview was published in Crain's Cleveland Business. Dr, Ranjan has believed in and advocated for coordinated psychiatric and medical care for years before this idea was recently put in focus and consequently Charak Center endorses and practices health home model.

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His track record of providing exceptional psychiatric care to the most difficult-to-treat patients, championing empowerment of patients and their families, performing world-class research, and educating patients families and the public on mental illness has earned Dr. Ranjan numerous awards and recognitions. As a research fellow, he was awarded NARSAD (National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression), Young Investigator Award and NIMH/NCDEU (National Institute of Mental Health/New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit) New Investigator Award. As a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Ranjan has been recognized with Ohio NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Psychiatrist of the Year Award and National NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. As an educator, Dr. Ranjan has earned a status of nationally recognized speaker. He had been featured as a guest on several television and radio talk shows as well.