NewsNow - 01.17.2023

Jan. 17, 2023

>>> Veterans in Suicidal Crisis Now Eligible for Free Emergency Health Care at Any VA, Private Facility

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced last week that starting today (Jan. 17), veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit. This expansion of care will help prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to veterans in times of crisis. It will also increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million veterans who are not currently enrolled in VA. This effort is a key part of VA’s 10-year National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide. In September, VA released the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, which showed that veteran suicides decreased in 2020 for the second year in a row, and that fewer veterans died by suicide in 2020 than in any year since 2006. Click HERE to read the full VA media release.

>>> 2023 Ohio Substance Use Disorder Professional Loan Repayment Program - Now Open

Applications for the 2023 Ohio Substance Use Disorder Professional Loan Repayment Program administered by the Ohio Department of Health Primary Care Office, are being accepted through Feb. 15. Completed applications and supporting documents must be emailed to PCRH@odh.ohio.gov. For more information and access to the application packet, please visit the program webpage and click on the “Ohio Substance Use Disorder Professional Loan Repayment Program” tab.

>>> New Safety Innovation Grants Available to Ohio Schools Through AG Yost's Office

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recently announced that $11.77 million in safety grants are available to Ohio schools through his office for the 2023-24 school year. New this year, a limited number of ‘Innovation Grants’ of up to $20,000 will be awarded for technology that links schools with law enforcement agencies for improved safety, crime prevention and response. The new innovation grants can be used for one building or multiple buildings within a district. The money is expected to be used for crisis-response technology designed to alert law enforcement of potential safety breeches on school property. In addition to the innovation grants, Ohio schools are eligible for safety grants of $2,500 or $5.50 per student, whichever amount is greater. The funding is intended to give school leaders flexibility in determining how best to improve student safety. Among other things, the funding can be used for:

Certification training for a school resource officer.
Any active-shooter or school-safety training or equipment.
Educational resources for all grade levels.
Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues.
School supplies or equipment related to school safety or for implementing a school-safety plan.
Any other training related to school safety.

Public schools, charter schools, educational service centers, STEM schools, and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities can apply for the grant funding. Grant applications may be submitted via the Ohio Grants Portal. (Please select funding opportunities, then select Ohio Attorney General’s FY22 School Safety Grant.) There is a separate application for each type of grant opportunity. Applications are due at the end of March, see application for details. Please direct all questions or concerns to SchoolSafetyGrants@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

>>> Congress Eliminates Buprenorphine X-Waiver Requirement

On Dec. 29, 2022, Congress eliminated the “DATA-Waiver Program” (a.k.a. X-Waiver) with the signing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The elimination of the X-Waiver will increase access to buprenorphine for those in need. In a letter to prescribers, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said registrants should be aware of the following:

A DATA-Waiver registration is no longer required to treat patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
Going forward, all prescriptions for buprenorphine only require a standard DEA registration number. The previously used DA TA-Waiver registration numbers are no longer needed for any prescription.
There are no longer any limits or patient caps on the number of patients a prescriber may treat for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine.
The Act does not impact existing state laws or regulations that may be applicable.

Separately, the Act also introduced new training requirements for all prescribers. These requirements will not go into effect until June 21, 2023. The DEA and SAMHSA are actively working to provide further guidance and DEA will follow up with additional information on these requirements shortly. Importantly, these new requirements do not impact the changes related to elimination of the DATA-Waiver Program described above.

>>> Sources of Strength Virtual Informational Session – Jan. 24

1in5 will host a virtual information session on Sources of Strength (Sources) on Jan. 24 at 3:15 p.m. to learn how to bring Sources to your community. Sources is a free, evidence-based suicide prevention program for students in grades K-12.

>>> Fourth Annual Ohio Youth Resilience Collaborative Summit – Jan. 25

The fourth annual Ohio Youth Resilience Collaborative (OYRC) Summit will be held virtually on Jan. 25 from 9:00 a.m.-noon. Family practice physician and Birdie Light Founder and CEO Beth Weinstock, M.D., will provide keynote remarks. There is no cost to attend, however, registration is recommended. OYRC is a partnership between The Ohio State University’s colleges of Education and Human Ecology, Public Health, and Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in collaboration with local community schools, social workers, and public health agencies throughout Ohio. OYRC’s mission is to promote youth resilience and empower families and communities through a wide range of evidence-based prevention programming focused on substance abuse, mental health, suicide prevention, and relationship building. The OYRC has been partnering with OSU Extension since 2018 to implement programs in rural communities throughout Ohio and to create community teams that help sustain and support these efforts. OYRC currently offers evidence-based prevention and resiliency programming in 13 counties. For more information, please contact Kelly Cabral at 614.688.4297 or email cabral.48@osu.edu.

>>> Upcoming Lunchtime MI/DD Trainings

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), in partnership with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, have announced two upcoming presentations as part of the MI/DD lunchtime training series. Trainings are held from noon-1:00 p.m. Click the links below for more information and to register.

Jan. 31 | Birth to Death: Providing Nursing for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Feb. 7 | Providing Behavior Management for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

>>> Family Education Day: Depression – Feb. 5

1N5, in collaboration with MindPeace and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, will host a Family Education Day: Depression on Feb. 5 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at The Graduate Hotel in Cincinnati. During this event, depression experts will present on a range of topics relevant to adolescents and young adults living with depression, which includes genetic pharmacology, treatment options, whole-persona approach, and more. We invite caregivers to bring their young adult with them for this family friendly education day. This program will also include Q&A expert panels, a session just for teens and a session just for young adults. The program costs $10 per person and includes breakfast and lunch. Click HERE for more information and to register. Questions? please email info@1n5.org.

>>> The Center for Disability Empowerment Adult Siblings Future Planning Webinar Series

The Center for Disability Empowerment will host a four-part webinar series throughout the month of February focused Planning for future long-term care of adults with I/DD. Sessions are planned for the following Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m.: Feb. 2, Feb. 9, Feb. 16 and Feb. 23. Click HERE to register. For more information, please contact Debra Petermann at 614.575.8055 or email dpetermann@disabilityempowerment.net.

>>> I Matter: Empowering Teen Girls to Build Safe, Healthy & Violence-Free Dating Relationships – Feb. 26

ROX (Ruling Our eXperiences), in partnership with the Franklin County ADAMH Board, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Center for Family Safety & Healing, will host I Matter: Empowering Teen Girls to Build Safe, Healthy & Violence-Free Dating Relationships on Feb. 26 from noon-4:00 p.m. at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. I Matter" is a free, annual community conference with 300+ attendees. Through inspiring sessions led by experts, girls in grades 6-12 will learn the skills they need to engage in safe and healthy dating relationships and girl moms and female mentors will gain the tools and strategies necessary to support the girls they care about. Click HERE to view the training flyer. For more information, please call Dorothy Martindale at 614.488.8080 ext. 3 or email dorothymartindale@rulingourexperiences.com.

>>> Ohio Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative Summit – April 18-19

The Mansfield Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program, in partnership with OhioMHAS, SheRay’s & Associates, LLC, and the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, will host the Ohio Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative Summit April 18-19 at the Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center, Lewis Center, OH. This year’s theme is, “A Restorative Approach to Family and Community: Engaging and Building Hope.” The Summit is designed for community members, treatment and prevention staff, restored/justice-involved citizens, adult family members, faith and ministry leaders, and service providers. Attend for both days of community conversation, networking, keynotes and workshop sessions. The Ohio CIP Initiative increases personal and family strengthening skills among restored citizens, offenders and affected youth, which supports the successful transition back to family and community. Space is limited. The fee is $50.00, and a limited number of need-based scholarships are available.

In the News

1.16.23 | WOIO-TV Gambling addiction hotlines getting more calls since sports gambling legalization in Ohio

1.16.23 | The Washington Post 35 percent of military families face limited access to psychiatrists

1.15.23 | Canton Repository Stark County Health Department uses mapping technology to address opioid epidemic

1.15.23 | SpectrumNews1 Equine therapy facility in Wadsworth helps first responders

1.15.23 | The Daily Jeffersonian Funding will expand area behavioral health services

1.15.23 | WHIO-TV Ohio’s State Opioid Stimulant Response awards grant to Montgomery County ADAMHS

1.14.23 | Dayton Daily News CareSource donates $800K to Cincinnati Children’s to address disparities in health

1.14.23 | NPR For Black men, barriers to mental health care can be complex

1.13.23 | WCMH-TV Daytime Columbus: Providing a family-focused recovery program for substance use disorder

1.13.23 | New Philadelphia Times-Reporter Tuscarawas County to build treatment center for males

1.13.23 | Akron Beacon Journal (Editorial) DeWine, Summa’s moves to improve mental health care welcomed