NewsNow - 01.27.2023

Jan. 27, 2023

>>> Governor Mike DeWine to Deliver State of the State Address on Jan. 31

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will deliver his 2023 State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Ohio General Assembly on Jan. 31 at noon in the traditional location of the Ohio House Chamber of the Statehouse. Governor DeWine will speak about the strength of the state and discuss the priorities that will be contained in his Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 executive budget. The address will be broadcast live on The Ohio Channel. As in previous years, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director Lori Criss will provide an overview of the Governor’s budget recommendations and their impact on Ohio’s behavioral health services system via Teams. That presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 3:30 p.m. Click HERE to join (Meeting ID: 266 998 307 151, Passcode: DU4o4y). To join via phone (audio only) call 614.721.2972 and enter Conference ID: 925 157 759# when prompted.

>>> 2023 Behavioral Health Careers Awareness Market Analysis

OhioMHAS is supporting the 2023 Behavioral Health Careers Awareness Market Analysis in Ohio communities. An independent research firm, Measurement Resources Company (Measurement Resources), has been contracted to conduct the market research. Individuals invited to participate in this market research include: students and career counselors or advisors from Ohio colleges, universities, high schools, and technical schools; personnel from employment assistance programs; current and past members of Ohio’s behavioral health workforce, and employees from related fields. The results of the market analysis will provide OhioMHAS and its partners with a report of current awareness and perceptions of behavioral health career paths, the reasons employees in related fields are not entering the behavioral health field or why employees are leaving the field, and communication strategies for recruiting behavioral health workers. This research will inform the state’s public awareness and education efforts and campaigns around workforce programs and initiatives. The survey will be open from Jan. 23 to April 15, and is available in English and Spanish. All respondents will remain anonymous. Note: Paper surveys can be made available upon request. Please contact Christian Hall by sending an email to chall@measurementresourcesco.com to request paper copies of the survey, or for help with any technical issues you experience completing the online survey. For more general questions about this survey, please contact Angelika McClelland, OhioMHAS Deputy Director of Public Affairs, via email at: angelika.mcclelland@mha.ohio.gov.

>>> SAMHSA Highlights Two Ohio Prevention Coalitions for “Talk. They Here You” Campaign Efforts

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently highlighted the work of two Ohio prevention coalitions involved in supporting the “Talk. They Hear You” underage drinking prevention campaign. Clark County Partners in Prevention (CCPIP) and the Gallia-Jackson-Meigs Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board were included in a spotlight feature prepared by SAMHSA’s Talk. They Hear You National Team. The national feature referred to the coalitions as “prevention rockstars in their communities.”

Based in Springfield, CCPIP aims to collaborate with community partners to prevent underage drinking and youth substance use by raising awareness, using evidence-based programs, advocating for policy change, and implementing environmental strategies. CCPIP is using “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign messaging on social media and billboards and has recently begun broadcasting TV PSAs from the campaign. CCPIP acquired funding from the Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion to continue the video messages and run a billboard campaign, positioning 10 billboards in key locations in the community.

The Gallia-Jackson-Meigs ADAMHS Board supports and utilizes prevention coalitions in Southeast Ohio. Each of the prevention coalitions have been working to reduce substance use, bring hope, and promote healthy lifestyles in their communities. While this is ADAMH’s first year working with the “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign, they have been proactive in their promotion efforts by coordinating with other counties on geofencing digital ads, as well as radio, print, billboard, banner, and TV ads. They sponsored “Homegrown Happy Hour,” a live radio show and concert at a local restaurant to engage parents, caregivers, and other community members to promote "Talk. They Hear You." They also successfully hosted a “Family Game Night” giveaway, where they distributed 159 board games with stickers promoting "Talk. They Hear You." and Family Game Night as "a great way to include short, frequent conversations about alcohol and other drugs.”

>>> OneOhio Recovery Foundation Expert Panel Application

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation is seeking to establish a 9-member Expert Panel made up of professionals in addiction, pain management, public health and other opioid-related fields. Members of the Expert Panel will make recommendations to ensure the Foundation and its 19 Regions across the state address the opioid epidemic both locally and statewide, consulting with and offering expert guidance as projects are considered for funding. Interested applicants may fill out an online application or download a PDF application and submit it via email to apply@oneohiofoundation.com. Applications are due by Feb. 17.

>>> Person-First Communication: Promoting Evidence-Informed Media Coverage of OUD, Addiction – Feb. 8

The Ohio Opioid Education Alliance will host a free, virtual HEALing Communities Study learning collaborative event Person-First Communication: Promoting Evidence-Informed Media Coverage of Opioid Use Disorder and Addiction on Feb. 8 from noon-1:30 p.m. This training is specifically geared toward media and communications specialists and community members. Presenters will discuss: historic portrayals of substance use and addiction by the media and government; the evolution of language about drug use and addiction; how to destigmatize news stories on opioid use and addiction; the biology of addiction; stigma and challenges within the healthcare community; applying person-first language through communication; and evidence-informed resource tools and strategies to enhance inclusivity through communication. Panelists include: Carol Krause, Senior Communications Consultant, National Institute on Drug Abuse; Dr. Julie Teater, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; and Aimee Shadwick, Director of Governor DeWine’s RecoveryOhio initiative. For more information, please email Curtis.Walker@osumc.edu.

>>> Save the Date: 2023 We Are Change Youth Rally – May 9

Mark your calendar! The Ohio Youth-Led Prevention Network (OYLPN) will hold its 2023 We Are Change youth rally on May 9 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. The rally, which has been rebranded from We Are The Majority to We Are Change, will be held in person at KEMBA Live! in downtown Columbus. This year’s rally will celebrate youth being their authentic selves, asking the question – “What’s Your Real?!” Watch for updates on the OYLPN web page.

>>> Nonprofit Capacity Building Webinar Series for Recovery Supports Providers

Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery (OCAAR) is sponsoring a Nonprofit Capacity Building webinar series for recovery supports providers. The first session is scheduled for Feb. 1 from 9:00 a.m.-noon. Sessions will be held the first Wednesday of each month through June 7. Three CEUs will be offered for each Zoom session. Click the link above to register. Questions? Please email advocate@oca-ohio.org.

>>> Ohio Rural Health Association: Suicide Prevention/Resources, Focus on Rural – Feb. 8

The Ohio Rural Health Association will present a Behavioral Health: Suicide Prevention/Resources, Focus on Rural virtual training on Feb. 8 at noon. The presentation will be led by Bridgett Britton, OSU Extension Behavioral Health Field Specialist.

>>> Substance Use Disorder in Women: History, Use, and Treatment – Feb. 9

Relink.org will host a Substance Use Disorder in Women: History, Use, and Treatment webinar on Feb. 9 at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome to join and ask panelists addiction recovery-related questions. Click HERE to register. For more information, please email info@relink.org.

>>> Child Focus to Host Trauma and Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents Training – Feb. 20-21

Child Focus will host an in-person Trauma and Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents training on Feb. 20-21 from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The training will take place at the Child Focus Training Center located at 4633-B Aicholtz Road, Cincinnati, 45244. Cost is $250 and includes training materials and 15 CEUs. For more information, please email Shelley Drummond at sdrummond@child-focus.org or call 513.752.1555.

>>> Grief Workshop for Professionals – March 24

Prevention Action Alliance is hosting a grief workshop designed specifically for prevention professionals, counselors, and social workers on March 24 from 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The goal of this training is to build capacity within the field and learn how to navigate grief in a professional setting, as well as how to support those who are experiencing grief and loss. Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, the workshop will also provide two counselors and two therapy dogs onsite for the entire day. Click the link for more information and to register.

>>> Community Grief Workshop – March 25

Prevention Action Alliance will host a free grief workshop for community members who are experiencing grief and loss, particularly those who have been impacted by a traumatic or mental health loss on March 25 from 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about grief and where they are in their own journey through interactive workshops and group discussions. There will be counselors and therapy dogs onsite to provide comfort and support. Click the li9nk for more information and to register.

>>> Research: Cancer Diagnosis Raises Suicide Risk by 26 Percent

Individuals diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2016 had a 26 percent higher risk of suicide compared with the general population, new research shows. Both insurance status and ethnicity contributed to the elevated risk, authors wrote. Those with poor prognosis at the time of diagnosis were at a heightened risk of suicide within two years of learning they had the disease. Patients who had cancers prone to long-term quality-of-life impairments were at a greater risk after these first two years. However, the highest risk was seen within the first six months after a patient received a cancer diagnosis, where the risk was seven times greater than that of the general population. Findings underscore the need for timely symptom management and targeted psychosocial interventions for suicide prevention in individuals diagnosed with cancer, researchers said. Click HERE to read more coverage in the Jan. 20 edition of The Hill.

>>> Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio Winter Conference

OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss provided remarks on Thursday at the Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio Winter Conference. Director Criss discussed how the mental health and criminal justice systems work together to help Ohioans living with mental illness and substance use disorders access needed treatment and recovery supports in their communities.

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