April is Alcohol Awareness Month

OhioMHAS is pleased to join with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence to observe April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Established in 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month encourages community organizations to host events that increase public awareness and educate people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism. We can all do our part to prevent alcohol misuse or abuse. Here are just a few ideas: 

• Encourage friends or family members to make small changes, like keeping track of their drinking and setting drinking limits.  Share tips with parents to help them talk with their kids about the risks of alcohol use.

• Ask doctors and nurses to talk to their patients about the benefits of drinking less or quitting.

• Complete a brief screening available at takechargeohio.org/Get-Help.

• Educate yourself on alcohol’s effects on health. 

• Call the Ohio CareLine (1.800.720.9616) to get connected to help.

BWC Indoor Air Quality Assistance Program Extended to June 30

Over the past year, we’ve learned a lot about COVID-19, including the impact indoor air quality has on the spread. That’s why the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation is encouraging eligible facilities (see list below) to apply for the COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality Assistance Program. The program offers up to $15,000 in reimbursement to inspect heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, assess air quality needs, and make improvements. Nursing homes, assisted living centers, and adult day centers remain eligible with the addition of intermediate care facilities, hospices, senior centers, adult care facilities, waiver settings (group homes) and substance use treatment facilities. The deadline has been extended to June 30. Click HERE for more information and to apply.

 

ONDCP Releases Updated Drug Policy Priority Statement

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has released an updated Statement on Drug Policy Priorities for Year One of the Biden Administration. Citing the ongoing national opioid epidemic as an “urgent priority,” the new policies include:

• Expanding access to evidence-based treatment.

• Advancing racial equity issues in our approach to drug policy.

• Enhancing evidence-based harm reduction efforts.

• Supporting evidence-based prevention efforts to reduce youth substance use.

• Reducing the supply of illicit substances.

• Advancing recovery-ready workplaces and expanding the addiction workforce.

• Expanding access to recovery support services.

VA Seeks Feedback to Guide New Suicide Prevention Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking public feedback to guide implementation of the new VA Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) -- a $174 million, three-year grant

program to provide resources to community organizations that serve veterans at risk of suicide and support to their families across the U.S. Those resources are outlined in the grant program Congress established under the authority of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. Specifically, the VA is seeking feedback on distribution and selection of grants, development of measures and metrics for administering the grant program, training, and technical assistance to grant recipients and non-traditional and innovative approaches and treatment practices for suicide prevention services. It also seeks public comment on how grant recipients should determine suicide risk and refer Veterans at risk of suicide or other mental or behavioral health conditions to VA for care. In addition to soliciting public comments, VA will be hosting two virtual listening sessions in the coming months. View the request and submit comments at the Federal Register. The public comment period ends April 22.

SAMHSA 2021 Communities Talk Stipends for Underage Drinking Prevention

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) eighth round of Communities Talk to Prevent Underage Drinking initiative is underway, and the $750 stipends are going fast. Interested organizations may request an invitation to register for a stipend by emailing info@stopalcoholabuse.net. Watch this registration tutorial video for help navigating the registration process. There are also many resources available to help organizations plan their Communities Talk activity. Check out how-to guides, customizable resources, and more on the Tips and Resources page; and get inspired by past activity hosts by browsing Success Stories. Organizations can also check out the new Virtual Activities Toolkit for ideas and tools to host a safe, engaging, and impactful activity this year.

In the News

4.2.21 | Columbus Dispatch (Opinion) Our society often punishes individuals struggling with addiction

4.1.21 | The New York Times How to spot depression in young children

4.1.21 | Ohio Valley ReSource Biden Administration Releases Drug Control Policy Priorities After Deadliest Year for Overdoses

4.1.21 | Huntington Herald-Dispatch Grant will help add employment focus to addiction treatment

4.1.21 | USA Today Teens more likely than young adults to develop addiction to marijuana, prescription drugs, study shows