>>> Governor DeWine Launches Toledo Branch of the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Tuesday officially launched operations at the newest division of the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC). The new ONIC-Toledo office is staffed with criminal intelligence analysts and computer forensic specialists who help local law enforcement agencies trace drug trafficking organizations back to their ringleaders and suppliers through intelligence-driven investigations. Governor DeWine first launched the ONIC in 2019 with offices in Columbus and Cleveland. Due to statewide demand for ONIC's services, Governor DeWine worked with the Ohio General Assembly to secure additional funding to create new offices in northwest and southwest Ohio. ONIC-Cincinnati will have its official launch later this month. Since the ONIC’s inception, intelligence analysts and forensic specialists have assisted in nearly 2,000 criminal investigations involving the extraction and analysis of more than 4,300 cell phones, over five million images and videos, and more than five million text messages.

>>> Governor Signs Executive Order Effectively Banning New Opioids

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today signed Executive Order 2022-05D to suspend the normal rulemaking process to allow the Ohio Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to classify a number of benzimidazole-opioids as Schedule I drugs, meaning they have no accepted medical use in treatment and pose an imminent hazard to public health, safety, and welfare. Click HERE to see a related release from BOP.

>>> April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Established in 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month is a health awareness campaign that was formerly sponsored by the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). It takes place every April with the aim of raising awareness for communities and to help understand the causes and treatment available for one of the nation’s biggest health issues. The campaign also aims to reduce the social stigma associated with alcoholism and to educate people on how the disease can be addressed, offering help and advice for families as well as direct engagement with those affected by alcohol addiction.

Alcohol addiction and abuse claims thousands of lives across the country each year. Some notable statistics on alcohol addiction include:

• More than 65 million Americans report binge drinking or heavy drinking in a one-month period, which is more than 40 percent of those who drink alcohol.
• In 2019, there were 10,142 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, totaling 28 percent of all traffic fatalities for the year.
• Teen alcohol use kills 4,300 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.

Click for general tips, information for parents, and information specifically about underage drinking and college drinking. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or other drug use, call the Ohio CareLine at 1.800.720.9616 to be connected to resources in your community, access the Ohio Crisis Text Line by texting the keyword 4HOPE to 741 741, or visit findtreatment.gov.

>>> APA Releases Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently released the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). The manual, which the APA has published and updated since 1952, defines and classifies mental disorders in order to improve diagnosis, treatment and research. Developed with the help of more than 200 subject matter experts, DSM-5-TR includes the fully revised text and references of the DSM-5, as well as updated diagnostic criteria and ICD-10-CM insurance codes. It features a new disorder, Prolonged Grief Disorder, as well as codes for suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-injury.

>>> BWC Medical & Health Symposium – April 7-9

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is hosting its annual Medical and Health Symposium virtually on April 7-9.  There is free continuing education for chemical dependency counselors and others. Click HERE for more information and to register.

>>> Rise and Thrive: Translating Campus Community Partnerships to Broader Community Work – April 13

As part of the ongoing Rise and Thrive Campus-Community Partnerships training series, the Ohio College Initiative will present Facilitating Community Change: Translating Campus Community Partnerships to Broader Community Work on April 13 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. This webinar will discuss boundary spanning and how universities can create stronger policies and systems to support campus-community partnerships. Attendees will also learn tips and tricks on how to best engage community partners to create community change. Click the link above for more information and to register.

>>> OhioRISE Service Design and Business Process Flow Webinar – April 19

The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Service Providers is hosting an OhioRISE Service Design and Business Process Flow webinar on April 19 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. This session will explore the clinical service planning and business-related processes needed to implement the OhioRISE program, which is set to go live in July 2022. The training will cover new services under OhioRISE and changes to existing services for youth and families that are built on systems of care theory and the wraparound model. This training will prepare participants to implement necessary operational changes for successful program design and compliance with multi-system youth services. Click the link above for more information and to register. This free training is sponsored and supported by the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. Questions? Please email Brenna Whiteside at whiteside@theohiocouncil.org.

>>> Embodied Facilitation: Bringing Your Full Self into the Room Webinar – May 4

As part of the Strong Families, Safe Communities partnership, OhioMHAS, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), will host Embodied Facilitation: Bringing Your Full Self Into the Room on May 4 from 9:30-11:00 a.m. The webinar, which will be led by Sarah Buffie from Soul Bird Consulting, will focus on cultivating facilitation skills. Participants will learn the importance of practicing presence as a facilitation skill, how to practice presence with themselves and others, and understand facilitation skills within the context of the Polyvagal Theory. Continuing education credits for social workers, counselors, and DD professionals have been applied for. Click the link above to register.

>>> Ninth Annual Trauma-Informed Care Summit – May 17-18

OhioMHAS and DODD will host the Ninth Annual Trauma-Informed Care Summit, “Building Upon Trauma Informed Care and Resilience: A Narrative for Healing and Hope” virtually on May 17-18. The purpose of the Summit is to move our systems beyond trauma informed to trauma responsive and competent with specific focus on trauma resilient care in all interactions. The Summit also provides an opportunity to address pandemic-related challenges, which for many are layered with other generational traumas. Click HERE to view the agenda, HERE for speaker information, and HERE to register. Registration is open and free.

>>> Communities Coming Together Conference – June 7-8

The Knox Substance Abuse Action Team will host its Communities Coming Together Conference on June 7-8 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. A compilation of Focusing on Youth Issues (FYI) Conference and the Knox Addiction Conference, this conference offers several professional development tracks and opportunities for continuing education credits. Educators, social workers, counselors, probation staff, community members, Scout leaders, business owners, and church youth group leaders are encouraged to attend. Presentations are open to the public and provide a wide array of valuable information for every citizen. The conference is an opportunity for the community to examine its diverse strengths and talents to build resiliency, reduce stigma and strengthen Ohio’s communities together. Laura Stack, author of The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story, will serve as the 9:00keynote speaker. Click the link above for more information and to register.

>>> Save the Date for National Prevention Week and SAMHSA’s Prevention Day 2022

Make plans to join OhioMHAS in observing National Prevention Week (NPW) May 8-14. Hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), NPW is a national public education platform bringing together communities and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health. The 2022 SAMHSA Prevention Day (SPD) event will kick off National Prevention Week (May 8 – 14) activities, and it will be delivered virtually through an interactive online conference platform. Hear from prevention leaders; learn about the latest developments in the areas of mental illness and substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery; network with other practitioners; and sharpen your skills. Click HERE to register.

>>> New CDC Data Illuminates Youth Mental Health Threats During Pandemic

New CDC analyses shine additional light on the mental health of U.S. high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a disproportionate level of threats that some students experienced. According to the new data, in 2021, more than a third (37 percent) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. More than half (55 percent) reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student. Before the pandemic, mental health was getting worse among high school students.

>>> What Works to Promote Mental Health Worksheet

The Community Guide has a new What Works Fact Sheet for mental health. This two-page summary features an easy-to-read table that shows Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommendations and findings for evaluated intervention approaches. It may be viewed online or printed as a handout, making it useful for communications with decision makers and partners. Use the findings to identify intervention strategies you could use for your community.

In the News

4.6.22 | Canton Repository Ohio could soon increase penalties for drug dealing near treatment sites

4.6.22 | Ashtabula Star Beacon Geneva High School hosts mental health program

4.5.22 | The New York Times Can A.I.-driven voice analysis help identify mental health disorders?

4.5.22 | Forbes Navigating through social media without compromising your mental health

4.5.22 | The News-Herald NIDA Director to speak on addiction recovery April 6

4.4.22 | WTVG-TV New money to focus on mental health at new Lucas County jail

4.4.22 | The New York Times Has the pandemic changed your mental health?

4.4.22 | PBS With students in turmoil, U.S. teachers train in mental health