NewsNow - 04.23.2021

Ohio CareLine Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Connecting Ohioans to Care

The Ohio CareLine (1.800.720.9616) reached an important milestone this week – one year of connecting Ohioans struggling with pandemic-related anxiety, depression and stress with trained support professionals who listen and refer Ohioans to local behavioral health resources and services. The toll-free, emotional support service made its debut in April 2020 as state officials ramped up efforts to help mitigate community spread of COVID-19. Since then, counselors have fielded more than 6,100 calls from all 88 Ohio counties. The reasons for calls are varied though most individuals are seeking information on mental health and substance use disorders. Other common issues include: stress/anxiety, family concerns, financial/employment, domestic violence/child abuse, suicidal ideation, and loneliness/isolation. Counselors provided brief interventions to more than 1,700 callers and referred more than 1,200 callers to behavioral health treatment providers and other community agencies. Click HERE to read a media release commemorating the milestone and HERE to watch remarks from Governor Mike DeWine.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) thanks the following community partners for their outstanding efforts and contributions in helping to make the CareLine a success:

Talbert House (Southwest – 513 and 937 area codes)

Helpline of Delaware/Morrow Counties (Central – 614 and 380)

Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center (Southeast – 740 and 220)

We Care Regional Crisis/Coleman Professional Services (Northwest – 419 and 567)

Rescue Mental Health and Addiction Services (Northwest – 567)

Frontline Service (Cleveland area – 216)

Help Network of Northeast Ohio (Lake area – 440)

Portage Path Behavioral Health (Northeast – 330 and 234)

Coleman Professional Services (Northeast – 330 and 234)

Director Criss Provides Budget Testimony Before Senate Health Committee

OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss provided budget testimony Thursday before members of the Ohio Senate Health Committee. Click HERE to read her testimony. Follow progress on the SFY 2022-23 budget on the OhioMHAS Budget and Legislation webpage.

FCC Announces Round 2 for COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau announced it will begin accepting applications for Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program on April 29. The program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID19 pandemic. Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program is a $250 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act. The deadline for applications is May 6th. If you have specific questions regarding the Round 2 application process, please email Round2TelehealthApplicationSupport@usac.org.

Video Series Highlights Federal Disability Rights Protections for Individuals in Recovery from OUD

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has launched a new, five-part video series detailing federal disability rights protections for some individuals in recovery from an opioid use disorder. The series, Civil Rights Protections for Individuals in Recovery from an Opioid Use Disorder, informs audiences about the application of federal disability rights laws to child welfare programs and activities, discusses protections that apply to some individuals in recovery from an opioid use disorder, provides an overview of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and addresses common misconceptions about MAT as a treatment approach.

Conquer Your Summer: A Virtual Round Table with St. Vincent Family Center – May 14

St. Vincent Family Center is hosting a free, Conquer Your Summer virtual round table on May 14 to address the mental wellness and social-emotional health of parents, families, professionals and the children they care for. A team of SVFC experts will discuss strategies to keep children engaged and supported throughout the summer months, how parents can recharge and focus on their wellness, and how educators and child-serving professionals can make time this summer to take a break and restore a healthy work/life balance. Questions? Please email Sara Russell at srussell@svfc.org.

DBT Advanced Techniques and Strategies – May 28

The Tristate Trauma Network is hosting a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Advanced Techniques and Strategies workshop on May 28. The primary target audience for this workshop are mental health clinicians who are interested in learning about techniques and strategies utilized in DBT, or for those familiar with the model, getting a refresher of and practice with specific DBT techniques and strategies. The primary method of learning will be the “teach one, see one, do one” approach, emphasizing participants’ practice of the techniques during the workshop. Cost is $125. Click HERE for more information and to register.

In the News

4.22.21 | Wooster Daily Record OneEighty, Anazao receive federal funds to combat opioid crisis

4.22.21 | BusinessWire Pear Announces OhioMHAS will provide access to Rx digital therapeutics to help communities fight opioid addiction

4.22.21 | WEWS-TV Local mental health agencies respond to workforce shortage

4.22.21 | WTVG-TV Despite fears due to pandemic, suicides decrease in 2020

4.22.21 | WDTN-TV Project Clean to debut at Samaritan Health Center

4.22.21 | MahoningMatters Mahoning Valley Campus of Care aims to bring families home, keep kids close

4.22.21 | Marysville Journal-Tribune ORW to build new mental health facility

4.22.21 | Hamilton Journal-News Lakota students parade on campuses to support anti-suicide efforts

4.22.21 | Newark Advocate Licking County sees record number of accidental drug deaths in 2020

4.21.21 | WKEF-TV Ohio CareLine: One year of aiding mental health

4.21.21 | Chillicothe Gazette The Hope Squad at Adena High School is working to break the stigma of mental health