TVBH Topping Off Ceremony

On Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) celebrated a historic milestone in the construction of the new, $128 million, 208-bed Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare hospital in Columbus with a topping off ceremony. OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss was joined by TVBH CEO Frank Beel, Ohio Facilities Construction Commission Executive Director Cheryl Lyman, Elford Construction CEO Jim Smith, Hasenstab Architects, Inc., Principal Architect Daniel Herstine, NAMI Ohio Executive Director Terry Russell, OhioMHAS Hospital Services leadership, and TVBH staff as crews lowered the final steel beam into place. Community members and employees were invited to sign the ceremonial beam as part of the celebration. Construction of the 280,000-square foot hospital began in September 2020. The building, which features an additional 30 beds, is slated to be completed in the Summer 2023. Funding for the project was provided in the 2018 Capital budget. Click HERE to view more photos from the event and HERE to watch the final beam lowered into place.

 

Indoor Air Quality Grant Deadline Extended, Eligibility Expanded

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Assistance Program recently expanded eligibility requirements and extended the application deadline. The program provides financial reimbursement for a number of healthcare-related businesses to help cover the costs of air quality improvements made necessary by COVID-19. Eligible entities include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospices, senior centers, substance use disorder residential treatment providers, and more. They must be private employers and be either licensed by the Ohio Department of Health, recognized by the Ohio Department of Aging, certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction services, or certified by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. IAQ will provide reimbursement specifically for inspections, assessments, maintenance and improvements to indoor heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to control the spread of the virus. It also provides funds for secondary devices designed to destroy bacteria and mold. The extended application deadline is now Dec. 31, and eligible expenses include air quality-related necessities that came as a response to COVID-19 from March 1, 2020 to Dec. 31. Applicants can apply for funding more than once, but total assistance can’t exceed $15,000 per entity. If an application is accepted, funds will be distributed electronically within 15 business days. Questions? Please call BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene at 1.800.644.6292, or email grants@bwc.state.oh.us.

 

Treatment Advocacy Center Podcast Series Focuses on Assisted Outpatient Treatment

The Treatment Advocacy Center has released a limited series podcast, The Way Forward, highlighting the success of assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) in Ohio. There are four episodes, ranging from 7 to 11 minutes. The initial episode explains what AOT is and how it can help people with serious mental illness. It features former Butler County Probate Court Judge Randy Rogers and Dr. Mark Munetz, chair emeritus of psychiatry at Northeast Ohio Medical University. In Episode 2, Mary Kay Pierce, the executive director of NAMI Richland County, speaks to the difference AOT has made in her community and the process she and fellow champions undertook to make it happen. In Episode 3, Judge James Walther brings listeners inside the courtroom of Lorain County’s AOT program. In the final episode, the clinical team in Franklin County shares several success stories. The podcast was made possible by a grant from the Peg’s Foundation. Click HERE to listen to the series.

Problem Gambling Awareness Event – July 16

To help spread awareness, the Cuyahoga Problem Gambling Coalition invites you to a free, Zoom-based screening of the documentary, The Fantasy Sports Gamble on July 16 at noon. Produced by PBS in partnership with The New York Times, this film presents an investigation into fantasy sports and online sports betting. The film traces the growth of these booming businesses and goes inside their operations at home and abroad. The film will be followed by a group discussion from 1-1:30 p.m. Click HERE to register. Questions? Please email Nabil Pervaiz at npervaiz@recres.org or call 216.713.0743.

 

SUD Prior Authorization Request Form Training – July 29

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and OhioMHAS will sponsor a training on using the “Substance Use Disorder Services Prior Authorization Request” form to request authorization of Medicaid SUD treatment for which prior authorization is required on July 29 at 3 p.m. The form was developed earlier this year by a subcommittee of the SUD 1115 Waiver Stakeholder Advisory Committee in partnership with representatives of Ohio’s Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) and MyCare Ohio Plans (MCOPs).

 

The goals of the Substance Use Disorder Services Prior Authorization Request form are to:

• Improve/support adherence to ASAM Criteria

• Increase consistency in the prior authorization process

• Standardize required documentation and align with OhioMHAS documentation requirements

• Minimize administrative burden

• Ensure that the client perspective is considered

Once finalized, the Substance Use Disorder Services Prior Authorization Request form will be published and available on the ODM home page at: Medicaid Forms | Medicaid (ohio.gov).

 

The July 29 training will cover the following topics:

• The components of the Substance Use Disorder Services Prior Authorization Request form

• Guidance on completing the form

• Methods of submitting the form to MCOs, MCOPs, and ODM’s PA vendor (Permedion)

• Best practices shared by representatives of behavioral health providers and MCOs.

 

The training is open to anyone interested in learning more about this form and how to use it. The session will be recorded and made available on the BH.Medicaid.Ohio.Gov website.

 

Get Qualified to Treat Gambling Disorder: Space Still Open for Stage 1 and 2 Trainings

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio still has slots available for its upcoming Stage 1 and Stage 2 Problem Gambling trainings. These trainings will help prepare participants for the GAMB Endorsement or adding gambling treatment to their scope of practice.

 

Stage I: Gambling, Problem Gambling, & Ohio's Service System will increase participants’ understanding of the current climate of gambling and gambling expansion, problem gambling risks and warning signs, at-risk populations, and co-morbidities. An experienced gambling treatment clinician will also provide an introduction to screening and assessment, along with current problem gambling treatment models, such as Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. There are two opportunities to attend Stage I either on July 28-30 or on Aug.30 – Sept. 1. Each day of training runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost is $30. Those interested in learning more about problem gambling in Ohio or gambling treatment are encouraged to attend. 8.0 CEUs are available for prevention specialists and 12.0 are available for treatment professionals.

 

Stage II: Applications and Approaches in Treating Gambling Disorder is led by Dr. Heather Chapman, Ph.D., ICGC-II, BACC. This training builds on the Stage I training, aimed at conceptualization, treatment planning, and treatment delivery for those presenting with problem gambling and gambling disorder. Best practice models of care for gambling issues will be reviewed, specifically highlighting Cognitive Behavioral Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based Interventions. The workshop will be interactive, with large and small group exercises aimed at increasing competencies for gambling treatment. Stage II will be held virtually from Oct. 20-22. Each day of training runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost is $30. 12.0 CEUs are available for this training.

 

*DEADLINE EXTENDED* Presenters Sought: 2021 Virtual Peer Recovery Support Conference – Aug. 24-25

OhioMHAS will host its 2021 Virtual Peer Recovery Support Conference on Aug. 24-25. This year’s theme is, “Onward and Upward in Unity.” The conference planning committee is currently accepting workshop proposals. All sessions will be 55 minutes in length and recorded for future use on eLearning platforms. The deadline to submit workshop proposals has been extended to July 26. Proposals must be emailed to peerservices@mha.ohio.gov. Click HERE for more information, including desired topics, proposal requirements, and guidelines.

Recovery Housing Institute

Ohio Recovery Housing and OhioMHAS are partnering to host a Recovery Housing Institute Series. Sessions begin Sept. 14 and conclude Feb. 22, 2022. The Institute is series of intensive training sessions designed to assist recovery housing operators in developing deeper knowledge of the NARR Standards and the OhioMHAS quality housing criteria. Participants will have one homework assignment per month to complete. Once all assignments are completed, the participant will have a completed packet of policies and procedures that contain all required elements described in the National Alliance of Recovery Residences Quality Standards. This series is open to anyone who wishes to attend. To receive a link to join each session, you must register for every session individually. Click the link for more information and to register.

 

Ohio Adult Allies Wrap-up First Year of Podcast Series

The Ohio Adult Allies, a network of adults committed to facilitating youth-led programs, recently developed an 11-episode podcast series. With topics ranging from recruitment to facilitation, different guest speakers, young people, and adult allies offer insight and advice invaluable to anyone wanting to learn more about youth-led programming. The series can be found on the Ohio Adult Allies website.

 

NIAAA Explores Link Between Childhood Trauma and Alcohol Use

The spring 2021 issue of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s digital magazine, the NIAAA Spectrum, features an article on studies that investigate the relationship between childhood trauma and alcohol use. The issue also explores ways emotional responses to alcohol contribute to drinking behaviors that lead to an alcohol use disorder.

 

NIDA Medication-Assisted Treatment Infographic

A new National Institute on Drug Abuse infographic shows the different types of safe and effective medications prescribed for opioid overdose, withdrawal, and addiction. Share this with those in your community who work to prevent opioid overdose and help those in recovery.

 

DEA Launches New Video Series on Drug-Free Living Featuring Teen Leaders

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has launched a new video series, Drug-Free Living, highlighting teen leaders from across the country who are choosing a drug-free lifestyle and showing others why it matters. The first video in the series features 15-year-old Victoria Gacek, who talks about her strategies for staying drug-free and offers advice on responding to peer pressure.

In the News

7.14.21 | NPR Drug overdoses killed a record number of Americans in 2020, jumping by nearly 30%

7.14.21 | WTVG-TV Zepf Center takes over NW Ohio emergency mental health crisis care

7.14.21 | WKYC-TV First LGBTQ+ gym in northeast Ohio connects mental and physical health

7.14.21 | WTOL-TV Toledo Fire and Rescue, D.A.R.T. share insight on the local opioid crisis

7.13.21 | WBNS-TV Construction begins for new behavioral hospital in Columbus

7.13.21 | Hamilton Journal-News Some groups more likely to abuse drugs, UC study finds

7.13.21 | WTOL-TV ‘Steps 4 Success’ engaging Toledo youth while preparing them for upcoming school year

7.12.21 | WDTN-TV ‘Alternative Response System’ to come to Dayton for non-violent, mental health calls

7.12.21 | WEWS-TV MetroHealth installing boxes containing opioid overdose reversal drug around Cuyahoga County

7.12.21 | The New York Times Alcohol abuse is on the rise, but doctors too often fail to treat it

7.12.21 | EurekAlert! A third of teens, young adults reported worsening mental health during pandemic

7.12.21 | Dayton Daily News Not sure how to prevent suicide? Free training can help

7.11.21 | Warren Tribune Chronicle Group keeps kids on track with meet

7.11.21 | Dayton Daily News Construction begins on mental health office that serves three counties

7.11.21 | Warren Tribune Chronicle Meth makes inroads in the Valley

7.9.21 | Steubenville Herald-Star (Editorial) Standing up for families in Ohio

7.9.21 | WCPO-TV Hamilton County Heroin Task Force Uses $230K state grant to aid Quick Response Team

7.8.21 | Lorain Morning Journal Nord Center FIRST program receives APA award

7.6.21 | Miami Valley Today Tri-County Board awards building contract