NewsNow - 07.19.2022

>>> Governor DeWine Announces Local Government Payments from National Opioid Settlement Begin

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Friday that the first payments of funds to local governments from the OneOhio settlement with national opioid distributors have been made electronically. Local governments will determine how to use the payments, totaling more than $8.6 million, to best combat the opioid epidemic in their own communities. Following these initial payments, governments will continue receiving payments from the settlement over the next 18 years. In 2017, as Ohio Attorney General, Governor DeWine was one of the first in the nation to sue opioid makers and drug distributors for their role in flooding the market with massive amounts of highly addictive opioids. A complete list of payments made to eligible and participating political subdivisions may be found at https://nationalopioidsettlement.com/states/ohio/. The list also indicates if the payment was made directly to the entity or, if less than $500, was redirected to the county. Questions about payments can be directed to the Attorney General’s Constituent Services Section at 1.800.282.0515.

>>> Gallia, Jackson, Meigs Welcomes New Youth Crisis Center

On Friday, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director Lori Criss visited Gallipolis to participate in a ribbon cutting and open house celebration for a new youth mental health crisis center. The Gallia-Jackson-Meigs ADAMH Board partnered with Hopewell Health Centers and the Gallia County Board of Commissioners to transform a portion of the former Gallipolis Developmental Center grounds into a youth crisis center designed for male and female adolescents who are high school age and younger. The goal of the project is to eliminate the need to visit a hospital emergency mental health department or travel long distances for unnecessary psychiatric hospitalization. The new facility, which features a total of 16 beds, was made possible through funding from OhioMHAS and a grant from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia/Appalachian Regional Commission. Click HERE to view more photos from the Director’s visit.

>>> Direct Care Workforce Expansion Working Group Announces Upcoming Meetings

The Direct Care Workforce Expansion Working Group has completed its review of the public comments provided during the open survey period. Based on the Working Group’s review, we are excited to announce that we will be holding five public meetings with invited testimony to further investigate the direct care workforce shortage. Each meeting will highlight perspectives from community members with an emphasis on the five topical areas we solicited feedback on. If you would like to see the public comments in their entirety, please follow this link. Furthermore, this link will be used for all the Working Group’s products as they are made available. The times, dates and links to each meeting can be found below:

July 25, 9:00-11:00 a.m. | Rules, Regulations and Laws

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682042763@t.plcm.vc

Video Conference ID: 116 363 692 5

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1 614-721-2972,,927722930# United States, Columbus

Phone Conference ID: 927 722 930#

July 25, 1:00–3:00 p.m. | Education and Training Support

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Video Conference ID: 112 375 618 8

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1 614-721-2972,,996655269# United States, Columbus

Phone Conference ID: 996 655 269#

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July 27, 9:00-11:00 a.m. | Scope of Practice

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Video Conference ID: 114 518 602 4

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1 614-721-2972,,411547206# United States, Columbus

Phone Conference ID: 411 547 206#

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July 27, 1:00–3:00 p.m. | Employee Wellness and Social Supports

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682042763@t.plcm.vc

Video Conference ID: 119 559 998 1

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1 614-721-2972,,435717878# United States, Columbus

Phone Conference ID: 435 717 878#

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July 29 – 9:00-11:00 a.m. | Leverage Technology and Innovations

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Video Conference ID: 112 990 764 0

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1 614-721-2972,,241844469# United States, Columbus

Phone Conference ID: 241 844 469#

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The State of Ohio is a disability inclusion state. We promote access to our meetings and trainings. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please use the Help link to contact the ADA Coordinator for the scheduling agency (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services). Each meeting will include an American Sign Language interpreter. Help: ADA Coordinators Directory | Department of Administrative Services (ohio.gov)

>>> Virtual Event: How Science Has Offered Hope for Treatment-Resistant Depression – July 21

The White House is hosting a virtual conversation on July 21 from 1:00-1:30 p.m. to highlight promising areas of current research and understand what is still needed to address the nation’s deepening mental health crisis. This event will feature National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) researcher Carlos Zarate, M.D., an expert on mood disorders who will speak about work to develop new medications for treatment-resistant depression and describe the arc from fundamental research to a now-approved treatment. This webinar will also feature a patient who will give their first-hand account about what it was like to take part in this research program.

>>> Ohio’s SUD 1115 Waiver Stakeholder Advisory Committee and Annual Public Forum – Aug. 16

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) will hold the annual public forum on the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) 1115 Demonstration Waiver during the upcoming SUD 1115 Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The meeting will be held virtually at 1:00 p.m. on Aug. 16. The public forum will open immediately following the regular agenda of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. During the public forum, any interested party is invited to offer comments on any aspect of the waiver. Written comments may also be submitted before or after the public forum.

Any interested party may attend the Aug. 16 meeting via the Aug. 16 SAC Meeting Link.

Instructions to provide verbal comments during the public forum:

Select the “Reactions” button at the top of the Teams screen.
From the drop-down, select the “Raise Hand” button. A purple line will appear under the icon.
Once your name is called, unmute yourself by pressing the “Mic” button. The slash on the icon will disappear indicating you are unmuted.
Once you have spoken, place yourself back on mute by pressing the “Mic” button again. A slash on the icon will reappear indicating you are muted.
Remove your “Raise Hand” by following Steps 1 & 2 above again. The purple line under the icon will disappear.

Instructions to provide written comments before or after the public forum:

Written comments or questions may be sent via email to MCD_SUD1115@medicaid.ohio.gov.

PLEASE NOTE: Beginning Aug. 16, all SUD 1115 Stakeholder Advisory Committee meetings will be held via Microsoft Teams (not via GoToWebinar). Any questions regarding this communication may be submitted to BH-Enroll@medicaid.ohio.gov.

Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director Lori Criss and 988 Administrator Doug Jackson (far right) visited the North Central Mental Health call center in Columbus Saturday morning to celebrate and observe the launch of the new, nationwide three-digit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Click HERE to read more.

In the News

7.18.22 | WCMH-TV Mental health or substance abuse crisis? Call 988

7.18.22 | WKEF-TV LGBTQ+ focused mental health resource center opens in Dayton

7.18.22 | WEWS-TV Lake County combats opioid crisis with new non-profit

7.18.22 | WKSU 89.7 Cuyahoga County sees increase in mental health calls after 988 launch

7.17.22 | WCPO-TV Tri-State teen encourages people struggling with their mental health to call 988, a new crisis line

7.16.22 | WBNS-TV Ohio call centers ready as new 988 mental health hotline launches nationwide

7.16.22 | WDTN-TV Montgomery County launches mental health hotline

7.16.22 | The Associated Press New 988 hotline is the 911 for mental health emergencies

7.16.22 | WOUB 91.3 Athens County educators work on multiple fronts to address the increase of mental health cases in schools

7.16.22 | WOIO-TV 988: introducing the new mental health hotline in the U.S.

7.15.22 | WLWT-TV Talbert House prepares for launch of 988 suicide prevention hotline