Governor Signs Executive Orders Awarding Funds to Help Families, Reduce Poverty On Monday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed two executive orders directing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program funding to initiatives that will provide support services to Ohio families. The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives recommended the fiscal year 2022 awards help families and reduce poverty. Click HERE to see a list of fiscal year 2022 grants authorized by Executive Order 2021-12D and HERE for a list of 2022-23 Sustainability grants authorized by Executive Order 2021-13D.

Updated Affidavit of Mental Illness Form Available on OhioMHAS Website Senate Bill 2 sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) takes effect today (Aug. 3, 2021). The bill helps to ensure that beds at Ohio’s six state regional psychiatric hospitals are available to Ohioans with the most critical needs and provides flexibility in the criminal justice system to allow Ohioans charged with non-violent misdemeanors to be restored to competency in outpatient settings. The bill also modified the Affidavit of Mental Illnessform used to initiate involuntary treatment for mental illness to include a space for a trial court or prosecutor to indicate that the subject of the affidavit is a patient-defendant.

Ohio Behavioral Health Information System (OBHIS) Support The Ohio Behavioral Health Information System(OBHIS) is the department's upgrade to the OHBH, a client-level episode of care information and outcomes reporting system. If you are new to reporting in OHBIS, please create an OHǀID account (https://ohid.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/ohid/) and request access to OBHIS through OhioMHAS. The OBHIS webpage contains helpful training and information. For help with IT-related issues, please email MHAHelpDesk@mha.ohio.gov. For help with training or other issues, contact OBHIS system administrators at OBHISadmin@mha.ohio.gov.

NIMH Instagram Event: Back to School — Coping with the Pandemic and Re-Entry Stress – Aug. 24 The National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) is hosting a live Instagram “Back to School: Coping with the Pandemic and Re-Entry Stress” event on Aug. 24 from 2-2:30 p.m. Krystal Lewis, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist at NIMH, will discuss causes or triggers of stress and share coping techniques to help reduce anxiety and improve the transition back to school. Dr. Lewis will also answer questions about stress and anxiety in children and adolescents. Click HERE for more information, including instructions on how to join the live event.

Almost Full: Free Training from Columbia University – Aug. 26 Limited slots are still available for anyone interested in participating in a free webinar on Aug. 26 to learn more about the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Hosted by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, this webinar will provide an introductory overview of The Columbia Protocol as a screening tool for suicide prevention. Click HERE for more information and to register online.

New SAMHSA Resource:Updated Tip 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released an updated version of Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, which reviews the use of the three Food and Drug Administration-approved medications used to treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) — methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine — and other strategies and services needed to support recovery for people with OUD.

CORRECTION: A news brief in the July 29 issue of NewsNow included an incorrect web URL for Basecamp Recovery Center. The correct URL is: www.basecampmed.com. We apologize for any inconvenience.

For information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427- 5634). For behavioral health-specific information, visit: https://mha.ohio.gov/coronavirus. For behavioral health related questions, email covid19BH@mha.ohio.gov. For COVID-19-related OTP questions, email OTP_COVID19@mha.ohio.gov, for Housing questions, email COVID19Housing@mha.ohio.gov, for Telehealth questions, email COVID19BHTelehealth@mha.ohio.gov, and for Vaccine questions email BHCOVID19vaccine@mha.ohio.gov. Ohio Careline 1-800-720-9616. Click HERE for a list of pop-up COVID-19 Testing Sites and HERE for the latest SAMHSA COVID-19 training and technical assistance resources.

In the News

8.3.21 | Pomeroy Daily Sentinel Grants to support expansion of mobile response and stabilization services

8.2.21 | WCPO-TV Cincinnati program to be model for new statewide response to veteran crises

8.2.21 | NPRCaregiving during the pandemic takes a toll on mental health

8.2.21 | Loveland Local News Local police utilize social workers to help ease tense situations, get help for mentally ill

8.1.21 | Cleveland.comSimone Biles, Michael Phelps champion mental health (Darcy cartoon)

8.1.21 | NBC Phelps: The time is now to help athletes struggling with mental health

7.31.21 | Lima News (column) What is effective addiction treatment?

7.31.21 | Spectrum News1Akron Zoo joins Bipolar Butterfly Project with new sculpture

7.31.21 | Zanesville Times-Recorder Pioneer of behavioral health retires after 40 years

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