NewsNow - 09.28.2022

>>> New School-Based Center of Excellence Prioritizes Prevention, Early Intervention for Students, Staff

Miami University has been awarded $5M through a partnership between Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) and the Ohio Department of Education to prioritize mental health and wellness for K-12 students and staff across the state. The grant will allow Miami to transform the Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs into a new School-based Center of Excellence (SBCOE) for Prevention and Early Intervention to address an ongoing mental health crisis.

“By partnering to create this new School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Intervention, where teachers and administrators can learn to implement prevention and intervention practices in their classrooms and schools, we are demonstrating that good mental health is just essential to physical wellbeing and academic success,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “This Center For Excellence will help compliment the Student Wellness and Success Funds, staff trainings, and prevention curriculum resources already received.”

The SBCOE will act as a hub to house a host of current and ongoing school-based mental health initiatives, statewide projects, and multi-year projects including the Ohio School Wellness Initiative (OSWI), which recently completed a 21-month plan to establish best practice standards for student assistance programs and staff wellness frameworks. Currently, no other school-based center of excellence exists in Ohio, and the funds provided by OhioMHAS will be used to facilitate a statewide SBCOE launch during the biennium budget cycle running from August 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024.

“Creating strong behavioral health supports in our schools so that teachers can teach, kids can learn, and parents can worry less is an important part of the Governor’s commitment to the health and well-being of children everywhere,” said Lori Criss, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. “Catching and treating mental health problems and addiction at their earliest onset can lessen the chances of life-long challenges, and the collaborative, best-practice prevention work that Miami University is leading will benefit children, families, and schools in communities across our state.”

Alongside OSWI, the SBCOE will oversee several additional plans and projects including:

Supporting a workforce development program to address the shortage of K-12 mental health providers by providing training and support for aspiring and existing professionals.
Facilitating key collaborative partnerships among educational institutions, professional organizations, and businesses that have a vested interest in the well-being of families, children, students, and schools across communities.
Identifying additional areas that need further positive behavioral interventions and supports including new anti-bullying lessons and campaigns, and more.
Establishing more services for students who may need extra support, as well as for those with previously diagnosed mental health or substance use issues who may need intensive individualized services.
Conducting ongoing research and evaluation to identify the supports students receive, the range services being offered, and the effectiveness of related outcomes.

Click HERE to read the full media announcement.

>>> Final Week to Register for OHCA Fall Conference – Oct. 11-12

Time is running out to register to attend the Ohio Children’s Alliance’s Paving the Way Fall Conference slated for Oct. 11-12 at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel and Conference Center. The conference offers 22 workshops, seven breakout sessions and up to 10.75 continuing education hours. OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss will discuss Ohio’s efforts to strengthen the behavioral health workforce in her keynote remarks on Oct. 12. Click the link above for more information and to register by Oct. 4.

>>> Updated Location for Northeast Ohio 340 Workgroup Regional Listening Session – Oct. 13

Please be advised that due to higher than anticipated participation, the location for the Northeast Ohio 340 Work Group Listening Session scheduled for Oct. 13 has been changed from the Akron Public Library to the Lions Park Lodge, 641 Silver Lake Ave., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221. Participants who have already registered for the Northeast session will be receiving a separate follow-up notice from OhioMHAS regarding this change.

>>> 2022 Private Psychiatric Inpatient Provider Conference – Oct. 21

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is pleased to resume its one-day, biennial Private Psychiatric Inpatient Provider conference for behavioral health care providers on Oct. 21 at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville. This year’s theme, “Reengagement and Innovation in Behavioral Healthcare,” highlights innovative practices and emphasizes the importance of reengagement post-pandemic. OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss will address Ohio’s health care workforce shortage. Keynote speaker David Schweighoefer will present lively, current topics in behavioral medicine that are relevant to your practice. Jodi Snider, chief of Licensure and Certification, will present data relevant to inpatient and community providers. Click the link above for an agenda and to view the registration booklet.

>>> 2023 Children of Incarcerated Parents Funding Opportunity

The Children of Incarcerated Parents initiative, a program of Mansfield Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Programs (UMADAOP), with support from OhioMHAS, is offering a funding opportunity for up to seven community and/or faith-based organizations interested in implementing Creating Lasting Family Connection Curriculum in a community setting (Funding available up to $10,000). The goal of this RFP is to create a funded opportunity for CLFC certified trainers to engage in a learning collaborative with their peers and receive technical assistance in order to build community capacity to implement CLFC within a community setting. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 2 at 5:00 p.m.

>>> NIMH Spanish-Language Mental Health Resources

During National Hispanic Heritage Month, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) wants to bring awareness to its brochures and fact sheets in Spanish on mental health disorders and related topics for patients and their families, health professionals, and the public. Printed materials can be ordered free of charge. Click HERE to learn about these Spanish-language resources.

>>> Sandusky Artisans Host 9th Annual Recovery Walk

The Sandusky Artisans Community Recovery Center hosted its 9th annual Recovery Walk last weekend. More than 400 people attended, including individuals in recovery and those supporting people who strive to live a drug/alcohol-free life. View more photos and read The Sandusky Register’s coverage of the Recovery Walk in the clips below.

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