Nikki Reiss Named New Deputy Director of Innovation
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nikki Reiss, J.D., as Deputy Director of Innovation, a new executive leadership position within the agency.
Governor DeWine has prioritized a move toward innovation and research that will help Ohio get to the root causes of mental illness and addiction with a focus on the most pressing challenges in behavioral health today…better outcomes for Ohioans. As Deputy Director for Innovation, Reiss – who started her new role this week – will run point on this work for the department.
Reiss most recently served as a Senior Strategist for Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLP, where she utilized her extensive knowledge and experience in advocacy and government relations to help local and national health, education, human service, and workforce development clients understand political context and opportunities for meaningful change, and build connections with likeminded individuals and organizations. She previously served as Policy Director for the Cordray/Sutton gubernatorial campaign, as a Public Policy Counsel with Carpenter Lipps & Leland, LLP, and held various associate and clerk positions with other legal firms. She also served as Deputy Desk Officer for the Ohio Voter Protection Group and as a Fellow with the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. She is a past Board member for Dress for Success-Columbus, Alvis House, and Komen Columbus Young Professionals, and served as a past Coach of the Lehman Catholic High School Mock Trial Team.
Reiss earned her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a Management Concentration from Ohio Wesleyan University.
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New ORH Report Details Positive Impact of Recovery Housing for Residents with Substance Use Disorder
Ohio Recovery Housing this week released Ohio Recovery Housing Resident Outcomes Report: May—December 2022, a new report analyzing outcomes data for recovery housing programs that provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of recovery housing in Ohio. The report summarizes data from thousands of Ohioans with diverse backgrounds from various regions in Ohio, presenting a comprehensive evaluation of the outcomes achieved through recovery housing programs.
Key highlights from the study include: • Decreased use of alcohol and illicit substances — 97% of respondents who stayed in recovery housing for at least six months reported no alcohol use in the past 30 days. 98% of respondents who stayed in recovery housing for at least six months reported no illicit drug use in the past 30 days. • Increased employability — 17% of respondents who stayed in recovery housing for at least six months achieved their high school diploma or equivalent and 5% achieved technical or vocational certification. • Increased economic wellbeing — Over half (57%) of respondents had no income when they moved into recovery housing. By move-out that percentage has dropped to 22%. • Improved family relationships — slightly more than half (55%) of respondents identified as parents. Of those, only a small percentage had their children in the custody of child welfare (7.5%). This percentage decreased to 4.1% at move-out. Over 80% of all parents reported that they improved their relationships with their children during their stay in recovery housing. • Increased engagement in peer/recovery supports — Engagement in certified peer support services increased from 53% of respondents at move-in to nearly three-quarters (74%) for respondents who have lived in recovery housing for at least six months.
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Commemorating the Juneteenth Holiday in Ohio
From family-fun-filled festivals and remarkable arts exhibits to engaging historical storytelling and hands-on activities, Ohio has a myriad of Juneteenth events to explore. Celebrated by African American communities across the country for more than 150 years before it became a federal and state holiday in 2021, Juneteenth marks the notification of enslaved people in Texas of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865.
Awareness and appreciation for Juneteenth is growing across the U.S. and beyond, as people of all races and ethnicities recognize the wonderful opportunity to come together in appreciation, reconciliation, and commemoration. The JUNETEENTH.com website was formally launched in 1996 to provide a channel in which to connect all who share the vision of this celebration.
Ohio's Juneteenth Celebrations
Juneteenth Cincinnati’s 36th Annual Juneteenth Festival - June 11-19 Juneteenth Cincinnati has produced the annual Juneteenth Festival since 1988. Although not the first celebration of Juneteenth in Cincinnati, it has been Cincinnati’s only annually celebrated Juneteenth event.
Springboro Juneteenth Jubilee - June 15-17 Enjoy fun for the entire family as you experience six unique venues across the city.
Cleveland Juneteenth’s Freedom Fest – June 16 & 17 Nearly 10,000 Clevelanders show up to celebrate and enjoy educational experiences, family friendly activities, a vendor village, a full day of live art, music and literary performances and the fireworks finale.
Juneteenth on the AVE in Columbus - June 17 Celebrated in the heart of Bronzeville Columbus with a the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Freedom.
Ohio University’s Juneteenth Festival – June 17 This festival will include live music, food and merchandise vendors, and activities for children.
To discover sites related to African American history and the Underground Railroad in Ohio visit Ohio.org or find other Juneteenth events happening around Ohio at ohio.org/Juneteenth.
As a reminder, OhioMHAS offices will be closed on June 19. in observance of the holiday.
New NIDA Study: Men Died of Overdose at 2-3 Times Greater a Rate Than Women in the U.S. in 2020-2021
Men were significantly more vulnerable than women to overdose deaths involving opioid and stimulant drugs in 2020-2021, according to a new study analyzing death records data from across the U.S. The study found that men had a 2–3 times greater rate of overdose mortality from opioids (like fentanyl and heroin) and psychostimulants (like methamphetamine and cocaine). While it has been known that men use drugs at higher rates than women, the researchers found that this alone does not explain the gap in overdose deaths, noting that biological, behavioral, and social factors likely combined to increase the mortality risk for men. The study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, was led by investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health
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NIMH Research Highlight: Newly Discovered Brain Connection Affects Reward Behavior in Mice
New research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health sheds light on how negative early life experiences may impact how we act in response to rewards, which is often disrupted in people with mental illnesses. A team of researchers from the University of California-Irvine identified a new connection between the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens in the brains of mice that is sensitive to early life adversity and affects how mice respond to rewards. Targeting this important connection may help researchers develop new ways to prevent and treat stress-related mental disorders.
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2023 PreventionFIRST! Latino Youth Summit — June 17
PreventionFIRST! is hosting a free Latino Youth Summit on June 17 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the House of Joy Christian, 3220 Central Parkway in Cincinnati. Middle school students, high school students, and parents/caregivers are all encouraged to attend. Workshop topics include: maintaining good mental health, building positive parent/child communication skills, bridging acculturation issues, and social media awareness. Sessions will be presented in both English and Spanish. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Amanda Conn Starner at aconnstarner@preventionfirst.org.
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First Responder Wellness TA Session — June 22
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence is hosting a 90-minute First Responder Wellness Technical Assistance Session on June 22 at 10:30 a.m. This session will highlight the work of law enforcement agencies, fire departments, EMS agencies and county-led initiatives and programs across Ohio to support first responder wellness. Additionally, OhioMHAS and the Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness will provide overviews of their services and upcoming initiatives. For more information, please email Emily Ribnik at eribnik@neomed.edu.
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Recovery Friendly Workplaces in Hamilton County — June 27
The Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) Harm Reduction Division will present Recovery Friendly Workplaces in Hamilton County on June 27 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Webinar attendees will learn about Hamilton County’s RFW initiative and hear from Tyler Meenach, a Health Coordinator at HCPH, about his experience with program implementation.
Upcoming Ohio Children's Alliance Trainings
The Ohio Children's Alliance is hosting a Triple P Workshop: Implementing a Collaborative Approach to Parenting on June 30 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Cost is $19 for OCA members and $29 for general admission. Click HERE for more information and to register.
The Alliance also announced its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop Series, which will take place over two days in July. The series kicks off July 11 with a Foundational DEI Training (2 CEUs) and continues on July 14 with How Do We Support Marginalized Communities in Ohio? (1.5 CEUs) Cost to Alliance members is $98 and $118 for general admission. Click HERE for more information and to register.
The Alliance also announced the dates for its Fall Conference — Oct. 17-18. OCA is currently accepting workshop proposals through July 10.
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Leadership, Engagement and Advocacy in Prevention Trainings
OSPF Announces July Suicide Prevention Trainings
The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) recently announced the following trainings planned for the month of July. Click the links for more information and to register. Questions? Please email austin.lucas@ohiospf.org.
July 14 | Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) — Toledo July 21 | Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) — Youngstown July 28 | Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) — Athens
Save These Dates! 2024 Trauma-Informed Care Summit — May 8-9
Mark your calendar! OhioMHAS and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities will host the 2024 Ohio Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Summit on May 8-9 at the Hilton Columbus-Polaris. Stay tuned to NewsNow for updates.
In the News...
Men's mental health is important, yet often overlooked WDTN-TV, June 16, 2023
Ohio Senate passes $86B state budget plan Cleveland.com, June 16, 2023
Adding mental health support at Cleveland's rec centers helps youth heal from trauma WKSU 89.7, June 15, 2023
Anxiety leading to more mental health concerns across U.S. WKRC-TV, June 15, 2023
Pandemic brought jump in suicides, homicides among young Americans, study finds WBNS-TV, June 15, 2023
$3M in federal funding to help Montgomery County mobile crisis response teams SpectrumNews1, June 14, 2023
Opinion: State support needed to stem children's mental health crisis Cincinnati Enquirer, June 14, 2023
Amid overdose crisis, disputes grow over how to classify fentanyl cousins The Washington Post, June 13, 2023
Teens rarely get anti-addiction meds when treated for opioid misuse HealthDay, June 13, 2023
VOICES: Support those in recovery with a Sober Summer Dayton Daily News, June 13, 2023
Experts: How to keep your kids mental health healthy as social media pressures grow WRGT-TV, June 12, 2023
Ohio may soon require teens signing up for social media accounts to get permission Cleveland.com, June 12, 2023
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