On Aug. 7 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that he is nominating Kara B. Wente to serve as the Director of the new Department of Children and Youth.

“Kara Wente has spent her career advocating for children, and I know she shares my vision of ensuring that all Ohio children have the opportunities they need to live up to their full potential and live their version of the American dream,” said Governor DeWine. “For the first time ever, we will have an entire department whose employees are focused every single day on the health, well-being, and opportunities available to all of Ohio’s children. Together, we will help make Ohio the best state in the nation to start and raise a family.”  

Previously, Wente has served as the Director of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative since January 2023. Wente has been leading the transition efforts for the Department of Children and Youth. Prior to her appointment, Wente served as the Chief Operating Officer for Future Ready Columbus.

With more than 20 years in dedicated state service, Wente has extensive experience in serving the most vulnerable children and families in Ohio. Wente used data as an accountability tool for systemic change during her time as the Assistant Director of Health and Human Services at the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and led several large-scale system and policy changes as Deputy Director at the Office of Family Assistance.

Wente holds a Master’s in Education and Allied Professions from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Ohio State University.

The Department of Children and Youth was established in the 2023-2024 operating budget and will focus on the efficient and effective delivery of services to Ohio’s more than 2.5 million children and their families.

Ohio Recovery Housing this week released a new report, "Mapping the Gap: An Assessment of Capacity, Cost-Benefits, and Disparities in Utilization in Ohio Recovery Housing," that sheds light on the critical state and local capacity needs for recovery housing in Ohio. 

Key Findings from the Report:

• Ohio is meeting 31% of its capacity needs for recovery housing- highlighting a significant deficiency in available resources for those seeking essential support on their journey to recovery.
• Recovery Housing saved Ohio $35 million in 2022 – When individuals have access to recovery housing, they are less likely to need state supported incarceration, medical care, and support. Even limited access to recovery housing led to large, estimated cost savings for Ohio during 2022.
• Regional Disparities Increases local strain: Some areas in the state have a higher concentration of recovery residences and this imbalance is contributing to an inequitable distribution of resources and widening the recovery housing gap.

Nationwide Children's Hospital and PAXIS Institute are pleased to offer fully-funded opportunities for PAX Partner training for educators (who are already trained in the PAX Good Behavior Game) to enhance the development of PAX partner supports throughout Ohio. PAX Partner training provides teachers and educators already trained in the PAX Good Behavior Game with guidance to initiate, sustain, support, and expand PAX implementations. This 8-hour training is available in a 2-day live virtual format. 

Upcoming PAX Partner Training sessions:
Aug. 24-25 | 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Register
Sept. 7-8 | 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Register

Upcoming PAX Tools 

Participants who attend this training will also enroll in professional development activities of their choice to enrich consultation skills in their role as PAX Partners developed by partners across the state. Participants will be asked to participate in two activities between January and June 2024. For more information about the trainings, email info@paxis.org or visit www.paxis.org. 

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Division of Translational Research will host a virtual Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Mental Health Applications workshop on Sept. 14-15. The program will include experts in psychiatry, neurostimulation, physics, device regulation, and engineering and consist of individual talks and panel discussions. The workshop will be open to the scientific community and the public.

The primary goal of the workshop is to examine focused ultrasound neuromodulation for mental health applications and share the latest findings and best practices regarding: biophysical considerations; physiological and clinical considerations; the regulatory pathway for ultrasound neuromodulation as a treatment; experimental planning and design; and optimizing target engagement. Click HERE to view the agenda.   

Ohio’s statewide Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Steering Committee will host the Seventh Annual FASD Forum, on Sept. 15, at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris,  as part of the state’s FASD Awareness and Prevention month in September. This year's theme is "FASD is a Family and Community Matter". Registration will open soon. Watch NewsNow for more information, including agenda details for  keynote and breakout session workshops.

The New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN) and St. Mary Development Corporation, with funding support from OhioMHAS, are partnering to bring the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) program to Ohio to reach older adults throughout the state. The WISE program, developed by the New Jersey Prevention Network in 1996, is a six-session, evidenced-based substance misuse prevention and wellness program that covers a range of topics from stress management and strategies for healthy living to medication management and prescription drug misuse. WISE uses an interactive approach to help older adults celebrate aging, make positive lifestyle choices, and feel more confident and in control of their lives.

Through this partnership, there are two upcoming training opportunities for Ohio providers:

Option 1: WISE Facilitator Training (2-day virtual training)
Through this option, trained facilitators will be able to provide the WISE program in their communities to the older adults that live work and play in their catchment areas.
Training dates: Aug. 23-24 or Sept. 18-19 | Register

Option 2:  WISE Master Training (in-person, location TBD)
This option is geared towards experienced professionals interested in becoming a Master Trainer which will enable them to train other WISE facilitators so they can implement the program in their communities.
Training dates: Oct. 23-24 or Nov. 13-14 | Apply

Questions? Please email Emily DeHaan at emily@njpn.org.