On Monday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine named Alisha Nelson, former head of his RecoveryOhio Initiative, as the first permanent executive director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, the nonprofit that is overseeing distribution of the majority of Ohio’s opioid settlement proceeds.

“After careful consideration, I selected Alisha to fill this role because I know that she shares my vision of intentionally using these settlement funds to help Ohioans struggling with substance use disorder for years to come,” said Governor DeWine. “Alisha has turned her passion and life experiences into a career promoting and developing policies that support long-term recovery and the advancement of the behavioral health field.”

When Governor DeWine served as Ohio Attorney General, Nelson led the office’s anti-drug efforts. She then became the first director of RecoveryOhio, bringing together efforts from across state government to prevent, treat, and ensure long-term recovery from substance use and mental health issues. Most recently, Nelson worked in the private sector supporting behavioral health payment innovations in the Medicaid system.

Nelson holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a Master’s of Business Administration from Ohio Dominican University.

The Governor’s Office worked with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Ohio’s local community leaders to create the OneOhio plan to jointly approach settlement negotiations with the drug manufacturers and distributors of opioids. OneOhio ensures a settlement recognizing that every corner of the state has been hit hard by the crisis and outlines how the funds can be used. Fifty-five percent of all Ohio settlement dollars will go directly to the OneOhio Recovery Foundation for addiction abatement and to promote mental wellness.

The health and success of Ohio’s families and communities depends on a robust and accessible behavioral health workforce. The focus of this Great Minds Fellowship funding opportunity is to create and support effective strategies to recruit and retain behavioral health professionals. This will be achieved by filling the unmet need for behavioral health professionals in home and community-based settings. This effort will help provide an immediate infusion of talent to stabilize our workforce while growing and sustaining for the future. 

The guidebook focuses on instructions for CBHCs to prepare and apply for funding for providing internship site support to Great Minds Fellowship interns. (Provide link to the guidebook thru ODHE website). The OhioMHAS Workforce team will be hosting open office hours for CBHCs to inquire about the funding opportunity and receive assistance with applying through the Grants Funding Management System (GFMS).

CBHC’s can attend either of the following sessions:

Tuesday, August 29, 2023, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Click here to join the meeting

Thursday, August 31, 2023, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Click here to join the meeting

Questions? Please email workforce@mha.ohio.gov. 

Ohio was well-represented at the 2023 National Prevention Network (NPN) Conference last week in Alabama. A special congratulations to Mollie Stevens and Meagan Joseph of Impact Prevention (Lawrence County), for presenting their work on the “Talk. They Hear You” campaign, as well as to Sara Condrac, The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion (Ohio University), and Tessa Miracle, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, for representing Ohio’s collective work to support and engage the state’s Prevention workforce with microlearning opportunities though The Center’s blog, Prevention Exchange, and podcast.

Inset Photo: While at the NPN Conference, Bobbie Boyer, OhioMHAS Deputy Director of Prevention Services, met Capt. Christopher Jones, Pharm.D., Dr.PH., M.P.H., Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss was honored with the Ivan Faske “Recovery Housing Hero” Award during the Ohio Recovery Housing (ORH) annual meeting on Aug. 22, at Whetstone Park of Roses in Columbus. The award was presented by ORH executive director Danielle Gray, who said Director Criss was selected to receive the award due to her lifelong commitment to supporting persons in recovery.

"Being a hero isn't just about holding a position. It's about inspiring change, fostering growth, and empowering others to overcome adversity," Gray said. "Director Criss' work has changed our collective understanding of what recovery housing is and what it could be — ensuring that recovery homes are more than buildings, they are communities that change lives and transform neighborhoods into places where anyone can find hope and healing."

With Suicide Prevention Month approaching, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has added several new social media shareables to help spread awareness about 988. The materials include new resources highlighting adult and youth suicide warning signs (click HERE and scroll to "Notecards"), additional Spanish-language materials, and messaging around "Reasons to Connect" with 988 (English, Spanish).

As a reminder, click HERE to download an Ohio-tagged version of the 988 logo and access branding guidelines.

Back-to-school is always a time met with mixed emotions, especially for the growing numbers of youth who struggle with feelings of anxiety and depression. Mental Health America now has new, free resources to help support parents, teachers, students, caregivers, and others during this time of transition.

The 2023 Mental Health America Back-to-School toolkit focuses on an area that MHA has seen be a key driver of youth mental health concerns: social media and online activity. The toolkit, "Selfies, Social, & Screens: Navigating Virtual Spaces for Youth," provides educational information and tips on how to tackle some of the most common online stressors for youth, like social comparison, body image, misinformation, and cyberbullying.

The toolkit includes fact sheets for youth and adults, key messages, sample articles and social media messages/graphics, posters, and a guide to national and local resources.

September is National Recovery Month. To help local communities celebrate and plan activities, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released its 2023 National Recovery Month Toolkit. This year's theme is, "Hope is Real. Recovery is Real."

The toolkit includes: key messages and weekly themes, social media shareables by week and for the entire month, hashtag guidance, stickers, virtual backgrounds, email signatures, posters, social media profile frames, pathways to recovery, and more. Please join us in using these tools to share best practices with your communities and networks. 

SAMHSA has released a new Rural Disaster Behavioral Health Guide for Outreach Workers and Crisis Counselors. The guide provides staff with knowledge and strategies to best support diverse rural communities. It considers risk factors, strengths, and common disaster reactions unique to rural communities to support best practices for ensuring disaster resilience and recovery. Click the link above to view and download a free copy of this resource. 

As more communities move to include Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas (DORA), prevention strategies around alcohol use have become increasingly important, providing prevention professionals the opportunity to reduce harmful alcohol use and keep communities safe. Join the Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion on Aug. 31 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. for a virtual conversation about how inclusive planning can ensure recreational spaces are safe and enjoyable for all, including individuals in recovery, those who have chosen to abstain from alcohol consumption, and those too young to drink alcohol.  

In recognition of September as Suicide Prevention Month, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County will host Modern Warrior LIVE — an immersive music and narrative experience that chronicles the story of U.S. Army veteran Jaymes Poling and his journey through three deployments in Afghanistan and subsequent transition back home — on Sept. 6 at Lorain County Community College’s Stocker Art Center. 

Narrated by Poling, this autobiographical production weaves together his story with a cast of world-class artists in multiple genres led by internationally acclaimed trumpeter Dominick Farinacci. This production shares a personal and emotional journey of the challenges of military service and the experience veterans face when they return back home, and it is a catalyst for meaningful conversation about mental health. The production (view trailer) explores the psychological weights of war, the challenges of reintegration as a civilian, and the potential for positive personal and communal growth.

No cost tickets are available to veterans through the following link; tickets for all other can be purchased for $10 using the same link. Tickets, registration, and additional performance dates are available at https://www.modernwarriorlive.org/. This experience has reached more than 10,000 veterans, 30,000 civilians, and has connected more than 4,000 veterans to veteran and mental health service providers.

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio is accepting applications for the 2024 Ohio Problem Gambling Treatment Fellowship, an intensive, year-long educational and supervisory program for gambling treatment professionals. The goals of the program are to prepare clinicians in providing gambling treatment services, aiding private practitioners and community agencies in improving gambling treatment services, professional development, and strengthening Ohio’s workforce.

The Fellowship is comprised of training, clinical consultation, case conceptualization and professional development. The program concludes with Fellows providing an oral case presentation. Fellows will be asked to bring ideas of potential cases to the orientation on Oct. 23 for discussion. Cases for the end-of-year presentations will be selected and confirmed by each Fellow and the Program Facilitator by the third meeting (Dec. 11, 2023). Completed applications are due no later than Monday, Sept. 11.

Save the date! The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation will host its 2024 Safety Congress & Expo (OSC24) in Columbus on March 27-29. This event is the nation’s largest free occupational safety conference focusing on helping employers improve safety and health within their business. More than 7,000 attendees gain knowledge and earn continuing education credits by participating in over 100 educational sessions, workshops, and leading keynote presentations. OSC24 will feature expert content within 13 tracks, including employee safety and health.