In observance of the Third Annual Ohio Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31), communities throughout Ohio hosted local events with a goal of raising awareness around addiction, celebrating Ohioans in recovery, and remembering loved ones lost to the opioid epidemic. In addition to local events, state flags displayed at all state buildings and public institutions were flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset. RecoveryOhio Director Aimee Shadwick (pictured above, middle) attended the Overdose Awareness Day event at Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU). The event was co-organized by the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Board and the Delaware Public Health District. In addition to educating students about substance use and overdose, representatives distributed free naloxone. Also pictured (l-r): Taylor Jaggers, Emily Lipp, Haley Burleson, Lisa Dooley, Kelsey Kuhlman (all from Delaware Public Health District), and Rhianna Mattix (both from Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Board).

Inset photo: Staff from the OhioMHAS Office of Community Treatment Services attended an Overdose Awareness Day event in Athens County. Pictured (l-r): Katie Rewley, Com Corps & Women for Recovery; Cierra Smith-Carter, Women for Recovery; Betsy Anderson, Executive Director Women for Recovery & Serenity Grove; and Erin Everhart, Executive Director Southeast Ohio Hope Center.

Everyone can play a role in preventing suicide! During National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, help the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) raise awareness by sharing resources that help others recognize the warning signs for suicide and learn how to get help. 

On Sept.19, join NIMH for a Facebook Live event on youth suicide prevention. Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people in the U.S. During the event, NIMH experts Drs. Lisa M. Horowitz and Stephen O’Connor will lead a discussion on talking to youth about suicide risk, how to identify the warning signs of suicide, risk factors for suicide, and NIMH-supported research on interventions for youth suicide prevention.  

Today marks the start of National Recovery Month. Each September, OhioMHAS is proud to join with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and other state and local partners and advocates to observe National Recovery Month to raise awareness, honor, and make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans in or seeking recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. This year’s theme is “Hope is Real. Recovery is Real.”

SAMHSA leadership and the Office of Recovery has developed themes during each week of Recovery Month. This first week, SAMHSA will highlight the importance of supporting youth and young people in recovery, and the role that families and caregivers play in supporting those seeking to start their recovery journey. The transition back to full-time studies and social activities can be overwhelming as a new school year begins. Maintaining social supports can help young people balance school and recovery. Check out our social media posts and share them across all your channels. Click HERE to watch a video message from SAMHSA Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D. 

Here’s how you can help to support young people and their families during National Recovery Month:

• Check out SAMHSA’s National Recovery Month Toolkit with key messages, social media shareables, and more, to help spread the word.
• Access resources for children and families.

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Central Ohio Whole Health Care System Whole Health team, will host Modern Warrior LIVE on Sept. 10 at 7:00 p.m. in Columbus. Modern Warrior LIVE is 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. 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 home, and it is a catalyst for meaningful conversation about mental health.

In observance of September as FASD Awareness and Prevention Month, the Ohio Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Steering Committee will host the Seventh Annual FASD Forum on Sept. 15 at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris. This year's theme is "FASD is a Family and Community Matter." Registration is free for in-person attendees, with virtual options. Click HERE to view the agenda. Get more information and register by Sept. 8 at: https://cvent.me/nR9RRq. 

The National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (NCMHA) is hosting a free, two-session learning collaborative on how SAMHSA Block Grants Can Support Older Adult Behavioral Health. The sessions are open to anyone in the fields of aging, behavioral health, public health, and/or health care interested in learning about how to access SAMHSA block grant funding to support mental health and substance use disorder services for older adults. Questions? Please email karen.orsi@NorthCare.com.

Session 1: Sept. 21, 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Join via Zoom (registration not required)
Session 2: Oct. 26, 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Join via Zoom (registration not required)

House of Hope will host its 2023 Celebration of Hope dinner on Sept. 21 at The Blackwell Inn (on the campus of The Ohio State University) from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Nic Sheff will provide keynote remarks. Sheff’s heartbreaking and inspiring struggle with substance abuse disorder is the story of Beautiful Boy, a major motion picture starring Timothée Chalamet as Nic and Steve Carell as his father, David. The movie is based on Nic's New York Times bestselling memoir, Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines. Tickets are $125 individual; $1,500 for a table of 10. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

House of Hope offers short-term stabilization, long-term residential treatment for men, outpatient services for men and women, wellness programs, cognitive behavioral, financial literacy counseling, and 12-Step integration, as well as individual, group, and family counseling for adults. For more information, email rmason@hofhope.org.

Recovery Within Reach, an awareness campaign launched by the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Securities, gives financial advisers the tools and information they need to not only recognize that a client may be living with addiction, but also offer guidance to help them find and pay for treatment. Join the Ohio Department of Commerce and local experts at a one of two-remaining free, in-person trainings:

Cincinnati | Sept. 27, 8:00 a.m.-noon, Graduate Hotel at University of Cincinnati
Cleveland | Nov. 10, 8:00 a.m.-noon, Cleveland Marriott (Warrensville Heights)

The training includes state and local health experts, and people in recovery who once lost everything to their addiction. Attendees receive 3.5 hours of CFP continuing education credits. If you cannot attend in person, consider taking the online course, worth two CFP CE credits: The Ohio Professionals Guide to Servicing Clients and Families Dealing with Substance Use Disorder. 

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) will host Beyond the Brain: Soul Exhaustion and Soul Care on Sept. 29 from 10:00-11:15 a.m. This presentation will bring the concept of the soul back to the forefront of discussion in how we conceptualize ourselves and others, as well as the concept of Soul Exhaustion. Soul Exhaustion takes a deeper exploration of life circumstances such as poverty, adverse childhood experiences, racism, trauma and loss, and burnout and the holistic impact it has on the "who" we are. Presenters will also discuss Soul Care, which has emphasis on non-clinical resources, and goes deeper into understanding the ways in which we care for the "who.” This presentation explores how the concepts of Soul Exhaustion and Soul Care can work in harmony with the medical model of mental health, substance use disorders, and suicide prevention. Registration is free for OSPF members and $25 for non-members. A CE Application has been submitted for continuing education for prevention, social work, and psychologists.