Time Out Ohio, jointly administered and managed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission, allows individuals to agree to refrain from entering or accessing all Ohio casinos and racinos and all Ohio sports betting, including mobile apps, for 1 year, 5 years, or a lifetime. Time Out Ohio is proud to partner with Gamban to offer complimentary one-year subscriptions for individuals who wish to block access to internet gambling websites and applications worldwide, including legal and illegal sports betting, online poker, and social casinos.

Gamban can be downloaded on up to 15 devices and blocks access to a constantly updating list of over 75,000 gambling websites and applications. Gamban helps individuals gain peace of mind, save time and money, remove temptation, and reduce stress. Ohio is the first state to partner with Gamban, a UK-based company, to provide additional resources to those in need. Please direct individuals interested in a complimentary subscription to https://www.TimeOutOhio.com/Gamban.

For questions about Time Out Ohio, please contact Cory Brown, Manager of Problem Gambling Services with the Ohio Casino Control Commission, at 614.387.5854 or Susan Diamond, Responsible Gambling Program Coordinator with the Ohio Lottery, at 216.509.7538. Inquires can also be sent via email to TimeOut@Ohio.gov.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s addition of nationwide American Sign Language (ASL) services for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, as part of ongoing efforts to expand accessibility to behavioral health care for underserved communities. Since the July 2022 launch, the 988 Lifeline has received more than 5.5 million calls, texts, and chats, and will now be available to the millions of Americans who use ASL. To connect directly to a trained 988 Lifeline counselor in ASL, callers who are Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, and Late-Deafened can click the "ASL Now" button on 988lifeline.org and follow the prompts. Direct dialing to 988 from a videophone will be available in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, ASL callers can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) from their videophone to reach ASL services.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) is accepting applications for its year-long Alcohol Policy Academy. 

Taking place from November 2023 through September 2024, the Policy Academy is a free, year-long opportunity for selected coalitions to engage in local and state-level policy development to prevent and reduce underage drinking and harms related to excessive drinking. The Policy Academy offers opportunities to collaborate with leading experts on alcohol policy, learn policy strategies and best practices from experienced prevention experts, and engage with coalitions from across the United States. For more information, please email Dr. Alicia Sparks at asparks@seiservices.com.

The Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention & Early Intervention this week debuted a new podcast. The podcast is hosted by Al Levin, who has 25 years of school administration experienc, and focuses on innovative prevention strategies, expert insights, and evidence-based tools in every episode. School Wellness with Al Levin premiered on Sept. 6 with two episodes. Future episodes will be broadcast the first Wednesday of the month on all your favorite podcast platforms.

BrightView will host An Epidemic Fight: Noting Progress Fighting Street Drugs & Addiction webinar on Sept. 20 from noon-1:00 p.m. Join BrightView co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shawn Ryan as he leads a panel discussion with two leaders making progress fighting overdose deaths and promoting recovery with inventive solutions. Questions? Please email info@brightviewhealth.com.

The LCADA Way will host its annual Pearls of Wisdom Annual Benefit and Recognition Dinner on Oct. 26 from 5:30-10:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Cleveland Rockside in Independence. The event — which is held each year to honor individuals and organizations who help those impacted by drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction and also raises funds to assist the non-profit organization in its mission of recovery — includes fellowship, dinner, keynote address, live and silent auctions, and an awards presentation. Renowned actress, author and recovery advocate Mariel Hemingway will serve as this year's keynote speaker. Semi-formal attire required. Cost is $150.

PreventionFIRST! will host its 2023 Coalition Academy on Oct. 31 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason. This annual one-day, in-person conference will address identified and emerging challenges facing professionals and coalitions focused on reducing the risk of behavioral health disorders. Prevention, CHES, social work, and nursing CEUs will be applied for. Cost is $60. For more information, please call 513.751.8000 ext. 13 or email aconnstarner@prevention-first.org. 

OhioMHAS, in partnership with The Ohio State University College of Social Work, will host the 2023 Ohio Prevention Conference on Nov. 16 at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris. This year's conference will explore the social determinants of health framework and the community collection impact model for change (CCIM4C) focused on reducing health inequities and how several communities have engaged in community-based processes to plan and implement substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and mental health promotion through collaboration. Continuing education hours will be available for social workers, counselors, prevention specialists, and chemical dependency counselors, as well as CHES/MCHES. Cost is $50. Questions? Please email cswce@osu.edu. 

Save the Date! Ohio Adult Allies has announced that it will hold its 2023 Summit on Dec. 8.  The Ohio Adult Allies is a diverse network of adults who are committed to facilitating and advancing the work of youth-led programs. Adult allies work alongside young people and guide them through a planning process to create and implement a strategic plan that uses evidence-based strategies to create community-level change and build healthier communities. More information will be available soon. Watch https://www.ohioadultallies.com/ for updates.