OhioMHAS 988 System Administrator Doug Jackson spoke at the 10th annual Suicide Prevention Conference, "Suicide Prevention Past, Present and Future," held Sept. 21-22 at The Ohio State University’s Fawcett Center. Jackson highlighted department priorities, including suicide prevention and expanding access to crisis services, and provided an update on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 

During the conference, which was hosted by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Harding Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, attendees learned about the effectiveness of suicide prevention practices from past, best practices in use today, and discussed approaches that will help meet the needs of patients in the future. The conference provided a safe and supportive environment for participants to engage in dialogue, learn from experts, and network with like-minded individuals. It also provided opportunities for participants to share their experiences and perspectives, ask questions, and engage in interactive activities that promote learning and collaboration. Ultimately, the conference empowered participants with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to make a positive difference in their communities and save lives.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is pleased to announce our next Data Forum on Sept. 27, from 3:00-4:00 p.m. The purpose of the Data Forum is to:

• highlight new data resources and share information about current and upcoming data projects;
• facilitate opportunities for peer-to-peer learning;
• demonstrate how data can be used in the daily work of ADAMH Boards and Behavioral Health providers; and
• discuss local needs related to data and data infrastructure.

The Data Forum series will convene on a quarterly basis to provide a venue for sharing timely and useful best practices, examples, and resources for ADAMH Boards and behavioral health providers that may be implementing or updating their own data systems and data analytic capabilities. This resource is intended for any stakeholders who are interested in learning about data and data resources, including ADAMH Board and Behavioral Health provider leadership, and staff who work with, manage, and communicate data at all levels.

September 27 Forum Agenda:

1. Peer-to-Peer Learning – Utilizing Health Information Exchange (HIE) Data for Care Coordination: William Bomkamp, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services
2. New Data Product – Mental Health and Addiction Services Claims Dashboard
3. Update – Data Modernization Project
4. Overview – Clear Impact and Board Community Assessment Plans
5. Preview of the agenda for the next Data Forum in January 2024

Questions? Please email Luke Werhan at Luke.Werhan@mha.ohio.gov. 

The County of Summit  Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board has awarded funding for a community healing program focused on the African American community. The Beyond Expectations Barber College Akron (BEBC) will receive up to $46,500 to fund its Who’s in the Chair pilot program through December 2023. The program seeks to provide awareness, encouragement, and resources surrounding the overall physical and mental health and well-being of clients and employees both within the barber college and three barber shops operated throughout Akron. Funding will support program counselors, coordinators, facilitators, and guest speakers, offering training to barbers and student barbers that will benefit them and those accessing their services.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) this week released Recovery from Substance Use and Mental Health Problems Among Adults in the United States, a new report that provides data on the adults in recovery from their substance use and/or mental health conditions and provides policy recommendations identified as supporting recovery.

Key findings include:

• Adults who participated in at least one government assistance program, had lower levels of education, or had a lower family income relative to the federal poverty level were generally more likely to be in substance use recovery, but less likely to be in mental health recovery.
• Mental health recovery tended to be more common among adults who were insured or heterosexual.
• The percentage of adults in mental health recovery was significantly higher among those who received any mental health treatment in the past year, including inpatient, outpatient, prescription, or virtual care. The percentage of adults in recovery from either substance use or mental health problems was also lower among those who felt that they needed mental health treatment, but did not receive it in the past year.

Overall, the findings reveal that recovery is real and that with a range of holistic, individualized supports, people with mental health and/or substance use conditions can and do overcome these challenges and live productive lives in our communities.

Mental Health America (MHA) announced the release of three new resources to enhance mental health support for Spanish-speaking communities:

Culture, Community, and Connection: 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit - The BIPOC Mental Health Month campaign and toolkit were designed to provide culturally responsive mental health information to highlight three core pillars of culture, community, and connection and how integral they are to BIPOC communities. The toolkit includes factsheets, worksheets, shareable images, and more that can aid community discussion and guide individuals to helpful resources.

Selfies, Social, and Screens: Navigating Virtual Spaces for Youth: 2023 Back to School Resources - The Back to School campaign and resources were developed to help increase understanding of how online activity affects the mental health of children and teens. The factsheets, shareable images, and other materials in the toolkit can be used to help manage the challenges of virtual spaces and empower youth to make informed decisions for their mental health and well-being.

New Mental Health Resources Hub in Spanish: MHA's Spanish-language resources hub provides a comprehensive collection of mental health materials to assist individuals, families, and others in accessing valuable mental health resources for the Spanish-speaking community.

The American Association of Suicidology recently announced the 2023 Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition. The contest was launched in 2014 as a partnership between the Association and Dr. Paul Quinnett, Ph.D., the Executive Chairman of the QPR Institute. The purpose of the annual competition is to promote stories of survival, hope, and recovery from suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempt(s).

Persons with lived experience are invited to submit personal essays describing their experience with suicidal ideation and/or attempt(s). The writing should describe the impact on the writer and tell the story in a way that is accessible and understandable to the greater community. Poetry, creative fiction, and biographies are not accepted. Prizes include: $1,500 for First Place; $1,000 for Second Place; and $500 for Third Place. The submission deadline is Oct. 6 at 11:59 p.m.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) distributes RISE Together, OhioRISE’s community newsletter, that contain details related to OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence), a specialized managed care program offered to children and youth with complex behavioral health needs. RISE Together is designed to raise awareness of OhioRISE, its offerings, and how to enroll. The communication includes stories that reinforce the positive impact the program has on young people, their caregivers, and the many state and local child-serving entities. It also keeps readers up to date on OhioRISE services, policies, and program enhancements.

Take a look at the September RISE Together newsletter released earlier this week. You can find a copy of this and all past reports on the OhioRISE Program News page.

Subscribe to the OhioRISE mailing list to receive future reports directly. To learn more, visit the program webpage and direct any questions to the OhioRISE mailbox.

Prevention Action Alliance's G.A.P. Network will host a virtual Intersection of Grief & Prevention: Making the Incomprehensible More Understandable presentation on Sept. 28 from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. This webinar will examine the relationship between grief and prevention. Participants will discuss SAMHSA’s 8 Dimensions of Wellness in relationship to grief and loss, as well as how to normalize and destigmatize conversations about grief. The training will conclude with a Q&A and a discussion about educational opportunities and resources that can be shared throughout the community. The trainer for this webinar is Kelly Garza, LSW, LCDC III-GAMB, OCPC, ICPS, TTS. CEUs will be provided. 

As part of its ongoing Lunch and Learn training series for peer supporters, OhioPRO will present Studies to Advance Recovery Supports (STARS) on Sept. 28 from noon-1:00 p.m. This hour-long presentation will cover expanding the evidence for peers working with persons with opioid use disorder. The training will be led by Dr. Angela Hagaman and Vanessa Escamilla, CPRS. Angela serves as Co-Director at East Tennessee State University College of Public Health’s (ETSU) Addiction Science Center (ASC) and Vanessa is a certified peer recovery supporter at Ross County Community Action. This training will provide certified peer attendees with one hour of continuing education credits that can be used toward certification renewal. Questions? Please contact Michael Krause, Executive Director, OhioPRO at mkrause@ohio-pro.com.

Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC) Inc., is hosting a two-session virtual training on trauma-informed care. In this training, participants will learn the definition of trauma, adverse childhood events, the principles of trauma-informed care, and the benefits of healing-centered engagement with a specific focus on opioids and concurrent diagnosis. Session 1 will be held on Sept. 29 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. and Session 2 will be held Oct. 6 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. This program offers 1.5 CEUs for each session. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend both sessions to receive the full benefit and credit for this program.