The Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Programs (UMADAOPs) of Ohio Federation recently recognized Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) administrator Dr. Valerie Alloy for her unyielding commitment to enhancing the lives of the African- and Hispanic-American communities in Ohio. The William L. Mallory, Sr. Leadership & Advocacy Award for Communities of Color, one of the organization’s highest honors, was presented to Dr. Alloy at the Federation’s 34^th Annual Statewide Conference held Oct. 4-6 in Dayton.

“Dr. Alloy's dedication to Ohio is unparalleled, with her major contributions to African-American and Hispanic communities through early childhood mental health initiatives leading the way,” said John Edwards, Executive Director of UMADAOP Lucas County who nominated Dr. Alloy for the award.

Dr. Alloy joined OhioMHAS in 2013. In her current role as Chief of the Bureau of Grants Management, she oversees a diverse portfolio of nearly $1 billion in federal grant dollars awarded to the State of Ohio. She previously administered early childhood mental health initiatives for the department, during which time she not only helped secure substantial funding to support the state’s “Whole Child Matters” program, but garnered accolades and recognition for her work from esteemed institutions nationwide.

The award, named in memory of former Ohio State Representative William L. Mallory, Sr. of Cincinnati, is a symbol of dedication, vision, and transformative leadership. Mr. Mallory was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1966 and served for 28 years in the Ohio legislature. In 1974 he won election as Majority Floor Leader, the first African-American to serve in that role. When he retired in 1994, he was the longest serving majority leader in the history of Ohio.

“Mr. Mallory's foundational work in establishing the Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program Federation has inspired countless leaders, and it's fitting that Dr. Alloy, with her distinguished achievements, receives this accolade,” said Edwards.

Pictured above (l-r):  Dr. Valerie Alloy, Chief of the OhioMHAS Bureau of Grants Administration, accepts the 2023 William L. Mallory Sr. Leadership & Advocacy Award for Communities of Color from Donald Christian, CEO of Akron UMADAOP and Federation President. 

In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the SAMHSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC) is sponsoring an Intimate Partner Violence Awarenesss webinar series. Sessions will be held every Monday throughout October at 1:00 p.m.

Upcoming sessions include:

Oct.16: But they LOVE me -- Dating Violence and Young People
Oct. 23: Supporting Systems to Support Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Oct. 30: Best Practices for Mental Health Clinicians: How to Help Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

The University of Dayton and CareSource are hosting The Spotlight Town Hall event from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Oct. 19th to honor Jayda Grant and champion adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention. The event, which takes place at the UD Arena, will spotlight and drive awareness and education of mental health and wellness in adolescents and young adults. This event will benefit NAMI Ohio and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation to increase access to mental health care and break the stigma of suicide.

Panelists for the evening include:
• Anthony and Chris Grant
• Mark and Kym Hilinski, Hilinski’s Hope Foundation
• Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., MBA, Ohio Department of Health
• Dr. James Houle, The Ohio State University
• Dr. Wayne Chappelle, TeamHealth Medical Consortium
• Brandon Saho, Mental Game Podcast
• Charlie Pope, survivor and mental health advocate
• Tiffany Pope, mental health advocate
• Rachel Tilson, survivor and advocate, Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
• Kelly Blankenship, Dayton Children’s Hospital

PreventionFIRST! will hold its 2023 Coalition Academy on Oct. 31 from 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason. This year's theme is "Tackling Threats to Prevention." Albert Gay, M.S., a national trainer in substance use prevention, will provide keynote remarks. Click HERE to view the full agenda. For more information, please email aconnstarner@prevention-first.org.

November is National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM), celebrated annually, a time to recognize and honor unpaid family caregivers across the country. It offers an opportunity to raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate communities, and increase support for caregivers. In recognition of NFCM, Courage to Caregivers will host the fourth annual Caring for the Caregivers Virtual Summit on Nov. 1-2. This year’s theme is "Journeying With Courage and Intention." Both days will feature sessions by professional facilitators on topics including mindset, practice, and self-compassion. The Summit is free for unpaid family caregivers providing care to a loved one living with mental, chronic, or serious illnesses. It is also free for licensed professional caregivers. All are welcome to attend one or both days.