The Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging drivers who intend to celebrate the new year to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. The Patrol’s zero-tolerance policy is part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign.

The New Year’s holiday reporting period begins Friday, Dec. 29 at midnight and ends on Monday, Jan. 1 at 11:59 p.m. During the 2022-2023 four-day New Year’s holiday reporting period, 11 fatal crashes killed 13 people. Of those, alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in nine fatal crashes. Of the 10 fatalities in which safety belts were available, eight were unbelted. Additionally, two motorcyclists and one pedestrian were killed during the holiday reporting period. Troopers also made 219 impaired-driving arrests during the 2022-2023 four-day New Year’s holiday reporting period. 

“We want everyone to have a great start to the new year,” said Governor Mike DeWine.
“If you plan to go out and celebrate, please designate a sober driver.”

Motorists are encouraged to call #677 to report impaired drivers, drug activity or stranded motorists.

A new Ohio law that gives parents oversight concerning the use of their child's social media websites takes effect on Jan. 15, 2024.  The Social Media Parental Notification Act, championed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor John Husted, aims to help protect Ohio’s children from dangers online that can lead to mental health issues.

“The evidence is building that social media platforms can have a negative impact on kids’ mental health and well-being,” Governor DeWine said in a release earlier this year. “In addition, social media platforms can expose kids to predators who want to exploit them. If teens must get parental consent when they see an R-rated movie because of exposure to inappropriate content, it only makes sense that parents give kids permission to have social media accounts.”

The act, which was approved by members of the Ohio General Assembly and signed into law by Governor DeWine in July, requires social media platforms to obtain parental consent before activating accounts for children under the age of 16. Operators also must present parents with a list of censoring or content moderation features. When consent is granted, operators are required to send written confirmation of the account to the parent or legal guardian. When consent is not given, operators must deny the child access to the platform. 

In cases where operators fail to provide notification or a parent wishes to terminate a child's access, parents should contact the website operator who then has 30 days to terminate the child’s access. If parents are unsuccessful in the account being deleted, they are encouraged to file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at OhioProtects.org. OhioProtects.org features frequently asked questions regarding the law and offers additional resources for parents seeking information on the upcoming regulations.

Note: the new law does not require operators to notify parents about accounts created before Jan. 15, 2024.

The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) this week announced  that it is accepting applications for local drug task force funding to be awarded as part of the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund. The fund is part of the Drug Interdiction, Disruption, and Reduction Plan that is funded through Ohio's two-year operating budget.

Grants will cover drug task force expenses related to enforcing the state’s drug laws and combating illegal drug activity. Funds can be used by agencies to investigate drug trafficking organizations and to disrupt the drug supply through intelligence gathering, information sharing, and multi-agency coordination. Grants can also be used to support local work to help drug overdose victims and their families through education, support, and treatment options.

Applications are due Feb. 8, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Projects may apply for up to 12 months operating from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. For technical assistance on any part of the application, please call OCJS at 614.466.7782 and ask to speak to the grants coordinator. For more information about grants, please visit http://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/grants.stm.

Since March 2020, more than 1.3 million Ohioans covered by Medicaid have received important healthcare services via telehealth. Not only was telehealth vital to securing safe access to care during the height of the pandemic, it has also served as an important bridge to critical mental health support in the time since.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid partnered with the state’s medical research institutions affiliated with the Government Resource Center to conduct a survey evaluating the current state of telehealth and its impact on both patients and providers. The results are in and will be shared as part of a stakeholder webinar scheduled for Jan. 12, 2024, from 9:00-10:00 a.m. All Medicaid behavioral health providers are invited to join. If you are interested but unable to attend, slides will be posted to Ohio Medicaid’s website: www.medicaid.ohio.gov.