During the month of May, Reds Country Cares and RecoveryOhio will team up to observe Mental Health Awareness Month with a special discount rate for the Cincinnati Reds game on Tuesday, May 7, at 6:40 p.m. against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Click HERE to order discounted tickets for the game. Everyone is invited to come cheer on the Reds and help beat the stigma of mental illness.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to increase the behavioral health workforce and expand access to behavioral health services. The Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program (OIFSP) supports training programs that increase the skills and knowledge of peer support specialists and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals who provide services to families affected by opioid use disorders and other substance use disorders. Additionally, the program focuses on supporting children and adolescents in high-need and high-demand areas who have experienced trauma and are at risk for mental health disorders.

HRSA will award approximately $16.8 million to up to 28 grantees over a period of four years through this funding opportunity. Applications are due by May 6. Click the links above for more information and application instructions.

Prevention Action Alliance (PAA) has announced a new funding opportunity aimed at enhancing problem gambling/gambling disorder prevention services. The Community Integration of Problem Gambling Prevention (CIPGP) Project will utilize funding from the Problem Gambling Casino Fund to reduce barriers to addressing problem gambling by allowing participants to select their own level of participation, while building capacity for the future.

Eligible organizations may request up to $20,000 per year, with the funds potentially renewable, contingent upon outcomes and funding availability for up to two years. Round two applications are due April 12 at 5:00 p.m. PAA is hosting a Q&A webinar for interested applicants on April 2 at 10:00 a.m. Click HERE to register for the webinar.

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Short Report: Alcohol-Related ED Visits focuses on estimates of alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits from January 2021 through September 2023. The report highlights an estimated 8.5 million ED visits related to alcohol and identifies alcohol as the most prevalent substance involved in substance-related ED visits, noting it is twice the number of visits compared to opioids or cannabis. The short report additionally identifies a higher rate of alcohol-related ED visits among males compared to females, as well as data on regional rates of alcohol-related ED visits.

National Institute on Minority Health and Disparities (NIMHD) Director Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable and other experts published a new perspective in the American Journal of Public Health. In the perspective, "Black Race Matters in the Latino Population," they note that health disparities researchers need to consider the multi-faceted racial and ethnic identities of individuals within the increasingly diverse Latino population. They also underscore the importance of more extensive research to understand the unique health needs and disparities of Afro-Latino individuals and call for more tailored health interventions and policies to provide culturally competent health care.

Registration is now open for #askmewhoiam: Conference on Youth Culture scheduled for March 28 from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Xavier University Cintas Center. The conference brings together transition-age youth 14-21 and youth-serving professionals for a day of learning and connection. This year's theme is "Strengthening Connections." 

The opening keynote will be Dr. Nicole Cammack & Dr. Dana Cunningham from Black Mental Wellness, co-authors of Healing Racial Stress Workbook for Black Teens. The lunch keynote will be delivered by Xavier Professor and Poet Laureate, Dr. Yalie Kamara, author of the recently released book, Besaydoo. The event is free for youth and $25 for adults seeking CEUs.

As part of the ongoing Prevention Exchange series, the Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion will host a Supporting Military Families virtual forum on March 28 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. This session will explore opportunities to support military-connected children and families during periods of transition. Questions? Email sarahsipos@ohio.edu.

The Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board, in partnership with CareSource, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County, and the Montgomery County Prevention Coalition, will host a Regional Menthol Prevention Summit on May 16 from 8:30 a.m.-noon at Sinclair College Conference Center in Dayton. The purpose of the Summit is to help communities understand the devastating impact of menthol tobacco products and how to take action to prevent addiction. Featured presenters include Carol McGruder, co-founder of the African-American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, Dr. Rob Crane, founder and president of the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, and Dr. Micah Burman, professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Registration will be limited to the first 300 participants. There is no cost to attend the Summit and parking is free.