The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) partnered with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) this week to host Ohio’s 2024 Mental Health and Addiction Conference.

More than 1,000 behavioral health professionals and other stakeholders from across the state converged in downtown Columbus June 3-4 to share best practices and learn about Ohio's efforts related to mental health, opiate and other addiction prevention, education, intervention, treatment, recovery, family supports, community engagement, and more. This year's theme, "Building the Systems of Care," centered on Governor Mike DeWine’s commitment to building a world-class system of mental health and addiction care in Ohio.

On Monday, OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn (pictured inset) participated in a panel discussion with state agency directors from ODRC, ODH, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, and RecoveryOhio to discuss innovative ways the state is supporting behavioral health programs and services. Director Cornyn highlighted Ohio's Beat the Stigma campaign, the professionalization of peer supporters, and the expansion of school-based health clinics. Governor Mike DeWine headlined Tuesday's agenda, recapping recent achievements and the road ahead.  

On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order authorizing the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to immediately classify nine synthetic opioids as Schedule I controlled substances, effectively banning their sale and use in the state. 

These nine synthetic opioids are known as nitazenes. Initially developed decades ago as potential alternatives for morphine that were never approved for medical use, new nitazene compounds are increasingly being found in the illicit drug supply in Ohio. These nitazenes are often more potent than other Schedule I opioids like heroin or fentanyl and present an elevated risk of negative outcomes caused by unintentional drug poisonings, including death.

"These are extremely dangerous substances being designed by clandestine chemists in an attempt to skirt the law while keeping them highly addictive,” said Governor DeWine. “My administration is doing everything in our power to rapidly detect and schedule these types of compounds to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need to prosecute those who make and sell these potentially lethal substances to the fullest extent of the law."

The emergency order was prompted by intelligence gathered as part of an early-detection process developed by the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC), in partnership with RecoveryOhio, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and a network of forensic toxicologists and chemists known as the Emerging Drug Scientific Working Group (EDSWG). The early- detection process, which includes the proactive collection of reports from Ohio’s criminal justice system and forensic labs, allows ONIC to identify, analyze, and triage information on emerging drugs that are not controlled substances.

Frequently mixed with other controlled substances, including other opioids such as already scheduled nitazenes or fentanyl and stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine, each of these nine nitazene compounds have been identified by Ohio crime labs, confirming their presence in the state. Further evidence from the dark web compiled by ONIC demonstrates the availability and interest in nitazene compounds for illicit use. 

Photo courtesy of DEA.gov.

Mental Health America of Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio (MHANKYSWOH) this week announced that it has trained more than 20,000 Ohioans in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) through its partnership with OhioMHAS. 

MHANKYSWOH leads the Mental Health First Aid Collaborative — a group comprised of 500 organizations that have hosted trainings, 110 instructors, advocates, and certified Mental Health First Aiders. Since its launch in 2020, the Collaborative has trained people in all 88 Ohio counties, including those from communities that have the highest risk such as youth, college-age, first responders, minorities, and people who live in rural counties.

“When it comes to helping a person experiencing a serious mental or emotional crisis, we know that ordinary people can be extraordinary heroes,” said OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn. “Mental Health First Aid training has equipped tens of thousands of laypeople with the skills needed to intervene safely until a person can be connected to appropriate professional help.”

Director Cornyn added, “OhioMHAS is proud to support the Mental Health First Aid Collaborative in its mission to help even more Ohioans learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use issue and equip them with the confidence and tools to help others.”

MHFA Collaborative Director Janet Gora commented, “This milestone is not just a number; it represents countless lives touched and improved through education and understanding, leading to resilient communities prepared to face mental health challenges together.”

Last year, MHANKYSWOH was recognized as the “Organization of the Year” by the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, the credentialing body for MHFA. Each month, MHANKYSWOH hosts an average of 21 MHFA classes collaborating with host organizations that qualify for no-cost trainings. This year, they launched a pilot project training teens in Hamilton County in teen MHFA and plan to expand that program to more high schools.

To date, more than 3.5 million people across the country have been certified in MHFA. In Ohio, schools, churches, non-profits, and other organizations may qualify for free MHFA classes due to funding from OhioMHAS. For more information, visit www.ohiomhfa.org or email mhfirstaidoh@gmail.com.

Ohio certified peer supporters are invited to participate in a new survey seeking input on the transition of licensure from OhioMHAS to The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board (OCDPB). Last April, OhioMHAS announced that the department had begun the exploration process for transitioning Ohio’s peer certification management to OCDPB. Since then, we have fully engaged in this process. Columbus-based Mighty Crow was brought on as a project management consultant for the transition in late 2023 and is working with both organizations to move from the exploration process into the active planning process this year. The department values your feedback as we chart the path forward for for Certified Peer Supporters (CPRS) , Certified Family Peer Supporters (CFPS), and Certified Youth Peer Supporters (CYPS). 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new brief offering information about the benefits of peer support and inclusion of the peer workforce throughout the behavioral health continuum. The brief highlights current standards and best practices for including peer support workers as an essential component of services delivery for mental and co-occurring disorders, like substance use disorder.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) is hosting two upcoming Creating Supportive Environments for Suicide Loss Survivors: A Workshop for Caregivers, Counselors, and Behavioral Health Agencies trainings. 

Caregivers, counselors, and behavioral health agencies will participate in a presentation and discussion about how to support people impacted by a suicide loss in everyday life. While it is not always necessary to offer specific suicide postvention programs/services at every agency, we can all be more sensitive to those bereaved by suicide.

During this workshop participants will review the following and have time for Q&A:

• Definitions and impact of suicide
• Engaging loss survivors
• Suicide bereavement resources in specific regions of Ohio

June 26 | 1:00-3:00 p.m. | Northeast Ohio | Register
July 16 | 10:00-11:30 a.m. | Southeast Ohio | Register

Questions? Please email Austin Lucas at austin.lucas@ohiospf.org. 

OSPF will host the 2024 Midwest Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Summit on Oct. 17-18 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. This two-day, in-person summit will bring together suicide prevention providers from across the Midwest, including coalitions and organizations dedicated to preventing suicide and promoting mental health wellness, prevention professionals, health care professionals, veteran-serving organizations, state and community leaders, and others dedicated to community solutions to address the public health problem of suicide and mental health.