The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched in Ohio and across the nation on July 16, 2022. Ohioans who are experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis, and their family members, are able to call or text 988, or chat 988Lifeline.org to reach a trained call specialist who can offer help and support.

Learn more about Ohio’s suicide prevention efforts by visiting 988.ohio.gov.

PICTURED TOP (l-r): Anne Wise, Director of Crisis Services, Child Focus; 988 Administrator Doug Jackson; Carly Nagel, Assistant Director of Crisis Services, Child Focus; Lee Ann Watson, Executive Director, Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board; Meredith Cameron, OhioMHAS Deputy Director of Community Treatment Services, Abbey Wollschleger, 988 Quality Assurance Manager. 

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Hazel Health, will host an informational webinar on Sept. 17 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. for providers to learn more about an opportunity for your local schools to obtain behavioral health telehealth services. This session will focus on what providers need to know as the program launches. This webinar will provide crucial insights into how Hazel Health can seamlessly integrate into districts and connect with local providers to ensure no duplication of services already offered. 

The OhioMHAS Bureau of Workforce Sustainability will host a webinar on Sept. 19 from 10:00-10:30 a.m. to highlight several enhancements to the Great Minds Fellowship behavioral health workforce program. These updates are part of the department's ongoing commitment to support and grow the behavioral health workforce, ensuring a robust pipeline of skilled professionals to meet the increasing needs of our communities. Questions? Please contact the workforce email box at: workforce@mha.ohio.gov.

Student mental health needs in Ohio are increasing. The free Ohio Healthy Youth Environments Survey (OHYES!) helps schools identify and address mental health needs and improve overall student health. View the agency support letter from the directors of the Ohio Departments of Education and Workforce, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Health.

About OHYES!
OHYES! is a voluntary, anonymous, web-based survey you can use with students in grades 7-12 that takes about 30-35 minutes. There are two versions of the survey — the standard 110-question survey and an optional 120-question survey.

Important Information:

• Registration is occurring through Nov. 8.
• Schools must register at least one month before they plan to administer the survey to allow sufficient time for parent notification.
• Survey Administration occurs Oct. 1–Dec. 20.
• View the slides from our Fall 2024 informational webinar.

Superintendents, principals, and their designees can register schools using the ODEW School Information Retrieval Number (IRN). To register you will need contact information for superintendents and principals and two school survey coordinators, and which version of the survey will be used. Questions? Email info@ohyes.ohio.gov.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) recently released a new one-pager fact sheet titled How to Talk, Share, and Report About Suicide.

The one-pager details that by following guidelines that emphasize sensitivity and accuracy, the public can respect the individuals involved, avoid stigmatization, and contribute positively to suicide prevention efforts.

A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that e-cigarette use among U.S. middle and high school students dropped from 7.7 percent to 5.9 percent over the past year. However, nicotine pouch use remained stable at around 1.8 percent. Despite the decline in e-cigarette use, comprehensive tobacco control strategies and vigilant enforcement are essential. Nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and pouches, pose significant risks to adolescent health, given their addictive nature and potential to harm brain development. Continued education and proactive measures from parents, educators, and community leaders are crucial in maintaining these gains and protecting youth health.

From Sept. 15-21, the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), OhioMHAS, and Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health (ADAMH) Boards throughout Ohio will promote a Week of Appreciation for all mental health and addiction workers.

Collectively, we want to thank all individuals working to support recovery throughout our communities. Join us in celebrating their hard work and commitment to bringing help and bringing hope to Ohioans in need.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will host a Timely and Adaptive Strategies to Optimize Suicide Prevention Interventions webinar on Sept. 19 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Therapeutic interventions are now being applied in ways that may enhance timely and tailored strategies to address suicide risk. This approach requires ready access to end-user data that informs proactive intervention strategies. This webinar will consider 1) which data sources are best equipped to inform intervention strategies, 2) which intervention aspects should involve tailoring strategies vs. simpler approaches that may be just as effective, and 3) how such approaches can be incorporated into providers’ workflows within a health care setting. This webinar brings together experts in areas that include passive and active data-collection methods, the measurement of social contexts related to suicide risk, and the methodological aspects of Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAI). The goal is to provide insights into developing and testing JITAIs for suicide prevention and to offer guidance on incorporating these adaptive interventions into health care systems.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) is hosting a free, virtual Convo CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) suicide prevention lethal means training on Sept. 30 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Convo CALM is a shorter version of CALM that has been developed by experienced trainers with both civilian and military/veteran populations from half a dozen states. It is designed specifically for presentations to general audiences with a focus on reaching gun owners. It combines traditional elements of gatekeeper training such as asking about suicide risk with a direct and collaborative discussion about the importance of means safety when risk is detected. The training reviews various option for increasing means safety and connecting the at-risk individual with more formal resources.

Join Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services (GCBHS) for a Recovery Celebration on Sept. 30 from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The event, which takes place at 1501 Madison Road in Cincinnati, will honor persons in recovery and those who are just beginning their journeys to wellness. The event will offer free food, crafts, games, and naloxone distribution. For more information, please email Dawn Michaels at dmichaels@gcbhs.com.

The Mobilize Recovery Bus is coming to Xenia on Oct. 4 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the Emerge Recovery & Trade Initiative. Mobilize Recovery brings together a diverse cross-sector cohort of recovery advocates, allies, and stakeholders to drive measurable, sustainable, and action-oriented solutions that create resilient recovery communities. Inseparable, a leading mental health advocacy organization, will join Mobilize Recovery to host a community town hall featuring a conversation between lawmakers, community leaders, and the public about mental health and recovery. Speakers will address the importance of improving access to mental health and recovery resources, particularly by growing and sustaining the behavioral workforce, utilizing the recovery workforce pipeline, and supporting alternative avenues for care for individuals seeking help. Limited seats are available for this dinner event. Tickets are free, but you must register in advance.

Time Out Ohio is hosting a free, three-part webinar series in October that will focus on the solution-based partnerships available through the Time Out Ohio Program. The series will be coordinated by Recovery Resources.

Time Out Ohio is a program jointly managed and administered by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission. By enrolling in the program, individuals voluntarily agree to refrain from entering or accessing Ohio’s casinos, racinos, and all sports betting for a self-selected period of one year, five years, or their lifetime. Time Out Ohio currently has more than 5,000 active participants from 37 states and internationally.

Sessions include:

Oct. 10 | Get to Know Gamban
Oct. 17 | Get to Know GamFin
Oct. 24 | Get to Know RecoverMe

Each webinar will have 1.00 CEU available through the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Recordings will be made available for those unable to attend; however, live attendance is required for CEUs.

Click HERE to register for the entire Get to Know You Webinar Series. Registration for individual webinars can be found on Recovery Resources’ website. Questions? Email Nabil Pervaiz, Manager of Prevention Services with Recovery Resources, at NPervaiz@recres.org.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is hosting the 2024 Midwest Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Summit on Oct. 17-18 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The summit will bring together suicide prevention professionals from across the Midwest, 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.

Workshops and keynote speakers will cover a range of topics related to mental health and suicide prevention including: access to lethal means; issues facing veterans and first responders; crisis systems and community care; the role of employers and businesses in mental health; access to care and insurance; youth mental health and the impact of social media; high-risk communities such as Black, LGBTQ+, and older adults; and policy and advocacy efforts. Register by Oct. 7. 

The Ohio Society of Addiction Medicine (OHSAM) will hold its 2024 Annual Meeting on Oct. 18 from 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville–Polaris. The OHSAM annual meeting provides a unique opportunity to discuss, debate, and network with colleagues and build new relationships with leading experts in addiction medicine. Members benefit from learning and sharing together, the poster presentations will share clinical or and research work in the field of addiction medicine, and the exhibit hall is a great place to network with colleagues and connect with company representatives whose products and services are designed to help you and your patients. Cost is $50 for OHSAM members, and free for student members. The non-member fee is $250. Questions? Email contact@ohsam.org.