The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Hospital & Forensic Services offices hosted their third annual Hospital & Forensic Services Conference this week at Hocking Hills State Park, Lodge, and Conference Center in Logan. In addition to Central Office leadership, the Chief Executive Officers and Chief Clinical Officers from all six OhioMHAS regional psychiatric hospitals attended.

OhioMHAS Hospital Services Administrator Bob Short (pictured receiving a certificate from Director LeeAnne Cornyn) was recognized for more than 45 years of dedicated service to the state. Short, who retires at the end of December, provided an historic overview of the state hospital system. Participants also discussed the launch of the new Epic electronic health record system in October, forensic services updates — including recommendations from the Governor's Workgroup on Competency Restoration and Diversion — policy updates, best practices, goal setting, and more. 

Caitlin Beha Worth
Deputy Director of Regional Psychiatric Hospitals
Caitlin Beha Worth has been promoted to Deputy Director of Regional Psychiatric Hospitals. She has more than 15 years of experience working as a mental health professional in the Columbus area. She specializes in working with varied populations having served as a community mental health case manager and therapist, school social worker, hospital assessment specialist, and Director of Assessments at a private inpatient and outpatient hospital for adults with mental illness and/or addiction. Most recently, Beha Worth served as the Director of Clinical Services within OhioMHAS’ Hospital Services, providing consultation and oversight to the social work teams within the state’s regional psychiatric hospitals. In her new position, she will not only continue clinical consultation, but will provide operational expertise to OhioMHAS’ regional psychiatric hospitals. 

Alain Deighan
Deputy Director of Community and Family Resiliency
Alaina Deighan, MS.Ed., LPC, brings over 13 years of dedicated service and leadership in non-profit and government sectors, focusing on enhancing behavioral health services and supports for Ohioans. In her new role she oversees a wide array of critical initiatives. These include directing prevention services, youth treatment programming, problem gambling interventions, and trauma-informed care strategies across the department. Prior to her current position, Deighan spearheaded youth and family-focused intervention and treatment programs. Her career highlights also include impactful contributions in the development of youth and family peer supporter credentials, and strategic professional development management during her tenure at the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA).

OhioMHAS Deputy Director of Criminal Justice and Recovery Chris Nicastro (pictured at right) was recently honored by the Ohio Justice Alliance for Community Corrections (OJACC) as the 2024 recipient of its prestigious Dr. Bennett J. Cooper Award. The award is presented annually to a community correctional administrator or policymaker who has shown lifetime dedication and commitment to the improvement of community corrections. Presenting the award to Chris is OJACC past president Phillip Nunes.

On Wednesday, the OneOhio Recovery Foundation announced it has awarded more than $3.5 million in grants to support 16 projects across the state to help combat substance misuse by supporting prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across Ohio. These 16 new grant awards are part of more than $51 million allocated for the 2024 Regional Grant Cycle and were selected from 1,442 funding requests totaling $581 million from organizations statewide. Grantees were chosen in a collaborative process that included input from the OneOhio Regions, Expert Panel, Grant Oversight Committee and Board of Directors.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released Suicide Prevention Strategies for Underserved Youth, an evidence-based guide that provides strategies and insights specific to at-risk groups. The guide highlights existing research, discusses barriers that hinder youth’s access to prevention and intervention services, and offers guidance on selecting, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based prevention programs. It also highlights programs that are making strides in addressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young people from underserved communities.

SAMHSA's National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness (ESMI TTA Center) will host a Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) Screening, Diagnosis, and Risk Assessment webinar on Dec. 17 from noon-1:00 p.m. This session will provide an overview of tools and strategies for screening, diagnosis, and risk assessment for CHR-P.

The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites Ohio's experienced behavioral health prevention professionals to join us for our first Advanced Prevention Practice ECHO session, Harnessing AI in Prevention: Practical Tools and Applications for Modern Practice, on January 17. This session will highlight practical tools that participants can use to integrate AI technology into prevention efforts across various settings. Presenters will explore adaptable AI applications and considerations for the field, including training, ease of use, and sector-specific challenges in effectively supporting AI-driven prevention strategies. Sessions are interactive and are a great place to share your successes or “workshop” your ideas with subject matter experts and colleagues.  CEs for Prevention, Social Work, Health Education, and Nursing will be available.

1N5, MindPeace, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital have announced that they will partner to host the 3rd Annual Family Mental Health Education Day on Sunday, Feb. 9 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The event is designed for adolescents (ages 14+) and young adults experiencing depression or anxiety, along with their parents or caregivers. The day will feature insightful speakers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital, powerful personal stories, and breakout sessions tailored for both youth/young adults and caregivers. Tickets are only $12/person and include meals and zoo admission. Scholarships are available.