OhioMHAS NewsNow |Welcome Back Application Deadline EXTENDED...New Recovery Housing Rules Effective Jan. 1...Managing Holiday Stress...ODNR Winter Hiking Series...NIDA Research...New SAMHSA Resources...MHA Report on Social Media and Youth...Upcoming Trainings...In the News

Ohio Department of Behavioral Health sent this bulletin at 12/31/2024 01:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December, 31, 2024

Welcome Back Application Deadline Extension

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Bureau of Workforce Sustainability is pleased to announce that the Welcome Back grant application deadline has been extended to Jan. 31, 2025. The Welcome Back grant provides a hiring bonus to professionals who previously worked in a direct service behavioral health position and who left for 30 or more days and are coming back to work in a direct service behavioral health position at a qualifying Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC). Eligible new hires could receive up to $3,000. The employees must have been hired between July 1, 2024-Jan. 15, 2025.

Questions? Email workforce@mha.ohio.gov.

Reminder: New Recovery Housing Rules Effective Jan. 1

In accordance with Ohio law (R.C. 5119.394), OhioMHAS has established a registry of recovery housing residences that are accredited (or its equivalent) by certain accreditation organizations or, if newer (in operation for not more than 18 months), are actively engaged in efforts to obtain such accreditation. The registry includes certain information from the registration form recovery housing residence operators must submit to OhioMHAS, as described in R.C. 5119.391, information regarding any complaints that have been investigated and substantiated, and any other information OhioMHAS considers appropriate.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, pursuant to R.C. 5119.396, community addiction services providers and community mental health services providers, collectively identified as certified community behavioral health providers, are prohibited from referring clients to a recovery housing residence that is not on the statewide recovery housing residence registry on the date the referral is made. Community addiction services providers and community mental health services providers must maintain records of all referrals made to recovery housing residences. A community addiction services provider or community mental health provider that violates this prohibition regarding referrals may be subject to disciplinary action by OhioMHAS (see R.C. 5119.36(G)(3)).

For additional information on the statewide recovery housing residence registry, click HERE. Other information about recovery housing residences maintained by the Department is available HERE.

If you have additional questions, please email recoveryhousing@mha.ohio.gov.

The Holidays Can Be Stressful: Tips to Manage Your Mental Well-being This Holiday Season

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be accompanied by feelings such as stress and grief. Learn some self-care tips to manage your mental well-being during this time of year:

Check In On Yourself

Mental Health First Aid: Managing your mental well-being during the holiday season

Calm: How to have a stress-free holiday: 16 holiday self-care tips

American Psychological Association: Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress

Thrive Outside This Winter

ODNR Offers Winter Hiking Series

If your New Year's resolution is to connect more with nature, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Winter Hike Series may be for you! As a part of the series, ODNR staff will lead hikes in 13 nature preserves and state parks throughout the state through Feb. 23. The hikes are family-friendly and are designed for all experience levels.

Find a hike near you HERE.

NIDA: Brain Structure Differences are Associated with Early Use of Substances Among Adolescents

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not. Many of these structural brain differences appeared to exist in childhood before any substance use, suggesting they may play a role in the risk of substance use initiation later in life, in tandem with genetic, environmental, and other neurological factors.

View Press Release

SAMHSA Releases Clinical Advisory on Genetic Testing in the Assessment of SUD Risk

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a Clinical Advisory on Genetic Testing in the Assessment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Risk, providing critical insights for the equitable and person-centered implementation of this emerging intervention. This Advisory examines the role of genetic testing in assessing SUD vulnerability and outlines the current limitations of these technologies.

Read the Advisory

SAMHSA Publishes Practical Guide on Advising Patients on Using 988 vs. 911

SAMHSA has issued a new Practical Guide: Advising People on Using 988 Versus 911: Practical Approaches for Healthcare Providers. Both health care providers and patients have experienced confusion in deciding whether 988 or 911 is appropriate across a range of situations. Understanding the differences between 988 and 911 and being able to communicate these differences to patients in ways that address their needs and concerns and respect their desired outcomes can help support effective crisis management.

This practical guide encourages and supports primary care, behavioral health, and emergency medical services (EMS) providers to integrate crisis care discussions into routine practice. Through intentional, informative conversations with patients about crisis care and the appropriate use of 988 and 911, providers can assess their patients more holistically and educate them and their trusted networks about available crisis care options. To support these conversations in daily practice, the guide provides practical steps and real-world scenarios. Both are grounded in research emphasizing the importance of early intervention and clear communication in improving crisis outcomes and reducing reliance on emergency response systems. The guide includes sample crisis intervention scripts, grounding exercises, and deep breathing techniques to support crisis de-escalation

View Guide

New MHA Report — Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-Being

Mental Health America's latest report, Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-Being, dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives.

Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people. The report brings together insights from more than 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with youth co-researchers to explore:

The dual nature of social media as both a connector and a source of harm.
How algorithms shape youth experiences, often without their full understanding or consent.
Why it’s critical to empower young people with tools, education, and a voice in the systems that shape their digital worlds.

View Report

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Client: Developing Clinical Competency in Mental Health Treatment Parts 1 & 2

The Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center is pleased to announce upcoming dates for its free, two-part, The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Client: Developing Clinical Competency in Mental Health Treatment trainings. All sessions are virtual. ASL interpreters and Zoom captioning will be provided. The trainings are supported by a grant from OhioMHAS.

Learn More and Register

Achieving Competence in the Treatment of First Responders — Feb. 4

As part of its ongoing work through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act funding initiative, OhioMHAS will host a free Achieving Competence in the Treatment of First Responders training for clinicians from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the Clearcreek Township Police Department in Springboro. The training, which is limited to 50 participants, will provide insight into the culture of working with first responders, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch/communications, and local corrections. The session will be facilitated by Helen Hill, LISW-S, and Lisa Callander, LISW-S, LICDC-S. The deadline to register is Jan. 31. Applicants will be notified via email regarding acceptance to the training. Additional opportunities will be announced in 2025.

Application Form

Call for Proposals: 2025 Addiction Studies Institute

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will host the 2025 Addiction Studies Institute on June 25-27 at the OSU Fawcett Center. The conference is expected to draw more than 600 participants from throughout the Midwest. Conference planners are currently accepting proposals from individuals interested in presenting at the Institute. The deadline to submit a workshop proposal is Feb. 5. Questions? Email Tami Buhrts at Tamara.Buhrts@osumc.edu.

Submit Proposal