OhioMHAS Deputy Director of Criminal Justice and Recovery Services Chris Nicastro will serve on the 23-member working group, which will hold its first meeting on Jan. 23. "I'm excited to be a part of this working group and hit the ground running to help bring more missing Ohioans home safely," Nicastro said. Recommendations are expected to be issued at the end of April.

OhioMHAS staff attended an open house last week for Serenity Haven women's residential treatment facility in Fayette. The newly-renovated, 19-bed facility is operated by Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio and serves adult women, including those who are pregnant and new mothers with their infants. Serenity Haven offers structured recovery services, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, trauma-focused individual and group therapy, transportation for appointments, parenting education groups, and family therapy. OhioMHAS contributed more than $345,000 in capital funding toward the renovation project.

Pictured top (l-r): Sarah Lohman, Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio Program Director; Mari Yoder, Four County ADAMH Board Member; Tonie Long, Four County ADAMH Board Executive Director; Chris Mazzola, OhioMHAS Capital Team; Ruth Peck, Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio Executive Director; Margaret Osborne, OhioMHAS Northwest Regional Liaison; Megan Bowser, Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio Clinical Director; Roy Palmer, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno's office; and Fred Coulter, Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio Board Member.

The Outcomes-Based Strategic Planning Pilot provides an opportunity for coalitions to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of their strategic planning initiatives. Participants will engage in a series of workshops, webinars, and one-on-one guidance sessions that culminate in an in-person celebration of achievements. The curriculum is designed to be iterative and adaptive, with opportunities for coalitions to refine their approaches through continuous feedback and support. By the end of the program, participants will have developed actionable, culturally-responsive strategic plans that are tailored to their specific community needs, ensuring long-term success and sustainability in their prevention efforts. A $3000 stipend will be provided to participants upon their acceptance into the pilot program. The Outcomes-Based Strategic Planning Pilot, coordinated by Prevention Action Alliance (PAA), is made possible with funding from the OhioMHAS.

Click HERE to view the Outcomes-Based Strategic Planning Pilot RFA. Applications and Assurances are due by 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 24. All questions must be emailed to cbs@preventionactionalliance.org by 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 17. Questions and answers will be posted on the PAA website within two days of receipt.

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation announced it has awarded more than $3.7 million in grants to support 10 projects across the state to help combat substance misuse by supporting prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across Ohio. The 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 Step Up Anderson Township Coalition has released the latest episode of its Step Up to Save Our Children podcast, Addressing Teen Gambling in the Digital Age. Hosted by Coalition Founder and Director Denise Mayer, this episode features expert insight from OhioMHAS Problem Gambling Program Manager Milan Karnan and Envision Partnerships Chief Operating Officer Kristina Latta-Landenfeld. The podcast explores the impact of youth gaming, sports betting, and social media, and highlights pitfalls and warning signs. Listen to more episodes and subscribe HERE. For more information, email stepupandersontownship@gmail.com. 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has issued two new papers on integration of behavioral health care in specialty care settings such as oncology and gastroenterology clinics. One paper focuses on care for adults and the other pediatric populations. The two papers discuss examples of integrated care models, key components of integrated care models and examples. The goal of these papers is to help ensure patients in these specialty care settings have access to behavioral health care.

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 Jan. 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. CEs for Prevention, Social Work, Health Education, and Nursing will be available.

The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites those working in adult low-risk drinking to join us for our upcoming ECHO session, Shaping Attitudes: Crafting Effective Messaging for Low-Risk Drinking on Janu. 22. This session will explore the importance of effective messaging in promoting low-risk drinking behaviors. Participants will gain insights into the current landscape of alcohol communication, identify key target audiences, and develop strategies for creating compelling and impactful messages. CEs for Prevention, Social Work, Health Education, Nursing, and Psychology will be available.

Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery (OCAAR) announced that it will host town hall listening session in collaboration with The Recovery Collective of Cleveland and Project White Butterfly on Jan. 25 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. This event will be dedicated to hearing the voices and experience of people in recovery from substance use disorders.

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO) will host the 2025 Ohio Problem Gambling Conference on Jan. 29-30 at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center. This year's conference will bring together national experts, state leaders, and local innovators in problem gambling prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, research, administration, and responsible gambling. Those interested in prevention and treatment of gambling disorder should attend, as well as health care professionals who want to learn more about the convergence of risky behaviors such as gambling, substance use, mental health disorders, and health conditions across the lifespan. Click HERE to view the agenda. Questions? Email info@PGNOhio.org. 

Ohio Recovery Housing (ORH) will host its 2025 Annual Conference on March 25-27 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbus–Dublin. The conference, themed, “Building a Legacy of Hope: Connecting Lives, Collaborating for Change,” is Ohio’s premier event dedicated to recovery housing. Join recovery housing operators, treatment providers, and policymakers from across the state for two full days of learning, information sharing, and networking. If you are certified by ORH or have applied to be certified by Ohio Recovery Housing, you are eligible for $150 off your registration. Contact Stacy at stacy@ohiorecoveryohuisng.org to get your discount code. Click HERE to view the agenda and HERE for sponsorship opportunities.   

The G.A.P. Network will host its annual Grief Conference, "Cultivating Compassion: Building a Comprehensive Grief Responsive Community" from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on April 3 at CoHatch Polaris in Columbus. Led by Litsa Williams, MA, LCSW-C, and Co-Founder of What’s Your Grief, this event will bring together community members who may not typically be recognized as grief support providers — such as tattoo artists, garden group leaders, and death doulas — with those working to offer grief support within their communities, as well as individuals who are grieving. Participants will explore how to bridge gaps in existing support systems and identify ways to connect more effectively with different groups. The conference will also provide grief support to bereaved families through social interaction, resource sharing, and community-building opportunities.