 OBRT Leaders Meet to Discuss Workplace Wellness
On Monday, OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn joined members of the Ohio Business Roundtable (OBRT) for a discussion on mental health in the workplace. Director Cornyn provided an overview of Governor DeWine’s proposed executive budget for SFY 2026-27, noting key investments to strengthen crisis services for Ohioans. She talked about the impact of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and highlighted investments that seek to expand Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) and adult mobile services statewide. She also discussed ways employers can support their employees’ mental health and educated members on the Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative.
During the meeting, Cardinal Health announced a $1M gift to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to address mental health needs in the workforce. The money will support OSU's Center for Psychiatry and Resilience efforts to translate current research into practical strategies that can be implemented by employers to better their employees' mental health.
NBH CEO Dave Colletti Retires After 36 Years of Service
Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH) CEO Dave Colletti retired on Feb. 28 after 36 years of service. Royall Chambers will serve as Interim CEO until a new CEO is named. Colletti has served as CEO at NBH since 2019 where he oversees a staff of approximately 480 employees and is responsible for the well-being, care, and treatment of 258 patients at the hospital. He began his career as a caseworker at the Summit County Children Services Board in 1984 and became Director of Social Work Services at Fallsview Psychiatric Hospital in 1993. In 1996, Dave was hired at NBH as Director of Social Work Services and Patient Care Coordinator. He advanced to Cleveland Campus Administrator in 2001 and was first appointed as NBH CEO in 2009. Dave has also served as CEO at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare and worked in Central Office as the Assistant Director of Hospital Services.
|
ORG Launches More Than a Bet Campaign
As March Madness season approaches, Ohio for Responsible Gambling (ORG) has launched the "More Than a Bet" campaign to raise awareness about preventing student athletes from experiencing gambling-related harassment. Did you know that 1-in-3 high-profile athletes receive threatening messages from individuals with a betting interest? As the tournament draws attention, it's important to educate yourself and others about the risks involved. Click HERE to learn how to protect student athletes and spot the signs of gambling-related harassment.
Help spread the word: ORG offers free social media assets and posts for your organization to share. Download a free toolkit HERE.
|
Ohio Prevention Professionals Association Honors Youth Leaders During Annual Prevention Showcase
 The Ohio Prevention Professionals Association (OPPA), Ohio’s membership association for prevention professionals and advocates, recognized five young Ohioans for their commitment to prevention on the local and/or state level. The 2024 OPPA Youth Prevention Awards were presented at the OPPA Youth Prevention Showcase on Feb. 12.
2024 OPPA Youth Prevention Award honorees: OPPA Youth Prevention Excellence Award | Carmen Marbley OPPA Youth Prevention Advocate Award | Addie Powell OPPA Youth Community Champion Award | Alex Gnau and Trinity Collins OPPA Youth Prevention Alumni Award | Maddie McCutcheon
Click HERE for narratives describing each award recipient’s contributions to prevention.
Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving
“Shifting Gears” is an educational program developed by AAA Northeast that is aimed at high school students and other young drivers. The program uses science-based information to explain the physical and cognitive processes that are affected by cannabis and how those effects can impact the ability to drive safely. By equipping professionals and community leaders with effective education tools, we can prevent marijuana-impaired driving and empower young drivers to make safe choices for a lifetime.
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) aims to expand this educational program by reimbursing public agencies and certain non-profits for presenting the program to students. Who should get trained: School resource officers, law enforcement, safe communities coalitions, and educators. Training sessions are conducted in a classroom setting and take approximately 2.5 hours. Presenters may be reimbursed $200 per class/presentation. Presenters must complete a mandatory training session before they can disseminate this program to high school students. Click HERE to view the current training schedule. More sessions will be added soon.
|
Building Bridges Underserved Communities Survey
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center invites providers to participate in an online survey that aims to improve services and supports for underserved populations. Providers may take the survey at any time. It will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. Participants will be asked about their experiences providing care to underserved individuals as well as barriers/needs to provide culturally sensitive care. A separate survey for individuals who represent underserved communities can be found HERE. Questions? Call Manisha Khatiwada, Clinical Research Coordinator at 614.366.3828 or email manisha.khatiwada@osumc.edu.
MHA's Mental Health Month 2025 Planning Guide
Mental Health America has released its Mental Health Month 2025 Planning Guide. Designed for community organizations, workplaces, educators, and advocacy groups, MHA's guide equips you with the tools to make a meaningful impact on mental wellness, including:
-
Innovative outreach ideas to spark engagement
-
Ready-to-use communication templates to save time
-
Activity examples to inspire your planning
-
Partnership opportunities to amplify your reach
|
Behavioral Threat Assessment Trainings
The FBI Cleveland Division and Ohio School Safety Center will partner to host a free Behavior Threat Assessment Management (BTAM) training. The Basic Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course (B-TERC) is a one-day training that teaches participants how to help assist in preventing acts of targeted violence, such as, but not limited to, terrorism, school shootings, or mass attacks in public spaces by identifying those threats or observable behaviors that may indicate the potential for violence. The course also teaches participants how to apply the Behavioral Threat Assessment Management model in those prevention efforts. Trainings will be held at the FBI office in downtown Cleveland on March 20, April 29, and May 20. To register, email Special Agent Treva Mathews temathews@fbi.gov or call 217.200.9332.
Beyond the Likes: Social Media, Mental Health, and You — March 1 and 8
The American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health will present Beyond the Likes: Social Media, Mental Health, and You on March 1 and 8. This two-day interactive event is for teens and young adults (ages 14 to 24) only to discuss the impact of social media on mental health.
Sessions will include:
- Virtual Tour of Smithsonian Exhibit - Cellphone: Unseen Connections
- Learn from the platforms: How to curate your social media feeds
- How to advocate for healthy social media in your world
- How to safely engage with AI
Click HERE for more information. For general inquiries, please email: socialmedia@aap.org.
|
Ohio Adult Allies Ready to Enhance ECHO Series — March 4
Ohio Adult Allies, in partnership with the Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion, will launch a new OAA Ready to Enhance ECHO on March 4. The session will begin with a subject matter presentation, followed by participants presenting real cases for discussion and recommendations. Dr. John Ackerman and Amberle Pater will share their work from the Nationwide Children's Hospital where they provide training for youth-serving organizations on trauma-informed care. The session will discuss being trauma-informed from both a systems perspective and an individual provider level with examples from the field. Subsequent sessions will be held from 11:00 a.m.-noon on the first Tuesday of each month.
|
3rd Annual Brain Health Collective Symposium — March 7
The Brain Health Collective will host its third annual symposium on March 7 at the University of Dayton. This year's theme is Pathways to a Healthy Life After Brain Injury. The symposium will feature keynote speakers, a general session, and three breakout sessions, followed by a social hour and poster session. A continental breakfast and lunch are both included in the price of registration. Click HERE for more information. Questions? Email brainhealth@udayton.edu.
BBL: Brain-Based, Trauma Informed Approach — March 13
The Family & Children First Council of Franklin County will host a Building Better Lives: Brain-Based, Trauma Informed Approach training on March 13 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. This training will provide a foundational introduction and overview of brain-based trauma-informed care concepts. Topics covered include ACEs, resilience, brain development, stress response, and toxic stress/developmental trauma. Participants will also apply the core concepts from the foundations session to specific resilience-building skills for clients (parents, children, students, etc.) and workplace relationships and building self-resilience. Questions? Email Jessica Hren at jessica.hren@escco.org.
|
2025 Ohio Alcohol Conference — March 18
Prevention Action Alliance will host the Ohio Alcohol Conference on March 18 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville. Featuring keynote speaker Albert Gay, the conference will connect participants with experts, community leaders, and advocates to explore prevention strategies that are equitable, inclusive, and impactful. Cost is $50. A limited number of scholarships are available. Click HERE to apply for a scholarship by March 12.
Social Media 101: What is Social Media & How to Navigate Common Safety Settings — March 20
The AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health will present Social Media 101: What is Social Media & How to Navigate Common Safety Settings on March 20. Participants will learn about how and why kids use social media and explore various safety and privacy controls. Questions? Email socailmedia@aap.org.
Upcoming Star Behavioral Health Trainings
We Are Change Rally 2025 — May 2
The Ohio Youth-Led Prevention Network (OYLPN) Youth Council, with support from OhioMHAS, will host the 2025 We Are Change Rally on May 2 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Columbus Commons. The rally empowers youth to raise their voices and highlights the inspiring, impactful work happening in communities around Ohio. More than 1,000 young people from throughout Ohio are expected to attend. This year's theme is "Empowering Growth — Youth on the Move." A limited number of travel stipends are available.
|
Speakers Sought: Cultivating Resilience Summit 3.0 — June 25-26
The Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (MCADAMHS) Board and The PROTECT Initiative will host the Cultivating Resilience Summit 3.0 on June 25-26 at Sinclair Community College. Summit organizers recently issued an RFP seeking speakers for the event. The Summit is expected to draw around 200 attendees, including prevention and behavioral professionals, medical professionals, educators, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and community members. Summit subjects and topics to be covered will align with MCADMAHS Prevention and Early Intervention Services priority areas which are culturally relevant, evidenced-based strategies, designed to reduce the likelihood of or delay the onset of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. health professionals, medical professionals, educators, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and community members. The deadline to submit a proposal is 5:00 p.m. on March 21. Questions? Email Danielle Zeisloft at dzeisloft@mcadamhs.org.
|
In the News...
10th annual Opioid Symposium shares stories of drug addiction, recovery Canton Repository, February 28, 2025
New behavioral health clinic for youth expands into Dayton region Dayton Daily News, February 27, 2025
Men's mental health expo at OSU aims to break stigma, foster open conversations WTTE-TV, February 26, 2025
OneOhio funds to support ADAMHS services for Findlay City Schools Findlay Courier, February 26, 2025
U.S. drug overdose deaths drop to lowest levels since June 2020, CDC data shows U.S. News & World Report, February 25, 2025
Cardinal Health grant takes aim at 'huge need' to improve mental health in workplaces Columbus Dispatch, February 25, 2025
Recovery center in Lancaster tackles addiction amid drug flow into community WBNS-TV, February 25, 2025
Mental health program helps teens cope through hip-hop NBC News, February 25, 2025
F.D.A. Expands Access to Clozapine, a Key Treatment for Schizophrenia The New York Times, February 25, 2025
Wood County takes steps to create a suicide fatality review board BG Independent, February 25, 2025
Care Response pilot program launches in two Cuyahoga County zip codes Spectrum News1, February 25, 2025
These Ohio teen boys were blackmailed online. It cost them their lives. USA Today, February 25, 2025
Adverse Childhood Experiences impact brain development and mental health NeuroscienceNews.com, February 25, 2025
Parents' mental health impacts kids' risk of ADHD, anxiety HealthDay News, February 24, 2025
A break from your smartphone can reboot your mood. NPR, February 24, 2025
Debt and mental health. How one couple found help. The New York Times, February 23, 2025
Zach Thompson scatters joy in central Ohio through destigmatizing mental health access Columbus Dispatch, February 23, 2025
Mahoning officials study uses for $7.4M in opioid settlement funds Youngstown Vindicator, February 22, 2025
Study links excessive screen time to psychological distress in adolescents News-Medical.net, February 21, 2025
$5K in scholarships awarded to Black students going into social work and mental health WFMJ-TV, February 21, 2025
Intervention teams working with local police to connect residents to social services Dayton Daily News, February 21, 2025
|