Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will deliver his 2025 State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Ohio General Assembly on Wednesday, March 12 at noon in the traditional location of the House of Representatives Chamber of the Ohio Statehouse. The Address will be streamed live on The Ohio Channel website. 

Dr. John Kennedy has been named the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for OhioMHAS. Dr. Kennedy spent a decade at The Ohio State University, completing medical school, graduate school, and his psychiatry residency. He then continued his training in forensic psychiatry in New York, working in a maximum-security forensic unit upon graduation.

In 2000, he returned to Ohio to serve as the Director of the Institute for Psychiatry and Law at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, integrating the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship into Summit Behavioral Healthcare and serving as the Director of Forensic Services at Summit. For the past 20 years, Dr. Kennedy has held CMO and VPMA positions in university, psychiatric, and general medical hospitals, with oversight of the medical staff office, quality, accreditation, case management and graduate medical education, and outpatient mental health programs.

Dr. Kennedy joins will start his new role on March 12.

By fostering multi-sector partnerships, this initiative will help develop sustainable and impactful behavioral health programs that address the evolving needs of students. It will also improve system capacity by providing professional development and training opportunities to campus professionals, equipping them with the tools needed to enhance student well-being. Additionally, the initiative will help facilitate stronger connections between campus communities and community-based agencies, ensuring a more coordinated approach to supporting student behavioral health.

PreventionFirst!, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healthy behaviors through evidence-based prevention strategies, education, and community engagement, will lead this initiative. With a strong history of supporting campuses and communities, PreventionFirst! will establish and facilitate a Learning Community where Ohio colleges and campuses collaborate to develop, implement, and evaluate data-driven, evidence-based, and culturally responsive strategies tailored to their unique campus needs. Through this effort, the initiative aims to drive meaningful, long-term improvements in student behavioral health support systems across Ohio.

Led by CEO Jonas Thom, OISE is a provider-led Substance Use Disorder (SUD) improvement collaborative committed to enhancing Ohio’s outcomes and resources in the fight against addiction. The organization promotes accountability, transparency, and evidence-based care. OISE membership includes: BrightView, Thrive Peer Support, Integrated Services for Behavioral Health, Riveon, Meridian, Basecamp Recovery, OneFifteen, Boulder Care, Catholic Charities of Cleveland, Talbert House, and Stella Maris. Together, those provider organizations serve more than 80,000 Ohioans, including veterans and military families.

"We strongly support Governor DeWine’s proposed mental health and addiction priorities within the budget," wrote Thom in a letter of support shared with OhioMHAS. "We are sure that by investing in behavioral health, Governor DeWine is directly fostering a healthier, more productive, and resilient Ohio.”

Sources of Strength Ohio (SourcesOH) is an initiative of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) and PreventionFIRST! with funding and support from OhioMHAS. Considered one of the first suicide prevention programs to demonstrate effectiveness using peer leaders, SourcesOH has been implemented in 62 Ohio counties and 399 Ohio schools since December 2020 and has reached 174,000 Ohio students, including 218 middle and high schools.

Key findings from the study include: 

• 29% Fewer Suicide Attempts: The program helped reduce suicide attempts among high school students by nearly a third.
• Students Create Big Change: By empowering students to foster healthy and protective cultures, the program builds stronger, more connected schools where students feel seen, valued, and supported.
• Innovative Public Health Approach: According to the CDC, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people aged 10–24, making it a pressing public health issue. This approach is promising for being able to reduce suicide at a population level. 
• Support for Students Facing Trauma: The study was funded to examine Source’s potential impact on sexual violence and harassment prevention. A cautious interpretation of the evidence suggests that Sources may not prevent suicide attempts among students who have recently experienced sexual violence, highlighting the need for additional intervention support for this high-risk group.

An independent evaluation of Sources Secondary Program conducted in Ohio schools during the 2023-2024 school year showed that nearly half of the students felt equipped to recognize the warning signs of suicide and step in to help a friend in need; fewer students experienced prolonged periods of sadness, many used the coping strategies learned through Sources; and the number of students involved in physical fights on school property decreased from 8.7 to 4.8%.

The Community of Practice Rural Community Opioid Response Program (CoP- RCORP) will host an Exploring Xylazine Misuse and Prevention webinar on March 11 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. This presentation will focus on the rising misuse of Xylazine, exploring current trends, and the ongoing efforts to tackle this public health crisis both in Ohio and nationwide. Participants will gain valuable insights into the scope of the issue and leave with actionable strategies to help combat Xylazine misuse within their communities. CEUs have been applied for. 

The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites those working in youth vaping prevention to join us for our upcoming ECHO session, Quit for Good: Evidence-Based Resources for Cessation, on March 12. This session will explore evidence-based universal, selected and indicated resources, programs, and initiatives that can be used by the entire community to reduce youth vaping. 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, Nursing, and Psychology will be available.

In recognition of March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month, the Zepf Center will present an Insights Into Gambling Disorder webinar on March 14 from noon-1:00 p.m. Participants will review DSM-V criteria for gambling disorder, learn about warning signs and symptoms, review Ohio Gambling Survey prevalence data, review the screening and referral process, and identify state and national resources. Questions? Call 419.841.7701 Ext. 6189 or email mpoliquin@zepfcenter.org. 

Prevention Action Alliance (PAA), in partnership with the Ohio Coalition Institute, will host “A Seat at the Table: Advocacy and Prevention Networking!” on April 15 at the Ohio Statehouse. This free advocacy event, made possible through funding from OhioMHAS, provides a valuable opportunity for preventionists and state elected officials, along with their staff, to connect, exchange insights, and hear from inspiring speakers on shaping policies that strengthen community health and well-being. CEUs will be offered. PAA will provide bus transportation from the PAA office to the Statehouse on the morning of the event. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you plan to depart from the PAA office and ride the bus, please indicate this in your registration.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) has announced several upcoming suicide prevention trainings. Click the links below for more information and to register. Questions? Email Austin.Lucas@OhioSPF.org.

March 21 | Collaborative Assessment & Management of Suicidality (Columbus)
April 4 | Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (Columbus) 
May 30 | Collaborative Assessment & Management of Suicidality (Cleveland)

Save the Date! The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will host its annual conference in Columbus on July 16-18. The conference brings together world-class presenters to deliver powerful and insightful messages about problem gambling and responsible gambling. Registration opens April 9. 

Scholarships Available
The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, with support from Ohio for Responsible Gambling, is providing up to 50 scholarships for behavioral health professionals to attend the 2025 conference. Click the button below for more information and to apply.