 OhioMHAS Staff, Community Partners Promote Mental Health Resources Amid Avian Influenza
This week, the OhioMHAS Office of Community and Family Resiliency partnered with The Ohio State University (OSU) Extension Offices in Darke and Mercer Counties and local behavioral health stakeholders to reach out to the communities impacted by the avian influenza. Resource tables were set up at two Tractor Supply Co. locations so shoppers could learn more about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Farm Stress Training, and how to engage with local mental health providers. The Department extends its thanks to OSU Extension, the staff of the county mental health and recovery services boards covering Darke and Mercer Counties, and Foundations Behavioral Health Services for working alongside OhioMHAS to improve mental health in these communities.
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SansWrite Rollout for Residential Class 1, 2 and 3 Providers — April 2025 Training Dates
The OhioMHAS Licensure and Certification team is phasing in the final provider type, Residential Class 1, 2, and 3 to SansWrite. SansWrite is an electronic web-based platform to complete on-site surveys, issue findings to providers, and review plans of correction, replacing the current paper process.
For each licensed Residential Class 1, 2, and 3 provider, OhioMHAS has purchased one paid connection to SansWrite. This connection will be identified as the SansWrite Administrator. This connection will be assigned to the person identified in LACTS as the “Contact Person Information” in the LACTS Program Information page. If a provider wishes to change who is assigned as the SansWrite Administrator for the OhioMHAS paid connection, please send an email to liccert@mha.ohio.gov or call 614.752.8880. A provider can purchase additional SansWrite connections for $29 per year per certificate or license. SansWrite can transfer the additional paid connections when there is a change in staff at no cost.
Learn more about the transition to the SansWrite online survey platform.
Residential Class 1 Provider Training Information — April 9
Beginning the week of April 14, OhioMHAS will start the transition process for Residential Class 1 providers who have a scheduled on-site survey on or after Monday, April 14. They will receive the on-site survey findings through the platform. Subsequently, the provider will submit the plan of correction for the on-site survey findings in the platform.
To ensure Residential Class 1 providers are equipped for the transition, the OhioMHAS Licensure and Certification team and representatives from SansWrite will host training webinars on Wednesday, April 9 from 11:00 am-12:00 p.m. and 3:00-4:00 p.m. Use the buttons below to register for the webinars.
Residential Class 2 and 3 Provider Training Information — April 23
Beginning the week of April 28, Residential Class 2 and 3 providers will transition to the SansWrite platform. Providers who have a scheduled on-site survey on or after April 28, will receive the on-site survey findings through the SansWrite platform. Subsequently, the provider will submit the plan of correction for the on-site survey findings in the platform.
To ensure Residential Class 2 and 3 providers are equipped for the transition, the OhioMHAS Licensure and Certification team and representatives from SansWrite will host training webinars on Wednesday, April 23 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 3:00-4:00 p.m. Use the buttons below to register for the webinars.
Other technical assistance resources available to providers include:
 RECOVERY FEATURE
Tyler's Redemption Place: Akron Couple Turns Loss into Labor of Love to Help Families Struggling with Addiction
When you walk into Tyler’s Redemption Place in Akron, you get the feeling of a retreat. Cozy couches and warm lighting inside the log cabin harken a spa or sanctuary, and there is even a sauna and salt cave. It’s all by design, explained co-founder Shelly Bornstein. “People walk in here and you see them kind of perk up, like ‘Really? This is for me?’”
Bornstein said it doesn’t look like the dank, sterile facilities her son, Tyler, would walk into looking for help to battle his addiction to heroin.
Bornstein and her husband, Travis, wanted to build a space that felt welcoming, like family. “When you come in a place and you feel instantly accepted, supported, and loved, it changes everything,” she said.
Everything changed for the Bornsteins when Tyler, 23, died in 2014 from an opioid overdose. Like many people, Borstein said Tyler’s path to addiction began after he was prescribed prescription painkillers. “We didn’t understand addiction as a disease,” Bornstein said.
After Tyler’s death, the couple leaned on their faith to guide them. Two years later, they founded Hope United to bring awareness and support to families struggling with addiction. In 2023, they opened the doors of Tyler’s Redemption Place, a Recovery Community Organization (RCO) named in honor of their late son. They wanted it to be a safe place for people in between treatment and long-term recovery.
Not long after Tyler’s Redemption Place opened, Pat Hill started showing up. The Army veteran struggled in his transition to civilian life. “My dream was to make my life out of the military," Hill said. "When you lose that, you lose your purpose and support. I tried to replace it with bars and the people who hung out in bars, and it just wasn't the same.”
At first, Hill was hitting the gym at Tyler’s Place regularly, working out with Travis Bornstein. The two forged a relationship that would help change the trajectory of Hill’s life. He got more involved when Travis asked him to help start a men’s group, and he now attends weekly veterans’ recovery meetings. After some encouragement from others, Hill signed up for a virtual reality therapy program.
“I saw other dudes doing it and they’re like, ‘this is kind of awesome.’”
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With grant money from OhioMHAS, Tyler’s Redemption Place now offers a veteran-specific therapy similar to a video game. Participants commit to 17 sessions designed to transform negative thoughts and behaviors. “There are interactive videos where you're in a canoe and going down this lake and like they’re talking about breathing, meditation, and stuff," he said. "It's kind of cool.”
Much like a mother bragging humbly about a child, Shelly Bornstein said Hill’s transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed. “He’s really working on himself and growing in so many different ways,” she said.
As for her own late son, Bornstein believes Tyler is smiling down on them: “I think he'd be very proud. I think he'd love everything we're doing.”
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June 2024 OSAM Drug Trend Report Available
The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring (OSAM) Network has released its June 2024 Drug Trend Report: Surveillance of Drug Use Trends in the State of Ohio: January–June 2024. Click the button below to view/download a PDF. Click HERE to access an archive of past trend reports and HERE to subscribe to future OSAM announcements.
SPRC Announces Best Practices Registry (BPR) Intensive Technical Assistance Program (I-TAP)
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) has announced the launch of the Best Practices Registry Intensive Technical Assistance Program (BPR I-TAP). This new program is designed to help programs and interventions build their capacity for data evaluation, so they are better positioned to apply to the Best Practices Registry. The Registry is a resource library of programs and interventions that apply suicide prevention frameworks for specific populations and uses.
To participate in the technical assistance program, applicants must have data on three implementation cycles, as well as a program website. This free opportunity is only available for a short time to a limited number of participants. For guidance on applying to the BPR or the BPR I-TAP, sign up for SPRC's office hours, which take place twice a month through May. Questions? Email sprcbpr@ou.edu.
Advanced Prevention Practice ECHO, Fostering Growth: Cultivating Collegial Support and Connections — March 21
The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites Ohio's experienced behavioral health prevention professionals to join its upcoming Advanced Prevention Practice ECHO session, Fostering Growth: Cultivating Collegial Support and Connections, on March 21. This session focuses on the value of collegial support in the field of behavioral health prevention. Participants will explore how prevention colleagues can champion one another to enhance professional growth, improve practice, and build a supportive network. The session will highlight strategies for creating effective relationships, fostering collaboration, and leveraging colleagues to strengthen prevention efforts. 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.
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The Power of Reentry Coalitions — March 25
Relink.org will present Transforming Lives Together: The Power of Reentry Coalitions on March 25 at 2:00 p.m. Presenters Joe Tucker and Lola Simmons will discuss how reentry coalitions are groups of leaders, legal representatives, and persons with lived-experience who gather together to support county-wide reentry efforts. Questions? Email info@relink.org.
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Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) Certified Facilitator Training — March 25-26
St. Mary Development Corporation, UMADAOP of Dayton, and Montgomery County ADAMHS Board are partnering to host a free Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) Certified Facilitator training on March 25-26 from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Burkhardt Library in Dayton. The WISE Program is a wellness and prevention program targeting older adults, which is designed to help them celebrate healthy aging, make healthy lifestyle choices, and avoid substance abuse. It provides valuable educational services to older adults on topics including medication misuse and management, stress management, depression, and substance misuse. To register, email Terry Vandeberg at tvandeberg@smdcd.org.
Adult Low-Risk Drinking ECHO, Building Bridges: Engaging Community Partners for Low-Risk Drinking Initiatives — March 26
The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites those working in adult low-risk drinking to join its upcoming ECHO session, Building Bridges: Engaging Community Partners for Low-Risk Drinking Initiatives on March 26. This session will explore the critical role of community partnerships in promoting low-risk alcohol consumption. Participants will learn about effective strategies to build relationships and gain support for creating environments that promote adult low-risk drinking. 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.
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Ohio Children's Alliance Annual Spring Conference — March 31-April 1
The Ohio Children's Alliance is hosting its 2025 Spring Conference on March 31-April 1 at the Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark. This year's theme is "Reboot and Rebound: Finding Joy in Your Work." The Alliance’s inspiring Annual Spring Conference gathers professionals from across Ohio to exchange innovative ideas, build lasting connections, and explore forward-thinking solutions. This year's conference will feature renowned authors Dan Heath and Kevin Carroll as keynote speakers, hands-on workshops, high-level presentations, and discussions on innovative topics. Participants will explore the latest advancements and strategies to support and inspire the workforce and improve outcomes for youth and families across Ohio. Registration closes today (March 14).
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2025 Ohio CIT Conference — April 9
The Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence (CJCCOE), in partnership with OhioMHAS, NAMIOhio, and the Montgomery County ADAMHS Board, will host the 2025 Ohio Crisis Intervention Team Conference on April 9 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus. In addition to the Ohio CIT Awards ceremony, the agenda features two keynote speakers, and a range of breakout sessions tailored for CIT coordinators, law enforcement, corrections, and public safety telecommunicators. Cost is $40. The deadline to register is March 26. Questions? Email Emily Ribik at eribnik@neomed.edu.
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NASPA Certified Peer Educator Training for Ohio Campuses — April 17
Ohio campuses are invited to participate in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Training on April 17 at the Nationwide Conference Center in Columbus. This free training equips faculty and staff to train students in the CPE program, providing them with leadership and peer education skills. The training includes eight modules covering topics such as behavior change, communication, intervention techniques, and more. Class size is limited to 18. For more information and to register, email Julie Cameron at julie@prevention-first.org.
Registration Open: 2025 Addiction Studies Institute — June 25-27
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will host the 2025 Addiction Studies Institute on June 25-27 at The Fawcett Center in Columbus. The Addiction Studies Institute conference convenes leading experts from across the country to provide attendees with the tools and knowledge needed to serve those struggling with addiction. Click HERE to view the agenda and HERE for speaker information. Questions? Email Tamara Buhrts at Tamara.Buhrts@osumc.edu.
National Council on Problem Gambling Annual Conference — July 16-18
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. Conference registration opens April 9.
Scholarships Available: Deadline to Apply is March 31 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.
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In the News...
Public invited to Toledo event discussing youth mental health crisis WTVG-TV, March 13, 2025
Efforts to open psychiatric hospital in Toledo underway WTVG-TV, March 13, 2025
One-of-a-kind housing program offers hope and safety to survivors of sexual violence The Ohio Newsroom, March 13, 2025
UC to join bipolar research network Spectrum News 1, March 13, 2025
Pickaway Addiction Action Coalition joins forces with national underage drinking campaign The Scioto Post, March 13, 2025
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says 'state of our state is strong' in annual address Columbus Dispatch, March 12, 2025
Don't underestimate the risk of benzodiazepines The New York Times, March 12, 2025
33 Forever champions suicide prevention at Ohio Statehouse meetings Mansfield News-Journal, March 11, 2025
Treatment center reaching out to problem gamblers at Columbus casino WCMH-TV, March 11, 2025
Seneca County working to improve mental health services for inmates WTOL-TV, March 11, 2025
Deadliest phase of fentanyl crisis eases, as all states see recovery NPR, March 10, 2025
Brook Park City Council backs free suicide prevention training for community Cleveland.com, March 10, 2025
What mental health parity means for your insurance coverage WHIO-TV, March 10, 2025
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