Conference attendees also heard from keynote speaker Dr. Gretchen Clark-Hammond, the CEO at Mighty Crow, who infused some humor into her discussion about data and how it is important to build a case to support quality recovery housing. 

During the annual awards dinner, ORH acknowledged Ohio Governor Mike DeWine with its Recovery Housing Hero Award. The award recognized the DeWine Administration's steadfast support for recovery housing, noting that the state has invested significant resources to ensure quality in recovery housing. RecoveryOhio Director Aimee Shadwick (pictured) accepted the award on the governor's behalf. 

Join OhioMHAS and the County of Summit ADM Board for the Hope in Ohio: Summit County Suicide Prevention Community Conversation, which will place Thursday, April 3 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Cuyahoga Falls Downtown Pavilion.

This event will bring together local leaders, mental health experts, and community members to discuss the impact of suicide in Summit County, share valuable resources, and offer an opportunity for attendees to provide feedback to help shape local suicide prevention strategies.

Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) has announced the release of three comprehensive reports that shed light on the critical role of peer recovery support services in Ohio. These reports, informed by OhioPRO’s 2024 Statewide Peer Stakeholder Survey, provide vital insights into the current landscape, challenges, and future opportunities for peer-led recovery services across the state. These reports are part of OhioPRO’s ongoing initiative, “The State of Recovery in Ohio – Peer & Recovery Supports Scan,” which aims to assess and strengthen peer recovery support systems through data-driven research and stakeholder collaboration.

The three reports, Capturing What Works: Investing in Peer Support Data in Ohio, Valuing the Power of Peers: Investing in Ohio’s Peer Workforce, and Funding and Sustaining the Integral Role of Peer Recovery Supporter: Barriers and Opportunities in Ohio, highlight the essential contributions of peer recovery supporters (PRS) and peer-run organizations (PROs) in helping individuals navigate substance use, mental health challenges, and recovery.  

Key findings from these reports can be found HERE as well as access to the full versions.

Ohio University is seeking individuals who have lived experience with gambling problems as consultants on a research project to identify gambling harms and help eliminate barriers to support in rural areas. Those interested in sharing their gambling experiences and collaborating on this project would meet approximately bi-monthly and may have an opportunity for compensation. If you have questions and/or want to apply, please contact Jennifer Grant Weinandy, Ph.D., at jgrantweinandy@ohio.edu or the Thoughts and Experiences of Addiction (TEA) Lab at tealab@ohio.edu.

The Ohio Substance Use Disorders Center of Excellence (SUD COE) at Case Western Reserve University's Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences has added five new tools for practitioners to its website. Each resource is available for free download:

• Basic facts of Contingency Management – This informative sheet outlines what Contingency Management is and what it is not.
• Implementation readiness checklist booklet – This booklet provides an essential checklist of factors for agency consideration when implementing evidence-informed practices.
• Motivational Interviewing reminder card – This tool provides a useful check to ensure providers are practicing Motivational Interviewing effectively.
• Readiness for change ruler – The Readiness Ruler is a helpful tool to support the use of Motivational Interviewing (MI). 
• Stage-based decision guidelines for integrated treatment – This booklet provides guidance for clinical care based on an individual’s stage of change.

Be sure to also check out the SUD COE's training calendar for a full schedule of upcoming trainings and events. 

Looking for age-appropriate resources to share with a teen in your life about the dangers of drugs? The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Just Think Twice website provides teens with the tools to learn about drugs and the dangers of using them:

• Discover Drug Facts
• Read True Stories from Teens
• How Drug Use Affects You

Envision Partnerships has announced two upcoming Minimize Risk – Maximize Life facilitator trainings on April 7 and June 23. The trainings will be held at Prevention Action Alliance in Columbus from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Minimize Risk – Maximize Life (MRML) is an evidence-based program authored by Envision Partnerships for adults of all ages to learn about the low-risk drinking guidelines, to help improve personal wellness, and to effectively share these lessons with others. Trained facilitators use a workbook, PowerPoint presentation, and guided discussion to help adults learn how to minimize their risk for alcohol problems while maximizing the quality of their lives. Facilitators will be provided with 6.25 hours of Prevention CEUs, all course materials, a sample of giveaway items for participants, access to the facilitator’s login on the www.LowRiskDrinking.com site, and ongoing technical assistance. Space is limited. Please apply by March 31. Questions? Email Lori Higgins at lhiggins@envisionpartnerships.com or Kristina Latta-Landefeld at klatta@envisionpartnerships.com.

In observance of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF) will be hosting five webinars (every Wednesday in April) that highlight various statewide and localized programs and initiatives throughout Ohio. These webinars are free and will be held via Zoom at 11:00 a.m. Please note, you will need to register separately for each webinar. Click HERE for more information. Use the links below to register.

April 2 | DCY Parent and Youth Ambassadors
April 9 | Family Success Network, Westside Catholic Center
April 16 | Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
April 23 | Reach Out and Read
April 30 | Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework

The Ohio Prevention Professionals Association is hosting OPPA Conference 2025: The Art of Prevention with Intention on May 1 at The Fawcett Center in Columbus. The conference prioritizes education, dialogue and networking for Ohio's prevention community, as well as presentation of the 2025 OPPA Prevention Awards, honoring prevention excellence in Ohio.

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, Moving Beyond Cultural Competency to Cultural Humility: Embracing Lived Experience, on May 16. Emphasizing the value of lived experience, this webinar will explore how integrating cultural humility enhances prevention efforts, strengthens community connections, and addresses the diverse needs of individuals and communities. 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.

Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR) will host its first annual Suicide Prevention Symposium, titled The Suicide Prevention Symposium on Empowering Communities to Save Lives, on May 28 from 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. at Kent State Stark’s Conference Center, 6000 Frank Ave. NW, in North Canton. The symposium will be an impactful event designed to equip attendees with critical insights and strategies to prevent suicide and support mental health in attendees’ respective communities. Drawing from lessons learned from a recent suicide cluster in Stark County, the day will provide actionable items communities can do to prevent suicide, discuss transforming the narrative and culture around men's mental health, and reimagining safer suicide care. A unique "Doctors Are In" session will provide participants the opportunity to engage directly with experts and ask questions, making this an invaluable resource for anyone dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health advocacy. Cost is $80. Click HERE to read the StarkMHAR press release.

Save the Date! The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) has announced that it will host the Third Annual Suicide Prevention in the Black Community Summit on June 27 from 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus. Join OSPF for this solution-driven summit dedicated to youth-focused suicide prevention by equipping youth and young adults, parents and guardians, faith-based and community organizations, educators, community advocates, and mental health professionals with tools to prevent suicide and support Black youth and young adults. The summit will feature inspiring keynote speakers, engaging discussions, workshops, and training on the Ohio Strategic Prevention Framework, a data-driven model designed to create sustainable suicide prevention strategies. Registration information will be available on the OSPF website soon.