The evening featured remarks from OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn and Chief Advisor Tia Marcel Moretti, a "Fireside Chat" exploring community perspectives on suicide prevention and resilience that was moderated by Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) Executive Director Tony Coder, and two panel discussions offering state and local perspectives on the impact of suicide in Summit County. Summit ADM Executive Director Aimee Wade and OSPF Director of Coalitions and Strategic Initiatives Daniel Bennett served as panel moderators. 

Earlier in the day, Director Cornyn and Chief Advisor Moretti joined Summit ADM staff on a visit to the Ellet Community Learning Center, where they met students and staff and learned about student wellness efforts. While on campus, they also visited The Summit 91.3 FM, which hosts the Summit Wellness, a multimedia program dedicated to harnessing the power of music to enhance health and wellness across diverse communities. Originally known as Rock and Recovery, the program has evolved to address a broader spectrum of mental health and wellness topics. Through engaging music experiences and public service campaigns, Summit Wellness fosters community connections and supports mental well-being for individuals of all ages.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol use and misuse. It offers communities a chance to gain more understanding of how individuals struggle with alcohol use and offers resources and support. People commonly think of 12-step programs or 28-day inpatient rehabilitation as the only options for treating alcohol problems; however, other choices are available. It’s a good idea to start by talking with a healthcare provider to put together an individualized treatment plan.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAA) Rethinking Drinking website has facts on drinking and resources for those seeking help for themselves or others. Click HERE to access NIAAA's booklet, Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol & Your Health. Click HERE to access the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Alcohol Awareness Month social media toolkit.

In his role at the ADAMHS Board, Osiecki is responsible for advocacy, planning, and management of a recovery-oriented system of care that delivers quality treatment and recovery services through more than 70 contract agencies in the county. He also serves on the executive council for the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) and is often in the state capital advocating for local and statewide improvements to the behavioral health system.

Osiecki is currently overseeing several projects aimed at transforming the county’s behavioral health landscape, including the upcoming Crisis Receiving Center in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood and the Care Response Pilot program in Cleveland’s 44102 and 44105 ZIP codes. Before his appointment as CEO in 2018, Osiecki served in several leadership roles at the Board, including overseeing public relations, media relations, governmental affairs, education and training, and clients’ rights.

Over the next several months, the ADAMHS Board will begin preparing for Osiecki’s transition and search for its new CEO.

SAMHSA invites community-based organizations and institutions of higher education to apply for a Communities Talk stipend to help plan local events that advance conversations and community convenings on substance use prevention.

Organizations are encouraged to:

• Feature youth-led activities.
• Customize the event to meet the needs of their community.
• Plan and promote the event using resources on the Communities Talk website.

The deadline to complete the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) needs assessment has been extended to April 18. Your anonymous responses will inform the development of resources to support you in preventing suicide. This critical assessment was designed to help SPRC understand the steps you’re taking to prevent suicide and how the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (National Strategy) has guided your efforts. No matter your level of experience with the National Strategy, SPRC wants to hear from you. The assessment is open to everyone involved in suicide prevention, even if it’s not your full-time job. Questions? Email NSNA@ou.edu.

The Ohio Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder (AUD/SUD) Project ECHO at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) offers no-cost, bi-weekly continuing education (CE/CME) opportunities for healthcare professionals across Ohio. This program — which is is designed for healthcare providers across disciplines, including doctors, nurses, social workers, and administrators — provides expert-led, practical training on various AUD/SUD topics, with interactive sessions that include questions and case review opportunities. Questions? Email SUDeducation@neomed.edu. 

SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Technical Assistance Center (SPTAC) is hosting an Epidemiology Roundtable: Collecting Youth Survey Data on April 10 at noon. Prevention leaders depend on youth survey data to inform and prioritize their prevention programs. Yet in recent years, many communities have stopped collecting this data, resulting in critical information gaps. Join data colleagues from across the country to explore these challenges and brainstorm potential solutions. Questions? Email SPTAC-EPI@edc.org.

Join OhioPRO on April 17 at noon for a Zoom-based webinar with Pat Deegan & Associates as they introduce their Certified Personal Medicine Coaching (CPMC) training. Personal Medicine Coaching disrupts messages of chronicity and hopelessness, emphasizing hope and respect for resilience. Once certified, CPMCs emerge into the workforce with increased skill, tools, and confidence to support individuals on their recovery journeys.

The Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion invites Ohio's experienced behavioral health prevention professionals to join us for our upcoming Advanced Prevention Practice ECHO session, Empowering Conversations: Practical Skills for Addressing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health on April 18. This session equips prevention specialists with practical tools and strategies to facilitate open discussions to help break down stigma, foster support, and enhance their impact in addressing these essential topics within the community. Sessions are interactive and are a great place to share your successes or “workshop” your ideas with subject matter experts and colleagues. 

BrightView Health will present a free Methadone: Sorting the Science from the Stigma on April 23 webinar from noon-1:00 p.m. Attendees will learn facts and fiction about methadone, how methadone compares to other medications used in MAT programs, and how to know when methadone is the best option for a patient. Questions? Email info@brightviewhealth.com. 

The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), in partnership with OhioMHAS, will host Ohio’s 2025 Mental Health and Addiction Conference: Advancing Care in Communities on June 9-10 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus. Attendee registration is now open. Click HERE for attendee information and HERE for sponsorship and exhibitor information. Questions? Email Shelby Embrey at sembrey@oacbha.org.

Star Behavioral Health Providers (SBHP) has announced two upcoming trainings for professionals who are dedicated to supporting service members, veterans, and their families. Both trainings will be held in Columbus. Click the links below for more information and to register. Questions? Email Nicole.Laurenzi@osumc.edu.

June 18 | Tier I: Introduction to Military Culture, Families and Deployment | Register
July 24 | Tier II: Overview of Military Service-Related Behavioral Health Challenges | Register

Ohio Certified Peer Recovery Supporters are invited to apply to join the Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery (OCAAR) 2nd Ohio Recovery Leadership Institute. The Institute utilizes Transformational Leadership as a powerful cohort model where a select group of peer leaders participate as a group in five workshops and five individual coaching sessions. Each workshop supports the inner development of leaders, which creates a strong foundation for them to reshape systems with peers as a vital part of the workforce. The individual leadership coaching helps them set and achieve their individual leadership goals. Participants must attend all five sessions to graduate. Sessions will take place on June 13 (Columbus), July 11 (virtual), Aug. 15 (virtual), Sept. 12 (virtual), and Oct. 10 (Columbus).

Note: the cohort is limited to 20 peers. The deadline to apply is April 18. Hotel accommodations and travel stipends will be provided to those who are accepted. Questions? Email Michael King at michael@communitiesproject.org.