In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn and 988 Administrator Doug Jackson recently taped several interviews with TV stations in the Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo markets to help spread awareness of Ohio's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. They also talked about Ohio's efforts to make services more visible, accessible, and effective, and discussed how talking about mental health and wellness helps to reduce stigma and encourages Ohioans to reach out for help.

The interviews will air on the following stations in May: WCPO-TV (Cincinnati), WOIO-TV (Cleveland), WTTE-TV (Columbus), WDTN-TV (Dayton), and WTVG-TV (Toledo). 

Farmer mental health is increasingly recognized as a critical issue, with many facing high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression due to economic pressures, isolation, and the unpredictability of agriculture. Through funding from OhioMHAS to raise local awareness of 988, the ADAMHS Board of Mercer, Van Wert, and Paulding Counties used a unique, targeted approach to engage the local farming community by distributing work gloves emblazoned with the 988 logo. The gloves (pictured at left) can be used in the daily work of a farmer with the reminder that 988 is a resource if or when it is needed. OhioMHAS is proud to partner with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) and its members to help boost awareness of 988 in communities throughout Ohio.

Perinatal mental health disorders are some of the most common conditions to occur in the first 12 months after delivering a baby.

It is estimated that as many as one in five women in the U.S. experiences a perinatal mental health disorder. Substance use disorders can be a common co-occurrence with mental health conditions during pregnancy; about 5% of pregnant women report using illicit substances, tobacco, and/or alcohol during pregnancy.

During Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (May 1-7), OhioMHAS is highlighting initiatives, both national and statewide, to raise awareness and offer support. Factors such as fear of penalization and stigmatization, inconsistencies in treatment, and lack of specialized training among medical and behavioral health providers make perinatal women especially vulnerable to relapse. 

Learn more:

• POEM (Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement) 
• Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit
• Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health
• The Blue Dot

Last week, CHN Housing Partners and EDEN marked the grand opening of Lotus House, a supportive housing development in Cleveland's St. Clair – Superior neighborhood. Several OhioMHAS staff were on hand for the celebration, including Chief of Staff John Annarino (pictured at right) who spoke during the ribbon cutting ceremony. 

The 50-unit apartment building provides safe, stable, affordable housing and wraparound services for young adults (ages 18-24) and includes both one-and two-bedroom units to ensure adequate space for young adults who are parenting while experiencing homelessness. The complex also features amenities like a fitness center and computer room, as well as supportive services like mental and behavioral health, financial literacy, and life skills training. 

The project is a collaborative effort between EDEN, CHN Housing, Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland, and several others. The $18 million project is funded by a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit award from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, along with private and public money, including $1 million in capital funds from OhioMHAS. Click HERE to read coverage from Cleveland.com. 

Financial professionals are better positioned to be the first line of defense in the battle against mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD) thanks to Recovery Within Reach, a national continuing education (CE) course developed and launched by the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Securities. This first-ever national training, which includes national experts, data and resources, educates and equips financial and insurance professionals with critical information needed to help clients and their families navigate the financial and emotional costs of SUD and mental illness. The course also offers one continuing education credit from NASAA. The course is free and is now available online at RecoveryWithinReachCourse.org.

A Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a framework for developing strategies to remove barriers and link students to interventions. PreventionFIRST!, with funding from OhioMHAS, will facilitate two Communities of Practice to train and provide technical assistance for ESCs and prevention coalitions on the SAP model and prevention basics. Participants will conduct a readiness assessment to determine the capacity and willingness of a local school district to implement a Student Assistance Program, and develop an action plan for next steps.

More information is available in the Project Outline. To apply for funding, please submit your application online by May 14: School Readiness for the SAP Model Community of Practice Application. For application-related questions, including eligibility and requirements, please email cvalentini-lackner@prevention-first.org. 

The Ohio Coalition Institute and Prevention Action Alliance seek experienced coalition leaders to serve as coaches and facilitators for a statewide training initiative. Coaches will play a vital role in building capacity and providing guidance to coalition members across the state through structured training sessions and ongoing support. This grant opportunity is intended to increase the number and quality of coalition trainers across the state and to support emerging and new coalition leaders as they work to address their specific community’s needs. The deadline to apply is May 8. 

Peg's Foundation and the Northeast Ohio Medical University Coordinating Centers of Excellence will present the 2025 Drs. Fred and Penny Frese Lecture, Transforming Mental Health Through Experience-Based Leadership, on May 6 from noon-1:00 p.m. The lecture, which is available in-person and online, will feature insights from Brandon Staglin, Co-Founder and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of One Mind. The presentation is free and open to the public. 

The Drs. Fred and Penny Frese Lecture honors the late Fred Frese, Ph.D., and Penny Frese, Ph.D., by sharing stories of individuals living successfully with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses and how their loved ones support their recovery. Questions? Email bestcenter@neomed.edu or call 330.325.6698. 

Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC, Inc.) has released an updated schedule of trainings for May and June. Click the links below for more information and to register. CEUs will be offered. Questions? Email Sarah Henry at SHenry@maccinc.net. 

May 7 | 1:00-4:00 p.m. | Cross-Cultural Approach to Trauma-Informed Care
May 15 | 1:00-4:00 p.m. | C.A.R.E. Method Training
June 11 | 10:00 a.m.-Noon | The Impact of Discrimination on Substance Use Treatment

The Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health (OPCSMH) will host its 7th Biennial Conference: The Evolving Landscape of Campus Behavioral Health on May 15 from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the OCLC Conference Center in Dublin. The conference seeks to provide education on evidence-based, culturally relevant resources related to campus suicide prevention and mental health promotion through presentations from industry experts and creating and fostering a safe space for discussion of mental health and campus safety topics, including but not limited to mental health stigma, suicide risk, and substance misuse. The conference will feature Laura Stack of Johnny’s Ambassadors, who lost her son to suicide following marijuana induced psychosis. Dr. Kurt Michael of The JED Foundation, will discuss how colleges and universities can collaborate with campus-community partners to leverage the promotion of student safety and well-being. Cost is $50. The deadline to register is May 9. 

 The G.A.P. Network will host a Disenfranchised Grief: The Unspoken Losses webinar on May 15 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Families currently living with addiction may find themselves experiencing disenfranchised grief. Grief experienced from secondary and non-death losses is real and should be treated with awareness and acknowledgement, care and support. This class will focus on understanding disenfranchised grief and its different categories (especially related to non-death loss and addiction), as well as ways to support those experiencing disenfranchised grief.

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.

Registration is open for the 2025 SPCA Annual Meeting: Strengthening Coalitions Through Intentional Action slated for May 20 from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville. This year marks 30 years of coalition impact across Ohio, and SPCA is celebrating with a day of connection, learning, and action. Join coalition leaders, partners, and prevention advocates from across the state for engaging sessions, dynamic discussions, and strategies you can bring back to your community. This event is open exclusively to SPCA members — but membership is free. If you're not yet a member and would like to join or learn more, email spca@preventionactionalliance.org.

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.

The 2025 Ohio Prevention Conference: Advancing Prevention Through Integrated Approaches is expanding into a dynamic three-part experience. Join Prevention Action Alliance this fall for two engaging virtual sessions, and then come together in December with prevention professionals from across the state for a two-day in-person conference in Columbus.

Save these dates!

• Virtual Pre-Conference – Oct. 9 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Virtual Pre-Conference – Nov. 6 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• In-Person Conference – Dec. 10-11 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.