OhioMHAS NewsNow | Governor DeWine Signs SFY 2026-27 Operating Budget...Fourth Annual RecoveryOhio Mental Health Day at the Ohio State Fair...Montgomery ADAMHS Hosts Cultivating Resilience Summit....PCSAO Executive Leadership Meeting...CCI Hosts Second Annual Recovery Celebration...MHAC Unveils New BH Workforce Resources...Upcoming Trainings...In the News

Ohio Department of Behavioral Health sent this bulletin at 07/03/2025 12:00 PM EDT

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Governor DeWine Signs FY’26-’27 Operating Budget

On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s Fiscal Years 2026-2027 operating budget into law. Am. Sub. House Bill 96 supports the priorities of the DeWine-Tressel administration by making historic investments in Ohio’s people and workforce, children, and communities.

“This budget builds upon my commitment to make Ohio the best place for everyone to live their version of the American Dream,” said Governor DeWine. “It prioritizes our children, empowers our workforce, and strengthens our communities. We are investing in the people of Ohio, not just today, but for generations to come.”

“As Ohio continues to attract more jobs, it’s important that the state continues to invest in our workforce,” said Lt. Governor Jim Tressel. “The budget Governor DeWine signed today does just that and much, much more. It enhances support for career-technical education, job training, and apprenticeship programs tailored to Ohio’s industries. These investments will help all Ohioans live up to their God-given potential.”

Key highlights of the biennial budget include:

Supporting Children and Families: Ensures access to quality child care, support for adoptive parents and families, provides new resources to improve children’s wellness, and continues investing in education.
Strengthening the Workforce: Supports Ohio’s higher education institutions, increases investment for career-technical education, and invests in new programs to connect employers with skilled workers.
Investing in Communities: Supports improvements to the safety and security of local neighborhoods, strengthens critical infrastructure, enhances the quality of life, and invigorates local economies.

“We are grateful to the DeWine Administration and members of the General Assembly for their support and continued emphasis on helping Ohioans living with mental illness and substance use disorders find healing and hope," said Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director LeeAnne Cornyn.

"This budget prioritizes efficiency, quality, and accountability, with a focus on five primary areas: expanding crisis services, fostering resilient people and communities, enhancing quality of care, growing the behavioral health workforce, and increasing criminal justice and recovery services," she added. "It also ensures the funding of effective programs and services statewide, providing all Ohioans — regardless of their ZIP code — access to high-quality behavioral health care. As we enter the home stretch of the DeWine Administration, we look forward to continuing to work with our state and local partners with continued urgency and purpose to build the community behavioral health system that was promised decades ago, yet never delivered.”

The budget signed by Governor DeWine included 67 line-item vetoes:

WATCH: Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Tressel Discuss Budget

READ: Governor DeWine's Remarks as Prepared

Free Admission for Behavioral Health Workers for RecoveryOhio Mental Health Day at the Ohio State Fair

On Friday, July 25, OhioMHAS will celebrate the dedication and tireless efforts of Ohio’s behavioral health workforce as part of RecoveryOhio's Fourth Annual Mental Health Day at the Ohio State Fair.

As a token of appreciation, OhioMHAS is offering free fair admission to members of this vital workforce. To claim your free fair ticket (valued at $8 before July 23; $12 after), click the button below.

Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, exciting attractions, delicious food, and engaging activities the fair has to offer. This day is all about you — celebrating your dedication, achievements, and positive impact on mental health in Ohio.

Claim Ticket

Third Annual Cultivating Resilience Summit

Last week, the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board hosted the Third Annual Cultivating Resilience Summit, a conference focused on how communities and providers can support youth who are managing trauma. This year's Summit focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suicide prevention strategies tailored toward youth.

OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn (pictured) provided opening remarks, reiterating Governor DeWine’s dedication to the mental health and well-being of Ohio’s youth. About 100 behavioral health providers, community members, and youth influencers came together to participate in the event, with vendors from across the state available to share important community resources.

The Summit also featured national keynote speakers who focused on the need for hope, joy, belonging, and psychological safety in a trauma-informed and healthy environment. Attendees also heard from a variety of community partners, including the Montgomery County Educational Services Center, Dayton Children’s Hospital, and Public Health Dayton Montgomery County.

New this year, youth from across Montgomery County were invited to participate in a special youth track during day two of the Summit. After attending the days’ sessions, youth leaders from five schools were invited to participate in a “Shark Tank” style activity to help brainstorm ideas on reducing trauma and suicide among their peers. Each team earned prize money for their efforts with the top-ranking team bringing home $500 each. “Our young people know what they need. They just need to be asked,” said Director Cornyn. “So having them here at this event is a great opportunity for them to grow their leadership and develop solutions for themselves.”

OhioMHAS Chief Advisor Provides Update on MRSS Expansion at PCSAO Executive Leadership Meeting

Last week, OhioMHAS Chief Advisor Tia Marcel Moretti attended the Public Children Services Association of Ohio’s (PCSAO) Executive Leadership Meeting where she provided an update on the statewide expansion of Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) in Ohio.

MRSS is a service that provides immediate help for children and young adults 20 and under who are experiencing overwhelming mental, emotional, or behavioral distress. With MRSS, when a crisis like this occurs, a team of trained professionals responds within 60 minutes directly to the young person’s home, school, or any other location to de-escalate the crisis and provide ongoing support – all at no cost to the young person or their family. MRSS also offers up to six weeks of stabilization care, including in-home services, and connects families with peer support, skill-building opportunities, and prevention resources.

In April, leadership from OhioMHAS and the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) joined Governor DeWine to announce that 12 different organizations were selected to provide MRSS services statewide. These organizations will cover 18 regions, enabling response teams to get to any location in the state in less than 60 minutes after receiving a call though Ohio’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline.

VISIT: MRSS Webpage

OhioMHAS Partners with ODRC, OACBHA to Host Second Annual Celebrate "Recovery is Beautiful" Event at CCI

Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Chief of Staff John Annarino was joined by Liz Henrich, CEO of the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), and Warden Garry Galloway on Wednesday for the Second Annual Celebrate Recovery event at Chillicothe Correctional Institution (CCI).

The celebration was open to the more than 2,000 men incarcerated at CCI and included speakers sharing their lived experiences with addiction and recovery and messages of hope for the future. Informational booths were set up where the incarcerated men could learn more about recovery and mental health resources available during and after incarceration.

Warden Galloway provided welcome remarks, followed by inspiring remarks from Annarino and Henrich. Attendees also heard from two peer supporters and formerly incarcerated adult Chase Schrader. Author, educator, and Serenity Academy Chicago Co-founder Mark Sanders provided keynote remarks and encouraged those gathered to "turn their pain into purpose."

OhioMHAS Bureau of Correctional Recovery Services Chief John Sexten called the event powerful, noting it was both motivating and inspirational for the men at CCI. "This type of event instills hope in those who are in recovery and can encourage others who attended to begin their journey of recovery," he said.

OhioMHAS, ODRC, and OACBHA will host a similar celebration on Aug. 6 at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

More Photos

Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition Uses OhioMHAS Mini-Grant Funding to Launch Innovative Resources Addressing Ohio's BH Workforce Challenge

The Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition (MHAC) recently announced the launch of two groundbreaking resources designed to strengthen Ohio's behavioral health workforce: an interactive career pathways tool called BHEACON and a comprehensive Regional Behavioral Health Workforce Coalition (RBHWC) toolkit.

MHAC received a $98,625 grant from the OhioMHAS as part of the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and grow Ohio’s behavioral health workforce. The funding will support the development and implementation of the Behavioral Health Education and Career Opportunities Navigator (BHEACON) and the RBHWC toolkit, addressing critical workforce shortages in Ohio's behavioral health sector.

BHEACON, the interactive career pathways tool, will serve as a centralized resource for individuals exploring careers in behavioral health, offering detailed guidance on career trajectories, educational requirements, and licensing pathways.

The RBHWC toolkit titled, “Collaborating for Change: A Toolkit to Build Regional Behavioral Health Workforce Coalitions,” will empower regions across Ohio to establish and maintain effective workforce coalitions, providing structured guidance, best practices, and practical resources for building sustainable cross-sector partnerships that address local behavioral health workforce challenges.

BHEACON and the RBHWC toolkit are accessible through the RBHWC website and the MHAC website.

Read MHAC Media Release

Behavioral Health and Disaster Planning and Response Trainings

OhioMHAS, in partnership with Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Vedic Welfare Society of Columbus, Forward Step Education, Bete Yared, and the Congolese Community of Columbus has announced a series of free webinars addressing emergency response, disaster preparedness, and culturally tailored behavioral health response services for Ohio’s Bhutanese, Somali, Ethiopian/Eritrean, and Congolese communities. Hear directly from members of these communities in these culturally centered trainings. The webinars are designed for county ADAMHS boards, behavioral health providers, county EMAs, first responders, volunteer disaster response organizations, local and county health departments, and organizations serving these underserved and historically excluded communities. Click the links below for more information and to register. Questions? Email Elizabeth.Poprocki@mha.ohio.gov.

July 8 – BH Disaster Planning and Response for Ohio’s Bhutanese Community
July 17 – BH Disaster Planning and Response for Ohio’s Somali Community
July 24 – BH Disaster Planning and Response for Ohio’s Ethiopian/Eritrean Community
Aug. 8 – BH Disaster Planning and Response for Ohio’s Congolese Community

Upcoming NOVA Crisis Response Team Trainings

Earlier this year, OhioMHAS announced that it is partnering with the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) to host regional NOVA Community Crisis Response Team trainings in communities throughout Ohio. Registrants must complete the NOVA Basic Training prior to registering for the ADVANCED training. These three-day, in-person trainings are available on the following dates on a first-come, first-served basis to Ohio residents:

To register for a training, visit https://novatraining.learnupon.com/store and scroll to find the Advanced Course. Once you have created your account and registered for the course, you will be given the option to select a session date and location. Upon checkout use this coupon code to cover training cost: OMHAS2025-A.

If you have problems registering or finding a session, please contact Suzanne Jones by email at suzannejones@trynova.org or text at 501.514.3152.

Deadline Extended: Ohio Prevention Conference Request for Proposals

In collaboration with OhioMHAS, Prevention Action Alliance invites professionals and organizations to submit presentation proposals for the in-person 2025 Ohio Prevention Conference, slated to be held Dec. 10–11. Proposals should align with the interests of prevention professionals, educators, health providers, and community leaders, and focus on integrated approaches that strengthen communities, address root causes, and improve outcomes. The conference planning committee welcomes sessions featuring best practices, real-world examples, and innovative solutions. The deadline to submit a proposal has been extended to 5:00 p.m. on July 10.

Submit Proposal

Humanizing the Supervisory Experience — July 24

Carve Your Own Path, Inc. will host The Modern Supervisor: Humanizing the Supervisory Experience on July 24 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. This virtual training offers vital insights to deepen supervisory impact, foster ethical and competent clinicians, and integrate relational, multicultural, and social justice approaches. This training is approved for 1.5 Supervision CEUs by the Ohio CSWMFT Board. Questions? Email Amanda@cyopinc.org.

Register