We’re excited to announce that, effective Oct. 1, News Now will be renamed Behavioral Health Bulletin to better reflect our new agency name, Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), also launching on Oct. 1.

Over the past 12 years, the way we talk about and deliver behavioral health care has evolved and our new name embraces that progress. Behavioral health reflects a more holistic, integrated approach to care — one that helps reduce stigma and encourages more Ohioans to seek the help they need to get well, be well, and stay well.

As our department evolves to better serve Ohioans, so too will our communications. Rest assured, you’ll continue receiving the same high-quality content -- just under a new name. Starting with the Oct. 3 edition, the Behavioral Health Bulletin will come from OhioDBH@Public.GovDelivery.com. To ensure uninterrupted delivery, please add this address to your safe sender list. If you need help, reach out to your IT team.   

Wright State University, in partnership with OhioMHAS and the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, recently released a study that highlights the connection between mental health and its economic impacts.  

The Economic Impact of Behavioral Health in the Greater Dayton Region, conducted by Thomas Traynor, Ph.D., professor emeritus of economics at Wright State University, was presented to stakeholders from the business, health care, government, nonprofits, and Dayton community this week during a roundtable event to develop actionable policy recommendations from the report aimed at reducing the economic burden of mental illness. 

In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, staff from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's RecoveryOhio initiative partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to host Walk into Wellness at Findley State Park in Wellington on Sept. 20.

The day was filled with opportunities to connect, learn, and enjoy the outdoors, while promoting health and wellness. The event featured a variety of activities, including a guided hike, mental health resource fair, kindness rock painting, and visits with therapy dogs. Participants were encouraged to complete an activity card to receive a special certificate signed by Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel. 

The Ohio Healthy Youth Environments Survey (OHYES!) is now available in Spanish. This update ensures more students and families can participate in this important tool for promoting youth health.

Why It Matters:
OHYES! is a free, anonymous survey for students in grades 7-12 that helps schools track behavioral health trends, strengthen supports, foster community collaboration, and support funding efforts.

What’s New for Fall 2025:

• Spanish student survey and parent notifications
• Improved suicide-related instructions
• Aligned with the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

Key Dates:

• Register by Nov. 7, 2025
• Survey Window: Oct. 1 – Dec. 19, 2025
• Reports Available: March 2026

Register Now at https://bit.ly/OHYES2025-Registration

Let’s build healthier school communities – together. 
Visit https://youthsurveys.ohio.gov/our-surveys/ohyes for materials, guidance, and support. Questions? Email info@ohyes.ohio.gov.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) Director Kara Wente this week announced the launch of the Child Care Cred Program, a $10 million program making child care more affordable for working families while helping Ohio businesses strengthen their workforce. The program was created through Ohio’s SFY26–SFY27 biennial budget and is designed to tackle one of the state’s biggest workforce challenges: access to affordable child care.

“The new Child Care Cred Program is designed to help Ohio’s families get access to childcare,” said Governor DeWine.  “And, when parents have quality childcare, Ohio’s employers have productive employees who are not worried about their kids during work. It is a win for Ohio’s working families and for businesses.”

Families must live in Ohio and employers must be Ohio-based to qualify for the program. Employers and employees must work together to submit an application through DCY. Once approved, families may enroll their child in a licensed program or remain with their current provider and receive assistance with costs.

Applications are due by May 1, 2026, with funding available through June 30, 2026.

Ohio high school art teachers are invited to engage their students in this year’s Red Ribbon Week poster contest, hosted by RecoveryOhio. This is a chance for young artists to use their creativity to support healthy, drug-free lifestyles while promoting a meaningful statewide campaign.

The 2025 theme is “Life Is A Puzzle. Solve It Drug Free™" — a message that highlights how each choice helps shape the bigger picture of a student’s future. Students are encouraged to reflect this theme through original poster designs that will be shared across Ohio to raise awareness during Red Ribbon Week, held Oct. 23–31.

Selected entries will receive a certificate signed by Governor Mike DeWine, and their art will appear on the RecoveryOhio social media sites. The contest is open to all Ohio high school students. Submissions are due by Monday, Oct. 20.

Full contest details, including entry instructions and design guidelines, are available at recoveryohio.gov/redribbonweek. If you have any questions, please contact RecoveryOhio@Governor.Ohio.gov.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released its new strategic priorities to achieve its mission of leading efforts in treating mental illness, preventing substance abuse, and fostering recovery while ensuring access to better health outcomes. Key areas of focus include:

• Preventing substance misuse and addiction.
• Addressing serious mental illness.
• Expanding crisis intervention services.
• Improving access to evidence-based treatments.
• Supporting long-term recovery and sobriety.
• Identifying emerging behavioral health threats.

SAMHSA will also emphasize early prevention of substance use, strengthening partnerships between crisis care systems and law enforcement for effective public safety responses, improving treatment access, and utilizing timely, localized data for informed policies.

As the aging population continues to grow across the nation, so do new challenges to public mental health systems and systems on aging. As a part of the Advancing Crisis Care and Beyond series, SAMHSA has published a new technical assistance paper, Behavioral Health Services and Older Adults: Coordinating Care Across Systems and the Lifespan, to assist state mental health agencies in addressing these systems challenges. The paper highlights examples from state mental health agencies in Colorado, Indiana, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee on innovative ways to coordinate treatment, improve the workforce serving older adults, and ensure that crisis services are capable of meeting the needs of older adults through policy and care coordination with other agencies, such as state units on aging and area agencies on aging.

Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC), Inc. has released a schedule of upcoming professional development opportunities. Click the links below for more information and to register. Questions? Email shenry@maccinc.net.

Sept. 30 | Preventing Substance Misuse in Pregnant Teens (Two-Part Series)
Oct. 1 | Improving Cultural Competence for Behavioral Health Professionals
Oct. 15 | Healing Hearts: Grief Recovery and Harm Reduction for Children
Oct. 21 | Understanding Trauma and Trauma Informed Care

Fresh A.I.R. (Artists in Recovery) Gallery will host an opening reception for Flourish Beyond the Silence, an exhibition of paintings by artist Lori Rivera on Oct. 8 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at 131 N. High St. in Columbus. Rivera, who lives with bipolar disorder, is an award-winning artist from Indiana who creates abstracts, surrealism, and still-life paintings as a tool for healing. The floral paintings featured in this exhibition represent the disparity that exists between physical and mental health. The exhibition runs through Dec. 31. Fresh A.I.R. Gallery is a project of Southeast Healthcare and exhibits the works of individuals affected by mental illness and/or substance use disorders. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio (NAMI Ohio), with support from OhioMHAS, has released a schedule of upcoming training dates for its free, 40-hour Certified Youth Peer Support training. This training prepares young adults (ages 18-30) with lived experience in mental health and/or substance use to support other youth on their recovery journeys. Participants who complete the full training will receive a certificate of completion, which is required before applying to become a Certified Youth Peer Supporter in Ohio. Questions? Email Sarah Malich at sarah@namiohio.org.

The Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center has released a schedule of training dates for its upcoming, two-part training series: The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Client: Developing Clinical Competency in Mental Health Treatment. Click the links below for more information and to register. Questions? Email Rachel Leffel at rleffel@chsc.org. 

Part 1 | Oct. 31, Jan. 9, March 6 | View Flyer 
Part 2 | Nov. 21, Feb. 26, April 10 | View Flyer