Nichole Moore, who has served as Acting CEO at Summit Behavioral Healthcare (SBH) since September, has been named CEO of the hospital.

Nichole has been an integral part of the SBH's leadership team, most recently serving as Assistant CEO and Acting CEO, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership, and an unwavering commitment to better patient outcomes. 

Nichole is an accomplished behavioral health executive committed to expanding access, equity, and innovation in mental health care. With more than 15 years of leadership experience, she is recognized for driving transformation, fostering collaboration, and improving patient outcomes. Her background includes executive roles in hospital administration and human resources, where she has led organizations through growth, compliance, and quality initiatives.

As CEO, Nichole will continue to champion DBH values, drive operational excellence, and lead the SBH team in delivering high-quality, compassionate care to the patients and communities they serve. 

Sam Dillon with the Office of Communications and Marketing has been promoted to Chief Communications Officer. He joined the department in July as Deputy Chief of Communications and Marketing after serving for four years at the Ohio House of Representatives as Press Secretary and Senior Communications Manager, leading legislative communications and statewide media relations. He also spent five years telling local stories as a community photojournalist.

Previously, Dillon served for eight years in the U.S. Army as a Public Affairs Specialist, which included deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, earning valuable experience in media operations during complex and high-pressure missions.

He brings nearly two decades of strategic communications experience across state government, public service, and media. In his new role, he will lead statewide communication initiatives that support behavioral health services, guiding messaging that helps Ohioans access critical care and resources.

To streamline the department's efforts around behavioral health crisis systems, DBH has created a new Bureau of Crisis Services. The priorities of this bureau will be to:

• Bring together diversified crisis services under a single area;
• Establish accountability and responsibility for building, managing, and evolving a unified behavioral health crisis system within Ohio's community behavioral health system; and
• Assure interoperability and functioning for crisis services for a seamless and "invisible" experience to those in need.

The bureau will be led by Deputy Director Doug Day (pictured in inset photo), who was recently promoted from his role in the Office of Behavioral Health Policy where he provided policy research, advice, support, and recommendations to many areas of the department, including to senior leadership. Doug has been with the agency since 1995 when he joined the former Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) as Medicaid Program Administrator.

The bureau will oversee all community crisis systems work, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS), and Adult Mobile Crisis Services. 

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) recently announced it is launching a two-year, state-funded initiative to reduce suicide among adult men, who account for more than 80 percent of suicide deaths in Ohio. Funded by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the project will expand evidence-based prevention strategies and community support efforts in 10 counties: Clark, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Montgomery, Richland, and Summit.

Efforts include QPR trainings, promoting Man Therapy Ohio, Life Side Ohio for safe firearm practices, and a statewide Community of Practice to strengthen support and normalize mental health conversations.

The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is accepting applications for funding to be awarded as part of the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund. Grants will cover drug task force expenses related to enforcing the state’s drug laws and combating illegal drug activity. The Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund is part of the Drug Interdiction, Disruption, and Reduction Plan that is funded through Ohio's two-year operating budget.

Funds can be used by agencies to investigate drug trafficking organizations and disrupt the drug supply through intelligence gathering, information sharing, and multi-agency coordination. Grants can also be used to support local work to help drug overdose victims and their families through education, support, and treatment options.

Projects may apply for up to 12 months operating from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2026. For technical assistance on any part of the application, call OCJS at 614.466.7782 and ask to speak to the grants coordinator. 

The Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) recently announced the retirement of Executive Director Precia Stuby after 28 years at the organization's helm. Stuby’s career in social work and public mental health and addiction systems spans 43 years — 35 of which were at ADAMHS — where she served seven years as deputy director before being named executive director in 1997. 

During her tenure, Stuby has led Hancock County’s Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) transformation, spurred community coalition building, strengthened recovery housing, and secured significant federal and state funding to enhance the system of care for local residents. She has been honored with numerous awards, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio's Leadership Award and the National Association of Social Workers, Ohio Chapter's Lifetime Achievement Award. She was named “Public Health Champion of the Year” by the Findlay City Health Department and served as past board president for the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities.

“Countless lives in the city and county have been positively impacted by her tireless work for those with addiction and mental health diagnoses,” said Hancock ADAMHS Board Chair Jim Darrach. Stuby's last day with the Board will be March 6, 2026. 

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 announced a schedule of upcoming trainings. Click the links below for more information and to register. Be sure to check out the SUD COE calendar for a full schedule of free trainings and events. 

Dec. 10 | Ethics and Boundaries: Maintaining Professional Integrity
Dec. 11 | Reducing Risk, Increasing Connection: Effective Approaches to Substance Use

The P.E.E.R. Center, in partnership with the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, will host Advocate Like a Star: Rachel Star Withers' Guide to National Impact on Dec. 9 from Noon-3:00 p.m. This virtual workshop will equip peer supporters with the tools and confidence to become a powerful advocate, ensuring that the peer voice is not only heard, but also central to the future of mental health policy. Questions? Email info@thepeercenter.org.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) will host The Stress of Agriculture and Farming: How Mental Health Professionals and Communities Can Support Farmers During Difficult Times webinar on Dec. 11 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Led by Bridget Britton and Sarah Noggle from The Ohio State University, this free webinar will explore the unique stressors farmers face and discuss strategies for providing meaningful support. Participants will gain insights into recognizing chronic stress, anxiety, and depression in farm families, fostering trust, and connecting communities to mental health resources. Click HERE to view OSPF's suicide prevention in the agricultural community one-pager.

As part of its Foundations of Clinical Supervision series, the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO) will host a free Building Strong Teams: Hiring and Onboarding Essentials for Behavioral Health Professionals webinar on Jan. 6 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Presenters Jesse Wodrig, MBA, LCDCIII-GAMB, ICGC-I, OCPSA, and Mike Rosen, LPCC-S, ICGC-I, will focus on the essential administrative practices that support effective gambling disorder programs. The session will offer practical guidance on key management functions, including hiring, onboarding, performance appraisal, and termination, and show how these practices strengthen staff performance and support overall program success. Questions? Email info@pgno.org. 

Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC) Inc., will host Cocoa and Conversation: Helping Families Navigate Addiction and Mental Illness on Jan. 31 from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Discover Shine Bright Community Center in Columbus. This free, community-centered event is designed to support families impacted by substance use, addiction, and mental illness. This gathering offers a welcoming space for learning, open dialogue, healing, and connection. Families will hear from professionals and individuals with lived experience while gaining practical tools and resources they can use long after the event ends. This event also serves as a kickoff to MACC’s broader initiative, The Right Conversation, which helps families navigate challenging discussions around substance use with compassion, clarity, and confidence. Questions? Email shenry@maccinc.net.

Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX) will host I Matter: The Strength Within Us on Feb. 1, 2026, from Noon-4:00 p.m. at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Education Center in Columbus. Now in it's 14th year, I Matter is a free, annual community conference that gives girls in grades 6-12 the skills they need to engage in healthy relationships and provides their mothers and mother figures with the tools and strategies necessary to support them. Guests will receive free parking, event swag, refreshments, and exclusive giveaways.  

Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) is partnering with DBH to present the 2026 Peer Recovery Summit — Connection Creates Recovery: Healing Happens Together on July 8-9, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus. The Summit provides a dedicated space for the advancement of peer support in Ohio through networking and education on essential topics for the community. Save the date to join hundreds of peers across the state at this two-day conference where connection is seen as the center of recovery.