Jenifer Fraioli, Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Office of Community and Family Resiliency (pictured), delivered opening remarks at the Ohio Tobacco-Free Recovery Forum held March 12 at The Ohio State University Fawcett Center. Participants learned about the impact of tobacco and the environmental social norms that reinforce use and explored actionable strategies that advance tobacco-free recovery.

As part of Cohort 2 of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery Initiative (CoE TFR), DBH partnered with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to host the event for state leaders, system providers, and community partners to help reduce the rates of tobacco use among individuals with behavioral health conditions.

The DBH Office of Treatment Services recently announced more than $475,000 in grant awards to expand lifesaving treatment and recovery supports for pregnant and parenting women living with substance use disorders (SUD). The funding launches the Ohio Integrated Maternal Wellness Pilot Project, an initiative designed to deliver coordinated, compassionate care directly to communities across northwest Ohio.  

The Zepf Center has been awarded $261,349 to replicate a successful hospital-based model that integrates medical, behavioral health, and social services into a seamless continuum of care. Through this pilot, the Toledo-based provider will expand services into six rural northwest Ohio counties – Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Ottawa, Paulding, and Williams – helping women and their children access comprehensive, wraparound support closer to home. Those supports include things like linkage to primary care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, housing assistance, transportation, vocational training, education, developmental services, and other social services.  

The project also brings together a broad network of local partners through a Maternal Wellness Committee to strengthen collaboration and communication. In addition, it prioritizes training and education for hospital staff to increase confidence in prescribing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to pregnant women and to ensure timely, on-site access for those in need. 

“Our goal is to ensure that every pregnant and parenting woman facing substance use challenges can access timely, coordinated care,” said DBH Director Tia Marcel Moretti. “By expanding this proven model into rural communities and actively reducing barriers to essential services and care, we are strengthening families, improving health outcomes for mothers and babies, and building pathways to long-term recovery and wellness throughout northwest Ohio.”

The DBH Bureau of Crisis Services invites your organization to complete the Behavioral Health Crisis System Provider Survey. This survey is designed to gather practical insight from providers across Ohio to better understand how crisis services are delivered, the obstacles provider organizations and their clients may face, and the types of support that could strengthen service delivery. Your organization's perspective is essential to helping DBH build a clearer picture of the day-to-day operations, staffing and coordination needs, and overall capacity within the crisis continuum.  

Milliman is assisting DBH in managing the survey process, which includes overseeing the survey link, collecting responses, and synthesizing feedback. Your honest feedback is critical and will be used to help DBH and its partners enhance the support, resources, and effectiveness of Ohio’s behavioral health crisis system. The deadline to complete the survey is April 10. Questions? Email: OhioDBH@milliman.com.

DBH is pleased to announce that we have partnered with Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) to offer statewide Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) trainings. In collaboration with DBH, OhioPRO will serve as the centralized contact for all PRS trainings statewide, providing streamlined registration and shorter waits to register for PRS training.

Online PRS trainings, including day, evening, and weekend options, are open to all prospective Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) in Ohio. Local ADAMHS boards and board-designated host organizations will continue to host in-person trainings that prioritize prospective CPRS within the board area, with OhioPRO managing registration.

The DBH 40-hour PRS training is a live, interactive training that teaches prospective CPRS in recovery from mental health and/or substance use issues to use their experience to help their peers who are also in recovery. Prospective CPRS will engage in role-play activities and learn the skills necessary to offer high quality Peer Support.

Click HERE to learn more and view a calendar of upcoming online and in-person trainings.

The Ohio Coalition Institute (OCI) is seeking prevention, behavioral health, and public health leaders to serve on advisory committees that help shape initiatives supporting community coalitions to improve health outcomes. Committee members will share their insights and lived experiences to ensure OCI initiatives remain community-centered, culturally relevant, and impactful.

Individuals are invited to apply for one or more of the following committees:

• OCI 200: Focuses on data-driven strategic planning and the integration of prevention science, public health frameworks, and behavioral health best practices.
• OCI 300: Focuses on advanced practice and systems-level change, with a specific emphasis on evaluation, sustainability, and policy advocacy.
• Evaluation: Guides the overarching OCI evaluation framework to ensure activities are meaningful and effectively demonstrate the impact of OCI levels 100, 200, and 300.

Click HERE to explore each committee. Applications are due April 3. Questions? Email OCI@ohio.edu.

Stay Connected With OCI
Whether you are new to coalition building or an established leader, we encourage you to subscribe to the OCI monthly newsletter. You’ll receive coalition resources, event alerts, and funding opportunities designed to keep you informed, inspired, and connected.

The International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) is seeking a diverse group of certified Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) holding a current IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) credential from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals (OCDP) Board to assist with exam development. Only those holding an active LCDCII, LCDCIII, or LICDC with the additional ADC or CS reciprocal endorsement certificate are eligible to apply.

This activity will consist of one virtual meeting lasting approximately three hours. Participants can earn 3 CE hours for their efforts. Selected participants will be sent a Doodle Poll once IC&RC has received enough volunteer submissions to determine availability and finalize dates. The deadline to apply is March 25. 

SAMHSA has released a new Engaging Service Members, Veterans, and Families toolkit to help Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) strengthen engagement and improve support for military-connected communities. 

The toolkit includes strategies to better engage service members, veterans, and families; guidance on military culture and experiences; ideas for building partnerships with veteran-serving organizations; and practical tools to strengthen behavioral health services.

Relink.org, in partnership with RecoveryOhio and the Addiction Policy Forum will present a Responding to Addiction webinar on March 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. This session is designed to reduce addiction stigma and increase knowledge about addiction, as well as helping behaviors. Participants will learn about the science of addiction, signs and symptoms of addiction, evidence-based treatment options, medications to treat addiction, and engagement strategies. Questions? Email info@relink.org.  

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce will host its 2026 Behavioral Health Summit on April 1 from 8:45 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Ohio Statehouse. The third annual Summit brings together industry leaders, behavioral health care professionals, and employers to discuss pressing behavioral health challenges and solutions in Ohio. The event features keynotes, expert-led panels, and discussions covering topics such as problem gambling, innovative approaches to treatment and recovery, youth mental health, and building sustainable integrated care models across the state. The event promises valuable insights into supporting behavioral health in both businesses and communities across the state. Keynote presenters include DBH Director Tia Marcel Moretti, Radley Care Co-Founder Mark Murphy, and Joe Burrow Foundation Secretary and Treasurer Robin Burrow. 

The Ohio Substance Use Disorders Center of Excellence (SUD COE) at Case Western Reserve University has released a schedule of April trainings. Click the links below for more information and to register. Be sure to check out the SUD COE calendar for a full list of free, upcoming trainings and events.  

April 8 | Motivating Behavior Change
April 9 | Engaging People in Conversations About Change
April 9 | Beyond the Birthdate: Treating Substance Use in Older Adults
April 9 | Breaking Barriers: The History and Stigma of Medication-Based Recovery
April 14 | Overview of Best Practices in the Supervision of Substance Use Providers
April 14 | Unlocking Recovery: Medications and the Brain's Role in Addiction
April 14 | Women and Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Success and Barriers for Care
April 15 | Foundations of Severe and Persistent Mental Health Disorders
April 15 | Ethics and Boundaries: Maintaining Professional Integrity
April 16 | Foundations of Trauma-Informed Care
April 16 | Responding to Provider Trauma, Grief, and Loss Following Lethal Overdose
April 16 | Resilience Focused Supervision
April 21 | Responding to Resistance and Focusing on Change
April 21 | Reinforcing Recovery: An Introduction to Contingency Management
April 23 | Engaging People in Conversations About Change (Geauga County Only) 
April 23 | Integrating OUD Pharmacotherapy in to Clinical Practice
April 23 | From Evidence to Action: Implementing Contingency Management 
April 24 | Women and Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Success and Barriers
April 29 | Strengthening a Person's Own Motivation and Commitment to Change
April 29 | Overview of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for SUD
April 30 | Stagewise Treatment: Tailoring Interventions to Readiness for Change
April 30 | Foundations of Stagewise Treatment

The Providers Support System for Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (PCSS-MOUD) and National Council for Mental Wellbeing are hosting an Evidence-Based Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorder webinar on April 7 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Several evidence-based behavioral therapies exist to help providers treat stimulant use disorder. This webinar will outline the clinical and administrative approaches to assess, treat, and support people experiencing stimulant use disorder.

The P.E.E.R. Center, in partnership with DBH, is offering an Advanced Motivational Interviewing: Resistance, Objections, and the Art of Change training for peer supporters. This virtual training will be repeated on three dates this spring. Questions? Email info@thepeercenter.org.

April 8 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. | Register
May 20 | Noon-4:00 p.m. | Register
June 17 | 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. | Register
 

Join the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery (HECAOD) for the Spring Collegiate Gambling Learning Collaborative on April 16 from 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. This virtual event will explore how gambling behaviors impact student well-being, examine the intersection between gambling and alcohol or other drug use, and provide campus teams with actionable strategies to respond effectively. Through the DBH Problem Gambling Excellence and Innovation Program Initiative, access to this event is free for all Ohio colleges and universities. Please fill out this brief form to see if you qualify for a promo code to register for the event at no cost.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio (NAMI Ohio), with support from DBH and Aetna OhioRISE, will host its annual Youth Advocacy Brunch and Resiliency Ring on May 6 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Youth from across Ohio will gather in downtown Columbus for a powerful morning of connection, leadership, and action. This free event includes a brunch with legislators, inspiring youth speakers, and the 20th Annual Resiliency Ring Rally at the Ohio Statehouse. Click HERE to view a schedule of events. Questions? Call Sarah Malich, NAMI Ohio Director of Youth and Families, at 614.224.2700. ext. 245, or email sarah@namiohio.org.

The Ohio Youth-Led Collective invites youth and their adult allies from across Ohio to gather for the 2026 Our Voice. Our Future. youth-led event on May 8 at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel. Designed for high school leaders who are ready to create positive change and the adults who support and guide them, this action-focused day will celebrate youth-led prevention efforts happening across Ohio. Throughout the day, participants will build advocacy skills, explore how leadership drives real change, and leave with a clear charge to take action. The day will conclude with a walk to the Ohio Statehouse, where participants will have the opportunity show Ohio leadership the power of youth-led prevention. Youth and adults will gain practical tools, inspiration, and connections that last far beyond the event. Thanks to funding support from DBH, this event is free to attend, but group registration is required. Lunch and event t-shirts are included. Register by April 27. 

Save the date! The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will host the 2026 Addiction Studies Institute at the Nationwide and Ohio State Farm Bureau 4H Center in Columbus. August 5-6 will be hybrid (virtual and in-person) and Aug. 7 will be virtual only.

Join hundreds of participants to learn from the best in the fields of substance use disorders, trauma-informed care, ethics, assessment, treatment and more. Discover the latest trends and best practices in the industry. Keynote speakers include Dr. Adi Jaffe, a UCLA-trained psychologist, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author, and Dr. Nzinga Harrison, a double-board certified physician with specialties in psychiatry and addiction medicine. Registration opens April 1. Visit the ASI website for more information.