May 23rd, 2011
HB 93 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS (PILL MILL BILL)
HB 93 sponsored by Representatives Burke and Johnson is legislation designed to help combat an epidemic of prescription-drug abuse, particularly opiates. The legislation was signed into law by Governor John Kasich, Friday May 20, 2011. The Ohio House unanimously approved changes made by the Senate, sending House Bill 93 to Governor Kasich for his signature. As an emergency measure, it will take effect immediately. The “pill mill” bill is designed to enhance the computerized Ohio Automated Rx Review System to help identify extensive prescription-drug use. It would limit prescribers’ ability to personally furnish certain drugs, improve licensing of and law enforcement involving pain-management clinics, and develop a statewide prescription-drug “take-back” program.
Have a great week!
Cheri
Cheri L. Walter
Chief Executive Officer
Posted in CEO Minutes |
May 18th, 2011
March 2011
Ohio’s Opiate Epidemic
In Ohio, our opiate problem has reached epidemic proportions. Based on annual averages, four people died in Ohio died today from accidental overdose. That estimate will be the same again for tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. If this epidemic is not addressed individuals throughout Ohio will continue to die needlessly. (more…)
Posted in One Pager |
May 18th, 2011
February 2011
Youth and Young Adults in Transition
Transitioning from adolescence to adulthood is challenging. This transition can mean many things to many people leaving home, going to school or work, buying a house or starting a family. These transitions aren’t easy in the best of circumstances. And for individuals with serious mental health conditions or addictions, this transition can be even more challenging. The “transitional age” is defined differently by many groups and can range anywhere from 14 years old to 29 years old.
It is during these years that individuals, receiving public services and supports, make the transitions from adolescence
to adulthood and in many cases face some major challenges when it comes to aging out of child-serving systems and benefit programs and into adult serving programs. This often means that the youth will need to find new health care professionals for health and behavioral health services while navigating the complex world of benefits to determine if they are eligible in the adult programs. Moving through this transition can be challenging, and many youth in Ohio could use more help. (more…)
Posted in One Pager |
May 16th, 2011
It is time to start advocating with the Senate to let them know that they MUST put additional dollars into the ODADAS and ODMH budgets, in order to ensure that there is enough money in the community to provide the necessary mental health and addiction treatment for those in need. In the past biennial budget the previous administration cut community funding for alcohol and drug addiction services by 30% and for mental health services by 35%, we must not let this legacy continue.
Make no mistake about it, this budget as proposed hurts consumers, particularly the working poor and those who are either under-insured, or have no insurance and are not Medicaid eligible. We need to advocate that at a minimum, community funding for mental health and addiction treatment be kept at the same level of purchasing power as we have in the current fiscal year. This would require an additional $19 million for mental health and $9 million for alcohol and drug addiction services above what the House added.
In order to make it easier for you, following are the Senate members that serve on the Senate Finance Committee. The address for each of them is:
The Honorable (Senator’s Name Here)
Ohio Senate
The Ohio Statehouse
One Capital Square
Columbus, OH 43215
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
REPUBLICANS
Senator Widener (Chair)
Senator Shannon Jones (Vice Chair)
Senator Kevin Bacon
Senator David Daniels
Senator Keith Faber
Senator Peggy Lehner
Senator Scott Oelslager
Senator Tom Patton
Senator Jimmy Stewart
DEMOCRATS
Senator Michael Skindell (Minority Leader)
Senator Tom Sawyer
Senator Shirley Smith
Senator Kearney
Cheri L. Walter
Chief Executive Officer
Posted in CEO Minutes |
May 9th, 2011
May is Mental Health Month in America. According to estimates from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 20 percent of persons aged 18 and older reported having a diagnosable mental illness in the previous year. Unfortunately, individuals with a mental illness continue to suffer from stigma in America, and even in Ohio. To help those with a mental illness learn as much as you can about the facts of mental illness, and educate others. REMEMBER Treatment Works and People Recover. In fact of individuals with a mental illness, 80% with Bipolar Disorder, 70-80% with Panic Disorder, 65-80% with Major Depression, and 60% with Schizophrenia will recover with appropriate treatment and when necessary, medication.
If you have questions click here to review our frequently asked questions.
To view the SAMHSA Mental Health Month website, click here
Have a great week!
Cheri L. Walter
Chief Executive Officer
Posted in CEO Minutes |
May 5th, 2011
According to estimates from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), by 2020 mental and substance use disorders will surpass all physical diseases as the major cause of disability worldwide. One estimate puts the total economic costs of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among youth in the United States at approximately $247 billion. Thus, there is a growing need to increase awareness about mental health issues, treatment options and prevention methods. To find out more about how SAMHSA is doing this, please review SAMHSA’s Strategic Initiatives document, Leading Change: A Plan for SAMHSA’s Roles and Actions 2011-2014. To view the SAMHSA Mental Health Month website, click here. To learn more about the Mental Health America Mental Health Month Do More for 1 in 4 campaign, click here
Tags: disease. awareness, mental health, SAMHSA
Posted in Publications, Up to the Minute |
May 5th, 2011
Late yesterday evening, the Ohio House Finance Committee met to adopt another round of amendments to the state biennial budget bill (HB 153). Thanks to the calls, e-mails and letters sent by thousands of Ohio’s behavioral health advocates, inroads were made to add some funding to support community mental health and addiction services. An additional $2.5 million per year was added to the community mental health line item and the same amount was added to the community addiction treatment line item. Legislators credited the advocacy calls and e-mails for helping to secure the additional funds. The House is expected to have a floor vote on the budget bill this Thursday. The advocacy focus now shifts to the Senate, which has already begun hearings on the budget. One important change that the Senator Widener is making as the Finance Chair is to ask that witnesses submit written testimony one day early so that it can be posted and shared with the public on the committee’s website. The Governor’s Office of Health Transformation panel presentation is scheduled for May 10th at 9:45am. Individual agencies are slated to testify later that day, with ODADAS testifying at 2:30pm, ODMH at around 4:00pm, and ODJFS at around 5:00pm. More information will be forthcoming on the public testimony schedule. The conventional wisdom around the Statehouse is that behavioral health could see more funds added in the Senate and/or conference committee, so advocacy season is far from over. Senator Widener said the committee will hold hearings throughout the month of May and then vote the bill out of committee the week after Memorial Day. This will allow for Conference Committee meetings during the month of June and a budget bill in place by July1st.
Tags: advocacy, HB 153, Health Transformation, House, Ohio
Posted in Publications, Up to the Minute |
May 2nd, 2011
Ohio had more tornados this past April than any other April in recorded history, and we were lucky compared to Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and other southern and western states. While we did not have all of the major tornadoes, Ohio has been experiencing severe flooding. Unfortunately, the weather forecasters are saying that we all should be prepared for May to be another extremely active weather month, and we all need to be prepared.
What does it mean for an individual to be prepared? It means that should it be necessary as in the case of severe flooding, everyone should all have a plan to leave home in a hurry including a predetermined place to go and method to contact other family members. We also need to be prepared for the possibility an extended stay in our home with little or no help form the outside world. There are several places you can go to get the information you need to create a plan and to learn what you need to keep on hand; Homeland Security’s website (www.ready.gov), or the Ohio the Red Cross. The bottom line is BE PREPARED because once an emergency or disaster occurs it’s too late to prepare.
Take care and have a SUNNY week!!
Cheri L. Walter
Chief Executive Officer
Posted in CEO Minutes |
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