In a First, the FDA Approves Flavored Vapes for Adults

The FDA has, for the first time, authorized fruit‑flavored e‑cigarettes for adults 21 and over, green‑lighting several Glas vape products in mango, blueberry and menthol following reported pressure from President Trump on the agency’s commissioner.

OACBHA Names Jeremiah Wagner as Chief Executive Officer 

The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities Executive Council is proud to announce the appointment of Jeremiah Wagner as our next Chief Executive Officer. Jeremiah has a bachelor’s degree in political science from The Ohio State University, a master’s degree in leadership and management from Western Governor’s University and a certificate for project management professional. Jeremiah will officially step into the role next month (June 15) to lead our association into a new era of unified advocacy and strategic renewal.

Jeremiah brings a rare, dual perspective that bridges state-level policymaking with local county operations:

• Statewide Legislative Leader: As Deputy Director of External Relations at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, he has spent over a decade navigating the Ohio General Assembly, managing multi-billion-dollar state budgets, and building bipartisan coalitions

• Local Board Champion: As a Board member of the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, he understands firsthand the unique funding and operational realities our 50 county boards face every day

Click here to view the press release. 

Legal Action Center / Opioid Response Network On-Line Training - Federal Medicaid Policy Changes: Privacy and Parity Act Considerations

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Place: Online

Click here to register!

As states implement new Medicaid policies, including the new work reporting requirement, there are other federal laws that come into play, specifically federal privacy protections and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Parity Act). Join the Legal Action Center for this webinar highlighting two new resources discussing how these existing laws interface with new Medicaid policies as states implement the work reporting requirement and other policy changes:

Implications of 42 CFR Part 2 on the SUD exemptions: This guide discusses the implications of federal health privacy protections on the Medicaid work reporting requirement and specifically, how 42 CFR Part 2 applies (or doesn't) to SUD related Medicaid claims data for purposes of determining eligibility for the SUD-related exemptions.

Parity Act and New Federal Medicaid Policies: As states look to reduce Medicaid expenditures and otherwise implement new federal Medicaid laws, some are considering or adopting changes that would disproportionately limit coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services, likely in violation of federal parity rules. For example, Kentucky added prior authorization requirements to all behavioral health services last year, and Virginia is currently considering a 20-hour per week cap on ABA therapy for autism. This issue brief clarifies Parity Act requirements in Medicaid as states continue implementing new federal Medicaid laws.

Meet Your Presenters

Jacqueline Seitz and Deborah Steinberg

Ohio Lawmakers Consider Joining Other States to Test Psychedelic-Assisted Treatments

In Ohio and several other states around the country, lawmakers are weighing the potential benefits of a little-known psychedelic drug called ibogaine.

Rep. Justin Pizzulli chairs the Ibogaine Treatment Study Committee and lobbied for its creation as part of last year’s budget.

Pizzulli represents Portsmouth which he described as “ground zero” for the opioid crisis in Ohio.

Supporters of ibogaine treatment insist their effort is limited to clinical therapies in a controlled setting rather than opening the door to recreational use. And they point to initial studies that show promising results for the treatment.

Right now, a handful of states are pooling funds and working together to develop a treatment that could pass muster with the FDA.