Last week, The Ohio Council began to spread the word about findings from its recent “Breaking Point” workforce report. The report, which is based on data collected from members last year, explores the extent of, causes behind, and potential solutions to Ohio’s behavioral health workforce shortage.

The report and Ohio Council members have been featured by several news outlets, including the Dayton Daily News, WOSU, and WBNS. Ohio Council CEO Teresa Lampl was a featured guest on Columbus’ All Sides with Ann Fisher on Thursday, February 24. Click each link above to read/listen to the coverage.

OhioMHAS Prevention Office Releases Strategic Plan 2021-24

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Office of Prevention Services is dedicated to the vision of All Ohioans promoting healthy, safe, and resilient communities. To achieve this, OhioMHAS partners with the state’s behavioral health and related organizations to build a workforce that is capable of sustaining community-based prevention strategies and growing the use of evidence-based practices rooted in the science of prevention. The recently released Strategic Plan establishes a roadmap for providing expansive, strong infrastructure and support that has the capacity to sustain the future of effective prevention in Ohio. OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss added, “Our Office of Prevention Services plays an essential role in carrying out our vision of ending suffering from mental illness, substance use disorders and problem gambling for Ohioans of all ages, their families, and communities.” Click HERE to read more about Ohio’s Prevention priorities, strategies, programming and alignment with the strategic plans of the Governor’s offices of  RecoveryOhio and the Children’s Initiative, as well as the OhioMHAS Strategic Plan 2021-24.

Marijuana Use Soars Among College Students While Alcohol Use Drops: Research

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study has found that marijuana use among college students is soaring as alcohol consumption drops.

In its “Monitoring the Future” report, the NIH found that 44 percent of college students reported using marijuana in the past year, a 6-point increase from 2015. Daily marijuana usage ticked up from 5 percent to 8 percent of respondents during that time.

Meanwhile, 56 percent of college students said they consumed alcohol last year, dropping from 62 percent in 2019.

The number of students who reported binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks during an outing, dipped from 32 percent to 24 percent in 2020, according to the report.

Nine percent of college students admitted to psychedelic drugs usage, a 4-point increase from 2019.  The report also highlighted the decline of cigarette smoking, amphetamines, and prescription opioid usage among students.

The Ohio Council's 2020 Salary Survey Report is Still Available!