Staff from Vassar College participating in the Mental Health First Aid/Harm Reduction in Higher Education pilot, alongside a representative from the Dutchess County Department of Mental Health. Photo courtesy of Nicole Adamo. | |
Mental Health First Aid Pilot Expanded to More Colleges After Successful First Year
The New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors (the Conference), in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), is proud to launch the second year of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)/Harm Reduction in Higher Education pilot. Building on over a decade of OMH-funded efforts to expand MHFA training statewide, the initiative is designed to foster healthier, more resilient college environments—supported by harm reduction resources from OASAS. Developed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, MHFA is an evidence-based training program that teaches individuals how to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. This training provides the skills necessary to offer initial support until professional help is available. The Conference is grateful to OMH for its continued investment in Year 2, which makes it possible to expand the project’s reach and equip additional campuses with the tools needed to create responsive, supportive, and healthy learning environments. Read more here.
| |
Albany County DCS Presents at Regional Symposium on Targeted Violence Prevention
Dr. Stephen Giordano, Albany County Mental Health Commissioner and Director of Community Services (DCS), recently spoke on a panel at the Building the Northeast Network: The Way Forward to Prevent Terrorism and Targeted Violence symposium, held at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. His session, "Law Enforcement Collaborations in Prevention," took place on Day Two and highlighted cross-sector partnerships in threat assessment and intervention. The event, hosted by DHSES and the Center on Terrorism at John Jay, convened regional and international experts to spotlight emerging strategies and public health approaches to violence prevention.
| |
OPWDD Launches Commissioner’s Taskforce on Aging
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities across their lifespan, the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has announced the creation of a new Commissioner’s Taskforce on Aging. This initiative builds upon the state’s recent work on the Master Plan for Aging and will focus on developing actionable recommendations to address the growing and complex needs of aging individuals with developmental disabilities. A key priority of the taskforce is to identify strategies that enable people to age with dignity while remaining in their communities. The taskforce will serve as a time-limited subcommittee of the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council (DDAC) and will be co-led by a DDAC member and a representative from the Commissioner’s office. Members will include subject matter experts in health, aging, housing, and developmental disabilities, along with self-advocates, family members, providers, and representatives from Care Coordination Organizations. For questions, please contact DDAC@opwdd.ny.gov.
Related: OPWDD Care Coordination Program Evaluation Report Now Available
| |
As Fentanyl Deaths Slow, Meth Comes for Maine
Something worrisome was happening at Spurwink, a mental health clinic in Portland, Maine. Many patients being treated for opioid addiction had gone missing for days, even weeks, skipping prescription refills and therapy appointments. The counselors feared their patients were relapsing on fentanyl. But those who reappeared did not show the telltale signs — no slurred speech, pinpoint pupils or heavy eyelids. On the contrary, they were bouncy, frenetic, spraying rapid-fire chatter, their pupils dilated. They warned of spies lurking outside the building, listening devices in ceiling tiles, worms in their throats. In Portland, where the fentanyl has become increasingly diluted and costly, another drug, cheap and plentiful, has been surging to meet demand: methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant that electrifies the brain and grips the central nervous system. Read more here.
Related: 3 in 4 meth users relapse—outcomes could improve if treatments considered the drug's effect on impulsive behavior
| |
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps 2025 Data and New Model of Health
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, draws attention to why there are differences in health within and across communities. The 2025 Annual Data Release, features new insights and resources to help local health departments and partners advance health equity and inclusion including six new health measures: access to parks, adverse climate events, Lack of social and emotional support, feelings of loneliness, library access and disability: functional limitations. CHR&R introduces a new model of health that examines the power, societal structures, and governance to understand how they create the conditions that impact health—and what can be done to change them. Explore the new health model here.
| |
The Growing List Of Emerging Challenges Facing College Mental Health
A 2024 report on Forbes.com described four challenges that the field of college mental health will likely face in 2025. Some of these challenges have already emerged. For example, last year’s annual survey report by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors highlighted the challenge regarding staff recruitment and retention. The report found that 12.5% of all non-trainee clinical positions turned over in 2023-2024, and that 42.4% of the staff who left campus counseling centers did so to enter private practice. The top two reasons why therapists left higher education were low salary and negative work conditions. This attrition affected directors of counseling centers as 53.8% of directors reported having less than six years of experience at being a director. There are no indications that these numbers will reverse for the 2024-2025 academic year. Read more here.
Related: New study finds surprising way to curb college-aged drinking harms—without cutting alcohol
| |
Advancing the System of Care Approach to Support Families Involved with Child Welfare
The System of Care (SOC) approach can ensure coordinated services for children and families involved in the child welfare system. By collaborating across sectors — including child welfare, behavioral health, Medicaid, juvenile justice, education, health systems, developmental disabilities, and other community providers and local stakeholders — and partnering with families, the SOC approach aims to close gaps in service delivery, reduce fragmented services, and ensure shared accountability for quality and oversight. A brief, developed by the Center for Health Care Strategies in partnership with Casey Family Programs, shares how the SOC approach can help child welfare systems prevent entry into foster care, meet family needs effectively, and provide coordinated care in their own home and community. The brief highlights how the SOC approach can shift services from reactive to proactive, prevention- driven solutions, helping to both improve care and reduce avoidable costs for states. Read more here.
| |
The Rural Behavioral Health Crisis Continuum: Considerations and Emerging State Strategies
Behavioral health crisis care consists of a range of interventions for people at risk for acute behavioral health issues, experiencing crisis, and engaged in recovery. Federal guidelines for behavioral health crisis care provide specific guidance on core elements of care and considerations for the unique implementation challenges in rural and frontier areas. As state policymakers advance rural behavioral health crisis care, they are employing innovative approaches to overcome challenges of distance, limited resources, cultural differences, and workforce shortages. This brief presents considerations and emerging state strategies for bolstering the rural behavioral health crisis care continuum at each level of care as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Read more here.
| | |
UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Conducting Preventive Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management in Youth (Part 2)
April 24, 1 - 2:30 pm, MCTAC/CTAC
Improving Mental Health Outcomes: 59 Essential Evidence-Based Practices for Communities, Police, Courts, Jails, and Community Corrections
April 24, 1 - 2:30 pm, NCHATS
Collaborative Care in Rural Health Centers
April 24, 3 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Case to Care Management for those Experiencing Health Challenges and SMI
April 29, 2 - 3 pm, SMI TTAC
The Power of Data: Driving Productivity, Outcomes & Funding in Addiction Treatment
April 29, 2 - 3 pm, Behavioral Health Business
Supporting Young People’s Crisis Stabilization Needs During Reentry
April 29, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
Grief & Bereavement in America: Exploring Compassionate Policy and Systems Responses
April 29, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Building Community Care Hubs to Address Health-Related Social Needs: Lessons from New York and North Carolina Medicaid
April 30, 1 - 2 pm, Center for Health Care Strategies
Navigating VBC Negotiations: Turning Complexity Into Opportunity
April 30, 1 - 2 pm, Onecare Population Health Academy
Integration in Action: Overcoming Workforce Challenges in the Integrated Health Field
April 30, 2 - 3 pm National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Using COSSUP Grants for the Often Forgotten Ones
April 30, 2 - 3:30 pm, COSSUP
Person-Centered Care: Applications in Day-to-Day Practice
April 30, 2 - 4 pm, NCROTAC
Code of Ethics Training for Youth Peer Advocates
May 1, 12 - 1:30 pm, MCTAC/CTAC
Firearm Safety for Suicide Prevention Workshop for Facilitators (In-Person/Virtual)
May 5, 9 am - 2 pm, NY Health Foundation
Collaborative Care: Strengthening Provider Relationships with Autistic and Neurodivergent Population
May 7, 1:30 - 3 pm, School Mental Health Resource Training Center
Redefining Recovery: Insights into Gambling and Substance Use Disorders
May 7, 3 - 4:30 pm, NAADAC
Reducing Suicide Risk Through Primary Care
May 8, 2 - 3 pm, Shatterproof
2025 MHANYS Family Mental Health Network Summit (Virtual)
May 9, 10 am - 3:30 pm, MHANYS
EMS and Overdose Prevention: Innovative Strategies to Save Lives
May 9, 2 - 3 pm, NCSL
Navigating Pharmacotherapy: Co-occurring Bipolar Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder
May 15, 3 - 4 pm, SMI TTAC
Mental health in local New York communities: A conversation with the Directors of Community Services in Genesee, Seneca, and Wayne Counties
May 20, 12 - 1 pm, NYSPHA
Measurement-Informed Care and the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM)
May 22, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
2nd Annual Documentation Event - IN-PERSON
May 29, 9 am - 3 pm, Crown Plaza, Albany, MCTAC
An Affirming and Effective Substance Use Disorder Curriculum for the LGBTQ+ Community
June 4, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Advancing licensure: Growing the mental health care workforce
June 12, 2 - 3 pm, Kaiser Permanente
| |
CLMHD CALENDAR
APRIL
CLMHD Spring 2025 Full Membership Meeting
April 30 - May 2, Albany
MAY
CLMHD Executive Committee Meeting
May 7: 8 - 9 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
May 8: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
May 8: 3 - 4 pm
LGU Clinic Operators Call
May 13: 10 - 11 am
Quarterly LGU Clinic Billing Staff Call
May 13: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
May 15: 1 - 2 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
May 20: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
May 21: 9 - 10:30 am
| |
