November 2021
Newsletter
Director's Corner

Happy November! We're enjoying the brisk weather and autumn leaves. We're also staying busy as we get ready to bring on a new cohort into Ohio START next year.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and we're so thankful for all the work you all to make Ohio START successful. What are you thankful for?

Fawn
From the Field:
County Spotlights
Hardin County
The Hardin County START team has hired their family peer mentor!
Lorain County
The Lorain County START Team has been building up their caseload and is starting to hire for a second dyad!
Miami County
The Miami County START team has started their steering committee!
Families Graduating from START
The Ohio START team in Ross County (South Central JFS) has had two families graduate recently! The above picture is from a celebration of these families. Congratulations to these families, and good job to the START team that helped these families reach stability and sobriety!
Partnership with Kinnect to Family
Ohio START has been working on a collaboration with Kinnect to Family. START is collaborating with Kinnect to pilot a Kinnect to Family specialist to work closely with the START teams to engage in intensive family search and engagement efforts to place children with kin. This specialist has just started working with the START team in Brown county, and Ohio START has been working to identify a second county for this pilot. Please keep an eye out for more news to come!
CarePortal Collaboration
Ohio START has also started working with CarePortal to address the needs PCSAs are seeing with the families they serve through START. CarePortal is a platform for PCSAs to get connected to churches and other groups to help meet the needs of the children and families they work with. More information about this collaboration will be shared in the coming months!
Statewide Anti-Stigma Campaign Launch
On Nov. 10, Ohio Opioid Education Alliance and the State of Ohio will launch a new statewide education and awareness campaign that will challenge Ohioans' beliefs about addiction and mental illness. The Alliance will share its newest campaign, statewide expansion plans, and how together we can beat the stigma of addiction and mental illness. More information on the launch event and how to stream is available HERE.

Virtual Trauma Training: "Love Epidemic II"
Kettering Health and CareSource are partnering to host Love Epidemic II, a FREE all-day, virtual trauma training on Nov. 16. The morning general sessions will explore the impact of trauma on both individuals and our communities.  The afternoon sessions will provide deeper dives designed to equip participants to serve congregants, parishioners, and members who have been affected by grief, trauma, suicide, substance abuse, and mental illness. The event concludes with a live panel answering questions from the participants. Click the link above for the full agenda. Click HERE to register online.
Needs Portal Training
The Needs Portal Team's next live training on the Needs Portal will be on Monday, November 15 from 11am-1pm. We encourage all new caseworkers, FPMs, and behavioral health partners to attend. We also encourage you to attend if you could use a refresher or if you have any outstanding questions to troubleshoot.

The Needs Portal Team is also hosting a special refresher session for Family Peer Mentors on November 15 from 2:30-4pm. Any FPMs who have previously attended a Needs Portal training and would like a focused refresher training on FPM use of the Needs Portal are encouraged to attend.

Needs Portal trainings will be provided on the 3rd Monday of the month from 11am-1pm. Information about registering and Needs Portal tutorials are hosted on this website.

Please use the link below to register and as always, feel free to email the Needs Portal Team at needsportal@osu.edu with any questions or concerns.

Quarterly Consortium Meeting
Don't forget about the quarterly Consortium meeting on November 10 from 9AM-10:30am. Please register for the Nov. 10 meeting by noon on Nov. 9.

This meeting will include Ohio START program updates, evaluation updates from OSU as well as a virtual provider fair. The content presented at this meeting will be the same as the content presented on Nov. 4.
Ohio START is a program of PCSAO
Our Mission: We approach Substance Use Disorders with compassion, understanding and hope for recovery. We work as a team, supporting and holding each other accountable. We believe in family, love and redemption.