|
March is Women's History Month! Did you know that 73% of adults with active Ohio START cases at the end of 2023 were mothers? Take time this month to celebrate the women in your life, whether they are family, friends, clients, or you!
“Life is about change, sometimes it’s painful, sometimes it’s beautiful, but most of the time it’s both.”
—Kristin Kreuk
| |
From the Field: County Highlights | |
|
Stark
Stark County welcomed new Caseworker, Zina Biehl, and Family Peer Mentor, Erica Gross to their START team.
| |  |
|
Gallia
The Gallia START team helped 3 of their 7 families choose treatment services, despite the parents' initial apprehension.
| | |
|
Pike
The Pike START team has explored all areas of START and are well positioned to join Cohort 7.
| |
|
2024 Ohio START Summit
May 2, 2024
| |
|
Registration Opening Soon!
The 2024 Ohio START Summit will take place May 2 at Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center near Columbus. This event brings together more than 200 caseworkers, supervisors, behavioral health providers, and family peer mentors for a day of networking and learning how best to serve Ohio's families struggling with co-occurring child maltreatment and substance use disorder.
| |
Keynote Speaker: Stefanie Robinson
Stefanie will deliver a keynote at the summit titled "Thriving Beyond Challenges: The Transformative Power of Recovery."
Stefanie Robinson, Founding Executive Director of Hope Recovery Community, has 15+ years in recovery. A leader in addiction support, she spearheaded Medina's Recovery Center and founded Hope in 2018, expanding to multiple locations. Stefanie, recognized for her contributions, is an expert in peer support and recovery organizations, having received awards like the Cleveland Clinic Community Service Award in 2017 and the Recovery Advocate of the Year in 2018. As the CEO of Simply Bold, she shared her recovery journey with over 100,000 people.
| |
|
Become a Sponsor
The Ohio START Summit is a great opportunity to reach Ohio professionals serving families affected by substance use and child maltreatment. Sponsors benefit from face-to-face networking, brand promotion, and more! Learn more and sign up to be a sponsor on the 2024 Ohio START Summit event website. Sponsorships will close March 28.
| |
|
Thank you to our sponsors!
| |
|
Report Shows Positive Shifts for START Parents | |
|
A recent report prepared by our research partners at Ohio University highlights the research team’s findings collected through family interviews conducted after case closure. The report found positive shifts in parenting attitudes and practice among participants of Ohio START. Parents reported improved emotional regulation, financial stability, and engagement with their children after completing the program. Read the report to learn more.
| |
|
Recently, a START team shared about how the work in one county has impacted individuals and families 2 counties away. An Ohio START team met with a staff member at a local treatment agency who is providing care for a mom they are working with. They learned that this staff member was already very familiar with Ohio START, as she participated in Ohio START with a different county. The woman credited her Ohio START team with saving her life. She is thriving in recovery and giving back to her new community and other START moms!
The county’s engagement with this mom not only changed her life and the life of her family, but countless other women and families through her work in treatment. Well done!
| |
|
Warren County Success Story
Sam graduated from the START program in Warren County last month, and the Warren County START team could not be happier for her. Sam put in the work and dedication to do what was needed to have her child back in her care in a safe environment. She is a loving parent that allowed the process and spirit of START to help guide her to this point in her life. Congratulations, Sam!
| |
Share your success story to be featured in the next newsletter here. | |
|
Tevon Oehling, Huron County
Tevon's team knows her as an amazing person who goes above and beyond for her cases. Fantastic work, Tevon!
Nominate an Ohio START staff member to be spotlighted here.
| |
|
OMHAS Offers a Scholarship Program for Peers!
OhioMHAS offers a scholarship program for reimbursement of expenses for individuals with lived experience and family members to participate in trainings and conferences. The funding can support reimbursing mileage, paying for lodging and registration for in-state events, and other related expenses. Individuals can also submit an application for reimbursement of the BCI/FBI fee they incurred during the peer support certification process. More information, including the guidelines and forms, can be found here.
| |
|
Please Share Upon Completion of Ohio START
You can now participate in a phone interview study about your experience. If you participate in an interview from Ohio University or Ohio State University, you will receive a $75 gift card.
If you are co-parenting, each parent that completes Ohio START can participate and receive a gift card. Your participation is voluntary. Interviews can be over the phone or via video conference call.
To schedule an interview text or call: 740-486-0065
Each interview will last approximately 45 minutes.
Or email: OhioSTART.parentinterview@gmail.com
IRB Number: 19-F-40
| |
Ohio START Job Postings
Do you have an open Ohio START position? Please send the details of your open positions to christine@pcsao.org to post on the Ohio START website.
| |
National START Family Mentor Affinity Group | March 13, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Mark your calendars for the next convening of the inter-state affinity group for START family mentors. This role-specific peer learning opportunity is designed for networking, shared learning, and quality improvement planning while building a nationwide community of practice to support improved outcomes for children and families affected by parental substance use and child maltreatment. Register here.
| |
New OSAM Network Report Highlights Dangers of Xylazine
The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring (OSAM) Network has issued a new report examining the dangers of Xylazine-adulterated drugs. Since Jan. 2023, OSAM participants have increasingly expressed concern about xylazine. Crime lab reports to OSAM have noted xylazine as a cut for heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, while OSAM participants also reported xylazine-cut methamphetamine. Among the 206 drug-related deaths involving xylazine recorded from Jan. 2021-June 2023, 98.5 percent also involved fentanyl. Click here to view the report.
|
2024 Peer Recovery Summit
Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) announced that it will host the 2024 Peer Recovery Summit on July 29-30 at the Hilton Columbus–Polaris. This year's theme is Peer Faces: Celebrating Resiliency. National and local speakers will lead transformative educational sessions that will provide recovery leaders and peer supporters with new ideas and invigoration to continue to do meaningful work in their communities. Registration for the summit will open at the beginning of May and will be limited to 550 attendees. Subscribe to OhioPRO's newsletter to receive more information.
| |
2024 OFCA Conferences
The Ohio Family Care Association (OFCA) will hold three conferences across Ohio in 2024. Join OFCA at the Cincinnati Regional Conference for a day of support, training, and advocacy on March 9. Register here.
| |
Virtual Training: Ohio Child and Family Services Responding to Addiction
RecoveryOhio is sponsoring a free Ohio Child and Family Services Responding to Addiction virtual training on March 22 from 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The training is open to all child and family service workers interested in learning more about addiction and building the skills to respond. Like CPR, the training program, which was developed by the Addiction Policy Forum, is designed to help child and family service workers build the skills to support and respond to someone who needs help. Participants will learn the science of addiction, signs and symptoms of addiction, evidence-based treatment options, and how to respond to someone in crisis. All participants receive a certificate at the completion of the course. Attendees will also receive a copy of the Responding to Addiction participant manual. Register here by March 11.
| |
Free Webinar: Prediction of Substance Use Treatment Retention
Join Talbot Hall at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for a free webinar March 21 from 7:30-8:30 a.m. on the factors promoting or preventing treatment engagement and retention for those engaging in substance use treatment. One continuing education credit will be awarded. Click here to register.
| |
Save the Date: Ohio's 2024 Mental Health & Addiction Conference
Save the date for Ohio’s 2024 Mental Health and Addiction Conference: Building the Systems of Care hosted by OACBHA, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Department of Health on June 3-4 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus. Previously known as the Opiates and Other Addictions Conference, this two-day conference will focus on efforts related to mental health, opiate and other addiction prevention, education, intervention, treatment, recovery, family supports, community engagement, and more.
| |
Learning Community Discussions 2024 Schedule
Here are the 2024 dates for Learning Community Calls for caseworkers, supervisors, administrators, behavioral health workers, and family peer mentors. Please note that future dates are subject to change.
Caseworkers
Calls will occur on the third Wednesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. Here is the Zoom link. Calls will be based on county size, divided into the following three groups: Metro/Large, Medium, and Small.
- Metro/Large call: April 17, July 17, Oct. 16
- Medium: Feb. 21, May 15, Aug. 21, Nov. 20
- Small: March 20, June 19, Sept. 18, Dec. 18
Supervisors
Calls will occur bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The dates are as follows: March 21, May 16, July 18, and Sept. 19. Here is the Zoom link.
Administrators
Calls will occur quarterly on the third Thursday of the month from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The dates are as follows: May 16, and Aug.15. Here is the Zoom link.
Behavioral health workers
Calls will occur quarterly on the third Thursday of the month from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The dates are as follows: April 18, July 18, and Oct. 17. Here is the Zoom link.
Family peer mentors
Calls will occur monthly on the last Wednesday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The dates are as follows: March 27, April 24, May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 30, and Nov. 27. Here is the Zoom link.
| | | |
Visit the training calendar below to register | |
|
Screening and Intervention of Substance Use Disorders (UNCOPE)
March 8 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
| | |
|
Family Team Meetings
March 12 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
| |
|
Motivational Interviewing: Applied Skills
March 15 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
| | |
|
Death by a Thousand Cuts: Lessons in Microaggressions
March 18 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
| |
|
Language of Recovery
March 20 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
| | |
|
Supervisor Professional Learning Community
March 21 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
| |
|
Promoting Successful Futures by Providing Trauma-Informed Care
March 22 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
| | |
|
Foundations 4: START Child Welfare Practices
March 25 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
| |
Ohio START is a program of PCSAO and an affiliate of the National START Model
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, equity, and redemption.
| | | | |
