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Tag: behavioral health

  • Ohio launching $20 million, decade-long study to improve behavioral health outcomes

    Ohio launching $20 million, decade-long study to improve behavioral health outcomes

    Getty Images illustration of therapy session.

    The study seeks to better understand the root causes of mental illness, substance use disorders, and suicide.

    BY:  – Ohio Capital Journal

    This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

    The state of Ohio is embarking on a decade-long study to better understand the root causes of mental illness, substance use disorders, and suicide.

    The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is providing a $20 million grant to fund the State of Ohio Action for the Resiliency (SOAR) study, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced during a press conference Friday.

    “Currently, there’s a lot that we don’t know and the SOAR study is a huge step forward in advancing our understanding of mental health and substance use disorders,” said Ohio State University President Ted Carter. “This study will provide key data that will shape the future of mental health across Ohio and beyond.”

    “There’s nobody that is not affected by this,” Carter said. “There’s somebody that you know in your family, your community, your neighborhood that is affected by this.”

    The study will go for at least a decade with the hope it will continue for decades to come and will look at generations of families from all across Ohio who are affected by mental illness and substance abuse disorders, DeWine said. Funding for the SOAR study comes from the state’s two-year operating budget.

    “We know mental illness and substance use disorders are preventable, treatable, and people can and do recover,” said Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director LeeAnne Cornyn.

    The SOAR study has two main projects — the SOAR Wellness Discovery Survey and the SOAR Brain Health Study.

    The wellness study will study as many as 15,000 people across Ohio’s 88 counties to learn how skills may help overcoming adversity. The brain health study will look at 3,600 Ohioan in families to help look at the biological, psychological, and social factors that help people handle adversity.

    “There’s still an awful lot to know about mental health,” DeWine said. “And candidly, the research in this field has not been as robust as it has been in other areas. … It will give us a complete picture of each participant to uncover why, for example, two people in similar circumstances or with similar health have very, very different outcomes.”

    Ohio State University will lead the study and is partnering with hospitals and universities around the state: Bowling Green State University, Central State University, Kent State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio University, the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Toledo and Wright State University.

    The SOAR study will be led by Dr. Luan Phan, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

    “Our approach … is to identify the factors that can be modified to reduce risk and build resilience in the face of stress, trauma and adversity,” Phan said. “It’s important to identify what we don’t know — the root causes, the risks, the preventive factors of mental illness, to explain what, I feel, are fairly simple, but fundamental questions: who gets ill? Why did they get ill? How do they get ill? And when do they get ill?”

    Researchers hope this study will do for mental health what the Framingham Heart Study has done for heart disease.

    The Framingham Heart Study was initiated by the United State Public Health Service in 1948 to investigate the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It has enrolled more than 15,000 study participants.

    “Ohio represents a microcosm of our country,” Phan said. “What we learn here can be disseminated and scaled broadly. Other states will not only copy and adopt what we have done, they will be compelled to do so.”

    Suicide and opioid overdose deaths

    Nineteen Ohioans die prematurely every day from unintentional overdose and suicide, Phan said.

    Opioid overdose deaths increased by more than 300% since 2010 in Ohio, said Dr. John Warner, CEO of Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

    Suicide deaths in Ohio increased 8% to 1,766 deaths from 2020 to 2021 — meaning five Ohioans die by suicide every day, according to Ohio Department of Health’s Suicide Demographics and Trends 2021 report.

    The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline received 8,793 calls from Ohio area codes from July 2022 to May 2023, according to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

    During that same time, there was an average of 2,014 texts and 2,007 chats per month to 988 from Ohio area codes.

    Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X.

    Megan Henry
    MEGAN HENRY

    Megan Henry is a reporter for the Ohio Capital Journal and has spent the past five years reporting in Ohio on various topics including education, healthcare, business and crime. She previously worked at The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA Today Network.

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  • Calls to Clermont County 528-SAVE crisis hotline increase

    Calls to Clermont County 528-SAVE crisis hotline increase

    Help is available 24/7 through the Clermont County Crisis Hotline at 528-SAVE (7283).  The Hotline is staffed by trained and licensed mental health providers who can assist with connection to needed services.  There is also a crisis text line that can be accessed 24/7.  Text the keyword “4hope” to 741 741.

    Ongoing stress due to the pandemic has contributed to increased calls to the Clermont County 528-SAVE Crisis Hotline over the past several months. The Clermont County Crisis Hotline has seen a 21-percent increase in the number of calls in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020, as compared to the previous 12 months. The hotline has also seen an increase in the number of suicidal/crisis calls.

    “The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is starting to take its toll,” said Lee Ann Watson, associate director, Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board. “This has been a challenging time for nearly everyone, especially those with possible underlying behavioral health concerns.”

    Clermont County has the second-highest suicide rate in Southwest Ohio and is 13th in the state per 100,000 for suicide deaths. Fortunately, there has not been an increase in suicide deaths in 2020.  People appear to be reaching out for help more than in previous years.  But there is still a reason for concern. While the suicide deaths have decreased in 2020, one death by suicide is too many.

    Watson asks people to recognize warning signs and know how to reach out for help.  It is important to know the warning signs and the resources to seek help because likely people who are depressed and at risk for suicide are not often motivated to seek help. Losses such as the end of a relationship, death of a loved one, or loss of employment, all of which are situations that can be occurring during COVID-19, can increase the risk for depression.

    Common Warning Signs of Acute Suicide Risk

    The following are not always communicated directly or outwardly:

    • Threatening to hurt or kill him or herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/herself; and or,
    • Looking for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means; and/or,
    • Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when these actions are out of the ordinary.

    Additional Warning Signs:

    • Increased substance (alcohol or drug) use
    • No reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
    • Anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all of the time
    • Feeling trapped – like there’s no way out
    • Hopelessness
    • Withdrawal from friends, family, and society
    • Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
    • Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
    • Dramatic mood changes
    • Giving away prized possessions or seeking long-term care for pets

    (Source: American Association of Suicidology)

    Help is available 24/7 through the Clermont County Crisis Hotline at 528-SAVE (7283).  The Hotline is staffed by trained and licensed mental health providers who can assist with connection to needed services.  There is also a crisis text line that can be accessed 24/7.  Text the keyword “4hope” to 741 741.   

    High-risk groups: Men, those 65 and older
    Middle-aged men and individuals over the age of 65 comprise high-risk groups in Clermont County, similar to national trends. Men have always had a higher rate of suicide death than females, but the number of males dying from suicide has significantly increased. During 2019, 37-percent of the suicide deaths were men between the ages of 40-59.  This is a 100-percent increase in the number of deaths in 2019 of this age group compared to 2018.  In 2020, 88 percent of the suicide deaths were men.  Of those, 23 percent were aged 40-49, and 26 percent were aged 60-69.

    While it is often difficult for men to reach out for help, it is important for men to remember that now more than ever “it is ok not to be ok” and that feeling overwhelmed is not a sign of weakness.  Seeking help is a sign of strength.  Mental health professionals are available to assist with the specific needs and concerns of men.  Further, a 2019 study published in the Journal of Mental Health found that receiving support from a trusted and respected friend can be an effective suicide prevention strategy for men. Forming connections with other people who are going through the same thing can also be helpful.

    The Clermont County Suicide Prevention Coalition is working to decrease suicide in our County through increasing knowledge of warning signs, and availability of treatment. If you are interested in joining the Coalition, please contact Lee Ann Watson at (513) 732-5400.

    Number of overdose deaths decline; meth use increases

    With regard to unintentional fatal overdose deaths, Clermont County has seen a decrease in deaths over the past three years.

    The decrease in deaths can be partially attributed to the widespread distribution of Naloxone to county residents. While the overdose deaths have decreased, nonfatal overdoses are still occurring in Clermont County, albeit less than in previous years.

    Regarding non-fatal overdoses, the County was ranked 16th in the state in 2019 for the number of Naloxone administrations (387 doses; Ohio EMS, 2019). This ranking is based on the number of administrations, not by population. For the first three quarters in 2020, Clermont is ranked 17th in the state for the number of Naloxone administrations (315; Ohio EMS, 2020). The number of administrations is underreported since not all the EMS departments in Clermont County report the use of Naloxone, and the figures do not include the Naloxone utilized by law enforcement.

    Clermont County saw a surge in nonfatal overdoses in the summer months of 2020, but the overdoses have now decreased to lower than in the previous year.  There continue to be “hot spots” in Clermont County where overdoses are occurring:  Union Township; New Richmond and Felicity.

    The use of stimulants, particularly methamphetamine, has substantially increased in Clermont County. The degree of complexity related to stimulant misuse has impacted the county. A large portion of the homicides in 2019 was related to stimulant misuse. Individuals on meth can have extreme paranoia and often aggressive behavior, and difficult to engage in treatment.

    The CCMHRB’s substance use disorder treatment provider has seen an increase in treatment admissions for stimulant misuse in the last year (14 percent), and the local hospital also reports an increase in the rate of admissions to the Emergency Department (ED) and the behavioral health unit due to meth misuse.

    Individuals who are brought into the ED under the influence of meth most often have to be admitted to the behavioral health unit. Those stays are often long since it is taking several days for the individual to clear.

    Clermont County Children’s Protective Services has also reported a substantial increase in the number of children in custody due to stimulant use disorders. In 2019, more than 30 percent of the cases were related to methamphetamine.  The number of cases has increased in 2020 as reported by CPS.

    Stimulant misuse differs greatly from opioid misuse.  Due to the nature of the drug, individuals actively using stimulants are often not able to engage in discussions related to treatment, and therefore outreach to attempt to engage them in treatment is not successful as it has been for individuals using opioids.  Further, many individuals with a stimulant use disorder do not believe they have an addiction, and therefore do not voluntarily enroll in treatment.  The CCMHRB’s contract substance use disorder treatment provider reports that in 2019, 21 percent of clients identified stimulants as their primary drug of choice, while 34 percent identified opioids as their primary drug of choice.

  • Clermont County Community Alternative Sentencing Center will soon admit women

    Clermont County Community Alternative Sentencing Center will soon admit women

    Bativia, Ohio – Clermont County Commissioners approved on July 12 the expansion of the Community Alternative Sentencing Center (CASC) to serve women. The CASC, which has been open since September 2015 under the management of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Systems, provides an alternative to jail for misdemeanants who are convicted of drug- or alcohol-related crimes.

    Clermont County will start admitting women to the CASC as of Sept. 1.

    Now, thanks to a grant from the federal 21st Century Cures Act, Clermont County will start admitting women to the CASC as of Sept. 1, said BCC President David Uible. “This will allow us to address a gap in our attempts to address this crisis. We have wanted to offer this treatment alternative to women, and the grant will allow us to do so.”

    Under the Cures Act, $26 million was allocated to the State of Ohio to fight the opioid epidemic. Clermont County, as one of the top 15 counties in the state most affected by the crisis, was given priority in the grant process, according to Karen Scherra, Executive Director of the Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board (CCMHRB), who led the application for the grant.

    CCMHRB is receiving approximately $418,000 in the first year of the grant and up to $700,000 in the second year, which is being provided to the County to fund the CASC program. By the second year, the county hopes to serve up to 25 women in the pod. Medication-assisted treatment will be emphasized, Scherra said.

    The CASC, which operates in a wing of the County Jail, will operate its women’s pod completely separated from the men’s.

    The CASC, which operates in a wing of the County Jail, will operate its women’s pod completely separated from the men’s. The new staff will include an admissions coordinator, three counselors, three aides, a part-time employment specialist, and a recovery coach. It will also include dedicated hours from a physician and nurse.

    The Community Alternative Sentencing Center – the only one in the State of Ohio – is a voluntary program. Municipal Court judges refer misdemeanants to the CASC if they think they will be good candidates for treatment as opposed to incarceration. Since it began operating under the management of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health, the CASC has admitted 378 men. Of those 307 have successfully completed the program, with many transitioning into continued services and supports in the community.

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