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The Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance - Regional Center (ROTA-RC) is a multi-state collaboration of Cooperative Extension programs working to address mental health and substance use concerns in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This six-state collaboration is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Fall Colors in Hocking Hills, Ohio (Shascott, courtesy of Canva images)
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Its Official... Its Great Lakes ROTA-RC's
One Year Anniversary!
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Whether you've been with us since the first newsletter, or you've just joined us, we are glad that you are part of the Great Lakes community! Since the start of the Great Lakes ROTA-RC grant in September 2022, we have built the momentum of community, connection and learning.
Together we are creating sustainable, evidenced-based resources and messaging that helps reduce harm, build recovery, and end stigma for substance use and mental illness across rural communities across our region.
As we look forward to year two of our grant, we anticipate seeing more of our region. Together we will be highlighting the successes, facing the challenges, and communicating through new and existing platforms messages of recovery, harm & stigma reduction. Great Lakes ROTA-RC will bring along some familiar faces, as well as invite new specialists and topic experts too.
We look forward to your questions, comments and inquiries.
Thank you for being the dedicated community of harm reductionists you are! Happy anniversary Great Lakers! Now let's get back to highlighting our state partners - round two.
This month we are back again in Ohio to get the latest updates from our partners about their efforts to strengthen community capacity to prevent, treat, and support recovery and reduce harm for opioid & other substance use, as well as mental health disorders.
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Do You Need Technical Assistance (TA)?
Technical assistance is targeted support using a culturally relevant, evidence-based, holistic approach to help rural communities build capacity, as well as plan and implement programming. Great Lakes ROTA-RC collaborates with internal and external providers to customize and tailor responses to meet the needs and readiness levels of the rural communities we serve.
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Partner
Ohio State University Extension
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Each month we will be spotlighting the range of services, supports and resources available throughout the Great Lakes region. We will highlight one of our states, their local efforts, partners, and events as well as continue to connect you to national mental health services that will serve you and your community. This month we shine the spotlight on OHIO, home of Great Lakes ROTA-RC partner, Ohio State University Extension.
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OSU Extension and the Ohio Youth Resilience Collaborative is one of six regional partners in the Great Lakes ROTA-RC network. OSU Extension has a mission to create opportunities for people to explore how science-based knowledge can improve social, economic and environmental conditions. County educators and statewide field specialists engage people in lifelong learning, extend resources of Ohio State University, and focus on critical economic, environmental, leadership, youth, and family issues.
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is a large, diverse college supporting 10 academic units, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Ohio State University Extension, and two-year degree programs offered by the Agricultural Technical Institute. The college has campuses in Columbus and Wooster, and has a presence in all 88 Ohio counties. It serves as the home for 354 faculty members, 1,441 staff members, and 4,150 undergraduate and graduate students.
OSU Extension and 4-H reach over 290,000 young Ohioans with over 21,000 volunteers annually. The Ohio Cooperative Development Center at OSU South Centers provides more than 2,900 hours of technical assistance across Appalachia to help form cooperatives, businesses, and support job retention.
During 2016-2022, Ohio State Mental Health First Aid instructors trained 3,000 adults statewide. OSU Extension connects farmers, parents, youth leaders, neighbors and businesses across 88 unique counties annually. OSU Extension brings the resources of The Ohio State University to every county. See OSU Extension's website for locations and contact information for all of our offices.
Looking for an OSU Extension program in your local county, or just want to explore the multitude of virtual statewide offerings from wherever in the Great Lakes region you are? Check out this partner's online event calendar.
Below are some highlights of OSU Extension’s mental health and positive youth and family programs to further explore.
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Rural & Farm Stress
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Live Smart Ohio
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Blog Post by Kate Homonai
An informative, easy to follow, and resourced blog post offered by under the umbrella of the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Topics cover suicide prevention, stress, planning for and managing hazards/ disasters, and financial wellness.
There are many topics that can be followed and shared. The blog post is connected via social media for a wider audience platform as well.
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Ohio State University Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program promotes healthy living. Mindfulness is not a new concept, but along with topics like healthy eating and exercise, it is gaining recognition as part of a healthy lifestyle in the United States. OSU Extension offers an overview on the science behind the art of mindfulness as well as the health benefits of stress reduction. Practicing mindfulness has short-term and long-term benefits, starting with an immediate sense of calm, but reducing anxiety, depression, stress, and even chronic pain over time. Here are some resources you mind find useful;
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- Introduction to Mindfulness
- Stress Coping Methods
- Eating Healthy During Stressful Times
- Helping Children Through Stressful Times
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Trauma-Informed Approach
Becoming “trauma-informed” means recognizing that people often have many different types of trauma in their lives. People who have been traumatized need support and understanding from those around them. Often, trauma survivors can be re-traumatized by well-meaning caregivers and community service providers. The Ohio Trauma-Informed Care Approach project seeks to educate our communities about the impact of trauma on clients, co-workers, friends, family, and even ourselves. Understanding the impact of trauma is an important first step in becoming a compassionate and supportive community. OSU Extension has created the following resources for you to learn more:
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Website
The Great Lakes ROTA-RC website has a constantly growing network, an active events page, resources from all over the region, news posts from our major partners, and much more. We hope you'll find something you need.
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Reimagining Recovery
Thursdays, September 21, October 26, 1:00-2:15 PM CST / 2:00-3:15 PM EST
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Friday, September 29, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM CST / 10:00 AM-4:00 PM EST
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October 31, 8:00-3:30 pm EST
In-person
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ASK THE EXPERT
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC highlights an individual who provides expertise and leadership for mental health and substance use support efforts in the region. This month’s expert highlight is Amanda Starner.
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Amanda Conn Starner, MS, CHES, OCPS
Chief Program Officer, PreventionFIRST!
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Sources of Strength - Ohio's Approach to Youth Mental Health
At a time when mental health wellness for our youth remains front and center, we invite you to consider the Sources of Strength curriculum to aid your school or community’s efforts to improve the mental well-being of kids and reduce youth suicide rates.
Sources is an evidence-based, upstream prevention program that employs a strength-based approach to improving the health and wellbeing of individuals. Implemented in schools and communities, this program works to give students tools to develop their strength, resilience, and help-seeking behaviors. The primary mission of Sources is to move further upstream in the prevention cycle.
Hear how Amanda and her team puts these tools into practice HERE
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New School Wellness Podcast!
The Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention & Early Intervention this week debuted a new podcast. The podcast is hosted by Al Levin, who has 25 years of school administration experience, and focuses on innovative prevention strategies, expert insights, and evidence-based tools in every episode. School Wellness with Al Levin premiered on Sept. 6 with two episodes. Future episodes will be broadcast the first Wednesday of the month on all your favorite podcast platforms.
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Preventing Overdose Deaths
Ohio State is the newest community partner in ADAMH’s NaloxBox project that is increasing access to naloxone in public spaces across Franklin County. The program began in late 2021 in response to rising fentanyl overdose deaths. To date, 167 NaloxBox rescue kits have been installed across the community with plans for another 80 by year-end. Each kit contains two doses of naloxone in an easy-to-use nasal spray and instructions on it use.
“Many individuals in recovery from addiction are here today because they had another chance. Recovery is only possible if someone is still alive to take that step,” said Erika Clark Jones, CEO for ADAMH. “We are grateful for Ohio State’s partnership, which will help save lives by ensuring naloxone is easily available across the campus and medical center.”
Read the rest of the article from the Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University HERE
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been a widely used resource for many professionals looking for the latest information on treatment updates, professional training, grant programs, data, research and more.
September is National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), which started in 1989, is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.
Share a message of hope using SAMHSA’s new Recovery Month Toolkit and other recovery-focused resources and events.
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SAMHSA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
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“Build it and they will come” rarely proves true in the practice of behavioral health. Instead, intentional distribution of engaging, clear, and actionable information on evidence-based programs and practices (EBPs) is essential to meaningfully improving outcomes.
SAMHSA’s Evidence Based Practices Resource Center (EBPRC) is charged with identifying, evaluating, and disseminating information on EBPs. To optimally satisfy this charge, SAMHSA has issued a request for information (RFI) asking for input on the following opportunities:
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- Addition of a component to the EBPRC that reviews and rates specific behavioral health EBPs, as done through EBP Registries, such as the What Works Clearinghouse.
- Incorporation of resources borrowed from the fields of implementation science, process improvement, capacity building, and program evaluation into the EBPRC.
- Inclusion of culturally informed and community-driven programs and practices into the EBPRC.
If you have ideas related to any of the domains listed above, please review the RFI and provide your input. Comments will be accepted by SAMHSA through October 13, 2023.
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Advisory Board
Follow us here as we learn about the passion, projects and resources that make our Advisory Board members Great Lakers!
Ohio Partner Representative - Colleen Hendon
Colleen is an emerging nonprofit leader with a background in public health and health education. Colleen is the Incoming Executive Director of Mental Health America of Licking County, OH and is a nationally certified Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor.
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Meet our Advisory Board Members and follow as we learn more about them each month through Inside Interview at the Great Lakes ROTA-RC website.
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Thank you Colleen for all you do for Ohio and our Great Lakes community!
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The Great Lakes Neighborhood
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC, with its Midwest region Cooperative Extension partners, highlights community programming in the featured state of the month. These great programs help highlight the excellent work happening in the Great Lakes Neighborhood. This month’s partner highlights are Scioto County
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OSU Extension Builds Resilience Pathways in Scioto County
The Scioto County Extension team has represented the Ohio Youth Resilience Collaborative (OYRC) through implementation of school and family evidence-based prevention programs. Project partners have been implementing Mind Matters for over four years in one local school and will be expanding to three in the coming years. Mind Matters’ practical hands-on lessons explore the effects of adversity and toxic stress, before moving into activities that facilitate the healing process. Each lesson is based on overcoming adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and includes activities on increasing hope, overcoming adversity, and building resilience. Mind Matters’ lessons address self-soothing and regulating emotions, managing stress effectively, developing empathy and improved personal communications, creating a code of honor and life of intention, building and using a support system.
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Scioto County Extension Staff, left to right: Grace Peach-Storey - Program Assistant/SNAP-Ed, Dennis DeCamp, Educator/Family and Consumer Sciences, Abbie Mowen, Educator/4-H Youth Development, and (not pictured)Treva Williams, Area Leader & Educator/Family and Consumer Sciences
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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness
RHI Hub Rural Health Information Hub
Great Lakes PTTC Prevention Technology Transfer Center
Great Lakes ATTC Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Great Lakes MHTTC Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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The Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-RC) is funded by SAMHSA to serve rural areas in Il, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension leads ROTA-RC in partnership with the University of Illinois-Extension, Purdue Extension, Michigan State University Extension, University of Minnesota Extension, and Ohio State University Extension. Learn more at our website, greatlakesrota.extension.wisc.edu
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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements. La Universidad de Wisconsin-Extensión, un empleador con igualdad de oportunidades y acción afirmativa (EEO/AA), proporciona igualdad de oportunidades en empleo y programas, incluyendo los requisitos del Titulo VI, Título IX, y de la Ley para Americanos con Discapacidades (ADA).
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