Project AWARE Ohio E-Newsletter
"Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education"
May 2018
Mission: Cuyahoga Community Team works across systems to improve physical, mental, and educational needs and increase access to appropriate resources and services for youth in Cuyahoga County.
Vision: Cuyahoga County children and families will be socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically resilient and productive citizens.

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also."
-  Harriet Ann Jacobs, famed author of
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Spring has finally arrived in Northeast Ohio! Green buds, blossoming flowers, baseball, and rays of sunshine are sure to improve upon the dreariness felt through the long winter. As your own spirits are lifted by the regrowth of spring, we ask that you take a moment to consider a very important issue for the month of May: Mental Health Awareness. 

 

Mental Health Awareness Month

Since 1949, Mental Health America and country-wide mental health affiliates have observed Mental Health Awareness Month every May. Through media, local events, and screenings, they have spread the word on mental health and have reached millions of people!

Unfortunately, individuals with mental health concerns have often been stigmatized, labeled as misunderstood anomalies, and categorized as "outsiders" to the general public population. In reality, mental illnesses are more common than some might believe:
  • 1 in 5 children ages 13 -18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness
  • 1 in 5 adults in the US experience a mental illness
  • ½ of all chronic mental illness begins before a 14 and ¾ before age 24
  • Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in youth ages 10-24; 90% of those who died by suicide has an underlying mental illness
  • 37% of students with a mental illness age 14 and older will drop out of school
  • 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a mental illness
  • 10.2 million adults have co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders
  • 43.8 million adults experience mental illness each year
  • 60% of adults with a mental illness didn't receive mental health services in the previous year
Mental Health America 2018 Toolkit
 
This year's theme, Fitness #4mind4body will address how what we do physically impacts us mentally - and how paying attention to both your physical health and your mental health can help you achieve overall wellness or set you on a path to recovery.
The toolkit will include:
  • Fact sheets on gut health, diet, sleep, stress and inflammation, and exercise and how these issues impact mental health;
  • A worksheet on making life changes;
  • A promotional poster;
  • Sample social media posts with images;
  • Web banners;
  • A sample press release;
  • A drop-In article; and
  • A sample proclamation.
 
Click Here to download the free toolkit!
 
Click Here to visit Mental Health America for information on past toolkits, MH screenings, support services, wellness tips, etc


National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. During May, NAMI and the rest of the country are raising awareness of mental health. Each year we fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families.

In 2018, NAMI will promote the theme of "CureStigma" throughout all awareness events, including Mental Health Month.

Click Here to learn more about NAMI.

Click Here for a list of common warning signs of mental illness.

Click Here for a list of common mental illness diagnoses, characteristics of each, and support or treatment options specific to each diagnosis.

Go to our Partner Spotlight section in this newsletter to learn more about NAMI in the Greater Cleveland area. 


Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board

Seeking a provider for mental health services? The ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County is responsible for the planning, funding, and monitoring of public mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services delivered to the residents of Cuyahoga County.

Click Here to visit the ADAMHS Board website. 


Hotlines

Cuyahoga County Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Crisis, Information and Referral Hotline
216-623-6888
 
Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services Board
Call toll-free for information and referral: 1-877-275-6364
 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Treatment Referral Hotline
1-800-662-HELP (4357)
1-800-487-4889 (TYY)


Classroom Activities

Mental health isn't always the easiest topic to discuss with youth. However, there are some classroom-based activities and lessons that can help start the conversation! Activities address different modes of learning; the lessons will get students thinking about mental health and will, hopefully, encourage understanding and acceptance for others. 
 
Click Here for a 30-40 minutes lesson from Walk in Our Shoes that will teach the key characteristics of mental illness and define and counteract stigma.

Click Here for some suggested activities that can be adapted to any age group.

Click Here for suggested whole-school initiatives and classroom-level activities to raise awareness for mental health concerns in children.

 
Click Here for The Case for Mental Health in Schools E-Newsletter Part 1 

Click Here for Youth Mental Health First Aid May 7 Newsletter Part 2 

Click Here for Mental Health and Academic Achievement Brief 

Click Here for the Mental Health Screening & Evaluation Compendium 

Click Here for a Compendium Screening Guidance Document 


NAMI Greater Cleveland

NAMI Greater Cleveland provides support groups, education programs, advocacy and resources for individuals with mental illness and for their families as well. We strive to provide community education and to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness.
 
Our newest program, Ending the Silence, is a 50-minute presentation designed to help middle-school and high-school students recognize the warning signs of mental illness, in themselves or their friends, as well as to challenge their views on mental illness, thereby reducing stigma.
New this year, Ending the Silence has expanded to cover two new audience areas. The parent presentation and the school staff presentation. We are happy to talk with anyone interested in this program.
 
In the fall of 2017 we held our second season, of Friday Nights Lights & Green Socks program which expanded to four high schools. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, during their respective gridiron match-ups (Bay Village Rockets vs. Normandy Invaders and Parma Redmen vs. Valley Forge Patriots took the opportunity to shine the light on mental illness. Football players wore green socks, cheerleaders sported green hair ribbons and band members donned lapel stickers showing the mental health green ribbon. Announcements shared facts about mental illness throughout the games.


ADAMHS of Cuyahoga County: Mental Health in Schools

T he Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County's Mental Health In the School Program has been in existence since 2005.  The program is a comprehensive prevention model that includes individual, whole classroom consultation services, mental health education, and treatment services for uninsured/underinsured students. Consultation services are molded after the Georgetown Model and utilized as a frame-work to provide specialized support to school administration, teachers, nurses, students and their parents. Consultation model allows clinicians the opportunity to assess a situation prior to engaging a youth in treatment services. The goal is to ensure mental health symptoms/challenges are not a barrier to academic performance and success. 

 
The ADAMHS Board contracts with eight (8) agencies for the provision of school-based services throughout Cuyahoga County.  Services are typically rendered by a licensed clinician with expertise in managing mental health symptoms and behaviors within a school-based environment. 

 
For more information on how the ADAMHS Board can provide school-based mental health services to your district or to schedule a meeting to contract with the ADAMHS Mental Health in the School Program for the 2018-19 school year, please contact the Children's Behavioral Health Administrator, Linda Torbert, LISW-S at Torbert@adamhscc.org or at 216-479-3292.



Often, a student exhibiting negative behaviors in the classroom may actually have underlying mental health concerns.
Here are some mental illness signs and symptoms to look out for in the classroom:
  • Excessive worrying or anxiety
  • Feeling sad or low
  • Concentration problems
  • Extreme mood changes
  • Social/Friendship avoidance
  • Physical ailments without obvious causes (headaches, stomach aches, etc.)
  • Overall changes in school performance
  • Hyperactivity
  • Disobedient or aggressive
Click Here for Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III responses to some of the behaviors listed above. 

Click Here for the Ohio Department of Education Interconnected Systems Framework: Integrating Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports with Mental Health Systems.

Attention PBIS Schools!
Looking to apply for State Recognition in PBIS Tier I, II, or III?   Click Here to learn who to contact for the requirements and to complete the application process.

PBIS Tier I Train-the-Trainer
The Ohio Positive Behavior Support and Intervention (PBIS) PBIS Network is currently accepting applications from Ohio school districts who wish to participate in a "PBIS District Train-the-Trainers" staff development opportunity to support the Tier 1 implementation of Schoolwide PBIS within their district, community school and/or ESC. 
 
Click here for more information and to submit your team registration form.

 

Resilience & Toxic Stress
As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, The Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio and Project AWARE Ohio are offering a FREE professional development opportunity for school staff and mental health providers. This session is designed to assist with understanding issues of toxic stress in youth and to offer suggestions for interventions to promote growth for our children. 

Date & Location: May 30, 2018 at the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio

Time: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with registration beginning at 8:00 am and lunch from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on your own

Click Here to view the event flyer. 

Click Here to register.

OCALICON 2018: The Nation's Premier Autism & Disabilities Conference

Be part of the 12th annual face-to-face gathering of state and national leaders, educators, parents, service providers, self-advocates, scholars, and policy makers as we collectively focus on common concerns and share proven solutions that address issues and challenges experienced by individuals with autism, sensory disabilities, and low-incidence disabilities across their lifespan.
November 14-16, 2018 in Columbus Ohio. 

Click Here to learn more about this conference.

Click Here to register!


Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide (CAMS)

The CAMS model is used to assess patients' suicidality and specifically treat their suicide risk.  CAMS is a three-part training that provides psychologists and counselors with knowledge, skills, and practice in recognizing and treating suicidality in patients.

All participants take:

- A 3-4 hour, self-paced online training.  This training features a series of videos which provide an overview of the CAMS model and how to help suicidal patients.
- An in-person one day training.  This training is conducted by a trained CAMS consultant who leads group members in using the CAMS model through a series of role-play sessions where participants take turns acting as both counselors and patients.
- Group consultation follow up calls.  These follow up calls are offered to participants as ways to discuss successes and trouble-shoot the implementation of the CAMS model with patients.

Dates: CAMS has four upcoming dates with locations all around Ohio.  

Click Here for the list of event dates, locations, and instructions to register. 

Run for Recovery 2018

Be part of Recovery Resources' Run for Recovery August 18, 2018 and help kick-off National Recovery Month. The 6th Annual Run for Recovery will be back at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. All 5K and walk participants will receive a free ticket to spend the day at the Zoo. There will be a lot of family-friendly activities during the event, including the chance to write a message on our "Wall of Hope."

Run Times:

7:00 am - 8:40 am Packet Pick Up and Walk-up Registration
8:15 am Open Ceremony
8:25 am Kids' Fun Run
8:30 am 5K Race
9:15 am 1 Mile Wellness Walk
 
Online registration closes at 9:00 a.m. on August 17, 2018, but please feel free to register at the event.

Click Here to register as an individual or as a team! 


NAMIWalks 2018

Saturday, September 15 at Upper Edgewater Park

When you walk with NAMI Greater Cleveland, you join the movement to raise awareness of mental illness and raise funds for our mission which helps those affected by mental illness (both those living with a mental illness and their family members) to achieve a better quality of life by providing support, education, referral, and advocacy.   
 
Register today and join us as we improve lives and our communities one step at a time.

Click Here to register. 


July 25 Save the Date | The Opioid Crisis: How Educators Can Respond
 
The Ohio State University will host The Opioid Crisis: How Educators Can Respond conference on July 25 at the Ohio Union to help educators better support children, families and communities caught up in the opioid epidemic. At the end of the conference, participants will be able to recognize how the opioid crisis is affecting schools, understand the science of addiction, identify students or families suffering from addiction, connect affected families to appropriate social services, identify the strategies for effective prevention programs, and recognize and respond appropriately to an overdose. Participation in the conference will allow educators, in consultation with their local districts, to apply for up to one professional development credit. Teachers, principals, superintendents, counselors, coaches, and school social workers are invited to attend.

Click
HERE for more information.
Questions? Contact Bryan Warnick at opioidsconference@osu.edu


Youth Mental Health First Aid

Become a First Aid Responder and learn skills to identify, understand, and respond to youth with signs of behavioral/mental health concerns and crisis action steps to take to connect them to the resources available in our communities. 
 
Available monthly at the ESC or by schedule for a private district-based course. 
 
Click Here for flyer with newly updated 2018-2019 training dates! 
 
Register Online at  www.escneo.org
Choose Professional Development/Calendar of Events.



Mary Wise, M.S.W., M.S.C.E., Coordinator | 216-901-4201 

Project AWARE Ohio is a partnership between the Ohio Department of Education, the Center for School Based-Mental Health Programs at Miami University and the Educational Service Centers within three pilot communities: Cuyahoga County, Warren County and Wood County. It is funded through a grant received in 2014  through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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