MAY NEWSLETTER

May is Mental Health

Awareness Month

Check out the Ashtabula Harbor, where the Ashtabula Lift Bridge will be shining green all month long as a bright reminder that mental health matters.

SALT MEETING

Substance Awareness Leadership Team Meeting:

May 5th, 2026 @ 2:00PM

4717 Main Ave. (Lower Level)

Ashtabula, OH 44004

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING

Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board Meeting:

May 21st, 2026 @ 8:30AM

4717 Main Ave. (Lower Level)

Ashtabula, OH 44004

COALITION MEETING

Prevention Coalition and Suicide Prevention Coalition:

July 1st, 2026 from 3:00PM to 4:15PM

4717 Main Ave. (Lower Level)

Ashtabula, OH 44004

Recovery-Friendly Workplace Initiative Featured at Ohio Recovery Housing Conference

Pictured above from left to right; Cale Burke from Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, Jamie Belcher from Sandusky County Public Health, Bridget Sherman from Ashtabula County MHRS Board, Miranda Gray from the Fairfield County ADAMH Board, Nicole Williams from the MHRS Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties, and Holly Raffle from Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

On April 14, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, Bridget Sherman of the Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board joined fellow Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) partners to present at the Ohio Recovery Housing Conference. Their presentation, titled “From Stigma to Strength: The Recovery-Friendly Workplace Initiative,” focused on the growing importance of creating supportive workplaces for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder and those living with a mental health condition.

The presentation highlighted Ohio’s Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative, which encourages employers to create environments that support wellness, reduce stigma, and provide opportunities for individuals in recovery to succeed in the workforce. Recovery-friendly workplaces promote education, understanding, and supportive policies that help employees feel valued while encouraging access to treatment, recovery supports, and mental health resources when needed.



During the presentation, Sherman and fellow presenters discussed how employers play a critical role in recovery by fostering workplaces built on compassion, second chances, and support rather than judgment. They also shared how recovery-friendly practices can strengthen businesses by improving employee wellness, increasing retention, and creating healthier workplace cultures. By educating employers and communities, initiatives like Recovery Friendly Workplace help create pathways for individuals in recovery to rebuild their lives while contributing meaningfully to their workplaces and communities.

If your organization is interested in learning more about becoming a designated Recovery Friendly Workplace, Bridget Sherman is available to provide a brief presentation and guidance on the designation process.

Employers can reach Bridget via e-mail: bsherman@ashtabulamhrs.org or call 440-992-3121



Old Drugs, New Threats®:

An Overview of Emerging Drug Trends

One of the most dangerous public perceptions is, “I did it when I was a kid, and I turned out fine.” Fast forward a few decades, and today’s youth drug landscape looks very different. Many of the trends filling headlines and flooding social media are in classes all their own. Novel and re-imagined products and devices now pose new and evolving threats to teens and young adults. While awareness is only part of the solution, addressing these trends requires an informed and engaged community response.



This session will explore the latest youth drug trends, emerging products and devices, and the ways industry practices and social media are fueling these risks.

Date: May 5th, 2026

Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm

Click Here to Register



Click on the dates and times to register for the following trainings

Women and Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Success and Barriers for Care

May 5th: 12:00PM to 1:00PM

May 29th: 12:00PM to 1:00PM

Getting Started with Medications for Treating Opioid Use Disorder

May 21st: 12:00PM to 1:00PM

Treatment of Women with Substance Use Disorders: Addressing Opioid Use Disorders during the Perinatal Period

May 28th: 12:00PM to 1:00PM

To view a whole list of trainings provided for the month of May please click below:

Date: May 15, 2026

Time: 11 am to 2 pm

Where: The Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center, 3973 Callender Road, Rock Creek, OH 44084

Registration Limit: 60

Lunch will be provided along with a session of “play” after the one-hour training.

Presenter:

Katie Kurtz, LISW-S

Goals:

Nervous system care is how we build personal and collective resilience by giving us the capacity to show up, connect, and relate. Accumulated stress and vicarious trauma can make spontaneity, joy, and connection feel threatening rather than restorative, narrowing our capacity as individuals and communities. This workshop explores play as a powerful pathway for regulation and co-regulation, and how trauma-informed practitioners, educators, and community leaders can intentionally integrate play-based approaches to expand resilience across individuals, groups, and the systems we exist in.

This Training is at no cost to the participant

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

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Email Christy Fisher: Cfisher@ashtabulamhrs.org