MONTHLY BOARD MEETING
Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board Meeting:
June 18th, 2026 @ 8:30AM
4717 Main Ave. (Lower Level)
Ashtabula, OH 44004
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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
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SALT MEETING
Substance Awareness Leadership Team Meeting:
August 4th, 2026 @ 2:00PM
4717 Main Ave. (Lower Level)
Ashtabula, OH 44004
| | Pictured above from left to right; Stephanie Kush from ACBDD-Early Intervention, Christy Fisher from MHRS Board, and Joleen Sundquist from Ravenwood Health. | |
Trauma Informed Care Summit
"Rooted in Resilience"
On May 20th and 21st, local leaders represented Ashtabula County at the 13th Annual Trauma-Informed Care Summit. The summit was hosted by the Ohio Children’s Alliance in partnership with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and brought together professionals from across the state to learn, collaborate, and strengthen trauma-informed practices within their communities.
This year's summit was themed “Rooted in Resilience,” which focused heavily on building trauma-informed and resilience-centered workplaces across multiple professional settings. Sessions and discussions emphasized the importance of supporting staff wellness, reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and creating workplace cultures that promote safety, connection, and resilience for both employees and the individuals they serve. The summit brought together professionals from behavioral health, education, child welfare, first response, healthcare, and community organizations to explore practical strategies for strengthening organizations through trauma-informed leadership and collaboration. Attendees participated in keynote presentations, breakout workshops, and cross-sector conversations centered on workforce wellness, organizational resilience, and innovative approaches to creating healthier and more supportive systems of care.
Stephanie Kush from ACBDD-Early Intervention, Joleen Sundquist from Ravenwood Health, and Christy Fisher from the Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board attended the event to strengthen their understanding of trauma-informed and resilience-centered workplace practices while exploring new strategies that can be implemented within their organizations and throughout the community. Their participation also highlighted the importance of cross-agency collaboration in Ashtabula County, as professionals from different systems came together with a shared commitment to building stronger, more supportive environments for children, families, staff, and community members. By learning alongside one another, these local leaders continue to foster partnerships that promote resilience, wellness, and trauma-informed care across the county.
Ashtabula County also has a trauma-informed care collaborative known as BRT, “Building Resiliency Together,” which brings together community members and professionals from a variety of local agencies and organizations. The group meets monthly to collaborate on ways to increase awareness of trauma-informed care, promote resilience, support workforce wellness, and strengthen community connections throughout Ashtabula County. BRT works to create safer, more supportive environments by sharing resources, encouraging education, and fostering partnerships that help individuals, families, and organizations better understand the impact of trauma and the importance of resilience. The group is open to anyone interested in making a positive impact within the community.
For more information about BRT or to join, please contact
Joleen Sundquist from Ravenwood Health at joleen.sundquist@ravenwoodhealth.org.
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Join us on June 11, 2026, for a webinar exploring the science of addiction and models of recovery for substance use disorders. This webinar will begin with a foundational overview of the neurobiology of addiction, highlighting how changes in the brain shape behavior, decision-making, and vulnerability to relapse. Speakers will explain environmental cueing—such as the influence of people, places, and experiences—and its powerful role in triggering relapse.
Building on this foundation, speakers will also examine the current research about recovery, including key definitions and models that support long-term success. The discussion will highlight how these models address both the neurobiology of relapse and broader psychosocial factors, while also exploring emerging technologies and promising new directions in recovery research across biological, psychological, and social domains.
Speakers:
- Anna Rose Childress, Ph.D., Research Professor, Adj., and Director of the Brain-Behavioral Vulnerabilities Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- John F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP, Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in the Field of Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Founder and Director of the Recovery Research Institute
- Redonna Chandler, Ph.D., Scientific Advisor, Addiction Policy Forum
Click Here to Register
| | Methadone: The Overlooked Solution in the Fentanyl Era | | |
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
(UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
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Agenda
This event examines the evolving role of methadone in treating opioid use disorder (OUD) in the fentanyl era, challenging perceptions that it is outdated or high risk and reframing it as a highly effective, underutilized intervention.
Through clinical evidence and a patient-centered lens, Dr. Gilbert Schmidt, a BrightView Medical Director, and Brianna Ramseur, a BrightView Lead Advanced Practice Provider, will highlight methadone’s pharmacologic advantages for individuals with high opioid tolerance and the critical role of treatment retention in improving long-term outcomes.
ATTEND AND EARN A CE
Attending this FREE event is worth one continuing education (CE) hour from the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). Please check with your state board to confirm CE eligibility.
Attendees must attend the event for a minimum of 48 minutes to qualify for a CE.
Register Here
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SUD COE: Ethics and Boundaries: Maintaining Professional Integrity in Behavioral Healthcare
Thursday June 18th
1:00pm to 4:15pm
Maintaining high ethical standards and clear professional boundaries is essential for behavioral healthcare professionals to ensure client safety, foster trust, and promote effective treatment outcomes. Unethical behavior and blurred professional boundaries in behavioral healthcare can compromise client safety, erode trust, and negatively affect treatment outcomes. Research indicates that ethical lapses - including dual relationships, confidentiality breaches, and role confusion - are associated with reduced therapeutic engagement, higher rates of client dissatisfaction, and increased risk of harm (Gutheil & Gabbard, 1993; Barnett et al., 2007). Conversely, adherence to established ethical standards and clear professional boundaries has been shown to enhance the therapeutic alliance, improve client adherence, and foster positive clinical outcomes.
3.0 CEUs
| | To view a whole list of trainings provided for the month of June please click below: | |
Let Us Know How We Are Doing!
The Ashtabula County MHRS Board is interested in obtaining feedback from persons we serve, their family members, our providers, and partners. Your anonymous feedback will help the Board build upon its strengths and improve its services.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey as your input will help the Board achieve continuing success!
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