The Big Picture: Central Ohio is addressing the mental health needs of foster children through a new program called the Healing Alternatives for Youth (HAY), developed by The Buckeye Ranch, according to NBC Channel 4 News.     Zoom Out: The HAY program is unique to Franklin County and aims to provide placement, stabilization, and...

The Ohio Department of Health held a virtual press conference on May 30th to address the state’s ongoing mental health crisis, particularly as Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, according to Channel 2 WFMJ News.     The Big Picture: Hosted by Bruce Vanderhoff, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, the conference...

The big picture: June marks Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, shedding light on the critical issue of men’s mental health and the stigma surrounding it, according to CBS7.     Catch up quickly: Despite being diagnosed with depression half as often as women, men die by suicide at a rate four times higher. This discrepancy...

The Big Picture: The Ohio Senate has passed Senate Bill 81, sponsored by Sen. Mark Romanchuk, aimed at improving the efficiency of the mental health care system in Ohio, according to Mansfield News Journal.     Zoom Out: This legislation is designed to address the current shortage of behavioral health workers in Ohio, including a...

The Big Picture: LeeAnne Cornyn, Director of Ohio’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, highlights the critical need for statewide efforts to address the opioid crisis, according to WTRF News.     Zoom Out: Nearly $900 million from settlements with drug manufacturers is set to fund expanded addiction treatment and recovery services across Ohio....

The Big Picture: New research from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center introduces crisis response planning (CRP) as a promising intervention to swiftly diminish suicide risk in military veterans undergoing intensive PTSD therapy, according to Medical X Press.     Zoom Out: The study focuses on veterans treated with cognitive processing therapy (CPT), highlighting...

The Big Picture: A new series from The Lancet Psychiatry journal underscores the profound impact of systemic racism on mental health disparities among Black Americans, advocating for deeper analyses and community-centered, culturally informed care solutions, according to NYU Langone Health.     Zoom Out: The series highlights over fifty years of research detailing how racism...

The Big Picture: Concerns about mental health have significantly risen among Americans, with 65% reporting worries about their own mental health or that of friends and family—a noticeable increase from previous years, according to Fortune Magazine.     Zoom Out: This growing concern is documented in a new survey conducted by CVS Health in partnership...

The Big Picture: Women veterans face acute mental health challenges, exacerbated by high rates of military sexual trauma (MST), intimate partner violence, and inadequate support during transitions from military to civilian life, according to the Disabled American Veterans Newsroom.       Zoom Out: The new DAV report underscores a dire landscape: a 24.1% increase...

The Big Picture: The Milliman report, commissioned by the advocacy group Inseparable, reveals that two-thirds of Americans with a diagnosed mental health condition and insurance coverage could not access treatment in 2021. This issue remains critical as mental health is a top concern for most Americans, according to NPR.     By the Numbers: Despite...