Ashtabula County MHRS Attends Ohio’s 2025 Mental Health and Addiction Conference in Columbus, Ohio

Ashtabula County is proudly represented at Ohio’s 2025 Mental Health and Addiction Conference, held this week from June 9-10 at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. This annual event, hosted by the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, is a crucial gathering for professionals dedicated to improving behavioral health across the state.

The past two days have been invaluable, yielding new information and innovative strategies in mental health and substance use disorder. Attendees from Ashtabula County MHRS have been immersed in sessions covering a wide range of critical topics, including:

Prevention and early intervention: Learning about universal prevention programs for schools and communities, and strategies for reducing the risk of mental health issues and substance misuse.

Treatment advancements: Exploring new approaches in therapy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and inpatient/outpatient services.

Recovery support: Gaining insights into initiatives like recovery housing, supported employment, and community engagement to help individuals sustain long-term recovery.

Crisis intervention: Discussing enhanced mobile crisis response services and the role of the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

Addressing social determinants of health: Understanding how economic stability and other factors impact behavioral health.

Combatting stigma and promoting compassion: Strategies for dismantling clinical stigma and addressing compassion fatigue among providers.

Community partnerships: Exploring collaborative approaches to creating comprehensive crisis care continuums and integrating harm reduction into crisis response.

This knowledge will be directly utilized to enhance our community. Ashtabula County already has robust mental health and recovery services, spearheaded by the Ashtabula County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board. Their work includes:

Funding essential programs: Supporting critical services for improved mental health recovery outcomes, including crisis intervention, treatment, and recovery supports.

Recovery housing and employment: Supporting programs like recovery housing and Community Counseling Center’s Supported Employment Program, which assists individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders in finding and keeping jobs.

Criminal justice services: Funding initiatives within the jail system to link individuals to treatment upon release and reduce recidivism.

Training and education: Hosting events like the annual PART Conference and offering Mental Health First Aid and Peer Recovery Supporter training.

The insights gained from Ohio’s 2025 Mental Health and Addiction Conference will further empower Ashtabula County’s efforts, allowing us to implement cutting-edge practices and continue building a more resilient, supportive, and healthier community for all residents.

Pictured above from left to right: Brian Eliason from Glenbeigh Hospital, Vanessa Jackson from Lake Erie Recovery Center, Bridget Sherman, Christy Fisher, Kaitie Hart, all from Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Stephanie Belconis from Conneaut Municipal’s Renewal Court, and Jay Becker from Ashtabula County Health Department.