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Ohio Deflection Association

Post-Overdose Response
Community-Based
Self-Referral . Active Outreach
Intervention . Prevention

What is deflection?

Out of systems. Into care.

Deflection is a collaborative intervention that connects public safety (police and fire/EMS) with health systems (public and behavioral health) to create community-based pathways to care for individuals experiencing substance use disorder, mental health disorders, or other unmet social determinants of health.

Find your county team

Our mission

Ohio Deflection Association delivers support around public safety for the health and wellbeing of those struggling with substance use and mental health disorder(s), through the development of deflection and pre-arrest diversion strategies, support tools, and facilitating the education of community partners providing outreach services. Focusing on real life challenges with real time solutions by providing communities with education, guidance, and resources.

Join us for the ODA Southeast Ohio Lunch and Learn, Wednesday August 5

Next up · Ohio Deflection Association (ODA) regional event

Southeast Ohio Regional Lunch & Learn

Date
Wednesday, August 5
Time
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location
JROC, 715 Lane Street, Coal Grove, OH

Connect with deflection professionals, learn about emerging drug trends, and strengthen community partnerships with your Regional Representative.

Read more about the agenda
  • Regional workshop led by your Regional Representative
  • Open discussion on funding opportunities and program needs
  • Training on Ohio's Community Alert Notifications System (OCANS)
  • Updates on regional drug trends from ONIC staff
RSVP by email

Partner training calendar

Suicide prevention training across Ohio

In-person professional development with continuing education credits, offered by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. Training fees are covered through SAMHSA Grant #SM086105.

About these trainings

Collaborative Assessment & Management of Suicidality (CAMS)

CAMS is an evidence-based treatment framework used to assess suicidality and specifically treat suicide risk. The 3-part training provides mental health professionals and other relevant professionals with essential knowledge in using the CAMS framework to collaborate with patients in the treatment of their suicidal drivers. A CEU application is pending for up to 7.0 CEs for counselors, social workers, and psychologists.

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR)

AMSR® for health and behavioral health professionals working in outpatient settings helps clinicians feel confident navigating challenging conversations about suicide, and offers key strategies for providing compassionate care to people at risk. Participants who fully complete the training are eligible for 6.5 hours of continuing education credits from APA and NASW. As these are national-level CEs, check with your Ohio licensing board on acceptance.

Zero Suicide Institute Safety Planning Training

A 4-hour in-person safety planning training for clinical providers. Learn who, what, where, when, and how to create a safety plan to support a person at risk of suicide. Build confidence in counseling on access to lethal means and practice your skills in a supportive learning environment. 3.5 CEs provided to Ohio social workers and counselors.

Costs are covered through grant funds; the listed fee covers administrative expenses, including food & beverage.

News & announcements

Deflection news

  • Resource guide

    Deflection Data Collection and Definitions Guide

    A new statewide guide, developed with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence's Substance Use Deflection Initiative, gives Ohio deflection teams one shared set of definitions for collecting data and measuring outcomes.

    Read more about the Definitions Guide

    The Ohio Deflection Association, in partnership with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence's Substance Use Deflection Initiative, is proud to announce the Deflection Data Collection and Definitions GuidePDF. The guide helps diverse deflection teams across Ohio operate under the same standardized definitions, ensuring accurate statewide data collection and strengthening the measurement of outcomes.

    “Aligning terminology across diverse teams strengthens our collective ability to measure impact and ensure Ohio's deflection efforts continue to grow in clarity, consistency, and effectiveness.”
    — Ashley Morgan, Director, Substance Use Deflection Initiative

    “This marks the first step in a meaningful partnership with the Substance Use Deflection Initiative. Together, we will formalize best practices and drive innovation in the emerging field of deflection across Ohio, always keeping the best interests of the citizens we serve at the forefront.”
    — Tom Fallon, Executive Director, Ohio Deflection Association

    Special thanks to our workgroup: Jaime Urmsom, Meagan Guthrie, Sarah Coyne, Jessica Jennings, Jennifer Whitman, and Nicole Jenkins.

  • Survey

    Voices from the Field survey

    The Ohio Deflection Association wants to hear from you — your feedback shapes the training, speakers, and resources at the 2027 Ohio Deflection Association Summit.

    Read more about the survey

    The survey takes just a few minutes and covers the topics, presenters, and practical resources that would most help your team in the year ahead. Responses are reviewed by the Summit planning workgroup.

    Take the Voices from the Field survey

  • In the news

    First-of-its-kind panel reopens overdose death cold cases

    When a person dies of a drug overdose, their loved ones are left with painful questions — and sometimes no answers. A Hamilton County panel is giving families hope.

    Read more about the cold case panel

    The panel brings together law enforcement, coroners, and public health partners to revisit unsolved overdose deaths, identify sources of supply, and give families answers that were previously out of reach. It is believed to be the first review body of its kind in the country.

    Read the report at local12.com

  • Policy

    Governor DeWine authorizes emergency rule on overdose-prevention tools

    Executive Order 2025-04D suspends normal rulemaking so the Ohio Board of Pharmacy can expand access to drug-checking and overdose-prevention tools statewide.

    Read more about the emergency rule

    Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Executive Order 2025-04D to suspend the normal rulemaking process, allowing the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to adopt a rule expanding access to overdose-prevention tools. In addition to test strips and reagent kits for fentanyl, rule OAC 4729-8-02 exempts tests for the following compounds from Ohio's definition of drug paraphernalia:

    • Xylazine
    • Medetomidine
    • Benzimidazole-opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes)
    • Benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine-related compounds

  • Funding

    SOS 4.0 NOFO is open in Ohio

    Ohio's Department of Behavioral Health is accepting applications to deliver prevention, overdose reversal, treatment, and recovery support across the care continuum.

    Read more about the SOS 4.0 funding opportunity

    Selected applicants will provide evidence-based practices across the care continuum — prevention, opioid overdose reversal medication (OORM), treatment, and recovery support — aimed at opioid use disorder, stimulant use disorder, and concurrent substance use disorders, aligned with Ohio's SOS 4.0 goals and intended outcomes.

    Planned investment areas

    1. Treatment: FDA-approved MOUD in Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), low-barrier settings, and criminal justice settings, plus other evidence-based practices.
    2. Community and family resiliency: evidence-based prevention reaching children, youth, young adults, older adults, families, and their communities.
    3. Recovery supports: recovery housing, peer support, and supported employment.

    Eligibility: DBH seeks applications from qualified Ohio ADAMH boards and non-profit and for-profit community organizations meeting the statutory requirements for licensed and/or certified community behavioral health services providers, private psychiatric hospitals, and residential Class 1, 2, and 3 facilities enacted through House Bill 33.

    View the funding opportunity at dbh.ohio.gov

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