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Governor Mike DeWine and The Ohio State University Introduce the SOAR Study on Ohio Mental Illness

Client Alert
January 22, 2024

On January 19, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and The Ohio State University announced a new research initiative, the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (“SOAR”) study, which will investigate all factors influencing Ohio’s mental illness and addiction epidemic. SOAR will focus on Ohio families across generations to:

  • Identify factors or risks that lead to persistent distress, mental illness, substance abuse, use disorders, or overdose,
  • Understand how exposure to such risks impacts one’s behavior, biology, and brain function,
  • Identify patterns of intergenerational transferal of illnesses, and
  • Discover methods to promote resilience allowing one to face adversity.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine will collaborate with a number of Ohio universities to lead the study. Bowling Green State University, Case Western/ University Hospital-Cleveland, Central State University, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, among others, will join Ohio State in the study.

Beginning its initiative, the SOAR study will start with two paralleled projects. First, under the SOAR Wellness Survey, as many as 15,000 Ohioans will be surveyed to collect information on social and psychological makeup, life experiences, and the participants’ mental health. Second, the SOAR Brain Health Study will examine about 3,000 Ohio families to study biological, psychological, and social factors to determine who does well facing adversity, and who does not.

Over the past decade, Ohio has witnessed a rise in mental illness and drug overdose, which has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidencing the state’s attempt to improve these issues, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has funded the SOAR study with an initial $20 million grant.

In performing extensive analysis on Ohio individuals, families, and multiple generations, SOAR study researchers hope these findings lead to “new strategies” that support resilience and enable families to “break the chain” of mental illness and substance abuse.

If you have questions about the content of this Client Alert, please contact BMD Healthcare Member Daphne Kackloudis at dlkackloudis@bmdllc.com.

SOARGovernor Mike DeWineDaphne KackloudisOpioid CrisisHealth Law
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Interesting Trends Revealed in 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey

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Changes to Physician Assistant Statutes in Florida

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Ohio Senate Bill 49 – Ohio Expands Lien Rights for Design Professionals

October 20, 2021Effective September 30, 2021, Ohio granted limited lien rights to design professionals, including architects, landscape architects, engineers, and surveyors. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 49 into law on July 1, 2021. This new law established a statutory right to lien commercial real estate by Ohio design professionals who, until now, could not file a lien for non-payment of professional services. Senator Vernon Sykes, a primary sponsor of Senate Bill 49, stated that the “legislation ensures that architects, engineers and other designers will get paid for their work, regardless of the outcome of their projects . . . It will support hardworking Ohioans by protecting the value of their labor . . ..”
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