Resources

Submitting Public Comment on Proposed OMB Rule to Change Federal Grant Policy

 
OPPA encourages Ohio's prevention community to submit public comment on the White House Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) proposed rule to give White House appointees complete control to approve or cancel every grant program created by Congress, including the vast majority of dollars funding prevention and other behavioral health services in Ohio.
 
Key information and resources:

Background on the Proposed Rule

 
 

How to Submit Public Comment

DEADLINE: Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:59pm!

The proposed rule (includes details on each section, relevant to #2 in sample comment structure, below). To submit public comment, click on the blue Comment box on the upper left. You can also access the Comment portal at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/OMB-2026-0034-0001.
 
Use Dr. Elizabeth Ginexi's 12-Slide Presentation (see slides 8-11) as a guide for structuring your comment. Other helpful guides to submitting public comment:
 
 
 
Below is a sample comment structure, but use your own words so your comment is unique. Repeatedly similar comments will not be considered as strongly.
 
Your comment can be as short as four sentences and as long as you wish.
 
Ask others -- family, friends, consumers, coalition members, colleagues, etc. -- to submit comment! Help them with the writing and submission. The proposed rule affects funding beyond behavioral health, including local infrastructure (e.g., water, bridges), social services (e.g., Meals on Wheels, daycare and pre-K services), and more, so it's not just a priority for the behavioral health community.
 
Sample comment structure (See slide 8):
 
1. Who you are: "I am a [prevention professional/coalition member/educator] at [a community-based prevention provider/school/county behavioral health authority] and work in [school-based prevention education/gambling prevention/suicide prevention.]
 
2. Which provision(s): "I am writing to oppose §200[XXX] (Insert section number(s); see slide 9), which would [brief plain-language description of what that section does]."
 
3. The concrete harm: "If this provision takes effect, our [prevention interventions/community-based efforts/school-based services] would [describe the harm]. Our [students/consumers/community] would [describe consequence(s)]."
 
4. Your request: "I request that §200.[XXX] not be [finalized/made final/approved.] I urge OMB to withdraw this rule in its entirety."
 
5. Sign?: You can submit your comment with your name, your name and organization -- consider whether your employer is ok with your agency/board included -- your name and role, or anonymously. Comments with at least your name are preferred, but an anonymous comment is better than no comment.
 
6. Copy your public comment before submitting and send it to your Representative in the U.S. House and to Ohio's U.S. Senators: Senator Bernie Moreno and Senator Jon Husted.


Additional Reading & Resources

 
 
 
 

 

The Ohio Prevention Professionals Facebook Group is an OPPA initiative that provides a venue to dialogue with fellow prevention professionals, ask questions, seek resources, and connect with Ohio’s prevention community. The Facebook Group is not limited to OPPA members. OPPA membership helps support this important venue for conversation and connection.

Documents relevant to Ohio’s prevention professionals and advocates are available to OPPA members on the Members tab. To suggest a document for consideration by the OPPA Communications & Marketing Team, e-mail communications@ohiopreventionprofessionals.org.

As a service to Ohio's prevention community, OPPA provides access to the following tools, developed by OPPA, our members, or other partners and entities, to assist Ohio’s prevention professionals and advocates in their professional development. Additional tools and resources are available to OPPA members on the Member Login section of our website. To suggest a tool for consideration by OPPA for inclusion in the Resources section, e-mail mail@ohiopreventionprofessionals.org.

Key state organizations relevant to Ohio’s prevention professionals and advocates are listed below. OPPA members can access a more comprehensive list, including national and international organizations, on the Members tab. We also encourage you to explore OPPA’s Organization Members on the Membership tab

Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities

Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board

Ohio Coaching and Mentoring Network (OCAM)

Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation

Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Prevention Action Alliance

Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO)

Prevention Supervision Tools

 

The Ohio Prevention Professionals Association is developing a range of tools to support supervision of prevention professionals in Ohio. These resources are intended to support prevention supervision but are not prescriptive. Expectations of prevention supervision are the purview of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, and/or individual employers and professionals. Prevention supervisors should access professional legal or other guidance around supervision practice, when appropriate.

Additional tools will be added to this webpage in the coming weeks.

Prevention Supervision Best Practice Guidelines - A guide for anyone providing supervision of one or more prevention professionals in Ohio or considering taking on a prevention supervision role.

External Supervision: Key Things to Consider - A guidance document for individuals considering providing supervision of one or more prevention professionals in Ohio as an external consultant -- not employed by the supervisee's employer.

Prevention Supervision Log - A tool to document prevention supervision meetings.

Prevention Services and Practical Experience Log - Three-tab Excel template to document practical experience -- two templates by prevention domain -- to ensure work experience requirements mandated for ensuring a prevention certificate.

Observation Form: Prevention Education and Service Delivery - A practical tool for supervisors providing observation of classroom (and other settings) delivery of prevention education and other prevention services.

Self-Reflection Form - A complement to the Observation Form, providing the supervisee with a means for self-reflection on classroom (and other settings) delivery of prevention education and other prevention services. Intended to be used with the Observation Form.

Scopes of Practice Matrix: Ohio Prevention Professionals - A document charting the CSAP Strategies, IC&RC domains and other roles delineated in the Scopes of Practice for Registered Applicants, Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist Assistants, Ohio Certified Prevention Specialists, and Ohio Certified Prevention Consultants.

Scopes of Practice and Code of Ethics: Ohio Prevention Professionals - The URLs for the Scopes of Practice for Registered Applicants, Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist Assistants, Ohio Certified Prevention Specialists, and Ohio Certified Prevention Consultants; and the Ohio Code of Ethics for Prevention Professionals.