Youth and family members of those currently and previously incarcerated are often called “hidden victims.” Incarceration can profoundly impact families, who may experience ambiguous loss and deep disruptions during and after their loved one’s detention. The mental health consequences for incarcerated individuals can be compounded by the damage experienced by their families. Incarcerated Individuals and their families need mental health support during the term of incarceration, through the challenges of reentry, and while navigating the long-term effects of family separation. Some providers specialize in working with the families of currently and formerly incarcerated people and have developed strategies for disrupting cycles of intergenerational trauma. These lessons can teach others in the mental health workforce (including clinicians, peers, and school mental health personnel) to deliver therapeutic support to clients impacted by incarceration.
The Pacific Southwest MHTTC is pleased to hold a special 90-minute session to foster learning about how to assist the families of the incarcerated. Our Center’s Technical Assistance Specialist, Evelyn Clark, will host a presentation by Dad’s M.O.V.E., a family-run organization. This session invites space for Q&A and dialogue and will highlight this organization’s approaches, models, and interventions that are responsive to the needs of the families of incarcerated loved ones.
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This panel is open to all mental health professionals, including peer supporters, counselors, psychologists, therapists, and mental health program administrators.
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Evelyn Clark, CPC (she/hers)
Evelyn Clark is a Mexican-Native American woman specializing in Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, leadership development, and peer support. She has 15 years of experience serving young people and their families impacted by systems of care. Evelyn is a Certified Peer Counselor, a Justice-Impacted Professional, and a National Consultant. She has dedicated her career to dismantling racism within Youth and Family serving systems. She is a proud recipient of the 2019 Peer Alternatives Youth and Young Adult Leadership Award and the 2023 Peer-O-Award for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Social Justice. Evelyn’s mission is to end racial and ethnic disparities within care systems and create leadership opportunities for the BIPOC workforce.
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Nelson Rascon, Executive Director, Dad's MOVE (He/Him)
Nelson Rascon became involved with the non-profit world because of his three special needs children. As he began searching for help with his children, he met many individuals from other non-profits and parent support groups. Since then, he has developed a passion for helping other parents, particularly fathers.
After gaining the needed help and support for his own children he went to work for several non-profits and community-based groups. Nelson began to take what he learned to help his own family and began helping others. Nelson is certified in many training modules, has authored several of my own, and led his organization to being accredited to train the Washington state Certified Peer Training Certification. Nelson has now been working in this Director capacity since 2011.
In 2009, Nelson became a Certified Counselor in Washington State. In 2011, Nelson became the director of Dads MOVE. Over the course of the last 12 years, he has attended and presented at numerous national conferences.
Sarah Jensen, Peer Supervisor, Dad's MOVE (She/Her)
Sarah Jensen began working in the mental health field as a certified peer counselor. She has worked in the areas of adult outpatient mental health, family mental and youth health and wraparound services. In her time working in community mental health, Sarah earned her A.S. in Human Services and her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Sarah is currently a graduate student at Walden University in the clinical mental health counseling program.
Sarah uses her lived experience as a special needs parent, and is an avid mental health advocate to support those she works with. In addition to providing support to individuals and families, Sarah is also an international presenter, and mental health workforce developer. Using her lived experiences navigating the traumatic effects of multiple state and federal systems, Sarah is driven to help find new ways to serve families in a more trauma informed and holistic manner.
