SERIES DESCRIPTION

The Central East MHTTC in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health is pleased to offer a school mental health webinar series with a focus on advancing high quality, sustainable school mental health from a multi-tiered system of support, trauma sensitive, and culturally responsive and equitable lens. To familiarize yourself with the foundations of school mental health, please review the school mental health guidance document.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Describe systemic and environmental variables that contribute to mental health disparities
  among LGBTQ+ youth
• Identify anti-discrimination policies and inclusive practices that can be implemented in
  schools and other youth-serving settings
• Explore strategies to develop safe, welcoming, and LGBTQ+-affirming environments for youth

PRESENTERS

Sophia Arredondo (she/her/ella) is a TA Specialist with the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Her primary responsibilities include providing specialized direct assistance and training to U.S. Department of Education funded grantees for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE). Ms. Arredondo has been in the education and education-adjacent space for over 15 years fostering safe and supportive learning environment initiatives for 2SLGBTQIA+ students at the local, state, and national level.

a.t. furuya (they, them, theirs) is a community organizer and educator. They have been coaching, teaching, and advocating for youth for over two decades. a.t. has worked in local and national non profits in LGBTQ+ youth direct services such as housing, identity support, mental and physical health services navigation and education. They are the LGBTQI+ consultant for the San Diego Office of Education and Sweetwater Union High School District and have a master's degree in education.

Bixby Marino-Kibbee (they/them) is a nonbinary, transmasculine, queer mental health clinician who has worked in the field of mental health and social services for the past 20 years.  Bixby has worked with individuals across the lifespan including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults and their families in a variety of settings including residential treatment, outpatient therapy, community-based wraparound care, and most recently within a large academic healthcare institution.

AUDIENCE

Educators, Administrators, Health and Behavioral Health Care Professionals, Central East (Region 3) Project AWARE Grantees, Policymakers and Advocates, and Child-Serving Agency Staff