The South Southwest MHTTC hosted the Educator Wellness and Trauma-Informed Classrooms Master Training event for Texas Education Service Centers (ESC).  This optional learning community is a space to share new resources, research, and tools to support the implementation of this training in Texas. We will provide a space to share what is working, any challenges experienced, and brainstorm ways that the South Southwest MHTTC can support the leaders implementing this training. This group meets the first Thursday of every month from 9:00 - 10:00 am CT.

The South Southwest MHTTC is co-facilitating this training with Texas Health and Human Services. This is a closed training. AS+K About Suicide to Save a Life is a 3 workshop for adults who interact with youth or adults at risk for suicide. The program provides participants with an overview of the basic epidemiology of suicide and suicidal behavior, including risk and protective factors. Participants are trained to recognize warning signs—behaviors and characteristics that might indicate elevated risk for suicidal behavior—and how to intervene with a person they think might be at risk for suicide.

ABOUT THIS EVENT The Northwest MHTTC is excited to collaborate with the Mountain West AIDS Education & Training Center Program (AETC) on this webinar series related to sexual health.  People often think about sex as something that happens in our bodies, but much of our sex life occurs in our brains. It is critical to understand that for all genders our feelings and thoughts play a significant role in our sexual health. Anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, and psychosis all include symptoms that affect sexual life, such as decreased arousal, desire, or sexual satisfaction. Living with a mental illness can harm a person's self-esteem and make them feel undeserving of sexual attention or a healthy relationship. Medications to treat mental disorders can cause or exacerbate sexual dysfunction. Behavioral health providers play a unique role in their clients’ lives, and treatment relationships provide opportunities to support client sexual health. Session 1 of the series will provide the rationale for integrating sexual health and behavioral health care, and an overview of the research highlighting the importance of this issue. Part 1 of the Sexual Health Series (click to view all sessions in this series). FACILITATORS Lydia Chwastiak, MD, MPH Dr. Chwastiak is a psychiatrist, internist and health services researcher who is a Professor in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.  Over the past 22 years, her research has focused on improving care and outcomes for people with complex needs in low resource settings, such as low-barrier primary care clinics and community mental health centers in the US, and primary and secondary medical settings in India and Nepal. Dr. Chwastiak is co-directs the UW Behavioral Research in HIV (BIRCH) Center, an NIMH-funded AIDS Research Center, and is the PI and co-director of the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (NW MHTTC). Christina Clayton, MSW, LICSW, SUDP Christina Clayton has been in the behavioral health field since 1993, primarily serving adults who live with severe mental health issues, substance use, experience chronic homelessness, suffer from poor physical health, trauma and any number of co-occurring issues. Christina has education and licenses/credentials in clinical social work, mental health and substance use, and highly values her direct service experience. Prior to joining the MHTTC in 2018, she spent 25 years working in and managing numerous clinical programs. She has provided licensure supervision, training and consultation, and has been a SW Field Instructor since 2000 She is Co-Director for the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and Interim Assistant Dean & Director of Field Education for the UW School of Social Work. Victor Ramirez, MSPH Mountain West AETC, Washington State Training Coordinator Mountain West AETC Local Partner University of Washington, Washington State Training Coordinator   Laurie Sylla MHSA Laurie Sylla has been involved with AIDS since the early 1980s, as an agency/program director, direct service provider, advocate, researcher, coalition leader, and educator. She is a co-founder of the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York and the Community Research Initiative of New England (CRI). She is currently the Director of the Mountain West AIDS Education & Training Center, based at the University of Washington.  

Description: With increasing overdose rates, a more lethal drug supply, and more prescription medications in many homes, it’s important to educate a wider audience about harm reduction and what it means: essentially, reducing the negative consequences of potentially risky behaviors. This workshop will present different definitions of harm reduction, highlight how we all practice harm reduction in our lives, and explain how harm reduction strategies are implemented in different settings, including syringe service programs and psychotherapy. It will also address community concerns and hesitations about harm reduction, ways to reduce the harms of stigma surrounding drug use, and opportunities to build bridges between harm reduction and treatment for people with substance use disorders Goals: Increase participants’ understanding of harm reduction principles and strategies, address myths and misperceptions about harm reduction, and explore how harm reduction can be part of the continuum of care. Workshop Outline: Different ways of defining harm reduction (National Harm Reduction Coalition, SAMHSA, NIDA). Harm reduction principles. How we all practice harm reduction (including bike helmets, sunscreen, designated drivers). Harm reduction services provided by syringe service programs (SSPs), overdose prevention centers (OPCs) and mobile units in some communities. Who harm reduction services may not be reaching (different population groups). Harm reduction psychotherapy (key practitioners and principles, including embracing goals like reduced substance use). Hesitations about harm reduction (traditional objections, like it “enables” drug use, vs. newer concerns, e.g. it’s “not enough” for people with complex needs). Building bridges between harm reduction and treatment for people with substance use disorders. Reducing harm by addressing stigma (types of stigma, avoiding stigmatizing terms). Trainer Bio: Susan Stellin, MPH is a writer, educator, and public health consultant focusing on health-centered responses to substance use and addiction. Since earning a master's in public health at Columbia University, she has worked on projects about ways to reduce overdose deaths, reform punitive drug policies, and expand access to harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. Recent clients include NYU Langone’s Health x Housing Lab, the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Technology Transfer Center, the Opioid Response Network, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Overdose Prevention Program at Vital Strategies, and the Vera Institute of Justice. She regularly leads training workshops for service providers working with people experiencing substance use, mental health, and housing challenges, and has also taught undergraduate courses about media ethics, collaborative storytelling, and the history of journalism.

This webinar provided tips for increasing engagement and understanding insight when working with individuals who experience psychosis. Some of the learning goals of this webinar include: Understanding some of the common barriers to engagement in treatment for individuals who experience psychosis Learning strategies for building rapport and trust with clients whose symptoms may interfere with having insight about their condition Developing a deeper understanding of the role of empathy for the individual’s experience and validation of their values when fostering engagement and therapeutic progress Discussing important cultural and ethical considerations to keep in mind when working with individuals who struggle with developing insight into their psychotic symptoms About the Presenters: Emily Kline is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the Director of Psychological Services in the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis (WRAP) Program at Boston Medical Center. She is an expert in adolescent and young adult development, emerging psychotic disorders, and serious mental illness. She has published over 40 peer reviewed papers and several book chapters on psychosis prediction, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Her current research focuses on improving communication between parents and youth and increasing access to high quality mental health treatment for young people in distress. Dr. Kline authored The School of Hard Talks: How to Have Real Conversations with Your (Almost Grown) Kids (2023) as well as a The School of Hard Talks Online which is an online course for parents who are hoping to learn to improve their communication with their teens. Jenny Lancet MS, MBA is a Peer Support Specialist with the WRAP Program at Boston Medical Center. She provides one-on-one support by assisting others in their own journeys of recovery through sharing her own experiences and promoting hope that recovery is possible. In her spare time she enjoys photographing the city.

  The goal of this webinar is to advance practitioners’ knowledge of and sensitivity to Judaism and the greater Jewish community. Judaism is not only a religion, but a culture as well, and this presentation will highlight the diverse range of Jewish identity and expression. We will discuss Judaism’s values, beliefs, traditions, rituals, and worldviews will be discussed and how these cultural elements manifest in everyday life. This is an important training for those who work closely with the Jewish community, have clients with Jewish family members, and/or for those who are interested in increasing their cultural competency of Judaism and Jewish Communities in general.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to: Identify several Jewish identities and their expression in everyday life Apply new strategies when working with individuals from the Jewish community Summarize cultural-specific issues that may arise when working with Jewish clients Identify Jewish myths and stereotypes and also recall factual data and statistics related to the Jewish population   PRESENTER: Moshe Moeller, PhD Moshe Moeller, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in cross-cultural fatherhood, parenting, couples, family and group therapy, and paternal mental health. He is an Attending Psychologist at Montefiore Medical Center and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Moeller is currently the Associate Program Director of Montefiore's Supporting Healthy Relationships and HERO Dads programs. These are two family strengthening programs funded by the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Health Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) grants. Over the past decade he has been conducting and presenting fatherhood and relationship education research an has been providing clinical services for fathers and families from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Moeller received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Queens College and his master's and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University, Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology. He also received his First Talmudic Degree from Sh'or Yoshuv Institute. He has specialized training in psychodynamic therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and Gottman Method Couple Therapy and is a Certified PREP 8.0, Nurturing Fathers, and 24/7 Dad Facilitator. Outside of work he enjoys playing piano, spending time outdoors, reading, cooking, painting, and spending time with his family. Dr. Moeller and his wife live in Stony Point, NY with their 3 children.   This training is provided by our valued partners at the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities.   The Great Lakes MHTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.