Training and Events Calendar

Please Note: Registration is closed for this event. This free community of practice event is for early childhood providers who work with children ages 0-5 in a variety of service settings. Participants should have completed formal ASQ-3(TM) & ASQ: SE-2(TM) Training of Trainers and aim to either start or enhance the quality of their training.  This event will support ASQ-3(TM) and ASQ:SE-2(TM) introductory trainers with preparing for their first training or enhancing the quality of the introductory trainings they already provide. This CoP will include a sample training, a planning tool, and time to begin developing introductory trainings with a seasoned trainer. The event is open to qualified early childhood providers in the HHS Region VI states: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Event Description Increasingly, rural systems of care are employing a range of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), supported employment, and supported housing, to meet the needs of persons with serious mental illness. Rural systems often modify these EBP’s in some manner to accommodate rural environments that consistently contend with workforce limitations, small populations, intermittent broadband and cell phone service, and long distances.      Join us for this important knowledge exchange on Tuesday, 9/24 and Thursday, 9/26, from 9:00 am MT – 12:00 pm MT. Please note this training has been changed from an in-person event to two virtual training sessions.   In Session 1, we will focus upon the science and adaptation of EBP to rural practice.    In Session 2, we will focus on rural implementors and providers discussing their real-world rural challenges to implementation and on-going adoption challenges and opportunities.  This will be followed by a summary discussion of State Policy that can support rural adoption of EBPs.    If you have any questions, please contact Genevieve Berry at [email protected] 

This is Session 3 of the "Empowering Pathways" series. Event Description This training provides participants with tools and techniques to implement strength-based goal setting within behavioral health practices. By focusing on clients' inherent strengths, rather than deficits, this approach empowers individuals to set and achieve meaningful, personalized goals that foster resilience and recovery. Participants will learn how to collaborate effectively with clients to identify strengths, set achievable goals, and track progress. This training is ideal for behavioral health professionals seeking to enhance client outcomes through a positive, empowering framework.  Learning Outcomes:  Participants will learn ways to identify and leverage client strengths to develop personalized, achievable goals in behavioral health settings.  Participants will identify at least 2 techniques for facilitating collaborative goal-setting conversations that empower clients and foster engagement.  Participants will gain strategies for tracking and adjusting goals to ensure continuous client progress and motivation.  Trainer Lamarr Lewis is a dedicated advocate, author, and agent of change. With a focus on community-based mental and public health, he works with diverse groups including individuals living with psychiatric disabilities, people in recovery from substance abuse, and at-hope youth (He does not use the term at-risk).    He is an alumnus of Wittenberg University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Africana Studies and Religion. He later received his master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Argosy University.    His career spans over twenty years with experience as a therapist, consultant, public speaker, facilitator, trainer, and human service professional. He has been a featured expert for such organizations as; Boeing, Region IV Public Health Training Center, Fulton County Probate Court, Mississippi Department of Health, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and many more.    His lifelong mission is to leave the world better than how he found it.  

In this webinar, we will revisit the topic of mental health care for people who are Blind*. Our panel of experts from Prevent Blindness includes: Julie Grutzmacher, MPH, MSW, Director of Patient Advocacy and Public Health Initiatives; Shervonne Poleon, Ph.D, an award-winning researcher studying sociobehavioral factors in the management of eye disease, and Connie Hills, Ph.D, a recognized consultant, speaker and clinical psychologist with lived experience of age-related macular degeneration. Our speakers will share considerations for the clinician who plans to, is currently seeing, or is unfamiliar with Blind patients for psychotherapy, counseling, or medication management. They will also share research findings on quality of life among Blind people that can help mental health providers conceptualize their treatment approaches with Blind patients. This webinar is intended for a broad audience of mental health providers, trainees and students. Please come with an open mind. *We use the word “Blind” for the purpose of this webinar to encompass all individuals with low vision, vision loss, or blindness. Presenter Bios: Connie Hills, PhD is a Consultant, Speaker and Psychologist with 30 years of experience providing clinical services, teaching, and research in the field of Mental Health. Utilizing a mind/body framework is a central theme in her work. Connie holds a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling, a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is a licensed psychologist in the state of California. She has been living with Age-Related Macular Degeneration for 10 years. Connie is a Mental Health Intern with Prevent Blindness where she works to help to build bridges between the Mental Health and Blind communities. Shervonne Poleon, PhD is a St. Lucian national who holds a doctoral degree in Vision Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Shervonne’s research focuses on the impact of social and behavioral factors on disease management in glaucoma and other chronic diseases. She has a strong passion for patient advocacy and was the recipient of the 2021 Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award. In 2023, Shervonne was also recognized by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and received the ARVO Emerging Advocate Award. She is determined to improve overall eye health by directly addressing the social, behavioral, and psychological barriers that limit access, delivery, and uptake of eye care resources. In addition to her research, Shervonne serves as a mental health intern with Prevent Blindness, where she explores the impact of visual impairment and blindness on mental health and psychological wellness. Julie Grutzmacher, MSW, MPH is Director of Patient Advocacy and Public Health Initiatives at Prevent Blindness. She holds a dual master’s degree in social work and public health and has more than twenty years of experience advocating for equitable access to and delivery of healthcare services. Julie’s work has led her to academic medical facilities, federally qualified health centers, academia, and non-profit organizations, servicing communities impacted by HIV/AIDS, premature and low birth weight babies, and high-risk pregnancies. She has experience building, implementing, and evaluating educational training programs from scratch, first in academia with medical residents and then at Prevent Blindness with the ASPECT program designed to strengthen patient empowerment efforts for the visually impaired and blind and their allies. Julie is passionate about her work to reduce barriers to eyecare and to optimize health, including mental health outcomes, among persons with low and no vision.

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. and New England MHTTC would like to invite you and your staff to attend "Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance: Wise Practices," a Tribal Behavioral Health ECHO webinar series. Native Psychological Brilliance refers to the intelligence, strengths, balance, innate resources, and resilience of Native people. The topic for September's session is "Traditional Practices in Action-Case Examples." This no-cost telehealth series will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 11:00 am Pacific/12:00 pm Mountain/1:00 pm Central/2:00 pm Eastern. Each session will be one hour in length and will provide an opportunity for participants to:   Gain skills on strength-based approaches in partnership with Native People to enhance Native behavioral health Discuss ways that Native brilliance is demonstrated and supports behavioral health Learn about Native brilliance examples to share with behavioral health and other health care staff, as well as with local Tribal Nation citizens   The concept of Native psychological brilliance will be celebrated through Native music video and Native spoken word performances as part of each session. Who should attend? Tribal health directors, clinic staff, counselors, social workers, physicians, nurses, Tribal Epidemiology Center staff, and anyone supporting Tribal communities through the health or behavioral health sector are welcome to join. Continuing education credits will be provided.   If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected] ahead of the event date. For example, if you would like an ASL interpreter, please let us know 3 weeks ahead of the event date so we have sufficient time to secure the services.  

Burnout is a general term that describes the chronic and cumulative effect of different stresses at work and how it negatively impacts the worker’s health and wellbeing. If unaddressed, the various stresses of Human Services work contribute to an erosion of compassion and empathy which reduces a worker’s effectiveness in helping others, rendering the worker ineffective and lacking confidence. This class builds awareness of the signs and stages of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout and offers strategies for cultivating compassion satisfaction for the individual and in team dynamics.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Recognize warning signs of burnout and compassion fatigue Review of the “why” of caregiver work Assess current potential for compassion satisfaction Introduce strategies for reducing burnout in an individual and team   CONTINUING EDUCATION Registrants who fully attend this training will be eligible to receive 2 continuing education (CE) hours certified by the Minnesota Board of Social Work and MN Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy. CE certificates are provided by People Incorporated Training Institute.   PRESENTER Raymond Young, CPS, BA, has 15 years of experience training diverse groups of adult, youth, and adolescent learners prior to joining the Training Institute at People Incorporated Mental Health Services. He has trained mental health workers, police officers, transportation professionals, business partners, and clients. Ray received his certification as a Certified Peer Specialist from the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2017 and has since worked with individuals with various mental health conditions and behavioral health concerns. He has also studied Drug and Alcohol Counseling. Ray has a passion for working with youth in Youth Leadership Programs and as a mentor in the community.   This training is provided by our valued partners at the People Incorporated Training Institute.   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.

The Northwest MHTTC team participated in program planning for the 5th annual Re-Imagining Behavioral Health: Race, Equity and Social Justice Conference hosted by the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center. CONFERENCE DETAILS The two half-day free virtual conference hosted by the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview and funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority is designed to empower individuals and teams in Washington State and beyond who want to advance health equity and support diversity and inclusion in behavioral health care. The conference is an opportunity to connect with others and join in a meaningful conversation about healing racial trauma, dismantling racism, and combating systemic racism and social injustices through the lens of mental health and substance use issues. Our Northwest MHTTC Staff have been actively involved in the planning process alongside a committee of partners, thought leaders and experts in the fields of race, equity, social justice, and behavioral health located throughout Washington State. We are honored to provide support and looking forward to this year's amazing conference! Please contact [email protected] with any questions concerning this conference.

Event Description This is Session 3 of the Thriving Together series. Learning objectives for this session include: Explore factors such as leadership styles, communication practices, reward systems, and employee support programs influence the overall culture of care within the organization.  Evaluate the components of organizational culture, including norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors, through qualitative and quantitative methods, to identify areas for improvement or alignment with organizational goals and values.  Establish metrics and identify measures to track progress, identify areas of success, and make data-driven adjustments to strategies and initiatives that promote organizational wellness. Trainers Rachel Navarro, PhD, LP  Topaza Yu