**This is a private technical assistance not opened to our community**
This technical assistance is intended to increase the utilization and implementation of culturally adapted Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) for Hispanic and Latinx children and youths presenting mental health conditions at the recipients’ agency. Mental health providers will participate in 1x monthly (for 5 months) virtual consultation group sessions and didactic presentations by experts about the clinical application of cultural elements, and cultural adaptations of EBP skills implementation via case presentation and performance feedback.
Who should attend? This is an advanced level technical assistance designed for social workers, counselors, graduate students, and psychologists.
About the presenters:
Danita Gallegos, LCSW- Danita Gallegos is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Houston, Texas. She has experience working with families in medical social work, crisis response, school social work and as a psychotherapist. Danita currently works at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) Program in providing school crisis evaluations and individual therapy.
Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC- Dr. Michelle Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider with experience in individual and family counseling and in developing therapeutic groups. She has worked primarily with the Latino population throughout her career as a bilingual and bicultural social worker. She is currently the Hospital Administrator for Elgin Mental Health Center in Elgin, Illinois. She is in private practice at Nickerson & Associates, PC as a bilingual therapist where she treats adults and adolescents with mental health issues, substance abuse issues and sex addictions. She also teaches on these topics at Aurora University and University of Chicago. Previously, she was the Assistant Dean for Health Professions and Public Service at Waubonsee Community College, and she has held other positions within private psychiatric hospitals. Throughout her career, she has worked to increase equity, justice, and cultural awareness to these institutions.
Michelle Evans earned a Doctor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois.
Isa I. Vélez Echevarría, PsyD- is a clinical psychologist. She obtained a certification as Interpersonal Psychotherapy Clinician, was trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Therapy, and Neurofeedback. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Community Services Institute in Boston, MA., where she provided home-based and school-based psychotherapy for communities of color. She is currently working as a clinical psychologist at A&R Behavioral Associates and as a Training and Content Specialist for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC, at the Universidad Central del Caribe, in Bayamon, PR.