Northwest MHTTC

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.  

The Northwest MHTTC is excited to partner with Lamarr Lewis to offer a live learning community on cultural humility and responsiveness as a mental health practitioner. 6 hours of CE contact hours available* (see below.) ABOUT THE LEARNING COMMUNITY This learning community will focus on learning how to demonstrate cultural humility in organizational practices, service provision, and strategies. Participants will learn to acknowledge and improve awareness while being responsive to decisions, actions, and policies shaped by their personal cultural perspectives. Participants will develop an orientation and active engagement towards the process of building more open and understanding environments as a way to create healthier workplace cultures while advancing equity and being inclusionary of the diversity within the Northwest behavioral health workforce.  Objectives Learn ways to validate the experience of others while identifying your own “blind spots” to increase empathy for those we serve. Acknowledge the need for cultural awareness and understanding, through self-reflection to create change and more supportive workplace environments. Develop the ability to reframe interactions with others as one of collaborative equals. Increase awareness of similarities and differences among and between cultural groups and appreciate the benefits of cultural diversity.  ELIGIBILITY Members of the mental health/behavioral health workforce who are based in the states of Alaska, Oregon, Idaho & Washington (HHS Region 10) Commitment to attend the whole series is required Each individual must have access to computer/web camera/audio to participate Seats are limited, we will notify you of your application status by April 26. Questions: For questions about this series, including eligibility and registration please contact the Northwest MHTTC at [email protected]. SESSIONS: Tuesdays, May 7 - 28, 2024 12:00 - 1:30 pm AK / 1:00 - 2:30pm PT / 2:00 - 3:30pm MT Stay tuned for session breakdowns. FACILITATOR Lamarr Lewis, MA, LAPC, CPRP Lamarr Lewis is a dedicated advocate, author, and agent of change. With a focus on community-based mental 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, and human service professional. He has been a featured expert and trainer for such organizations as; Boeing, Fulton County Probate Court, Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Mississippi Department of Health, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Region IV Public Health Training Center, the Ruby Neeson Diabetes Awareness Foundation, and more. His lifelong mission is to leave the world better than how he found it. *Continuing Education Contact Hours Details Physicians, physician assistants, primary care ARNPs, psychologists, and other health care providers may be eligible for CME or CEUs for completing the course. Retain your Certificate of Completion and verify its suitability for CME/CEUs with your licensing/credentialing entity. The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for DOH licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, substance use disorder professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620, WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240.

ABOUT THIS EVENT Learn to recognize signs of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma – both subtle and overt – and strategies to address them, as well as ongoing practices to care for your sense of self and connection to community in the face of emotionally challenging work. Offered in partnership with NAMI Seattle. FACILITATOR Paul Getzel, Executive Director Paul joined the NAMI Seattle team in 2022. His prior history includes work in community health, food security, HIV/AIDS, and health equity advocacy. Paul is compelled in this work by the strong belief in the power of peer-to-peer models in reducing racial and social disparities, facilitating access to mental health services, reducing stigma, and building enduring support for individuals and families pursuing their best possible mental health. 

The final issue of our April 2024 newsletter features upcoming Northwest MHTTC events, and disseminates other events & resources of interest to the workforce.

ABOUT THIS EVENT Service animals, trained to handle different tasks for their person, have been a boon for disabled persons for decades. In this presentation, we will examine and explain what makes an animal a service animal pursuant to Washington and Federal law. Service animals perform different functions than Emotional Support Animals (ESA)s. ESAs are protected, but to a lesser extent, under Washington law, and ESAs provide tangible benefits to persons in need of emotional support. A tenant cannot be excluded from housing on the basis of a service animal or an ESA, but there are additional steps needed to protect tenants seeking housing with an ESA. There are no additional requirements regarding a service animal, except possibly educating housing providers. Responsibility for the service animal and the ESA’s conduct remains squarely with the tenant, and we will discuss what this means. The Northwest MHTTC is proud to offer this webinar in partnership with the Tenant Law Center. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Slides RA guide for medical professionals Washington Low Income Housing Alliance - want to get involved with WLIHA? Please email [email protected] King County Tenant Resource Line, open M-F (except holidays) from 9 AM to 1 PM: (206) 580-0762 Solid Ground classes: Webinars for tenants  FACILITATOR Kasey Burton, Senior Staff Attorney Kasey Burton is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Tenant Law Center, which provides eviction prevention and tenant advocacy services to King County. Kasey has spent several years practicing landlord-tenant law as both a right-to-counsel attorney for tenants facing eviction and providing eviction prevention assistance, which has allowed her to pursue her passion for housing justice.  Kasey attended the University of Washington for both her Bachelor’s in Political Science, with a minor in Law, Societies, and Justice, and her Juris Doctorate. She is currently working on her Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Colorado Denver and hopes to use this degree to facilitate her engagement in policy change that provides Washington citizens who are tenants or unhoused with the protections they deserve. Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement ​

The fourth issue of our April newsletter features the Northwest MHTTC Year 5 Annual Report Summary, spotlights upcoming Northwest MHTTC events, and disseminates other events & resources of interest to the workforce.