Dear Friends,
We want to inform you that the MHTTC School Mental Health supplement will not continue after September 2024. SAMHSA funding has ended without a future opportunity.
For six years, the Northwest MHTTC School Mental Health team has served the school mental health workforce in Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington) by curating timely and regionally-responsive events, developing tools for those in the field, and distributing critical resources.
Rest assured that you can continue to access MHTTC school mental health materials, along with a broad array of additional ones, through the NWMHTTC SMH team’s home organization, the University of Washington School Mental Health Assessment, Research and Training (SMART) Center. While the supplement continues through the end of September, we invite you to start connecting with the SMART Center now.
From our team to yours, thank you for your partnership over the past six years. We couldn't have done it without you and credit your engagement, feedback, and support for our collective success.
“Don’t be dismayed at good-bye. A farewell is necessary before
you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or
lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”
– Richard Bach, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
Make sure to sign up for the SMART Center newsletter to stay up to date on all things school mental health. If you have additional questions about the transition, please reach out to [email protected].
In gratitude,
The NWMHTTC SMH Team
Kelcey Schmitz, Eric Bruns, Clynita Grafenreed, Casey Chandler, Jennifer Cohen, Elsa Ferguson, Nathaly Florez, Mari Meador, and Rayann Silva
Happy New Year, Friends!
Not only is it 2024, but it is Year 6 of our NWMHTTC school mental health supplement grant. By now you know, this SAMHSA-funded project provides free access to trainings, e-learnings, and endless resources to support you in your mental health work with students.
Please continue to take advantage of the many offerings through the MHTTC network noted below and through our website, and share them with your colleagues. We are here for all of you!
May 2024 be filled with joy, laughter and wellness for you and your students.
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! We hope you had a fantastic summer.
To kick off this year, we present the following haiku:
School bells are ringing
Doors open widely for all
Eager students near
Teachers greet students
Classrooms are freshly prepared
Lesson plans begin
Anxious, distracted
Not all students adapt well
Coping skills needed
Who can they turn to?
You! Mental health champions
Assess, plan, support
Action drives outcomes
Building teams create promise
Kids begin to thrive
We invite you to read and access the many resources shared in this newsletter edition to help your students thrive. Wishing you a wonderful start to the new school year.
Spring 2023: Dear Friend, Despite the loss of an hour of sleep, we are grateful for daylight savings time. The additional daylight hours are fueling us through the last months of the academic year. Thank goodness, too, because we have A LOT of projects we are working on! We are very excited to share them with you.
Keep reading to learn about our 2023 Speaker Series on Equity-Centered MTSS and Implications for School Mental Health now in progress, our recently released resource on Addressing the Impact of Racism and Associated Trauma, our upcoming workshops in Alaska, and our mental health strand at the NWPBIS conference in a couple weeks.
There is something for everyone within these events and resources so please jump right in!
Wishing you a glorious spring time and wonderful final month(s) of the school year.
Winter 2023: Happy New Year, Friend! Our wish for you in 2023...
May your Multi-tiered System of Supports flow like a beautiful symphony.
May your thirst for school mental health resources be quenched through the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network's many offerings.
May your desire for connection and networking in Region 10 be fulfilled during the variety of conferences offered throughout the year – hot tip: see our list of upcoming conferences below!
May your surveys and assessments return more favorable data, showing students are starting to recover from pandemic lows.
May you recognize and use the magic you hold in elevating student mental health within your schools and communities.
Together, we are making an impact, so please do not hesitate to let us know how we can support you on this quest.
Cheers to good health, new beginnings, and opportunities for change!
Fall 2022: Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year! There are two options for how to approach this new year. We can tiptoe quiet as a mouse, surveying our surroundings for potential dangers, pitfalls or setbacks. Or, we can step in confidently to this new year, knowing we have triumphed over some tumultuous times so we definitely got this. We believe you’ve all got this! And, it’s not because we are overly optimistic. It is because we know you are not doing it alone. We are part of your team, providing tools and resources to help you support your students and yourselves. As we put finishing touches on our Year 5 programming, we invite you to revisit trainings or find new-to-you resources in this issue. You can also let us know what topics are on your mind as we plan for the coming year.
Wishing you all the best as the new school year kicks off!
Spring 2022: We are in the home stretch of the school year. The score is tied, and the bases are loaded. It’s time to knock it out of the park for a grand slam. But first, take a time out for a quick pick me up. As always, we are here with the provisions – and not just peanuts! We’ve got tools for talking with students about events in Ukraine. You’ll find trainings on mental health equity, wellness, and incorporating student voice into your work detailed below. Plus, check out the multitude of resources to enhance your critical work.
With a standing ovation, we honor and thank you for the work you do each day. Please let us know how we can support you.
May the increased light and fresh blooms spark happiness and renewal in you.
January 2021: The new year also brings new resources and training opportunities! In this month’s newsletter, we’re particularly excited to share the Northwest PBIS Network Annual "Virtual" Conference and a FREE 8-Part Learning Series on the National School Mental Health Curriculum, as well as a wealth of newly released recordings, resources, and articles on a range of school mental health topics.
February 2021: In this month's newsletter, we want to highlight Healing School Communities Impacted by Racial Violence Two-Part Series, it is a follow-up to this past summer's series on Supporting School Mental Health in the Context of Racial Violence. We also want to highlight that February is Black History Month. While we all have an ongoing commitment to center, celebrate, and elevate BIPOC voices, Black History Month serves as an important reminder to learn more about the history and contributions of Black communities throughout our daily lives.
March 2021: In light of the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 in the Northwest Region, we want to show our gratitude for the strength of this community. This year has had no shortage of new challenges and school communities have consistently risen to each obstacle that has come their way. As we look forward, we are hopeful for what the coming months and next year will bring. We are excited to share we will receive a fourth year of funding and will continue our work of supporting the school mental health workforce in Region 10.
April 2021: April was a busy month for our school mental health team and we have quite a few new resources and opportunities we're excited to share with you. Additionally, we wanted to share that our team will be going through a few staffing changes in the coming months. Megan Lucy, our Program Coordinator who has been supporting our programming behind the scenes, is being promoted to support overall operations at the SMART Center. As we say goodbye to much of the work she was leading, you may notice that future communications will come from the Northwest School Mental Health Team. It is a bittersweet change and she will certainly be missed, but we're excited and supportive of what this new chapter will bring.
May 2021: As May and Mental Health Awareness Month come to a close we are hopeful for what the future (short and long term) has in store. This last year has brought significant attention to our individual and collective mental health and well-being. We are excited to share the May newsletter and the new resources, information, training, along with the opportunity for you to let us know how we can support your school mental health efforts in Year 4 of our supplement funding that will begin in mid-August.
Winter 2021-2022: We see you! Your hearts are hurting. Your energy is depleted. Your nerves are shaken. This first quarter of the school year was unprecedented, unfair and unforgiving. Please accept this virtual hug filled with strength, compassion and resolve. You are not alone. We honor you for the work you do every day and stand in awe of your commitment to the students and school communities you serve. This issue is full of resources to help you refuel and retool. Not finding what you are looking for? Please ask! We are here to support you.
Best wishes for a peaceful and healing holiday season!
January 2020: In this issue, we highlight one our key partners, the The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and Wellness in Schools, highlight recent efforts in Alaksa, and share a new resource on Supporting Student Mental Health: Resources to Prepare Educators.
February/March 2020: In this issue, we announce that we will receive a third year of funding, provide resources for support and responding to a global pandemic, and share updates about the Annual Northwest PBIS Network Conference and 5th Annual Idaho Positive Behavior Network Conference.
April 2020: In this issue, we highlight The Well Being Series, our response to COVID-19, and OSPI's Virtual MTSS Fest.
May 2020: In this issue, we highlighted Mental Health Month and shared newly-posted recordings for our webinars in our Well Being Series.
June 2020: In this issue, we highlighted new resources for returning to school after COVID-19, resources for supporting LGBTQ students and resources for supporting student mental health in the context of racial inequity and violence.
July 2020: In this issue, we highlight new resources and two upcoming events: a two-part learning forum on Supporting School Mental Health in the Context of Racial Violence and a webinar on Universal Screening for Internalized and Externalizing Behaviors in the COVID-19 Era.
August 2020: In this issue, we highlight mental health and well being resources for returning to school during COVID, announce our Anxiety & Return to School webinar series, and introduce our newest team member: Nathaly Florez.
September 2020: Our September 2020 newsletter is jam-packed with upcoming events and new resources to support your professional learning during this back-to-school season. From new educator wellness webinars to suicide prevention resources and recently released recordings, there is something for everyone in this month’s newsletter.
October 2020: For our October 2020 newsletter we're excited to share a wealth of new events and resources in this month's newsletter. In particular, we want to highlight resources we've shared in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day. We welcome you to take a look and learn more about how to support the mental health and wellness of Native students, staff, and families.
November 2020: For our November 2020 newsletter we're excited to share a wealth of new events and resources in this month's newsletter. In particular, we want to highlight resources we've shared in honor of National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month. We welcome you to take a look and learn more about how to support the mental health and wellness of Native students, staff, and families.
August 2019: In this issue we introduce our key school mental health staff, share our goals for the year, and provide new resources and upcoming events.
October 2019: In this issue we provide an overview of our Year 2 goals and work plan, share a new practice brief on Effective Programs to Address Trauma in Schools, and launch our Trauma and ISF webinar series.
November 2019: In this issue we share a fact sheet on Supporting Native Youth in School Settings, highlight a recent state collaborative convening and training on Interconnected Systems Framework in Idaho, and let you know about upcoming events.
December 2019: In this issue, we highlight one our key partners, the Northwest PBIS Network, recap recent trainings on CBITS, Bounce Back, and SSET with our partners in Idaho, and share recently released recordings of our first two Trauma-Responsive Schools webinars.
Want more information and school mental health resources?
Visit the Northwest MHTTC's School Mental Health page and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.
