Our region is excited to host the three-part Region 9 Comprehensive School Mental Health Champion (CSMHC) Learning Collaborative that connects educators, practice partners, district and county leaders, and researchers across the education and school mental health pipeline to co-create and execute evidence-based strategic plans that equitably advance comprehensive school mental health practices and policies.
To advocate for and increase effective school-based mental health best-practices in the Pacific Southwest region, using the National School Mental Health (NSMH) curriculum modules and Classroom WISE content.
We’ll accept individual applicants by exception.
Part 3 is action-oriented and facilitated teaming time where our experts assist as you design or develop or begin to implement your own mental health literacy professional development or systems of support for your school communities. Participants (as teams or individuals) of either Part 1, Part 2 are invited to test their new skills with the support of our team through a plan-do-study-act cycle of continuous quality improvement. Together, we will help navigate the tricky points of implementation and in resource each other in real time. Perhaps you want to try out creating a Classroom WISE community of practice! Implement a community needs assessment! Design your own professional development on mental health literacy for the populations you serve!
During Part 3, we invite you to try out implementing 1-2 modules and/or the Classroom WISE training package in your local community, receive our coaching for the design and delivery, debrief your work with us, and cross share what you create with each other.
Part 1: National School Mental Health Implementation Guidance Modules
National School Mental Health Implementation Guidance Modules and Related Projects
National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Module Index
School Mental Health Best Practices 'Always and Now" Learning Series (Spring 2021)
Part 2: Classroom WISE
Classroom WISE Information Session
Main faculty for Part 1: Leora Wolf-Prusan & Angela Castellanos (with supporting trainers)
Main faculty for Part 2: Angela Castellanos (with supporting trainers)
Main faculty for Part 3: Leora Wolf-Prusan (with supporting trainers)
Angela Castellanos, PPSC, LCSWAngela J. Castellanos (she/hers) serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist for the Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), housed at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). Angela is an experienced mental health consultant and administrator with 25+ years of diverse and progressive expertise in the mental health care industry and school settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, she specializes in administering school mental health programs; mentoring industry professionals (local, state, and federal); and developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery, and School Mental Health. As a direct practitioner, Angela has developed programs and services for newcomers in a school district setting. Internationally, she has provided trauma-based work in El Salvador.
Heidi Cisneros, PPSC, MSWHeidi Cisneros has served in various leadership roles establishing new policy and practices in systems impacting student mental health and suicide prevention and intervention. For over 25 years, she has provided trainings on suicide and mental health trends, connecting with GenZ, school safety, school-based services, and crisis response on a local and national level. She has transformed programs and established cutting edge practices in the development of effective suicide prevention campaigns, threat management, new school based mental health systems and community-school partnerships. Currently, Heidi serves as a Student Safety Advocate, specializing in prevention and response to child sexual assault for Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs (ASCIP).
Leora Wolf-Prusan, EdDLeora Wolf-Prusan (she/hers) is the School Mental Health Field Director for the Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), housed at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). She provides consulting and training around issues related to trauma-informed and resilience-oriented leadership, organizational and school climate and positive youth development, provider mental health and wellness, grief in the workplace, and anti-racism and health, among much more.
Wolf-Prusan leads CARS’ school mental health teaching and learning portfolio, also serving as the Project Director for the NCTSN Category II School Crisis Recovery & Renewal project in addition to many other facilitation projects. Previous roles include a national field director of a SAMHSA initiative (Resilience in Communities after Stress & Trauma), technical assistance for the Student Mental Health Program for California’s Community Colleges, CalWorks and more.
She received a BA in international relations and a BA in Spanish with a minor in Social & Ethnic Relations from the University of California, Davis; a teaching credential from Mills College; and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles.
