ABOUT THIS EVENT This 90-minute webinar aims to equip professionals in the mental health and addiction field with the skills needed to effectively supervise and support peer support specialists and other lived-experience professionals in behavioral health settings. These individuals provide a valuable service by drawing on their own experiences with recovery to inspire others, model effective coping strategies, and support engagement in services. However, supervising them presents unique challenges due to the specific nature of their roles and the central role that their personal experiences play in their work with others. Through this webinar, you will gain insights into the complexities and unique challenges that may arise when supervising these professionals and how best to support them in the peer role. Presentation slides Learning Objectives: Develop a comprehensive supervision plan tailored to the unique needs of peer support specialists and other lived-experience professionals in behavioral health settings. Enhance communication and collaboration to create a supportive and inclusive work environment. Foster resilience and self-care practices to prevent burnout and promote well-being. Apply ethical considerations and boundaries in supervision. Understand the importance of ongoing professional development and support. FACILITATOR Heath Holt Hayes Heath Holt Hayes is a globally recognized award winner for his work spearheading public service messaging for the 988 Mental Health Lifeline and is nationally credited for innovations around the use of vending machines for opioid abatement initiatives. Heath is a professional speaker, media producer and business entrepreneur specializing in infrastructure and capacity development in the mental health and addiction space. Heath previously served as the Deputy Commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma and completed graduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma in Human Relations, Administrative Leadership, and Women’s and Gender Studies. Heath’s most important achievement is being the adoptive parent of three Choctaw American siblings.  

Event Description The mental health fields have long been leaders in understanding and raising awareness of the importance of understanding power and privilege. Multiple critiques in the past decade, however, have suggested that an overly simplistic understanding of these constructs can impede personal and professional development in multicultural awareness and, as such, be detrimental to those with whom we work. Thus, in this presentation, nuanced understandings and analyses of power and privilege will be discussed on the basis of advancements in the anti-oppression and antiracism literature.    Trainer Melanie Wilcox, PhD, ABPP  Dr. Melanie Wilcox is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Public and Preventive Health, and Department of Psychiatry at Augusta University. She is also a licensed psychologist and board certified in counseling psychology and works part-time in private practice providing both therapy and assessment via telehealth. Her clinical areas of expertise include culturally responsive and trauma-informed care as well as substance abuse and addiction. Her research focuses on culturally response and antiracist psychotherapy and training, racial and socioeconomic inequity in higher education, and racial and social justice more broadly. She is in her final year as a member of the American Psychological Association’s Board of Educational Affairs, which she chaired in 2020, and is currently President Elect-Elect of APA Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology. 

The Massachusetts Psychosis Network for Early Treatment (MAPNET) and the New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will host a virtual monthly “Early Psychosis Prescriber Consultation Series” led by Dr. Matcheri Keshavan on prescribing practices for early psychosis, including a review of a selected monthly topic. Our next call is on Monday, July 1st from 11am-12pm EST. Our topic for this month is “Long Acting Injectables” and will be presented by Dr. Raúl Condemarín.   Dr. Raúl Condemarín is a psychiatrist with many years of experience as a psycho-pharmacologist and psychotherapist. He is board certified in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychoanalysis. His main areas of expertise are: psychopharmacology, anxiety and mood disorders, and substance abuse disorders. He has conducted research and published in the areas of addiction, psychodynamic psychopharmacology, and the relationship between medical and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Condemarín holds an appointment as Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School through his affiliation with Massachusetts Mental Health Center, where he teaches and supervises medical students and residents. He is Editor and Trustee of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.   Attendees are invited to bring deidentified case questions to discuss with the group. Cases do not have to relate to the monthly topic but should be focused on prescribing issues in early psychosis care. Attendance will be limited to 20 participants and will be on a first come, first serve basis.     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.  

The first issue of our July 2024 newsletter features information about National Minority Mental Health Month, upcoming Northwest MHTTC events and resources of interest to the workforce.

Three unique perspectives…one unifying vision – a world in which every LGTBQ youth has access to an affirming school community where they feel safe, respected, and embraced.  We concluded Pride Month with a dynamic panel presentation offering insights from personal, parental, and professional perspectives borne out of groundbreaking work and advocacy in support of LGBTQ youth. Be inspired and learn ways that you can contribute to urgently needed culture and systems change! Overviewed common terminology and misconceptions of the non-binary and trans community Information about the current state of mental health and distress among LGBTQ youth Heard from experts with both lived and professional experience around the importance of gender-inclusive communities in supporting the wellness of LGBTQ youth Learned about ways to support and advocate for your LGBTQ child and maintain your wellness as a parent Heard about a range of practical school-based strategies for creating gender-inclusive, welcoming communities where LGBTQ youth can thrive Panelists Tony Ferraiolo is internationally known as a compassionate and empowering Life Coach who has earned his reputation as a thought-provoking and motivational speaker and trainer. Since 2005, Tony has worked with individuals, groups, and educational institutions to reach thousands of people worldwide. In 2008, he was the founder of multiple support groups for transgender and nonbinary youth and their families. The work Tony does has allowed him to see firsthand how children’s lives are transformed from hopelessness to hopefulness through the process of simply affirming their gender, and he has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that this has on them and their families. Tony is the subject of the award-winning documentary A Self-Made Man and the author of the book series Artistic Expressions of Transgender Youth. And his soon to be released memoir “Finding My Way Out of The Darkness.” He is the co-founder of the Jim Collins Foundation where he held the position of president of the board for ten years. Melissa Combs is the parent of two high school teens. Her journey through the public school system as the parent of a transgender child inspired her to launch the Out Accountability Project, an organization that aims to help schools create and maintain safe, affirming learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth. Professionally, she is a consultant and has worked with more than 50 nonprofits, primarily in fundraising, communications, and public relations. Christy Olezeski, PhD, is the Director and co-founder of the Yale Pediatric Gender Program (YPGP), an interdisciplinary team that provides services for transgender and gender expansive (TGE) youth and families in Connecticut. The team includes professionals in the fields of psychology, endocrinology, psychiatry, gynecology, reproductive medicine, medical ethics and law. The YGP mission is to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary, family-centered care for children, adolescents and young adults questioning their assigned gender and/or seeking gender-affirming consultation and care in a compassionate, respectful and supportive environment. This program is regionally well-regarded, serving clients from all 8 counties in the state, as well as 7 states outside of Connecticut.  

About this Resource: As mental health care providers work to address the needs of individuals in their day-to-day work, it can be difficult to treat mental health challenges without also treating the underlying contributors to those challenges. The Social Determinants of Mental Health (SDOMH) are the non-medical societal factors that influence the mental health outcomes of patients, peers, and clients. These intersecting conditions in which a person is born, in which they age, live, and work, all factor into that person’s health. In this on-demand recording, clinicians learn how these factors impact engagement in care and how to measure these factors’ effect on patients’ outcomes in an effort to utilize more comprehensive and effective treatment strategies to address mental health needs.