Products and Resources Catalog

It is imperative to create and maintain a safe, comfortable, open, and welcoming work environment with opportunities for learning and growth for organizations.  When considering a safe and supportive work environment, we must stress the importance of leaders who embrace and prioritize person-centered approaches. Creating a positive workplace challenges our individual and collective beliefs on what may be needed to create and sustain healthy work environments. Although there is no one answer, this resource can be helpful when building this environment within your organization.

These documents provide information about Peer Specialists in crisis settings, including general competencies for Peer Specialists in crisis work, Peer Run Warmlines, Peer Navigation, Crisis Respite programs, Mobile Crisis Units, and Crisis Stabilization Units. Subject Matter Experts were consulted on this project and are referenced within each document in quotes as well as recognized as contributors. The content provided in these documents is not exhaustive. Contributors provided expertise; their contribution does not imply endorsement nor does it imply opposition to the document.

Despite impacting tens of thousands of people each year, there are still many misconceptions surrounding suicide. It is of utmost importance that we begin to breakdown these misunderstandings by providing up-to-date information and education. The South Southwest MHTTC has put together four posts for social media that offer a unique "fast fact." Please feel free to share these posts across your social networks.

This social media toolkit includes six posts that each debunk a different myth around suicide. Feel free to share on your own networks!

The CBT-P worksheet above is meant to be completed with one of the people on your treatment team. You do not have to participate in CBT-P therapy to complete this worksheet. The worksheet can help you:    •Better understand your experiences or patterns in your life    •Explain your experiences to a treatment team member    •Come up with new ideas for changing things in your life you want to change    •Share experiences with family, friends, or other support people

The 2022 South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Conference occurred from June 1st to June 3rd 2022 in a hybrid format, with approximately 150 in-person participants in Austin, TX, and 300 virtual participants. Conference attendees in the virtual format shared a number of resources in the chat box throughout the conference. The South Southwest MHTTC aggregated the following list of resources from comments from the chat box. Please note that the resources were recommended specifically by conference attendees and speakers and not by the South Southwest MHTTC. Please find the list of resources below:     Psychosis: Recovery and Discovery by Dr. Eleanor Longden:   Power Threat Meaning Framework   At the Intersections of Psychosis and Marginalization by Mx. Yaffa: Killing Rage by Bell Hooks My Gender is Black Article Black on Both Sides Histories of the Transgender Child Understanding Drapetomania   Family Member/Support Person Engagement During Care for FEP: Challenges and Strategies to Move Forward by Dr. Oladunni Olouwoye Cultural Formulation Interview   College Life with Psychosis: The Student Lived Experience Perspective by Students with Psychosis: DBT Workbook for Psychosis by Maggie Mullen 

The 2022 Leadership Institute presented by the Mid-America Addition Technology Transfer Center (ATTC), Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), and Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) is open to persons who work in behavioral health, mental health, or recovery agencies in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Candidates must complete the Candidate Application Form and be nominated by leadership within their agency using the Agency Nomination Form. Both forms must be submitted no later than February 4, 2022. For more information on the Leadership Institute, please download the forms by clicking the "DOWNLOAD" button above.

This document outlines a broad range of post-deployment resources and services for Veterans. It is relevant for Veterans and their families, caseworkers, clinicians, and service providers who work with Veterans. This document is intended for use as an electronic resource guide with hyperlinks and can also be used as a printed resource with visible URL addresses. The resources in the document are examples of services that may be helpful to Veterans and their families. The Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center does not endorse services; Veterans and their care team are encouraged to assess resources on a case-by-case basis for potential benefits and risks (e.g., read customer reviews; check state licenses, industry certifications, and bonds, where applicable).

  Every year, on the fourth Thursday of November, people all over the United States celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving, where families, friends, and loved ones gather to share food, celebrate, and give thanks. While many recognize the holiday currently as a celebration of gratitude, with little connection to our ancestral ties, for many others, Native Americans and tribal communities, this season marks a period of mourning.     The National Day of Mourning is commemorated on this day by many Native American and Indigenous people to remember and reflect on the genocide and mistreatment of their communities, the territorial colonization of the land, to honor ancestors and to come together as Native people.    This history of settler colonialism and its consequences on behavioral health is still present today. Consider that:  Native American/Indigenous people in America report experiencing serious psychological distress 2.5 times more than the general population.1  The suicide death rate for Native American/Indigenous people in America between the ages of 15-19 is more than double that of non-Hispanic whites.2  Native/Indigenous people in America start to use and abuse alcohol and other drugs at younger ages, and at higher rates, than all other ethnic groups.3    On the other hand evidence shows that immersing and engaging with cultural traditions and spiritual practices are protective factors in behavioral health,4 for their wellbeing and especially against incidents of suicide for Native Youth.5     There are more than 570 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages in the United States.6 We also recognize the U.S. colonialism attached to federal recognition of some but not all tribal communities across the country. The South Southwest MHTTC joins the United American Indians of New England and many other organizations in the U.S. by acknowledging the honest and inclusive truth of the historical trauma Native American communities have experienced and the implications of that trauma today; as well as continuing the efforts in our work for continuous cultural and linguistic humility, adapting our activities to be inclusive of the diverse cultures in our region, and respecting and acknowledging the diversity of all of the communities that we serve.    Today, we invite you to join us in recognizing the holiday’s authentic history as we work together toward a more healthy, inclusive community for all.    MHTTC Resources:  National American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Technology Transfer Center  Engaging American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Relatives in Psychotherapy: This training supports efforts to increase understanding of Native culture. The training also provides clinicians with practical tips for improving engagement with this population, in order to improve clinical outcomes with American Indian/Alaska Native clients.    Other Behavioral Health Resources   Indigenous Story Studio creates illustrations, posters, videos, and comic books on health and social issues for youth (Canada-based)  One Sky Center. The American Indian/Alaska Native National Resource Center for Health, Education, and Research; mission is to improve prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use problems and services among Native people.  Presentations and Publications. A number of downloadable resources by topic (addiction treatment, adolescents, crisis care & disaster management, disparity of health services, mental health management, and more).  WeRNative. A comprehensive health resource for Native youth by Native youth, promoting holistic health and positive growth in local communities and nation at large  StrongHearts Native Helpline. The StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-762-8483) is a confidential and anonymous culturally-appropriate domestic violence and dating violence helpline for Native Americans, available every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT.     To learn more about National Day of Mourning:  Recognizing Native American Perspectives: Thanksgiving and the National Day of Mourning. Students can analyze a primary source to learn about a Native American’s perspective on the arrival of the Pilgrims and discuss differing viewpoints about the significance of the Thanksgiving holiday.     

Use this catalogue to easily view and access resources developed by the Southeast MHTTC.   Topics include:   Key Resources Classroom WISE and Implementation Guidance Modules Resources to Support the Mental Health of Autistic Students at School Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems: Foundations School mental health basics and youth mental health Trauma-informed school mental health Mental Health Services and Supports in Schools Mental health promotion for all (i.e., Tier 1) Early intervention and treatment (i.e., Tiers 2 and 3) Funding, Sustainability, and Impact School mental health policy School mental health financing School mental health workforce  Data and measurement Diverse Populations, Equity, and Inclusion LGBTQ+ student mental health Supporting neurodiverse students in the classroom  

Download and View English Cards | Download and View Spanish Cards | Download and View Portuguese Cards Help us help others promote an affirmative, inclusive, and recovery-oriented message for Hispanic/Latinx individuals living with mental health conditions. These culturally inspired cards are designed to provide a message of encouragement and hope and include an explanation of the importance of culture in the recovery process and overall wellness. These cards can be downloaded and printed for use by mental health practitioners, peer providers, individuals with lived experience, and family members to encourage the discussion of recovery and combat stigma. These cards are available for download in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.  

The Northwest MHTTC and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC collaborated in September of 2020 in the midst of unprecedented wildfires on the West Coast to provide a special virtual town hall on school mental health leadership in times of wildfire. Six principals, superintendents, county and state office of education leaders from Washington State, California, and Oregon who have experienced wildfire in the past and present offered reflections, lessons learned, and shared their stories so we could learn from and with them in this moment of need. This document provides a complete list of resources, materials, and helpful links shared - and more! 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.

  With the sudden rapid transmission of COVID-19, new federal guidelines on social distancing, and local stay-at-home orders by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker in early March, 2020, The Brookline Center, like community mental health centers across the region, was forced to very quickly push out a plan to efficiently, effectively, and safely move the vast majority of their client visits to remote sessions. As a midsize organization, The Brookline Center staffs 80 clinicians and conducts approximately 38,000 client visits per year. Even prior to March, 2020, The Brookline Center (Brookline, Massachusetts) had been planning to offer remote client services. They had launched an electronic health record system and purchased a HIPAA-compliant Zoom account. They developed a draft telehealth policy. Implementation had yet to begin, though.     As news of a stay-at-home order came in, Ian Lang, Chief Executive Officer, and Hannah Scott, Chief Operating Officer, immediately met with the Program Director and Clinical Directors to generate expectations, workplans, and timelines for clinician training and swift roll-out of telehealth processes. Next, the senior staff developed and piloted a staff training to be delivered remotely using the same technology that the clinicians would be using for client visits.   The single-day training requirements included two prerequisites: Review of the organizational policy, procedures, guidelines, and required documentation for remote client visits. Review of four short videos about telehealth.   Staff then participated in a two-hour live online staff training session on skill and strategies for conducting client visits using video conferencing technology.   Within one week of Governor Baker’s stay-at-home order, The Brookline Center had finalized their telehealth policies and procedures, trained all their staff, and launched their telehealth services with all 80 staff clinicians. At the end of that first week with a stay-at-home order, The Brookline Center had already conducted 450 remote client visits. Now, six weeks later, they conduct 1,000 remote client visits weekly and have begun to conduct online group sessions as well. The Brookline Center continues to have a small subset of clinicians on site for clinical emergencies.     Tips for Organizations Transitioning to Telehealth   Drawing from their experiences, New England MHTTC staff writer Bethany Marcogliese spoke with Ian Lang, Chief Executive Officer, and Hannah Scott, Chief Operating Officer, about the process and what they would suggest for other organizations making the switch to telehealth.   Pilot protocols, procedures, and training materials ahead of launching them with staff. The Brookline Center conducted a one-day pilot implementation before training and launching the transition with the entire staff. During the pilot day, a small group of staff clinicians received the training as planned, then used the online meeting platform to role play a client visit with a colleague, and finally conducted a client visit using the technology, protocols, and procedures they had learned. At the end of the day, the pilot group of clinicians provided feedback to the trainers and senior staff on their experiences, specifically addressing areas of the training and documentation that needed to be added, clarified, or revised. By taking a day to pilot the use of these materials, the trainers and senior staff were able to improve the quality, clarity, and completeness of the materials prior to wider distribution.   Ease staff into the transition with a soft start. Prior to the training, The Brookline Center sent clinicians credentials for the meeting platform they would be using for the training, staff meetings, and client visits. They practiced signing in and navigating the online meeting technology in a low-pressure environment, ahead of the training and full transition. This soft start helped ease the team’s anxiety about the technology itself and allowed for more efficient and effective use of training time.   Communicate with staff often and in a variety of ways. Senior staff established regular and varied communication channels as soon as their staff began working remotely so that clinicians would continue to feel connected and supported throughout the transition. In the early days of the pandemic when the situation was constantly evolving, Hannah Scott would email the staff daily with updates and any new or changed guidance on protocols or procedures. She has now moved to three emails weekly. In addition, clinicians meet with the full staff and with their clinical teams weekly, where they have the opportunity to share their experiences, ask questions, and provide feedback.   Build in some fun to break up the intensity. When possible, dedicate time during staff meetings for connection and laughter. The Brookline Center staff has spent time during their meetings sharing pictures of their pets and conducting Kahoot! quizzes to break up the intensity in their day.     Challenges of Moving Staff and Services to Remote   While The Brookline Center was able to rapidly launch remote client visits in response to COVID-19, the transition from an on-site to mostly remote organization has not been without challenges. Ian Lang describes the move to remote client visits as “the tip of the iceberg” of making the organization function remotely. With such a sudden transition, the staff are continually discovering issues that require a whole new way of doing their job. Decisions that were once made by a discussion in the hallway or a transfer of documents that once happened with a fax machine or walk down the hall to a colleague’s office now need to be documented and tracked electronically. The organization has had to completely rethink how they use paper in their day-to-day processes and move these systems online. They are now using Microsoft Teams, Sharepoint, and DocuSign in a much more intentional and nuanced way to help make up for the lack of paper and in-person transactions.   A particular pain point for the organization during this switch was the intake process. Previously, new clients would be evaluated on-site and required to fill out an extensive intake packet on paper. After two weeks conducting remote visits with existing clients, The Brookline Center began seeing new clients remotely. While the switch to remote client evaluations was relatively smooth, the conversion of the intake packet to a HIPAA-compliant user-friendly electronic form and registration process to an electronic transaction required significant effort to test and implement. The transition to an electronic intake process has been fully implemented, which will help support the increasing numbers of new clients The Brookline Center is seeing, as the pandemic becomes a long-duration event.   In a rapidly evolving health care and insurance payment landscape with regulations and requirements for services constantly changing in response to COVID-19, senior staff are continuing to course correct and update the policies, procedures, and guidelines for staff as needed. Hannah Scott has found that frequent email communications and staff and team meetings have helped keep the staff informed and connected.     How are Clinicians and Clients Coping with the Switch?   Overall, the feedback from The Brookline Center clinicians and clients about the switch to remote visits has been positive. Though the sudden transition has been a strain, clinicians report feeling supported, well-trained, and pleasantly surprised at how easy it has been to switch to providing services online. The staff training included guidance for clinicians to orient their clients to the technology and resources for troubleshooting issues with the online platform, which has helped client visits run smoothly. Clinicians have also been able to devise new and innovative ways to engage their clients online. For example, playing online games with their young clients.   The Brookline Center reports a generally positive response to the transition from their clients as well. They have found that most of their clients feel comfortable engaging with clinicians remotely, though they will provide phone-only sessions for clients that do not have the technology or comfort level to use the video conferencing component.   Lessons learned:   The switch to remote services and internal processes has improved the organization. The Brookline Center has found that the strides made in this condensed amount of time will benefit them post-pandemic. Ian Lang recognizes that, “the pandemic forced us to change for the better.”   Lack of place does not negate support. The Brookline Center has been heartened by the fact that they continue to provide quality mental health services to the community, even without a physical space for clients to go to.   Community mental health centers exist for times like this. As a community mental health center committed to providing outstanding, affordable mental health care and community-based social services, The Brookline Center has been able to swiftly respond to the changing needs of their community. Beyond mental health services, they have worked with The Brookline Foundation and the Town of Brookline, to increase their support of rent and basic expenses by nearly 500%, shift from one-time support of basic expenses to ongoing, expand housing services, and support an increasing number of clients who are accessing public benefits for the first time.     Helpful Tools and Resources for Organizations Transitioning to Telehealth   Select a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform, such as Zoom for Healthcare Set up a cloud-based secure internal document sharing and communication system for staff, such as Microsoft Teams or G Suite from Google Transfer all paper forms (including intake packets) to a secure electronic solution, such as DocuSign. Convert your phone lines to a cloud-based platform that can be used remotely, such as RingCentral. For more information and best practice strategies for transitioning to telehealth, visit MHTTC’s Responding to COVID-19: Building Telehealth Capacity resource page.      

Faculty Strategies for Supporting Students During COVID-19 Transcript   This session is designed to offer strategies to faculty to enable them to support their students during this challenging time.  Topics will include best practices in the current teaching environment, an overview of student responses to the pandemic and related stressors, and tips on how to support students from a distance.  We will also share ideas about self-care for faculty and offer opportunities for discussion. This session is facilitated by Ken Kinter, Dawn Reinhardt-Wood and Michelle Zechner - faculty members of the SHP Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions.  

This infographic outlines the opportunities for educators and other school staff to support student resilience during the pandemic. The product provides a graphic depiction of strategies that school staff can use to promote coping and resilience. It serves as a companion to a brief report that can be found here. This product can also be accessed on Infogram's website by clicking here.

Helping Teachers Support Student Mental Health: Recommendations for Strengthening K-12 Teacher Preparation Curricula This whitepaper describes the work and recommendations of a work group developed to discuss mental health and wellness training needs in teacher preparation. The Higher Education Teacher Preparation work group discussed the need to increase mental health awareness and skills in training programs for emerging teachers. This paper provides recommendations that higher education institutions and decision makers should consider in an effort to help teachers feel more prepared to address mental health in the classroom. Authors Liza Tupa Stefanie Winfield

This brief provides an overview and the lessons learned from a program implemented through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s Behavioral Health Program (WICHE BHP). This initiative focused on developing rural psychology internship opportunities in an effort to grow the rural workforce. These internships have proven effective for behavioral health workforce development and may apply to other health disciplines as well. Authors Dennis Mohatt Liza Tupa Shawnda Schroeder

The Southeast MHTTC conducted a region-wide needs assessment to better understand the landscape of public mental health in the Southeast. We focused on examining the demographic, clinical, and mental health system characteristics of the region; available mental health-related trainings and resources; and states’ mental health priorities, strengths, and needs. This is the finalized version of the needs assessment report.

On September 19th, we kicked off the C-TLC Book Study. Based on CEI’s Heart Centered Learning® model, Mindfulness Practices explains, through research, the influential power mindfulness can have on reducing trauma and how this can positively affect a school’s climate and culture. This book study will provide educators with the opportunity to explore ways to uplift students through mindful breathing, yoga, meditation, and instruction in classrooms while building caring, kind, compassionate schools.   It was led by Christine Mason, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director, Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) and C-TLC Project Director and Michele Rivers Murphy, Ed.D., Associate Director, Heart Centered Learning, Center for Educational Improvement. 

To address the educational and vocational needs young people experiencing psychosis, the CEDAR Individualized Vocational and Educational Support and Training (CEDAR InVEST) is an approach that helps clients get back on track with educational and vocational goals. CEDAR INVEST coaches are Bachelor’s level clinicians or college student volunteers that are supervised by a licensed clinician. In this brief, we describe some of the strategies that INVEST coaches use to help clients meet their education and vocational goals. Many of these strategies can be implemented by providers outside of a coordinated specialty program (CSC) like CEDAR – such as therapeutic mentors, vocational specialists, peer advocates, or other undergraduate or Bachelor’s level program staff.

Training and Technical Assistance Needs Findings from a Survey of Professionals Who Serve Individuals with Mental Illness in Region 8 The Mountain Plains MHTTC team conducted an electronic survey in March 2019 to identify the mental health technical assistance and trainings needs of Region 8. The survey was distributed electronically to individuals in Region 8 who serve persons with mental illness. Results presented in this report will help the Mountain Plains MHTTC staff better collaborate with providers and stakeholders throughout the region. Additionally, the survey results will inform the development of new products, training materials, and technical assistance requests. The report identifies aggregate training needs as well as state specific requests and variation between rural and urban respondents. Authors Shawnda Schroeder Thomasine Heitkamp

Press release announcing the 23 Fellows who will support the Childhood-Trauma Learning Collaborative (C-TLC). The C-TLC Fellows Program, under the auspices of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH), builds upon the New England MHTTC’s work to help teachers, administrators, and other school staff vision, plan, and monitor implementation of compassionate practices that ameliorate the effects of trauma, amplify protective factors, and increase the availability of educated and nurturing adults and teachers within schools who can meet the mental health needs of students.

The World Health Organization has stated the “single most important barrier to overcome in the community is the stigma and associated discrimination towards persons suffering from mental and behavioural [sic] disorders.” In response, researchers collected data in North Dakota utilizing an existing and nationally validated instrument for measuring stigma. This brief presents the results of the survey and implications for communities.   On November 20, 2020, Sage Journals published an article based on this product entitled, "The Role of Rural and Urban Geography and Gender in Community Stigma Around Mental Illness." A subscription may be required for full access. Authors Shawnda Schroeder Thomasine Heitkamp Chih Ming Tan