Products and Resources Catalog

  The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training for school mental health professionals and other behavioral health providers in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. Now more than ever it is crucial to connect with the people close to you and to utilize the digital tools at hand. In a climate of social distancing, human connection is important for mental health. Humans have a natural need for social connection and enjoy feeling valued, cared for, and supported by others. In the wake of COVID-19 school closures, educators, parents, and students across the globe are coping with a new reality. In this webinar series we will explore research on belonging and connectedness, they key tenants of virtual communication for educators, and effective strategies for building virtual connectedness. Learning Objectives: Provide data on the impact of social distancing to our mental health Discuss the risks of social isolation and loneliness to our health Provide strategies to maintain meaningful connections   Speaker: Angela Begres Angela is a licensed clinical social worker who obtained her MSW at the University of Chicago. She is an experienced trainer and presenter contracted both independently and through various nonprofits in the Chicago area, Michigan, and others, with experience integrating mental health education programs into the curriculum for students and staff within the Chicago and West Cook County public schools. In Partnership with the National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) Metro Suburban, Angela also developed a program to help decrease student stress and implement mindfulness in the classrooms. She has also worked with Chicago Family Services (DCFS) providing parenting education, with efforts to get parents reunited with their children.    

  Resources for Early Childhood Education Access Resource Using Download Link Above This product, developed by the South Southwest and Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers, provides resources to support early childhood educators in fostering and enhancing the social emotional development of children in early childhood education settings. These resources can be used for professional development training, learning collaboratives, or individual personal growth. 

Coping with a public emergency can be stressful and worrisome. You may have to deal with uncertainty, concerns about your health and the health of your family and friends, a change in your routine, limited access to needed resources, and more.  Thankfully there are steps you can take to care of yourself during difficult times. There are also services and supports available if you need a higher level of emotional care. 

Recording of the event "The Relationship Between Loneliness, Isolation, and Social Distancing," originally held on March 16, 2021.   You may access the slides here.

Recording of the event "Cultural Awareness and Mental Health First Aid," originally held on March 18, 2021.   You may access the slides here.

About this Resource:  Mental health care providers currently face a variety of challenges in their work-place setting and are at a high risk for experiencing burnout – negatively impacting professional and personal outcomes. Michelle Salyers, PhD, discusses the Burnout Reduction: Enhanced Awareness, Tools, Handouts, and Education (BREATHE) intervention, which supports individual providers by focusing on building individual resilience and skills. This on-demand recording is from Module 1 of our 3-module series and reviews the concept of burnout and well-being at work while offering practices to reduce burnout and enhance well-being. Click here to view the 2nd Module: Managing our Workloads Click here to view the 3rd Module: Connecting with Colleagues Click here to view our accompanying infographic that summarizes burnout reduction techniques.   About the Presenter: Michelle P. Salyers, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She directs the ACT Center of Indiana, a collaboration of academic and community partners, including researchers, administrators, clinicians, consumers, and family members who share an interest in recovery-oriented, evidence-based practices. The overarching goal of her work is to help adults with severe mental illness live meaningful lives in the community. Her research addresses both consumers of mental health services and the providers of those services. She is increasingly targeting the interaction of consumers and providers, looking for the best way to support relationships that promote recovery and well-being. Her current work involves developing effective ways to reduce staff burnout and to increase shared decision-making in mental health care.  

The purpose of the webinar was to take a closer look at the ways in which peers are contributing to what the traditional mental health system has deemed “crisis” supports, how peer support is different, and ways to incorporate peer practices and principles into existing “crisis” structures. The presenters described the peer approach to crises and present examples of peer programs that support people in crisis. The webinar also shared resources for further learning.

The MHTTC Network held a two-part series, Healing School Communities in the Context of Racial Violence: Where do we go from here? on February 25 and March 4. The series was intended for students, families, educators and school mental health professionals who are navigating the ongoing impact of racial violence in all forms on student mental health. Each 1.5 hour learning session featured a moderator who engaged advocates, leaders and the school mental health workforce in a conversation that focuses on: Navigating discussions which are grounded in advancing racial equity and inclusion both in and out of school; Elevating strategies for communicating and engaging in the ongoing work to support the mental health of students and school mental health professionals which are grounded in community wisdom and build upon protective factors, both in and out of school; Developing spaces which engender opportunities for the field to improve its commitment to fostering a workforce ready, able and willing to hold racial violence as a mental health issue in a way that is founded in community strengths and wisdom while supporting and building protective factors. In addition to providing recordings of each learning session, a list of resources from the presenters and the field was compiled to promote continuous learning. To access the resource document, please click on the DOWNLOAD button above. Questions? Please email Ricardo Canelo at [email protected].

  About the Event:  The Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) is an epidemiologic technique designed to provide household-based information about a community’s needs in a timely, inexpensive, and representative manner. While CASPER is well established in determining the needs and health status of the community, it is increasingly being piloted to assess mental and behavioral health. This webinar presented an overview of CASPER, its impact, and examples to highlight how CASPER can be useful to assess and monitor behavioral health.   Key Learning Objectives:  1. Describe CASPER, including modified CASPERs, and how they can be used to assess behavioral health;  2. Explain CASPER methodology, including development of questions, selection of households to survey, and interpretation of results; 3. Summarize the impact of past CASPERs and how implementation can be beneficial to your agency.    About the Presenter:  Amy Helene Schnall has been an epidemiologist on the Disaster Epidemiology and Response Team with CDC's National Center for Environmental Health since 2008. She focuses on surveillance and assessments throughout the disaster cycle. Ms. Schnall leads Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER), National Chemical and Radiological Surveillance, and Disaster Epidemiology Training programs and has been involved in numerous responses.       

For many of us working in the fields of mental health services or teaching, we may notice that the very issues we help our clients with, are things we recognize in ourselves. Some of us didn’t learn how to care for ourselves because we weren’t adequately cared for in crucial stages of development. This session is focused on re-learning how to tend to ourselves with tender care. We’ll discuss how this useful teaching tool in our work not only gives us empathy, but can help us heal our own wounds. The Northwest MHTTC is excited to collaborate with Rebekah Demirel L.Ac. MPCC to deliver a webinar and podcast series as part of our support of provider well-being. Find out more about the series here. Resources Presentation Slides Presenter Rebekah Demirel L.Ac. MPCC is the founder and director of Trauma Integration Programs, with more than a decade as an ambulance paramedic, twenty-two years as a paramedic trainer, eighteen years of mental health counseling experience, specializing in traumatic stress and she is a licensed East Asian medicine practitioner and acupuncturist. Rebekah’s unique skill set and experience are informed by her own traumatic childhood and teen years spent on the street and in the foster care system, giving her a special familiarity and empathy for trauma and loss.  

We share our upcoming events on reducing healthcare disparities, integrated care for a tribal community during the pandemic, post-traumatic growth, peer support, forensic mental health and more. We also continue our support for provider well-being and share recent products.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Schools This webinar provided an overview of practices and policies that can improve the school experiences of LGBTQ+ students. GLSEN Director of Public Policy, Aaron Ridings, discussed policies that support LGBTQ+ youth in schools. GLSEN Senior Manager of Youth Programs, a.t. furuya, discussed school practices that address the needs of LGBTQ+ students. LGBTQ+ Youth Speakers from the GLSEN National School Council spoke about how these school changes and supports would benefit them.  

Overview Join the Mid-America MHTTC for an informational 101 on our approach to supporting health care workers: The Adult Resilience Curriculum for Health Professionals. This webinar is geared toward health care professionals, administrators, and stakeholders interested in developing a culture of well-being. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the what, why, and how of the Adult Resilience Curriculum (ARC), as well as the most up-to-date information on stress: how it affects us psychologically and biologically, why it is necessary in certain situations, and how it relates to our overall well-being. ARC for Health Professionals is a 10-module model for implementing well-being at both the individual and organizational level. The curriculum is rooted in adult positive psychology and organizational well-being theories and has been adapted to apply across medical and educational settings. During the webinar, our Center will also present upcoming activities and trainings related to professional well-being, including a visit from two special guests: Dr. Jordan Thayer and Dr. Hannah West, to preview their new podcast, Burnout Busters.   Speakers   Dr. Erika Franta is the school mental health program director for the Mid-America MHTTC and an assistant professor in the psychology department at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Franta has specialized training in juvenile forensic assessments and treatment, which led to her passion for increasing access to mental and behavioral health care for children, adolescents, and families through school, medical, and community systems. Dr. Franta approaches her work through a strengths-based and prevention lens and takes a systems-level approach to implementation of mental health initiatives across all settings. She oversees our Center's team of faculty and regional trainers and engages in training and technical assistance with educational leadership teams and school mental health providers in implementation of comprehensive school mental health supports. Dr. Franta also provides training and supervision in psycho-educational assessments, school consultation, and integrated care. She received her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She completed her doctoral internship at Travis County Juvenile Probation in Austin, Texas, and her post-doctoral training at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.  Brittany Liebsack, PhD, LP, is a faculty trainer for the Mid-America MHTTC's school mental health team, developing and providing training and technical assistance at the universal, targeted and intensive levels. Passionate about the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices for children and their families, Dr. Liebsack helps our Center implement comprehensive mental health programming via the most accessible mental health providers for youths and teens: our schools. Throughout her undergraduate and post-baccalaureate research and clinical experiences, Dr. Liebsack became aware of and frustrated by the research-to-practice gap in the use of evidence-based practices in community settings and routine care. This led to her pursuit of graduate training and research interests in implementation, dissemination, and patient/family engagement in and barriers to treatment. Dr. Liebsack’s clinical interests include school mental health, integrated primary care, trauma/anxiety, and externalizing behavior. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at West Virginia State and completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute, where she is now a postdoctoral fellow. Jordan Thayer, PhD, PLP, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) for Genetics and Rehabilitation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is a member of the research and implementation team behind the Adult Resilience Curriculum (ARC). He received his doctorate in school psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In both graduate school and in his work at MMI, he has split his time between collaborative research with schools and staff and practicing school-based mental health. These experiences developed Dr. Thayer's appreciation for the real-world challenges that every teacher faces when trying to implement what we know works to help kids develop academically, socially, emotionally, and mentally — particularly when teaching children with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultural values. Although recognized, these challenges are not always addressed, leaving teachers stressed and overwhelmed. ARC was designed to provide a flexible, contextual approach to support teachers’ personal well-being development by incorporating various skills and strategies into their daily lives. Dr. Thayer also works with school leaders and policymakers to remove outside factors that cause educator stress so that teachers’ well-being is supported by their own skills and by their environment. Hannah West, PhD, PLP, is a regional trainer for the Mid-America MHTTC and postdoctoral behavioral health provider at Sunflower Pediatric Behavioral Health in Shawnee, Kansas. Dr. West completed an undergraduate degree in psychology at Henderson State University, a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Missouri State University, and a doctorate in school psychology at Oklahoma State University. Dr. West is passionate about assisting schools and districts at the systems level through consultation and coaching to match student academic, behavioral and mental health needs with resources available through the development of multi-tiered systems of support. As a trainer for the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) PREPaRE curriculum, she is also passionate about working with schools to implement best-practice prevention, intervention, and postvention supports related to school crises. She began working with the Mid-America MHTTC's school mental health team during her predoctoral internship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, but recently was promoted to regional trainer in Missouri and Kansas. Professional Well-Being ARC for Health Professionals  

  Overview Join the Mid-America MHTTC for an informational 101 on our approach to supporting health care workers: The Adult Resilience Curriculum for Health Professionals. This webinar is geared toward health care professionals, administrators, and stakeholders interested in developing a culture of well-being. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the what, why, and how of the Adult Resilience Curriculum (ARC), as well as the most up-to-date information on stress: how it affects us psychologically and biologically, why it is necessary in certain situations, and how it relates to our overall well-being. ARC for Health Professionals is a 10-module model for implementing well-being at both the individual and organizational level. The curriculum is rooted in adult positive psychology and organizational well-being theories and has been adapted to apply across medical and educational settings. During the webinar, our Center will also present upcoming activities and trainings related to professional well-being, including a visit from two special guests: Dr. Jordan Thayer and Dr. Hannah West, to preview their new podcast, Burnout Busters.   Speakers   Dr. Erika Franta is the school mental health program director for the Mid-America MHTTC and an assistant professor in the psychology department at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Franta has specialized training in juvenile forensic assessments and treatment, which led to her passion for increasing access to mental and behavioral health care for children, adolescents, and families through school, medical, and community systems. Dr. Franta approaches her work through a strengths-based and prevention lens and takes a systems-level approach to implementation of mental health initiatives across all settings. She oversees our Center's team of faculty and regional trainers and engages in training and technical assistance with educational leadership teams and school mental health providers in implementation of comprehensive school mental health supports. Dr. Franta also provides training and supervision in psycho-educational assessments, school consultation, and integrated care. She received her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She completed her doctoral internship at Travis County Juvenile Probation in Austin, Texas, and her post-doctoral training at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.  Brittany Liebsack, PhD, LP, is a faculty trainer for the Mid-America MHTTC's school mental health team, developing and providing training and technical assistance at the universal, targeted and intensive levels. Passionate about the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices for children and their families, Dr. Liebsack helps our Center implement comprehensive mental health programming via the most accessible mental health providers for youths and teens: our schools. Throughout her undergraduate and post-baccalaureate research and clinical experiences, Dr. Liebsack became aware of and frustrated by the research-to-practice gap in the use of evidence-based practices in community settings and routine care. This led to her pursuit of graduate training and research interests in implementation, dissemination, and patient/family engagement in and barriers to treatment. Dr. Liebsack’s clinical interests include school mental health, integrated primary care, trauma/anxiety, and externalizing behavior. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at West Virginia State and completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute, where she is now a postdoctoral fellow. Jordan Thayer, PhD, PLP, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) for Genetics and Rehabilitation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is a member of the research and implementation team behind the Adult Resilience Curriculum (ARC). He received his doctorate in school psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In both graduate school and in his work at MMI, he has split his time between collaborative research with schools and staff and practicing school-based mental health. These experiences developed Dr. Thayer's appreciation for the real-world challenges that every teacher faces when trying to implement what we know works to help kids develop academically, socially, emotionally, and mentally — particularly when teaching children with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultural values. Although recognized, these challenges are not always addressed, leaving teachers stressed and overwhelmed. ARC was designed to provide a flexible, contextual approach to support teachers’ personal well-being development by incorporating various skills and strategies into their daily lives. Dr. Thayer also works with school leaders and policymakers to remove outside factors that cause educator stress so that teachers’ well-being is supported by their own skills and by their environment. Hannah West, PhD, PLP, is a regional trainer for the Mid-America MHTTC and postdoctoral behavioral health provider at Sunflower Pediatric Behavioral Health in Shawnee, Kansas. Dr. West completed an undergraduate degree in psychology at Henderson State University, a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Missouri State University, and a doctorate in school psychology at Oklahoma State University. Dr. West is passionate about assisting schools and districts at the systems level through consultation and coaching to match student academic, behavioral and mental health needs with resources available through the development of multi-tiered systems of support. As a trainer for the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) PREPaRE curriculum, she is also passionate about working with schools to implement best-practice prevention, intervention, and postvention supports related to school crises. She began working with the Mid-America MHTTC's school mental health team during her predoctoral internship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, but recently was promoted to regional trainer in Missouri and Kansas. Professional Well-Being ARC for Health Professionals  

  Trauma and Intimate Partner Violence Session recording Access Resources Using the Download Link Above This training session was provided to the Cass Clay YWCA team, and their partners, in response to a technical assistance request received by the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Mountain Plains MHTTC) and Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Mountain Plains ATTC). Dr. Tami DeCoteau, PhD, provided a two-hour training exploring the impact of trauma on victims of intimate partner violence. This session discussed the definitions of trauma, examined the neurophysiology of trauma responses, and modeled best practices for supporting clients and patients who have experienced trauma and intimate partner violence.   To learn more about the work of the Cass Clay YWCA please visit: https://www.ywcacassclay.org/ 

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

Evaluación y traije* del suicidio en cinco pasos. *Conocido como "triage" en inglés   View English version

Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage   View Spanish version

El suicido es un problema de salud mental significativo, con las tasas de suicidio aumentando sobre el 30% en los pasados 10 años. El suicidio es la segunda causa de muerte entre las personas de edades de 10 a 34 años, la cuarta entre las personas de edades de 34 a 54 años, la quinta entre las personas de 45 a 54 años, y la décima causa de muerte entre la población en general (www.cdc.gov/suicide). A pesar de que estas estadísticas son alarmantes, es importante recordar que existen factores que pueden ayudar a prevenir el suicidio y pasos que se pueden tomar para intervenir y proveer apoyo. Esta guía prove información básica para evaluar el riesgo de suicidio.

The National American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Technology Transfer Center would like to share with you Volume 2, Issue 3 of our newsletter, Mental Health in our Native American Communities for Spring 2021: Protecting Our Youth: Rethinking the Risks of Cannabis. Please take some time to explore this issue.

In this presentation, Mid-America MHTTC specialists and partners with Omaha-based Community Alliance will demonstrate ways in which family peer support empowers families to support their loved one’s path towards recovery. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn to support their loved one’s autonomy; Learn to establish a focus on recovery with other members of the mental health team; Learn to prepare the mental health team to engage in recovery-oriented dialogue.   Speakers:   Dr. Lilchandra Jai Sookram has been in the mental health field for over 40 years. At the Nebraska State Hospital, he provided psychological services to persons with serious mental illness and to their family members, and he directed clinical services including psychology, nursing, social work, therapeutic recreation, education and return-to-work programs. He is the former director of mental health services in Kansas and clinical director of a juvenile correctional facility. Currently he is manager of family and peer services at Community Alliance. Bill Baerentzen, Ph.D., CRC, LMHP, is serious mental illness program director for the Mid-America MHTTC. Much of his outreach involves promoting evidence-based practices to help people with serious mental illness (SMI) live meaningful inclusive lives. Dr. Baerentzen has worked as director of a 250-bed emergency overnight shelter; supervisor of therapists in a treatment program for persons with co-occurring disorders; and as faculty in a rehabilitation counseling program.   Jon Thomsen is a certified peer support and wellness specialist and is the supervisor for two peer support programs with Community Alliance. Jon is a certified facilitator in WRAP and RentWise, has previously facilitated support groups such as NAMI Connections, and has recently established Safe Harbor’s first support group Spiritual Recovery. Jon is involved in Crisis Intervention Training for the Omaha Police Department as well as the training of peer support specialists in the state of Nebraska. His primary goals are to support individuals who struggle with their personal well-being, to share the knowledge he has gained in his own recovery, and to walk with people while they explore their authentic self. Mark Thomsen, MD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at both the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Creighton University, splitting time between the outpatient psychiatry clinic at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine and the inpatient psychiatric hospital Lasting Hope Recovery Center — a 64-bed facility in Omaha. Dr. Thomsen is co-director of the ASPIRE clinic, a specialty outpatient clinic providing care for patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and primary psychotic disorders. Dr. Thomsen has experienced the impact of family peer support from both the provider and the family perspective, and looks forward to helping promote and expand peer support services. Learn more about Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce at https://bit.ly/FPS_2020  

In this presentation, Mid-America MHTTC specialists and partners with Omaha-based Community Alliance will demonstrate ways in which family peer support empowers families to support their loved one’s path towards recovery. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn to support their loved one’s autonomy; Learn to establish a focus on recovery with other members of the mental health team; Learn to prepare the mental health team to engage in recovery-oriented dialogue.   Speakers:   Dr. Lilchandra Jai Sookram has been in the mental health field for over 40 years. At the Nebraska State Hospital, he provided psychological services to persons with serious mental illness and to their family members, and he directed clinical services including psychology, nursing, social work, therapeutic recreation, education and return-to-work programs. He is the former director of mental health services in Kansas and clinical director of a juvenile correctional facility. Currently he is manager of family and peer services at Community Alliance. Bill Baerentzen, Ph.D., CRC, LMHP, is serious mental illness program director for the Mid-America MHTTC. Much of his outreach involves promoting evidence-based practices to help people with serious mental illness (SMI) live meaningful inclusive lives. Dr. Baerentzen has worked as director of a 250-bed emergency overnight shelter; supervisor of therapists in a treatment program for persons with co-occurring disorders; and as faculty in a rehabilitation counseling program.   Jon Thomsen is a certified peer support and wellness specialist and is the supervisor for two peer support programs with Community Alliance. Jon is a certified facilitator in WRAP and RentWise, has previously facilitated support groups such as NAMI Connections, and has recently established Safe Harbor’s first support group Spiritual Recovery. Jon is involved in Crisis Intervention Training for the Omaha Police Department as well as the training of peer support specialists in the state of Nebraska. His primary goals are to support individuals who struggle with their personal well-being, to share the knowledge he has gained in his own recovery, and to walk with people while they explore their authentic self. Mark Thomsen, MD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at both the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Creighton University, splitting time between the outpatient psychiatry clinic at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine and the inpatient psychiatric hospital Lasting Hope Recovery Center — a 64-bed facility in Omaha. Dr. Thomsen is co-director of the ASPIRE clinic, a specialty outpatient clinic providing care for patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and primary psychotic disorders. Dr. Thomsen has experienced the impact of family peer support from both the provider and the family perspective, and looks forward to helping promote and expand peer support services. Learn more about Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce at https://bit.ly/FPS_2020  

Recording of the event Supports for Transitioning Young Adults Impacted by COVID-19 and other Traumas, originally held on December 7, 2020.   Slide Presentation