Products and Resources Catalog

In this presentation, Mid-America MHTTC specialists and partners with Omaha-based Community Alliance will demonstrate ways in which family peer support empowers families in their roles to prevent relapse and intervene during psychiatric crisis. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn early detection of a crisis of their loved one; Learn to develop a relapse prevention and crisis management plan; and Learn to implement a relapse prevention and crisis management plan.   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.   Rich Kalal is a parent of a loved one with serious mental illness. A retiree of IBM, Kalal works as a volunteer at Community Alliance, in particular on family education programs along with Dr. Jai Sookram. On many occasions, Kalal has spoken to University of Nebraska Medical Center residents of psychiatry and family medicine and medical students about being a family member of a person with a serious mental illness.     Learn more about Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce at https://bit.ly/FPS_2020

A CEDAR Clinic clinical brief that support the screening of psychosis spectrum symptoms.

In this presentation, Mid-America MHTTC specialists and partners with Omaha-based Community Alliance will demonstrate ways in which family peer support empowers families in their roles to prevent relapse and intervene during psychiatric crisis. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn early detection of a crisis of their loved one; Learn to develop a relapse prevention and crisis management plan; and Learn to implement a relapse prevention and crisis management plan.   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.   Rich Kalal is a parent of a loved one with serious mental illness. A retiree of IBM, Kalal works as a volunteer at Community Alliance, in particular on family education programs along with Dr. Jai Sookram. On many occasions, Kalal has spoken to University of Nebraska Medical Center residents of psychiatry and family medicine and medical students about being a family member of a person with a serious mental illness.     Learn more about Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce at https://bit.ly/FPS_2020  

About the Event:  Everyone has mental health, which is an essential aspect of our overall health, wellness and success. Moreover, less than half of the youth who need mental health services and supports receive them, due to stigma or not knowing how to get help. This learning session will focus on evidence-based, practical strategies for schools to reduce stigma, increase awareness about the importance of mental health, and promote literacy about what mental health is and how to access supports when needed.  

The pandemic, ongoing social and racial injustices, and the recent violent events on the Capitol may have you and those close to you feeling uncertain, unsettled, and overall fearful. As behavioral health providers, teachers, parents, peers, and community members, you can provide support during these challenging times in several impactful ways. Having Difficult Conversations: A Guide for Providers, Teachers, and Parents presents a number of steps you can take when having difficult conversations. 

The Northwest MHTTC welcomes the new year and shares our numerous upcoming events, including our new provider well-being series and future podcasts which aim to replenish you and connect you to others; events for the peer workforce and ACT teams; and more.  

E-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.  January 2021 issue features:  Hall of Fame: Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment, and Recovery Counselor's Corner State Spotlight: Minnesota Complete calendar of upcoming events New products from SAMHSA

Click here to view the recording of The Importance of Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Click here to view the handouts of The Importance of Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Click here to view the recording from Healing Returning Warrior: Assessment and Treatment; Traditional Beliefs and Healing Practices. 

Click here to view the handouts from Healing Returning Warrior: Assessment and Treatment; Traditional Beliefs and Healing Practices. 

Click here to view the recording from Healing the Returning Warrior: Healing the Healer. 

Click here to view the handouts from Healing the Returning Warrior: Healing the Healer. 

Click here to view the recording from Healing the Returning Warrior: Trauma, Historical Trauma, and PTSD. 

Click here to view the handouts from Healing the Returning Warrior: Trauma, Historical Trauma, and PTSD. 

Click here to view the recording from Introduction to Peer Support in the Era of COVID 19. 

Click here to view the handouts from Introduction to Peer Support in the Era of COVID 19. 

Click here to view the recording from The Strength of Our People: Resilience of Native Americans Part 1. 

The Managing Anxiety & Return to School webinar series is part of The Back-to-School Series - Supports for Staff, Students & Families During COVID-19. Click here to learn more about our series of webinars on concrete strategies to strengthen connections, promote mental wellness and resilience, and support everyone in the return to schools during a global pandemic. About this Resource: Have you watched Part 1 or Part 2 of our Managing Anxiety & The Return to School webinar series? Do you have questions on how we can support staff, students, and families navigate returning to school during a global pandemic? Are you curious about how to identify problem anxiety in youth or what coping strategies may help? If so, please join us for this live, interactive Q&A session with Drs. Jennifer Blossom, Kendra Read, and Cesalie Stepney to ask your questions or listen to answers to questions others have. All are welcome to attend and you can submit your questions in advance while registering.   >> Presentation PDF >> Click "View Resource" above to access the recording This recording is about the 4-part Managing Anxiety & the Return to School webinar series. Learn more about the Anxiety & Return to School Webinars here.  About the Presenters: Jennifer Blossom, PhD is a Clinical Child Psychologist with expertise in assessment and intervention for youth with anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Dr. Blossom has worked in some capacity in the field of clinical child psychology for over 10 years. Currently, Dr. Blossom is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Psychology and Human Development at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF), teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Before joining UMF, Dr. Blossom completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Seattle Children’s/University of Washington where she conducted research and provided clinical services within the Mood and Anxiety Program and Crisis Care Clinic. Dr. Blossom maintains an active research program related to service delivery, efficiency, and access for youth with internalizing problems, with particular emphasis on expanding behavioral interventions within integrated healthcare settings.   Kendra Read, PhD is a clinical psychologist, the Director of the Mood & Anxiety Program and Director of Anxiety Programs at Seattle Children’s. She is also the Director of Psychotherapy Training through the University of Washington School of Medicine Child Psychiatry Fellowship. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA under the mentorship of Philip Kendall, Ph.D., completed her internship in pediatric psychology at Nemours/A. I. duPont Hospital for Children, and her postdoctoral fellowship at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department. Dr. Read specializes in the treatment of youth with anxiety disorders and OCD from a cognitive behavioral therapy perspective. Her research interests include understanding factors that contribute to treatment outcome, and the dissemination and implementation of CBT for anxiety disorders.   Cesalie Stepney, PhD is a clinical psychologist at Seattle Children’s with roles in the departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. In the psychiatry department, Dr. Stepney is the director of the Anxiety Training Clinic for first year psychiatry fellows and a provider in the anxiety clinic and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy program. In her work in adolescent medicine, she works on the integrated care and gender clinic teams. Dr. Stepney specializes in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD, depression, and emotion dysregulation. She also has a strong interest in working with BIPOC populations and gender diverse youth.  Dr. Stepney received her PhD in clinical psychology from Rutgers, The State University of Jersey. She completed her internship at the Yale School of Medicine and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in the Leadership in Adolescent Health (LEAH) program. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she also received a Master’s of Education in Risk and Prevention from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.   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.

This module reviews the definition and value of school mental health teams, as well as quality indicators and best practices to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Example school mental health teams are provided as well as district examples. PLEASE NOTE: As of April 2021, the MHTTC Network and National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) changed the title of the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools to the new title National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools.

This module describes how to conduct and use data from needs assessment and resource mapping processes. The value of each is described as well as how they intersect to support the strengths and needs in your local school and community.   PLEASE NOTE: As of April 2021, the MHTTC Network and National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) changed the title of the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools to the new title National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools.

This module describes the definition, purpose and importance of mental health screening in schools. Six action steps to conduct screening are provided, as well as strategies to address common barriers. PLEASE NOTE: As of April 2021, the MHTTC Network and National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) changed the title of the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools to the new title National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools.

This module first reviews specific types of universal mental health promotion services and supports, including school climate, school staff well-being, positive behaviors and relationships, positive discipline practices, mental health literacy and social emotional learning. Then, quality indicators and best practices to ensure these services and supports are of high quality, adequate implementation, and fit local considerations.   PLEASE NOTE: As of April 2021, the MHTTC Network and National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) changed the title of the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools to the new title National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools.

This module reviews the importance of early intervention and treatment services and supports for students with mild distress or functional impairment, or at risk for a given problem or concern. Then, the module reviews the same as those discussed in Module 5 about quality indicators and best practices to ensure these services and supports are of high quality, adequate implementation, and fit local considerations. PLEASE NOTE: As of April 2021, the MHTTC Network and National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) changed the title of the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools to the new title National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools.