Products and Resources Catalog

Monthly electronic newsletter for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.  The December 2020 issue of the Great Lakes Current includes a spotlight on Wisconsin, a new article in The Counselor's Corner, and links to the new COVID-19 Provider Well-being Supplement and the Spotlight on Stigma podcast series. 

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 on the mental health team. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn self-regulation; Learn to partner with the mental health team to develop a crisis plan; and Learn to partner with the mental health team to develop a recovery 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.   Rita and Stuart have been married for 30 years and were blessed with twins. Stuart has worked in the advertising field for over 30 years. Rita was a stay-at-home parent for most of her life. Rita and Stuart noticed behavioral changes in their daughter in her early 20s. Although she was seen by professionals in the mental health community, she severed ties from the professionals and her family. Stuart and Rita attended Dr. Jai’s family-to-family class to develop an understanding of their family’s challenges, and have since gained insights into their lives.   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 in their roles on the mental health team. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn self-regulation; Learn to partner with the mental health team to develop a crisis plan; and Learn to partner with the mental health team to develop a recovery 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.   Rita and Stuart have been married for 30 years and were blessed with twins. Stuart has worked in the advertising field for over 30 years. Rita was a stay-at-home parent for most of her life. Rita and Stuart noticed behavioral changes in their daughter in her early 20s. Although she was seen by professionals in the mental health community, she severed ties from the professionals and her family. Stuart and Rita attended Dr. Jai’s family-to-family class to develop an understanding of their family’s challenges, and have since gained insights into their lives.   Learn more about Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce at https://bit.ly/FPS_2020

Click "download" above to access: Slide Deck, Q/A, & Transcript   The Great Lakes MHTTC and PTTC present this webinar for prevention practitioners and mental health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI For many of us, the accumulated stress, grief, fatigue, and despair of the Covid-19 crisis pose a significant challenge to our coping resources. While this perfect storm of stressors may be unprecedented, there is much we know about how to cope with and manage stress, even at these levels.  In this talk, Dr. Kanter will describe new research on predictors of coping with the crisis and effective interventions for reducing depression and loneliness during the crisis. Dr. Kanter integrates these new findings with established science and offers strategies for managing the psychological consequences of the crisis in our everyday lives. Learning Objectives Review results of national research on effective coping tips during the pandemic (helpful in non-pandemic times as well) Understand and practice evidence-based mindfulness strategies for effective coping Understand and practice evidence-based strategies for improving well being and closeness with others   Presenter: Dr. Jonathan Kanter, University of Washington's Center for the Science of Social Connection   Dr. Jonathan Kanter is Director of the University of Washington’s Center for the Science of Social Connection. Over the course of his career, Dr. Kanter has investigated psychosocial interventions for depression, including how to disseminate culturally appropriate, easy-to-train, evidence-based approaches, with emphasis on evidence-based treatments such as behavioral activation for groups who lack resources and access to care. Dr. Kanter has published over 100 scientific papers and 9 books on these topics and his work has been funded by NIH, SAMHSA, state governmental organizations, foundations, and private donors. He is regularly invited to give talks and workshops nationally and internationally. When the COVID-19 crisis hit Seattle, the Center pivoted its resources to understand and mitigate the relational and mental health consequences of the crisis, to assist with public health efforts, and to inform the public dialogue with scientifically informed advice. Dr. Kanter has been asked to comment on the relational and mental health consequences of the crisis by, and the Center’s response to the crisis has been featured on, NPR, the BBC, the New York Times, the Huffington Post, National Geographic, and other local and national news outlets.

About The Webinar Teaming is a key component in the MTSS framework. In this session we will discuss what an expanded school-based teaming process looks like in advanced tiers and important routines and procedures teams should use. We will also discuss how teams can use school and community data across the tiers. Finally, key ISF resources will be shared to help strengthen Tiers 2/3.   Learning Objectives Participants will learn about the expanded school-based teaming process at Tiers 2/3. Participants will learn how the meeting agenda supports and documents the problem-solving process. Participants will learn how the expanded team uses school and. community data to guide the process across tiers. Participants will learn about ISF resources including discussion guides and activities to strengthen their advanced tier system.   Resources ISF Systems and Tiers 2 & 3 with Susan Barrett (PDF)    About The Speaker Susan Barrett, MA, serves as a Director for the Center for Social Behavior Supports Center (CSBS) at Old Dominion University and an Implementer Partner with the U.S. National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). She assists with large-scale implementation of PBIS; partners with researchers to evaluate the impact of PBIS on students, school staff, and school communities; and serves on the Association of Positive Behavior Supports Board of Directors. She also co-leads the development of the Interconnected Systems Framework, a mental health and PBIS expansion effort. Susan has been published in the areas of large-scale adoption of PBIS, mental health, cost-benefit analysis, advanced tier system development, and adoption of evidence-based practices in schools. About The Series  The Northwest MHTTC and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC are continuing our partnership to provide and extend deeper technical assistance on the Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF). Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) is a structure and process that maximizes effectiveness and efficiency by blending the strengths of school and community mental health with strengths of the multi-tiered framework of PBIS (Barrett, Eber, Weist, 2013) This past year, we offered three webinars on the Interconnected Systems Framework (see below for recordings) and followed the learning series up with monthly discussion hours led by Susan Barrett and field leaders from our region. This year, we are offering more programming to deepen your ISF work and contextualize ISF to this moment of COVID-19 and beyond. Our fall offering is made up of four modules and ends with a town hall for you to be able to ask faculty your questions and resource one another. Each module includes teaching from Susan Barrett and field leaders on ISF systems, and USC faculty on ISF practices.   Learn more about the full series schedule and access all recordings & presentation materials here.  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.

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Presentation slides Download certificate Webinar Objectives: Define stress and how it manifests in children Look at how COVID-19 affects stress Recognize the parallel between stress and mental health Identify how we can help children deal with stress Identify what we as teachers can do Provide concrete strategies and resources

View Presentation Slides Download Certificate Mental Health Providers are skilled at helping others manage emotional difficulties and crises, but how good are we at asking for help when we need it?  Webinar Objectives: Explore our expectations, challenges, and issues around getting help when we need it Identify who and what can offer supports in difficult times Discuss the importance of support Apply concepts to get support for ourselves  Related Products: Taking Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Others Pause, Breathe, Move: Self-Care for Healthcare Providers Bouncing Back: Building Resilience at Work in the Time of COVID-19

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View Presentation Slides For people who are grieving, holidays can often be times of immense sadness. While others are celebrating, people coping with loss can feel alone and in emotional pain. This webinar will present several activities designed to help people who are grieving reframe the holiday season into a time of celebration for the life of a loved one rather than a time of mourning for the loss of that loved one. The activities presented will be applicable to secular holidays as well as the holidays celebrated within Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faith traditions. Presenter: Douglas Smith has been the lead instructor for the University of Wisconsin’s Grief Support Services Certificate program, which has trained over 600 healthcare professions in 39 states and 14 countries. He has conducted extensive grief training workshops in all 50 states and internationally. He also has extensive personal experiences related to grief.

Presentation Slides   This webinar explored the innovative approaches and experiences of leading provider organizations and their partners as they work to recruit and retain school mental health providers.  Ms. Nikki Raymond (CEO, Georgia HOPE) discussed the diverse array of strategies her organization has employed and their impact, and Dr. Mark Sander (Director of School Mental Health, Hennepin County School System) discussed his experience coordinating 18 mental health agencies’ efforts as they develop and support the school mental health workforce.   Learning Objectives: Describe creative approaches to recruit school mental health providers Examine successful strategies for retaining school mental health providers, as applied by experienced school mental health provider organizations Identify funding and strategic opportunities to sustain the school mental health workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

 Click "download" above to access: Slide Deck & Transcript   The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a seismic shift in how practitioners provide services. With the sudden shift to virtual services, school-based mental health professionals have been required to learn new ways of doing their essential work, but with little guidance about how to make those sessions work. Prevention Research Institute began providing virtual training services in the addictions treatment field in 2012 and since then has extended this work to prevention and helping people deliver of virtual services. This session will focus on the pragmatic questions of how to do these services with practical suggestions about what helps and what interferes with client engagement, how to prevent problems, and how to manage when challenges arise. The instructors will use a dynamic blend of didactic, discussion and activities to explore these issues and keep learners engaged.   Learning Objectives At the conclusion of the session, participants will: Articulate three steps to take before the virtual session to enhance the likelihood of success Describe three methods to enhance participant engagement Identify three important equipment considerations for virtual sessions Delineate two approaches for managing challenges in a virtual setting   Intended Audience:  School and youth mental health providers who are using telehealth to conduct group sessions   Presenter David B. Rosengren, Ph.D, President and CEO, Prevention Research Institute; MINT Member; IPPA Member              

Diapositivas de presentación Este seminario web describirá estrategias prácticas de autocuidado que pueden incorporarse en las prácticas y decisiones diarias de los profesionales de la salud mental. Estos incluyen administración del tiempo, establecimiento de límites, estrategias de manejo del estrés y establecimiento de metas personales. Objetivos: Identificar signos de estrés, agotamiento y trauma indirecto Desarrolle al menos 3 nuevas estrategias para apoyar el bienestar y reducir el estrés Cómo establecer límites para tener tiempo para el cuidado personal

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In our final newsletter of 2020, the Directors and staff of the Northwest MHTTC extend holiday greetings to our colleagues and partners in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and beyond and present a summary of our work in our second grant year. We are also pleased to announce that thanks to additional funding, we will be offering more provider well-being opportunities in 2021. Finally, we share our upcoming events, new products, and a selection of resources for well-being.

Original Broadcast Date: 11/30/20 Join Pacific Southwest MHTTC Associate Director Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW for an interactive discussion about virtual and socially distanced resources for mood management over the 2020 holiday season. Learn about apps, virtual support groups, curated videos about resilience in diverse communities, and the presenter's own “secret sauce” for managing the ups and downs of the 2020 holiday season.   Click on the above "View Resource" button to watch on Youtube. Supplemental downloads: Download presentation slides PDF Download Holiday Stress Management Worksheet Download handout "Resources from the Mental Health Workforce"   About the Presenter  Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW, is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience and Associate Director of the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. Dr. Ramirez has addressed a variety of clinical issues through individual and group interventions including suicide prevention and postvention, Veteran post-deployment health, psychosocial rehabilitation, LGBTQ minority stress and resilience, trauma-informed care with combat Veterans and survivors of sexual assault, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C prevention, and substance abuse harm reduction efforts. Dr. Ramirez’s suicide prevention work with clients includes suicide assessments, developing Safety Plans, crisis intervention, and processing the impacts of suicide attempts through suicide post-ventions following hospitalization. Dr. Ramirez organized the nation’s first multi-state LGBT Veteran Suicide Prevention Conference and produced a documentary about trauma and recovery among LGBT Veterans that addresses suicide from a strengths based and culturally-specific perspective (www.camouflagecloset.com).   

Dr. Rhonda Nese: "Developing an Instructional Alternative to Exclusionary Discipline Practices" with Q&A December 2nd, 2020  8:30 - 9:45 AM (Pacific Standard Time) In this session, the presenter will discuss the negative impact of exclusionary discipline practices on students’ social, emotional, and academic outcomes, as well as alternative strategies to use in lieu of punitive responses.  The presenter will also introduce a preventative model for responding to student behaviors that holds promise for improving student-teacher relationships and skills, and reducing subsequent removals from instruction.   Objectives: Participants will learn about the negative impact of exclusionary discipline practices Participants will learn about preventative approaches and alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices PRESENTATION MATERIALS: Presentation PDF This recording is part of the UW SMART Center's 2021 Virtual Speaker Series. Learn more and register for upcoming events in the series here.  About The Speaker: Dr. Rhonda Nese, Ph.D.,  is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon. Dr. Nese currently serves as the Principal Investigator of an IES grant to refine and test an intervention to reduce exclusionary discipline practices, improve student behavior and student-teacher relationships, and increase instructional me for students in secondary settings, and Co-Principal Investigator on three additional IES grants to identify factors that predict implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practices, to develop technology to improve online learning for educators, and to develop and validate an automated scoring system for oral reading fluency. Dr. Nese also provides technical assistance to state, district, and school-level teams across the nation on preventative practices, including addressing implicit bias in school discipline, effective classroom behavior management strategies, bullying prevention, and alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices through the OSEP-funded National TA-Center on PBIS. Dr. Nese’s research involves intervention delivery within a multi-tiered behavior support framework focused on preventative strategies for improving student outcomes. 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.

On December 16, Dr. Li and Dr. Bogan from FAMU discussed the need for cultural competency when treating patient with mental illness. This is part of an important effort to assist the mental health workforce in better recognizing and responding to multicultural issues for people with severe mental illnesses. Learning Objectives • Learn about how psychosocial experiences may increase risk for a mental health crisis • Get to know protective habits for mental health from a cultural perspective • Get to know cultural factors that may impact processing initial and subsequent episodes • Get to know cultural sensitive strategies working with clients from minority backgrounds.   To view/download the slides, click here. 

On December 16, Mark Costa and Kendall Atterbury discussed the process of recovery and employment. Learning Objectives: 1. Demonstrate an understanding and difference between Recovery concepts and a Recovery Model; 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between a clinical-therapeutic orientation to employment services and a normative-citizen orientation; 3. Demonstrate the difference between personal-level barriers and systemic-structural barriers to employment.   To view/download the slides, click here. 

Click "download" above to access: Slide Deck, Transcript & Q/A     The Great Lakes MHTTC and Northwest MHTTC offer this training for Assertive Community Team Leads. This one-hour webinar is intended for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team leads and will examine what we currently know about the pivotal role of the team leader to the implementation of the ACT model.  We will share concepts around what some effective ACT team leaders do to contribute to high-fidelity ACT in the day-to-day running of the program.   Learning Objectives  Participants will: Be introduced to the role of the ACT Team Lead according to fidelity standards Be able to identify at least two key elements that contribute to high-fidelity ACT (through the work of the team lead) Identify one action step they can take to improve fidelity to the ACT model   Target Audience Primarily Assertive Community Treatment Team Leaders and other supervisors of multi-disciplinary mental health treatment teams serving a high-needs population group.   Presenters Mimi Choy-Brown , PhD, MSW is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work. Informed by over a decade of practice and leadership in community mental health services, her research focuses on improving access to high quality mental health services for individuals who experience significant psychiatric disabilities and supervision-focused strategies to improve the implementation of recovery-oriented, evidence-based practices in routine care. She received her PhD from NYU and her MSW from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.           Lynette M. Studer, PhD, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. She teaches MSW students in a mental health field unit as well as classes on Mental Health Policies & Services and Advanced Practice Skills in Mental Health. Prior to joining the UW-Madison faculty, she held a position as both an Agency Policy Specialist and State Administrator with the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services, Chemical and Mental Health Administration overseeing and improving policy and the provision of technical assistance for the state’s 32 Assertive Community Treatment teams who serve individuals with serious mental illness. Dr. Studer holds clinical social work licenses in both Wisconsin and Minnesota and has been a practicing clinical social worker for over 20 years.    

In this presentation, Jessica Gonzalez, MHTTC School Mental Health Coordinator, gives a brief overview of the MHTTC Network, the School Mental Health Initiative, and our partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health. She also provides a sneak peek for Classroom WISE, a school mental health literacy course for teachers and school staff coming in 2021. Click here to view the slides!

Teachers are in a unique position to identify and support the mental health needs of their students. However, they don’t always know how to identify mental health issues or how to support their students when they have identified a mental health concern. This symposium addresses three educator training strategies, innovations, and opportunities provided by the MHTTC Network. Click here to view the slides!

The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network, in partnership with the NCSMH, developed a training curriculum on quality indicators of school mental health services that provides a roadmap for dissemination and implementation of best practices for school mental health systems. In this seminar, we describe regional approaches to utilizing the curriculum to support implementation in districts and campuses and provide practical approaches to utilizing the available tools. Click here to view the slides!