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This webinar, presented by Dr. Briana Woods-Jaeger, examined the various adversities experienced by racial and ethnic minority students as a result of the outbreak COVID-19. Additionally, this webinar highlighted how teachers and school staff can provide support to students disproportionately affected by incorporating cultural humility practices in a school/classroom setting. By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Understand the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority students Learn how cultural humility can support addressing COVID-19 disparities Describe how to incorporate cultural humility into preparations for returning to school in the fall Key take-home skills that participants can apply in their work: Describe how and why COVID-19 has impacted minority students  Apply cultural humility practices in classroom settings How to provide support to minority student populations

May 2020: Mental Health Awareness Month  Monthly e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   

Great Lakes Current June 2020: Building Health Equity Monthly e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. 

Great Lakes Current July 2020 Monthly e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. 

Great Lakes Current August 2020 Monthly e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. 

In this newsletter, we reflect upon our second year and our response to the COVID-19 pandemic while planning for our third year of operations. We continue to focus upon inequities and disparities in health and behavioral health issues and in access to effective healthcare and in this issue we share our upcoming events as well as resources related to Black mental health and prevention.

COVID-19 has changed the way mental health professionals and youth peers serve their populations, and in doing such many providers may be struggling themselves. In this webinar, we will cover how your organization structure can support youth peer staff, supervision strategies for supporting youth peers, and offer recommendations on how youth peer support specialists can support their youth while maintaining boundaries. The webinar is hosted by Maria Hermsen-Kritz and Caitlin Baird, two experienced youth peer support specialists and supervisors.   Resources Slides available for download here Self-Care Bingo Card Youth AOD Toolbox Self-Care Plan Example  Making A Self-Care Plan Supportive Practices for Mental Health Professionals During Pandemic-related Social Distancing Covid-19: Considerations for a Trauma-informed Response For Work Settings Trauma-informed Care and the Stress of Covid-19   Trainers: Caitlin Baird Caitlin Baird is a Project Manager and Trainer with Pathways RTC at Portland State University. Caitlin has experience working directly with transition-aged youth and young adults as a peer support specialist and as a supervisor for peer support specialists in wraparound and other mental health settings.       Maria Hermsen-Kritz Maria Hermsen-Kritz is a Research Assistant with Pathways RTC at Portland State University. She has experience providing peer support for transition-aged youth,supervising youth peer support specialists,and managing a youth drop-in center program.      

The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network presented a two-part webinar on Elevating Language, both hosted by the Southeast MHTTC. The first webinar focused on the importance of recovery-oriented language in behavioral health, and the second webinar guided peers through the process of crafting a elevator message to be used in advocacy work. The purpose of this toolkit is to increase awareness of the language used when talking about mental health and to guide peers through the process of crafting their own elevator message. The second part of the toolkit includes steps to follow when developing an elevator message as well as a worksheet to facilitate the process.

This webinar will explore the experiences of trauma among marginalized groups and the behavioral manifestations of trauma you may see among students, as well as barriers impacting life trajectory and seeking mental health supports.   Webinar Objectives: Define trauma and examine the various types of trauma Look at how trauma affects multiple aspects of our lives Explore how ethno-racial trauma affects a person of color from a lived experience Understand the impact of racial injustice on students of color Evaluate how the ethno-racial trauma affects student mental health and success in the academic environment   View presentation slides and transcript

Presentation slides and transcript

Find all of our 2019 - 2020 school mental health recordings in one spot! These are all free, self-paced professional development learning opportunities for school staff, educators, parents, caregivers, and more.  New events are always being added to our schedule. Be sure to visit our School Mental Health website to stay up to date with our latest events & training opportunities as well! 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.

Teletherapy connects clients to vital health care services through virtual formats, phone, or via other online or electronic means. This tip sheet (the first of a three-part set) focuses primarily on best practices, skills, and strategies for providing video and phone-based services.

Teletherapy connects clients to vital health care services through virtual formats, phone, or via other online or electronic means. This tip sheet (the second of a three-part set) explores technical requirements, environmental standards, and logistical issues to consider when preparing for virtual group therapy sessions.

Teletherapy connects clients to vital health care services through virtual formats, phone, or via other online or electronic means. Videoconference-based psychotherapy can contribute to burnout due to the number of sessions held in a day, the extended time spent looking at a screen, the trials that come with working with clients in an online setting, and other challenges. This tip sheet (the third of a three-part set) offers strategies for ensuring behavioral health provider self-care and well-being.

This fact sheet summarizes recommendations for eliminating mental health disparities from the American Psychological Association (APA), describes promising practices in the Southeast (HHS Region IV), and lists additional resources.

The August 2020 edition of the Southeast MHTTC Newsletter focuses on the impact that the COVID-19 Pandemic has had on mental health systems.

Original Webinar Date: 7/31/20 This recorded webinar presentation addresses evidence-based strategies for suicide prevention. Situated within the unique stressors of shelter-in-place orders, this webinar was tailored to teletherapy and discussed the distinct factors related to suicidal crises among diverse populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants learned how to guide clients in creating Safety Plans tailored to their specific needs and cultural strengths with the limited resources available under social distancing orders. Audiences were introduced to a curated list of free videos for clinicians and clients on suicide prevention-related topics including means restriction, emotion regulation techniques, Emotional First Aid, and normalizing messages of hope from people who have survived suicide. This webinar paid particular attention to social determinants of health related to elevated suicide rates among various populations including LGBTQ people, Veterans, Native Americans, and Latina youth and young adults.   Learning Objectives: Understand Linehan’s (1993) Theory of Emotion Regulation. Develop three skills clients can use to self-regulate their emotions to prevent or manage a suicidal crisis. Learn how to support diverse clients in creating culturally specific Safety Plans. Gain insight into COVID-19 specific suicide-related risks and identify available suicide prevention resources during the pandemic.

On August 5th, we held an online discussion session led by Dr. Ken Duckworth, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  To access a copy of this presentation, click here. 

The Intersection between Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health: An Introduction August 4, 2020 The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) is proud to partner with the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to present six virtual events focused on the significant intersection between brain injury, mental health, and addiction.  This first session was open to a general audience and provided attendees with a working knowledge of traumatic brain injury and its relation to mental health. This 60-minute session is a pre-requisite for anyone wanting to attend any of the four Intensive Workshops that follow. If you have been registered for the one of the intensive workshops, but missed this session, view the recording or the slide deck.   Slide deck Recording   Trainers Rebeccah Wolfkiel, Executive Director, NASHIA Judy Dettmer, Director for Strategic Partnerships, NASHIA Opening remarks from Charlie Smith, SAMHSA Region VIII  Regional Administrator   Trainer Bio-Sketches Rebeccah Wolfkiel Rebeccah Wolfkiel, Executive Director National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) Rebeccah joined NASHIA as Executive Director in January 2018. She brings fifteen years of experience in promoting policies that provide resources for individuals with brain injury, and their families. In her role as Executive Director, Rebeccah is committed to representing the interests of State governments and supporting the unique and integral role they play within the service delivery system. Rebeccah has also worked with former Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Ridge, at the Ridge Policy Group, for ten years, where she formerly represented NASHIA as a government affairs advisor. She played an integral role in the successful reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury in 2014, paving the way for the federal TBI program’s move to the Administration for Community Living. Prior to her time at the Ridge Policy Group, Rebeccah worked on Capitol Hill for over six years where she served as Legislative Director to Congressman Todd R. Platts, Co-Chair of the Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce. Managing the Congressman’s legislative agenda, she learned how to effectively navigate the lawmaking process and develop successful strategies. During her tenure on the Hill, Rebeccah became keenly aware of the importance of bipartisanship and developed strong Congressional relationships with Republicans and Democrats alike. She often bridged partisan gaps and facilitated communication between contrasting viewpoints. In her free time, Rebeccah enjoys traveling and spending time with her family, husband Ryan, daughter Anna (11) and son Jack (4). Rebeccah received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia.   Judy Dettmer Judy Dettmer has been working in the field of brain injury for 30 years. Ms. Dettmer serves as NASHIA’s Director for Strategic Partnerships and a Technical Assistance Lead for the Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance and Resource Center. Ms. Dettmer has worked extensively with adults, children and family members of individuals with brain injury. She has provided direct and systems consultation to improve the lives of individuals with brain injury. Judy has also assisted with research efforts related to brain injury and has conducted countless presentations, classes and seminars on brain injury both in the state of Colorado and nationally. Ms. Dettmer has provided technical assistance to numerous states on topics including but not limited to; screening on brain injury; developing infrastructure within state systems; interagency partnership development; and creation and management of advisory boards and councils. Judy has become a national leader in the field of criminal justice and brain injury, developing screening, identification and accommodations protocols in Colorado that have been routinely modeled by states. Ms. Dettmer is currently a co-facilitator for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury.     Intensive Workshops Following this introductory session are four intensive workshops directed towards specific populations. The intensive workshops are intended for individuals and providers who support the mental health, substance abuse, veterans, and school-age communities. The four Intensive workshops were  limited to 20 participants each. Each workshop lasts 90 minutes and consist of a presentation, an interactive exercise, and Q & A. This format is designed to facilitate experiential learning and problem solving. Each workshop will be led by a nationally recognized subject matter expert.   Certificates of Attendance will be issued for these workshops. Workshops                                       Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health: Intensive Workshop for the Addiction Prevention and Treatment Community August 18, 2020   11:00 am - 12:30 pm MT   Trainer: Anastasia Edmonston, Maryland State Behavioral Health Administration Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the Veterans Community  September 8, 2020 11:00 am - 12:30 pm MT Trainer: Dr. Lisa Brenner, Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Mental/Behavioral Health Community September 10, 2020       9:00 am - 10:30 am MT Trainer: Dr. Kim Gorgens, University of Denver  Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the K-12 Education Community  October 6, 2020 11:00 am - 12:30 pm MT Trainer: Dr. Karen McAvoy Open Session Webinar: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Primary Health Care Community October 27, 2020          1:00 pm - 2:30 pm MT Trainers: Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L and Amber Richert, BSN, MSN, DNP  

This flyer provides an overview of the National School Mental Health Training Curriculum Online Modules.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health: Intensive Workshops To address concerns around traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mental health, the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center has partnered with the National Association of State Health Injury Administrators to host a series of workshops focused on the intersection of TBI and mental health. This first session was open to a general audience and provided attendees with a working knowledge of TBI and its relation to mental health. This 60-minute session is a pre-requisite for anyone wanting to attend any of the workshops that follow.   The Intersection between Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health: An Introduction August 4, 2020   Slide deck Recording   Workshops        The intensive workshops are directed towards specific populations. The intensive workshops are intended for individuals and providers who support the mental health, substance abuse, veterans, and school-age communities.The series will conclude with a final general session, again open to anyone, focused on screening in primary health care. The intensive workshops are limited to 20 participants each. Each workshop consist of a presentation, an interactive exercise, and Q & A. This format is designed to facilitate experiential learning and problem solving. Each workshop will be led by a nationally recognized subject matter expert.   Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Addiction Prevention and Treatment Community August 18, 2020   Slide deck Recording    This session was provided in collaboration with the Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center.    Trainer Anastasia Edmonston, MS CRC Trainer and Consultant, Maryland State Behavioral Health Administration Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the Veterans Community  September 8, 2020   Slide deck Recording   Trainer Dr. Lisa A. Brenner, Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Mental/Behavioral Health Community September 10, 2020         Slide deck Recording   Trainer Dr. Kim Gorgens, University of Denver Panel Discussion: How States are Addressing TBI and Mental Health September 21, 2020   Slide Deck Recording   Resources shared by panelists:   Association Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Risk of Suicide Brandeis University resources about the interconnectivity between opioid misuse and brain injury CDC: TBI-related Deaths Extensive listing of resources and informational handouts for TBI related conditions from the North Dakota Brain Injury Network Factsheets on depression and emotional conditions after TBI: Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center HELPS Brain Injury Screening Tool Jeff Kruetzer, VA Commonwealth University resources National Association of State Head Injury Administrators resource library on co-occurring conditions Ohio State University Web-based TBI Training Modules Screening for TBI Using the OSU TBI-ID Method Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Deaths from Firearm Suicide: United States, 2008-2017 VA Rocky Mountain MIRECC on Suicide Prevention toolkit on TBI and co-occurring conditions   Panelists Rebeccah Wolfkiel, MPP, National Association of State Head Injury Administrators Rebecca Quinn, MSW, LMSW, North Dakota Traumatic Brain Injury Network Justine Ashokar, PhD, The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center at Black Hills Works Kate Kerkmans, LCSW, CBIS, The Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado Liz Gerdeman, MA, CBIST, MINDSOURCE Brain Injury Network Shawnda Schroeder, PhD, MA, Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center   Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the K-12 Education Community  October 6, 2020   Slide deck Recording   Trainer Dr. Karen McAvoy Open Session Webinar: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Primary Health Care Community October 27, 2020            Slide deck Recording   Trainers Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L Amber Richert, BSN, MSN, DNP      

This session will introduce the integration of behavioral health providers in primary care practices as well as the technical assistance the Mid-America MHTTC offers in this field. Speakers will demonstrate how integration efforts increase access to behavioral health, increase appointment attendance and reduce stigma. Members of the Mid-America MHTTC Integrated Care Program will welcome requests to establish and/or enhance integration efforts in primary care.  Learning Objectives:  •    Define integrated behavioral health care  •    Identify the consequences and costs of poor health to society, particularly poor behavioral health  •    Explain the importance of primary care in mental health delivery  •    Describe the advantages of integrated care for patients, physicians, and providers Target Audience: •    Behavioral Health Providers •    Primary Care Providers •    Nurses Learn more: https://bit.ly/ComingHometoIC

Guatemalans were the sixth-largest Hispanic group living in the United States in 2017, and along with Venezuelans and Dominicans, had the fastest population growth since 2010. Guatemalan Mayas living in the United States have suffered immigration stress and cumulative trauma, strongly associated with depression, anxiety, alcohol-related disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this factsheet is to create awareness of the Mayan population's cultural and social factors that might affect the level of engagement in mental health treatment.

The term institutional racism was first used with the intent of differentiating individual racist acts from policies or practices that are built into the structures of various social  institutions  and  which continue to operate even without the active support and maintenance of individuals. Seen from this angle, discrimination, and racism more specifically, exists on a spectrum ranging from individual to the institutional to the structural. In the United States, 92% of Blacks, 78% of Latinxs, 75% of Native Americans, and 61% of Asian Americans have reported experiencing racial discrimination in the form of racial slurs, violence, threats, and harassment. Discrimination is associated with poor mental and physical health, unhealthy behaviors, declines in the utilization of care, and nonadherence to medical recommendations and treatment. This panel discusses terms related to racism, institutional racism, and prejudice and their impact on the mental health of communities of color. Panelists address, practices, policies, and regulations that perpetuate an imbalance of power and opportunity in mental health systems for communities of color and will provide recommendations for practitioners.