Products and Resources Catalog

In 2022, the MHTTC Network was asked to amplify and disseminate existing programming and resources related to school violence for the school mental health workforce (e.g., crisis intervention teaming, school violence trauma and grief response, cultural considerations for school violence), and develop responsive training and technical assistance to address additional needs identified. Through the MHTTC School Mental Health Initiative, we conducted an environmental scan and gap analysis, through which we aimed to 1) compile existing programming/resources on school violence, especially those developed by the MHTTCs and other SAMHSA-funded organizations; 2) identify the gaps that exist in school violence-related programming/resources available in the field; and 3) consider the development of new training, technical assistance activities, and/or resource(s) with a focus on addressing the gaps identified via the environmental scan and gap analysis. This summary highlights the findings from that work, including the free resources and resources lists, as well as organizations of interest that provide free resources, that were compiled through the environmental scan.

A major concern in school communities across the country is school violence. This symposium provides an overview of the MHTTC Network's School Mental Health Initiative, and highlights training and technical assistance (TA) that the MHTTC Network is leading on addressing school violence and school mental health. NOTE: This was originally presented at the 2023 Advancing School Mental Health Conference, hosted by the National Center for School Mental Health in New Orleans, LA.

Behavioral threat assessment was developed to prevent targeted attacks, such as school shootings. However, there are concerns about the use of threat assessment in schools, including as it relates to student mental health. This symposium by the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office and National Center for School Mental Health details results of a key informant roundtable, scoping review, and white paper that examine considerations for behavioral threat assessment, research outcomes, and recommendations for the future of behavioral threat assessment in schools. NOTE: This was originally presented at the 2023 Advancing School Mental Health Conference, hosted by the National Center for School Mental Health in New Orleans, LA.

In "Fronterismo - Supporting Transborder School Mental Health," the third installment of The Needs and Joys of our (Im)migrant Students, Families, and Community Partners: Exploring and Expanding our School Mental Health Practice, a special three-part series focused on (im)migrant student mental health, we: focused on shared risk and protective factors for vulnerable populations outlined school programs like CBITS and restorative justice Community Building Circles highlighted cultural adaptations of both models.   The audience for the event included mental health professionals, administrators, educators, recovery specialists, students and others.

On September 14th, 2023, over 60 attendees gathered to explore grief leadership, to create space for providers to process the August 8th wildfires in Lahaina, Hawai'i, and to explore how those devastating fires affected people far beyond Maui. This session was a collaboration of the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal Project (a National Child Traumatic Stress Network Category II site) and the youth and young adult specialty program of the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center    In times of crisis, coming together to make meaning of what we are each holding helps us show up for ourselves and for each other professionally. Our time together was designed to gather school crisis leaders, youth and young adult providers, and peer support professionals to explore how the Lahaina fires were experienced across multiple communities and ways to better support impacted children, youth, and young adults.   After rich discussions and collective learning and resourcing, we offer the following summary to steer our grief leadership, now and in the weeks, months, and years to come.   

This is a recording of the webinar, “Talking with Children About War and Other Humanitarian Crises,” that took place on November 20, 2023. The Pacific Southwest MHTTC offered this session during a season in which many families are gathering and discussing challenging, charged issues with current and ongoing wars coupled with a wide range of humanitarian and other major crises in the U.S. and abroad. In this special session, our center's School Mental Health Field Director, Leora Wolf-Prusan moderated a presentation and workshop with Dr. David Schonfeld, Director of the National Center for School Crisis & Bereavement. After Dr. Schonfeld's presentation, participants debriefed and processed in the question-and-answer segment of the program, and a discussion emerged, centered on how children understand – and misunderstand – crises and how best to explain it to them in order to promote their understanding and adjustment. Viewers of this recording can benefit from the following learning objectives:    Approaches for how to talk with children about wars and other humanitarian crises Some of the causes of ineffective communication, whether due to the source (e.g., media) or recipient (i.e., the child) of the information Strategies to address anger and blame during group discussions with children in the aftermath of a humanitarian crisis This session was designed for mental health and school mental health professionals, including counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health program administrators

This event is part of the UW SMART Center's 2024 Virtual Speaker Series. Learn more and register for upcoming events in the series here. School Mental Health through a Multi-tiered System Framework Description: This session will provide participants with an overview of the Interconnected Systems Framework and how it supports the implementation of School Mental Health. Objective: Participants will develop an understanding of the Interconnected Systems Framework and the importance of a single system of delivery.   Presentation Materials   About the Presenter: Clynita Grafenreed, Ph.D. Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the Northwest MHTTC/ UW SMART Center Clynita Grafenreed, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist (LP) and a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP). She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology (1993) and Ph.D. in Psychology (1998) from Texas A&M University in College Station. While she is a LP, Clynita considers herself first as an educator, having spent 24 years in education as a School Psychologist. For 12 years, Clynita worked as a LSSP in several Houston area school districts and then 12 years as an Education Specialist at Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) in the Department of Special Education Solutions. While at Region 4, the largest Education Service Center in Texas, Clynita led the Texas Behavior Support Network, a Texas Education Agency sponsored statewide network designed to build capacity in Texas schools through the provision of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to all students for ten years. Clynita has expertise in the areas of equity, school discipline, mental health, and behavioral supports and interventions.     Want more information and school mental health resources? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's School Mental Health page and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

School mental health staff play a vital role in promoting mental health and well-being and identifying and responding to emerging mental illness in children and adolescents. Partnering with educators is essential; however, they often have not received the education, training, and/or ongoing support needed to respond in the classroom. Learn how school mental health staff can use the free Classroom WISE suite of tools to move school mental health forward. NOTE: This was originally presented at the School Social Work Association of America's 2022 Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.

Developing and disseminating effective educator and school personnel training packages does not necessarily lead to their use and implementation. This session demonstrates Classroom WISE, a free 3-part package (online course, video series, resource library) focused on educator mental health literacy, and presents evaluation results for the package and a technical assistance project that examines differences in uptake of the Classroom WISE based on the level of implementation support. NOTE: This was originally presented virtually at the 2022 Advancing School Mental Health Conference, hosted by the National Center for School Mental Health.

Educators and school personnel play a vital role in promoting well-being and identifying and responding to emerging mental illness in children and adolescents. However, they often have not received the training and ongoing support needed to respond in the classroom. To address this need, the MHTTC Network, in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, developed a FREE 3-part training package focused on educator mental health literacy. Informed by and co-developed with K-12 educators, Classroom WISE (Well-Being Information and Strategies for Educators) launched in June 2021. Since then, over 10,000 educators and school staff have completed the training! This summary highlights participant feedback as well as MHTTC's dissemination and implementation efforts for Classroom WISE since its launch.

This poster uses an Implementation Research model to examine how contextual factors (e.g., leadership and climate; steps taken by the school to incorporate the content into professional development activities) affect implementing a mental health literacy training, Classroom WISE, in K-12 schools, and how to leverage facilitators to increase program uptake. NOTE: This poster was originally presented at the School Social Work Association of America's 2023 Annual Conference in Broomfield, CO.

About 4 of 5 children with mental health issues have unmet mental health needs. Key to addressing the youth mental health crisis (as declared by the U.S. Surgeon General) is identifying and addressing student mental health challenges in school settings. This poster examines how much technical assistance/implementation strategies was needed to introduce districts and schools to Classroom WISE and help them explore, plan, implement, and sustain training. NOTE: This poster was originally presented at the 15th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Washington, DC.

About the Session: This 60-minute session is a case-based discussion covering the process of assessing readiness for college, accessing accommodations, and preparing youth with a history of psychosis to transition to college. Many young people are interested in higher education but are unsure of what that may look like after receiving a diagnosis of a primary psychotic disorder. We hope to equip attendees with basic knowledge of psychosis spectrum disorders, considerations for a transition to college, and resources for supporting these young adults in achieving success! Session slides can be accessed by clicking the DOWNLOAD button above The video recording can be accessed below Resources of interest shared during the session can be accessed here Intended Audience: This introductory-level learning series is geared toward the following school personnel from middle and high schools: School mental health providers, such as school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals (those hired by the school and those who work for a community organization and come into the school to provide school mental health services) School nurses/school health aides, and other primary care partners working in schools School educators, administrators, school resource officers, and mental health peer leaders Please note: This is session 3 of a 3-part Introductory Series, Early Psychosis 101: Basics for Supporting Students. Learn more about the speakers for this session and access information about the other sessions in the series here.

This Fall 2023 edition of Region 9 School Mental Health Champions! newsletter was released in October, a time and month that for many school-based leaders and educators is full, often a time and month that yearns for rest and rejuvenation. Our Region 9 team extends our wishes for our readers to feel resourced and supported and we are continually grateful for the opportunity to be a resource and a support to the work that makes your love for school mental health equity visible.    In this quarter’s newsletter, we offer new programming, research, and resources, and so much more. 

This Summer Region 9 School Mental Health Champions! newsletter edition was released in June, 2023 - for some of our readers, this is a time of break, vacation, and restoration. For others, it might be a time of closing the school year and preparing for a new one - of taking stock and exhaling after what may have been a busy year. Wherever this newsletter finds you, we hope you can take an inhale and exhale and honor the work of this past year. This newsletter provides new programming and products from our center, upcoming school mental health conferences and learning opportunities from the network and field, and recent research and scholarship to support our school mental health practices and policies. We’re happy to share that our region’s school mental health website is up to date and ready to support you: https://mhttcnetwork.org/centers/pacific-southwest-mhttc/school-mental-health Please contact us with specific requests, feedback, or your own resources you’d like us to share with your regional colleagues: [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

The Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training is a three-day training (19.5 hours of classroom time) for peer supporters on the topics of youth voice and issues specific to youth navigating mental health or substance use challenges. The Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training is available for anyone who works, or is interested in working, as a peer specialist. This training provides participants with a foundation for youth experience with mental health and substance use challenges, the unique issues for youth navigating recovery and youth-serving systems, and best practices and tools for peer specialists looking to support youth. The training will also encourage participants to consider how to use their own lived experience when supporting youth through structured reflection, group discussion, and interactive activities.     The Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training is appropriate for anyone working or volunteering (or interested in working or volunteering) as a peer specialist. The only prerequisite to attendance is that participants must have previous formal training in peer support practice (e.g., their state’s Peer Specialist certification training, Intentional Peer Support, etc.).     Learning Objectives: At the end of this training, it is envisioned that participants will be able to: Define the term “youth” Identify and practice effective ways of meeting youth and young people “where they are” Build authentic connections with young people based on lived experience, regardless of differences in age or other experiences Identify stigmatizing language used to describe young people and effectively reframe such language through the lens of peer values Understand how resistance or other actions may be forms of self-advocacy, communication, or responses to trauma Identify common responses to trauma that young people experience Support young people in exploring different ways to heal from trauma Utilize foundational knowledge of power and privilege to support youth experiencing oppression Assist young people in learning to advocate for themselves within the settings that young people must navigate Set and hold boundaries with persons served and coworkers Identify challenges and ethical boundaries for supporting family members of a young person     A special thanks to Via Hope, the organization where initial development of the Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training took place.     For more information on this training, including training opportunities through the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center or how to bring this training to your community, please email [email protected].

Youth & Young Adults Now: Vision, Voice, and Ventures is a quarterly newsletter dedicated to promoting resources, perspectives, and organizations that support youth and young adult (YYA) advocates, advocates for YYA, and YYA-serving professionals. In this Fall Issue, our Pacific Southwest MHTTC team announces the start of two key Youth & Young Adult serving programs, initiated by our YYA team leads, Oriana Ides and Evelyn Clark. Read through this issue to see our center's uplifting of juvenile justice organizations and leaders in the field, recent product releases, and more. 

Our Center has a special focus on supporting youth and young adults (YYA) of transition age. The transition to adulthood is an important time in young people’s lives—a time for new independence, new challenges, and new opportunities for growth. It’s also a crucial time to support young people who are living with mental health challenges, who are involved in youth-serving systems, or who are at increased chance of developing mental health needs. When we amplify YYA voice, choice, and leadership, we create space for them to thrive. Our YYA Team Leads, Oriana Ides and Evelyn Clark, guide us in this work and develop each issue of Youth & Young Adults Now. This Winter 2023 issue features highlights of the Aging Out or Growing Together? Flipping the Youth Services Paradigm to Better Support Young Adulthood program, led by our Technical Assistance Specialist, Oriana Ides and details of the Creating Safe Spaces for Peer Support Providers and Incorporating Anti-racist Practices in Peer Support Delivery program, led by Evelyn Clark, Technical Assistance Specialist and JEDI consultant. Check out this special Winter 2022 issue for emerging resources from our center, our partners and the field, our spotlights to uplift a YYA peer-support specialist and organization, and more.   

Our Center has a special focus on supporting youth and young adults (YYA) of transition age. The transition to adulthood is an important time in young people’s lives—a time for new independence, new challenges, and new opportunities for growth. It’s also a crucial time to support young people who are living with mental health challenges, who are involved in youth-serving systems, or who are at increased chance of developing mental health needs.  When we amplify YYA voice, choice, and leadership, we create space for them to thrive. Each quarter, the Pacific Southwest MHTTC draws together our recent and upcoming events and other important field resources to share with our partners in this work. This Spring 2023 Edition honored Mental Health Awareness in May and highlighted timely and relevant developments from our Center and the field.

Our Center has a special focus on supporting youth and young adults (YYA) of transition age. The transition to adulthood is an important time in young people’s lives—a time for new independence, new challenges, and new opportunities for growth. It’s also a crucial time to support young people who are living with mental health challenges, who are involved in youth-serving systems, or who are at increased chance of developing mental health needs.  When we amplify YYA voice, choice, and leadership, we create space for them to thrive.  The Pacific Southwest MHTTC team spent summer months (of 2023) rounding up the last of our events and completing a special compilation of products to conclude our (fifth) project year, which ended on September 29, 2023. Check out our center's Summer 2023 edition for highlights of learnings, glimmers of hope from the YYA series, and so much more.

  The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The November 2023 issue honors National Native American Heritage Month, National Homelessness Awareness Month, and a brand-new Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intensive technical assistance opportunity. As always, you will also find links to all upcoming events and trainings hosted by the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list, so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter and thank you for reading!

  Due to technical difficulties, we were unable to process and upload the video portion of our webinar. We apologize for this inconvenience. Presentation slides are still available.   Attendees will engage in discussion with panelists on navigating context paralysis and addressing the mental well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth. Panelists are presenters from the previous sessions.   Speakers: Jordan Mix, Jabari Lyles, Shelley Craig, PhD, Leah Love, MSSA, LISW, LCSW, and Alison DeLizza, PhD   Jordan Mix (they/them) is the Director of Educational Programming at Iowa Safe Schools. They graduated from Drake University in 2016 with degrees in Law, Politics, and Society; Sociology; and Women and Gender Studies. While at Drake they were the president of Drake’s LGBTQ organization, Rainbow Union, helped establish the first all-gender bathroom on campus, and collaborated heavily in writing Drake’s Transgender Inclusion Statement. Jordan also completed their graduate studies in Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. In 2019, Jordan was the head curator of a project called Breathe, Learn, Act — the first ever virtual care package for parents and loved ones of transgender and non-binary kids. Jordan joined the Iowa Safe Schools team in March of 2020, where they work with K-12 educators to develop LGBTQ-Inclusive curriculum, facilitate an online academy for Iowa’s K-12 educators, and lead training sessions for students, educators, and other community members. When they’re not working, you can find Jordan hiking with their wife, cheering on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team with their cat, and honing their home barista skills.   ____   Jabari Lyles (they/them) is an unapologetically Black, fat, queer, gender non-conforming educator, community organizer, servant leader and consultant with over 15 years of experience leading initiatives which emphasize their passion for people, education and justice. A native of Maryland, Jabari has been active in LGBTQ organizing in across the state throughout their entire career. Aside from a long history with several flagship LGBTQ organizations in Baltimore and beyond, Jabari is most proud of their experience as a proud, Black and openly queer classroom teacher at public and independent schools in Baltimore City. Jabari was born in Baltimore City and raised in Baltimore County, Maryland. Their family, who were mostly educators and human service providers, encouraged them from an early age to nurture their love of learning and to be proud of any job well done. It was in high school that Jabari became involved with the local chapter of GLSEN, the country’s leading organization championing LGBTQ issues in K-12 schools. At 15, Jabari began assisting with producing the annual Youth Summit, a free conference-style event for LGBTQ youth and allies from the Greater Baltimore area. At 19, Jabari became the lead facilitator for the Safe Schools for All—Baltimore program, offering assemblies, guest lectures and workshops to elementary, middle and high school students on anti-bullying and LGBTQ inclusion, as well as professional development training to teachers and administrators on creating safer and more affirming schools for LGBTQ youth. For the next decade, Jabari would dedicate their career to helping shape Baltimore’s schools, nonprofits, government and businesses, into safe, inclusive places for all of the many identities found within the LGBTQ community. Prior to launching into a career as a full-time consultant, Jabari was the first-ever Senior Advisor and Director of LGBTQ Affairs for the Office of the Mayor in Baltimore City, a newly created position in local government, where they supported Baltimore’s three previous Mayoral administrations on the needs and interests of the LGBTQ community, while working to grow the community’s capacity and visibility. During their time in the Mayor’s Office, Jabari was instrumental in developing crucial new policies, including the city-wide Gender Neutral Restroom Act, the sex-based discrimination and transgender student rights policy in Baltimore City Public Schools and the legislation to amend the City charter to create Baltimore’s first Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Jabari is the former Chief Operating Officer and Senior Strategist at Baltimore Safe Haven, a nonprofit organization providing health and housing services for transgender people living in survival mode in Baltimore City. Currently, Jabari works with communities across the country providing consultation, technical assistance and guest speaking on gender, identity, leadership and inclusion in education. Jabari is retained by the Gender & Family Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family as a Training & Capacity Building Associate, where they provide gender inclusion training for educators and service providers in New York City, including the New York City Department of Education. In October 2021, Governor Larry Hogan appointed Jabari to a four-year term on Maryland’s first-ever statewide Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, a 15-member body who will assist the state government with shaping public policy and furthering the capacity of state agencies to fully serve and represent LGBTQ Marylanders. Jabari has worked with and led local and statewide LGBTQ organizations, including becoming the first-ever executive director of GLSEN Maryland, the youngest-ever President and Executive Director of The Pride Center of Maryland, and co-chairperson of the education workgroup for Youth Equality Alliance, a policy coalition working towards positive outcomes for LGBTQ youth in Maryland convened by FreeState Justice. They are the former chairperson and executive producer of Baltimore Pride, a former elementary and middle school teacher in Baltimore City and the first-ever LGBTQ Studies teacher in the Upper School at Friends School of Baltimore. They are a seasoned diversity trainer and group facilitator, and has participated on several workgroups, boards and coalitions working towards gender, racial and sexual justice for Black people, transgender people and LGBTQ youth. Jabari has delivered guest lectures and guest speaking on LGBTQ inclusion and public service for Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Towson University, McDaniel College and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Their contributions have appeared in local and national publications, including the Baltimore Sun, Washington Blade, Baltimore Magazine, The New York Times, WYPR, Okayplayer and Youth Today. Their 2017 TEDx Talk, entitled Black Self/White World: Lessons on Internalized Racism gained over 200,000 views and has been featured in racial justice education and university syllabi across the globe. Jabari is a 2018 Baltimore Homecoming Hero, the only two-time recipient of the Mark Scurti Award for Outstanding Contributions to the LGBTQ Community by OUTLaw at the University of Baltimore School of Law, a 2020 Business Equality Pride Magazine LGBTQ Leader Under 40, and was recently named Emerging Leader of the Year by the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Jabari attended The Community College of Baltimore County, and The University of Maryland—Baltimore County (UMBC) as a Sherman STEM Teacher Scholar. They have completed significant university coursework in mathematics, physical science, teacher education and gender studies, as well as a graduate certificate program in Supporting System-Involved LGBTQ Youth from Georgetown University. They currently reside in Southeast Baltimore City, where they enjoy trying out new recipes, entertaining for family and friends, dancing to loud music, the beach, and Beyoncé.   ____   Shelley L. Craig joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in 2009 as an Assistant Professor. She served as an Associate Dean, Academic from 2016-2019. She is currently a full Professor and holds a Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. Dr. Craig’s program of research focuses on cultivating resilience in marginalized populations through innovative, community-based interventions. Her primary specializations are: (1) understanding the needs of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), particularly the role of information and communication technologies on their mental health and wellbeing (2) developing of tailored interventions to address the mental health disparities of SGMY (3) exploring the skills and interventions used by health social workers to impact the social determinants of health (3) developing competent social work practitioners through effective social work education. Dr. Craig has developed and tested the first evidence-informed interventions for sexual and gender minority youth mental health including Strengths-First (a resilience-focused case management program for youth at risk); ASSET (an empowering group model delivered in schools), AFFIRM (an affirmative cognitive-behavioural group intervention) and AFFIRMative Caregiver (an affirmative group intervention for parents and caregivers of SGMY). She has created INQYR, The International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience, which consists of fifty international scholars, four regional research networks and twelve students as part of the International Student Training Network. Dr. Craig has also directed a community research plan in Miami-Dade County and subsequently established a comprehensive system of care for SGMY and their families. In addition to many other research activities, she has conducted extensive research on HIV prevention interventions with juvenile detainees, newcomers and immigrants and sex workers. She is a PI on an international study of LGBTQ students in social work programs. Dr. Craig is grateful to have been funded by SSHRC, CIHR, PHAC, Lesbian Health Foundation as well as other donors. During her extensive practice history, Dr Craig has served as: Founder and Executive Director of the Alliance for LGBTQ Youth, Executive Director of ALSO for Out Youth; Medical social worker in the emergency care center of a community hospital; and Director of a domestic violence shelter as well as many other positions. She has been grateful to be the recipient multiple awards including the Ontario Association of Social Work (OASW) Inspirational Social Work Leader (2015).   ____   Leah Love (she/her) has a passion for helping others and creating a safe space for individuals to navigate through life’s barriers. Leah is an independently practicing social worker with an undergraduate degree in Applied Science and a postgraduate degree in Master of Science in Social Administration (MSSA). Leah Love, MSSA, LISW, LCSW has a hybrid role with Vita Health as Clinical Development Lead and Clinician. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Ohio. She has worked in the social service field for over 10 years in both clinical and administrative roles. Leah has a passion for assisting others reach their goals, needs and fundamental happiness by intentionally creating a safe environment to work through life’s barriers. She practices from an array of theoretical perspectives utilizing various applicable interventions. Her expertise is in working with youth identifying in the LGBTQ+ community.   ____   Dr. Alison DeLizza is a child psychologist who has a special interest in working with children and teens with anxiety and depression. She has been working in Nebraska since 2018 when she relocated from Western Michigan. In addition to anxiety and depression, Dr. DeLizza also has experience working with children and teens with ADHD and other behavior disorders. Dr. DeLizza's therapy interests also include OCD and working with LGBTQIA+ youth. Dr. DeLizza completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Western Michigan University and her Clinical Internship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at UNMC.         Learn more about this series: Supporting the Mental Well-being of LGBTQIA+ Youth in Schools    

About the Session: Returning to school after experiencing psychosis can be challenging and stressful for individuals and families. This 60-minute session covered how educators can screen for psychosis and support families and elementary/middle/high school students in navigating school supports for students with psychosis. We also discussed the purpose of and strategies for approaching disclosure and review school accommodations that may be helpful for supporting the academic success of students with early psychosis and those at risk for psychosis. Session slides can be accessed by clicking the DOWNLOAD button above The video recording can be accessed below Resources of interest shared during the session can be accessed here Intended Audience: This introductory-level learning series is geared toward the following school personnel from middle and high schools: School mental health providers, such as school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals (those hired by the school and those who work for a community organization and come into the school to provide school mental health services) School nurses/school health aides, and other primary care partners working in schools School educators, administrators, school resource officers, and mental health peer leaders Please note: This is session 2 of a 3-part Introductory Series, Early Psychosis 101: Basics for Supporting Students. Learn more about the speakers for this session and access information about the other sessions in the series here.

  RECORDING: Collaboration for High Quality School Mental Health Services: Effective Partnering with Families and Advocates   Effective family-school collaboration has consistently been shown to enhance child and family outcomes. Caregivers know their children best and are well-equipped to serve as equal members of school teams that support their children and communities. Additionally, federal law and professional ethics necessitate the full participation of families in many school-based processes. Unfortunately, many school-based providers struggle to meaningfully collaborate with families due to competing demands and a lack of understanding around best practices in family engagement and legal requirements. Family advocates provide necessary support to families as they navigate complex school and community resources and can support schools in effective collaboration. In this webinar, participants will learn about effective family-school partnership practices, which will include an outline of procedures that necessitate caregiver involvement, specific family engagement strategies, and community resources for families and professionals.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Demonstrate effective family-school partnership practices Develop appropriate procedures for caregiver involvement Identify specific family engagement strategies and community resources     PRESENTERS: Miranda Zahn, PhD, NCSP, is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at the University of South Dakota. She conducts research, training, and technical assistance in school-based mental health services. Specifically, Miranda focuses on social justice and the role of teachers in school supports for youth mental health. In addition, Miranda is a school psychologist and school mental health provider at Nebraska’s Educational Service Unit #1, where she provides direct services to youth as well as training and systems consultation to schools.     Lisa Sanderson has served as Project Director for the statewide Family to Family Health Information Center at South Dakota Parent Connection since 2008, also home to the state’s OSEP funded Parent Training and Information Center. She has worked with systems and families across South Dakota for over 25 years, serves as USD Faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Program, and is the CDC's Act Early Ambassador to South Dakota (2018-2024). Lisa has a Bachelor of Science degree, maintains licensure by the SD Board of Social Work Examiners, and was a certified educator for many years. Lisa is a parent and grandparent of children with exceptional needs.       The Great Lakes MHTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.