Products and Resources Catalog

  ABOUT THIS EPISODE We speak with Dr. Lonnie Nelson about de-escalation in clinical settings using principles of rapid rapport building. GUEST Lonnie Nelson, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, Partnerships for Native Health, Eastern band Cherokee (AniKituwah)  Dr. Lonnie Nelson (descendant of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology at University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center. In 2012, he returned to the field of Native health disparities through the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Career Development Award (K12) at the University of Washington School of Public Health. Dr. Nelson joined the Washington State University College of Nursing in 2015. His work aims to address health disparities experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native communities through multiple avenues. His current research interests focus on the elimination of health disparities in urban dwelling and other Native populations through the application of culturally adapted evidence-based interventions and other patient centered approaches to changing health behaviors, such as indigenized motivational interviewing and harm reduction treatments. Outside of work, he enjoys making and using traditional Native archery gear and spending time with his 7-year-old daughter, Amelia.   HOST Christina N. Clayton, LICSW, SUDP, Northwest MHTTC Co-Director Christina Clayton has been working in the behavioral health field since 1993 working with people and programs addressing severe mental health issues, substance use, co-occurring issues, chronic homelessness, integrated care, outreach, physical health, trauma and diversity/equity/inclusion topics. Christina has education and licenses/credentials in clinical social work, mental health and substance use.  She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor and Field Instructor for the University of Washington School of Social Work (MSW ’97). Learn more about MHTTC Staff & Faculty   LEARN MORE Webinar recording, slides, & resources: "De-escalation: How to Approach Volatile Behavior in a Clinical Setting" PODCAST SERIES Discover other episodes in the Putting It Together series here. Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE Learn about the research briefs, practice briefs, articles, and other publications from the Northwest MHTTC.     Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE Learn about the free online courses from the Northwest MHTTC and from our wider MHTTC network on topics relevant to people working in the behavioral health field. Course topics include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Assertive Community Treatment, suicide prevention, clinical supervision, pharmacology, substance use disorders and treatment and more.     Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

In March 2023, the South Southwest MHTTC hosted Dr. Jason Schiffman for the webinar “Education, Special Education, and Accommodations for Students with Psychosis: Working with Youth, Families, Teachers, and Schools.” The recording from this presentation and handouts can be viewed here. During this webinar, audience members brainstormed accommodations that might assist students with psychosis.     The following list was generated from those responses. This list can serve as a guide in identifying accommodations that may be helpful for you, a loved one, or someone you are working with. This list, however, is not meant to provide any requirements or recommendations for an individual student, as each student’s needs are unique.  

The South Southwest MHTTC hosted Dr. Charlie Heriot-Maitland who presented on Compassion Focused Therapy from April - June 2023. In these three sessions of the series, attendees were introduced Compassion Focused Therapy case conceptualization for young people in early psychosis programs. The series included both didactic and experiential components.   http://relatingtovoices.com/       This is the first video of The Engaging with Voices videos series. These videos are intended as inspiration and support for people interested in compassionate approaches to voices. Please find the entire series on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdzGLNoWU8c&t=1s.   Facilitator   Charlie Heriot-Maitland, PhD, DClinPsy I am a clinical psychologist, researcher, author, and trainer at Balanced Minds, UK (balancedminds.com). I have recently spent five years researching the application of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) for people in United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) who are experiencing distress in relation to psychosis as an MRC Research Fellow at King’s College London and University of Glasgow. I provide CFT therapy, supervision, consultation, and training. I have run over a hundred various compassion training workshops both nationally and internationally, and have co-authored (with Eleanor Longden) a new self-help book for voice-hearers.     Email at [email protected]  

The South Southwest MHTTC hosted Dr. Amy Weisman de Mamani who presented on Culturally Informed Therapy for Schizophrenia (CIT-S) from January – March 2023. In these three sessions of the series, attendees were introduced to building a CIT-S case conceptualization for young people in early psychosis programs. The series included both didactic and experiential components.     Learning Objectives Conceptualize and treat people with schizophrenia and their family members using a systems framework that shifts blame away from any one person in the family system and instead helps the family view themselves as a team with shared mutual goals. Draw upon clients’ cultural, religious, and spiritual beliefs, traditions, and practices in helping them cope with symptoms of mental illness and live a healthier, happier life. Assist clients by helping them establish communication patterns and problem-solving skills that will allow them to better manage their mental health and advocate for themselves effectively and respectfully, in a manner that aligns with their cultural values.         Amy Weisman de Mamani, PhD Amy Weisman de Mamani is a Professor at the University of Miami and a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned her doctorate at The University of Southern California and completed her clinical internship at UCLA. Her research is focused on family and cultural factors that influence the course and outcome of serious mental illness. She has published approximately 100 manuscripts in areas related to culture and mental illness. In 2021, she published a treatment manual on her Culturally Informed Therapy for Schizophrenia, in the Treatments that Work Series by Oxford University Press. Her research has been funded by NIMH, The John Templeton foundation, APA, and other agencies. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Stanley Sue Award for Distinguished Contributions to Diversity in Clinical Psychology by APA’s Division 12 (Clinical Psychology). In 2021, she received the Trailblazer Award from ABCT’s Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interest Group. Visit Work Website View Curriculum Vitae View Flyer for Culturally Informed Therapy for Schizophrenia: A Family-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Approach, Clinician Guide Email at [email protected]  

The South Southwest MHTTC hosted Dr. Samantha Reznik who presented on Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) from October – December 2022. In these three sessions of the series, attendees were introduced to case conceptualization and building a CBT-P case conceptualization for young people in early psychosis programs. The series included both didactic and experiential components.     Facilitator: Samantha Reznik, PhD       Samantha Reznik is a licensed clinical psychologist and Research Associate with the Advancing the Early Psychosis Intervention Network in Texas (EPINET-TX) project at the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (TIEMH), University of Texas at Austin. She has specialized training in providing recovery-oriented services to individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) and other underserved populations. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Arizona. She trained in Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) at the Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICenter) in Tucson, Arizona. She completed an advanced clinical fellowship in rehabilitation and recovery for SMI at VA San Diego Healthcare System/University of California San Diego (VASDHS/UCSD), where she expanded her training in CBT-P and learned how to integrate Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R). She also completed a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded clinical internship at University of Kansas Medical Center to specialize in working with underserved populations. Visit Website Email at [email protected]  

The South Southwest MHTTC hosted this event on March 29, 2023. In this webinar, clinical psychologist Dr. Jason Schiffman provided information and tangible suggestions on how to effectively work with schools, families, and students on behalf of high school students with psychosis. Guided in part by features shared between supported employment and supported education, the importance of schools in the well-being and recovery of a young person with psychosis was highlighted. Schools have a variety of assets and limitations that will be discussed to help orient First Episode Psychosis (FEP) providers to effective strategies for supporting their youth and family.     Possible targets of action for providers include describing their role, reducing stigma against psychosis, providing psychoeducation, increasing safety (e.g., the threat of harm to self, bullying), instilling hope and optimism, developing a plan with the student and their family, and creating a team approach between all stakeholders. Federally mandated educational programs and regulations (e.g., IDEA, IEPs, 504s) were discussed, along with relevant accommodations for students.  

The purpose of the Case Conceptualization for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) series is to introduce FEP therapists, skills trainers, and team leaders to three different case conceptualization approaches. In the first three sessions of this series, attendees learned the basics of building a Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) case conceptualization. Please see attached for the presentation slides from Session 3, which took place on December 8, 2022.

The purpose of the Case Conceptualization for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) series is to introduce FEP therapists, skills trainers, and team leaders to three different case conceptualization approaches. In the first three sessions of this series, attendees learned the basics of building a Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) case conceptualization. Please see attached for the presentation slides from Session 3, which took place on December 8, 2022.

The purpose of the Case Conceptualization for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) series is to introduce FEP therapists, skills trainers, and team leaders to three different case conceptualization approaches. In the first three sessions of this series, attendees learned the basics of building a Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) case conceptualization. Please see attached for the presentation slides from Session 3, which took place on December 8, 2022. Understanding my experiences with CBT-P:  Fillable Form

The purpose of the Case Conceptualization for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) series is to introduce FEP therapists, skills trainers, and team leaders to three different case conceptualization approaches. In the first three sessions of this series, attendees learned the basics of building a Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) case conceptualization. Please see attached for the presentation slides from Session 3, which took place on December 8, 2022.  

The purpose of the Case Conceptualization for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) series is to introduce FEP therapists, skills trainers, and team leaders to three different case conceptualization approaches. In the first three sessions of this series, attendees learned the basics of building a Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-P) case conceptualization. Please see attached for the presentation slides from Session 3, which took place on December 8, 2022. Understanding my experiences with CBTp Worksheet: Fillable Form

The following manual provides clinicians from differing backgrounds and disciplines with information on Hispanic and Latinx youth experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP). The main objectives include: Providing an overview of the current literature regarding early psychosis specific to Hispanic and Latinx youth and differences with the rest of the United States population. Discussing clinician growth and awareness in their ability to assess and explore cultural/ ethnic identity, engage clients and families, and build rapport. Reviewing current evidence-based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for FEP and applicability to this unique population.

The Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET) is a collaboration of over 100 early psychosis programs across the United States. All EPINET programs collect client data using the Core Assessment Battery (CAB), a collection of evidence-based measures that can assess domains relevant to individuals with early psychosis over time. The WebCAB is a new online data collection tool that makes it easier for clinicians to adopt CAB measures and use these data as part of their clinical practice. The state of Virginia recently adopted the WebCAB across all early psychosis programs within their state. The WebCAB allows Virginia to look at aggregate data across the state and provides CSC programs with an opportunity to compare their populations with others. Learn more about the CAB, WebCAB, and how even a subset of these measures can help enhance clinical interactions with clients and foster shared decision-making. This webinar is offered by the MHTTC Network, in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET), PEPPNET, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Access the slides for this presentation here. View the recording by clicking the play button down below.

This 2-hour self-paced course is designed to introduce the evidence-based practice of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) for ACT team members, and those who oversee ACT teams at various levels (e.g., agency, state). Covering the origins and philosophy, and core elements of high-fidelity ACT, this course provides an overview for those new to the model or who have limited experience with ACT. It can also be used as a 'refresher' training for existing team members. The model is discussed in application through three fictional ACT service recipients, that have been informed by decades of experience by the course creators, Lorna Moser, PhD (UNC), and Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD (UW).   Learning Outcomes Describe how ACT originated within the mental health system Identify the population for whom ACT is intended to serve Name at least 4 key features of ACT     List at least four team member roles within a fully staffed ACT team Describe the importance of fidelity to the ACT model   Certificate of Completion/Contact Hours Available  Physicians, physician assistants, primary care ARNPs, psychologists, and other health care providers may be eligible for CME or CEUs for completing the course. Retain your Certificate of Completion and verify its suitability for CME/CEUS with your licensing/credentialing entity.  The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for DOH licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, chemical dependency professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620,WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240.   Trainers     Lorna Moser, PhD, Lorna Moser, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Director of the Institute for Best Practice, Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health.         Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Co-Director of the SPIRIT Lab and the Washington State Center of Excellence in Early Psychosis.   Registration and Technical Support How to register for a course at HealtheKnowledge and how to get technical support This online course was created by the Northwest Region 10 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

Opening Remarks Recording The 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Conference took place from June 1-3, 2022 both virtually and in-person in Austin, TX. Jennifer Baran-Prall and Samantha Reznik led opening remarks on June 1st. Opening remarks included the conference theme, considerations around accessibility, community guidelines, context for the conference, and information about the South Southwest MHTTC. Please watch the opening remarks to learn more about the vision and intentions for the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC FEP Conference.

The 2022 South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Conference occurred from June 1st to June 3rd 2022 in a hybrid format, with approximately 150 in-person participants in Austin, TX, and 300 virtual participants. Conference attendees in the virtual format shared a number of resources in the chat box throughout the conference. The South Southwest MHTTC aggregated the following list of resources from comments from the chat box. Please note that the resources were recommended specifically by conference attendees and speakers and not by the South Southwest MHTTC. Please find the list of resources below:     Psychosis: Recovery and Discovery by Dr. Eleanor Longden:   Power Threat Meaning Framework   At the Intersections of Psychosis and Marginalization by Mx. Yaffa: Killing Rage by Bell Hooks My Gender is Black Article Black on Both Sides Histories of the Transgender Child Understanding Drapetomania   Family Member/Support Person Engagement During Care for FEP: Challenges and Strategies to Move Forward by Dr. Oladunni Olouwoye Cultural Formulation Interview   College Life with Psychosis: The Student Lived Experience Perspective by Students with Psychosis: DBT Workbook for Psychosis by Maggie Mullen 

Virtual attendees during the 2022 South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Conference also had the opportunity to ask questions through the Q&A feature. Although many questions were answered during the time of the event, some questions were saved and answered by speakers after the event. The attached handout includes a list of questions that were answered by speakers in writing after the conference.   Q&A Handout

Out of the Box Engagement Exercise Handout The Out of the Box Engagement Exercise was an opportunity for conference attendees to participate in collaborative dialogue across difference at the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC FEP Conference. Conference attendees were assigned to groups and asked to reflect on and submit ideas for re-envisioning engagement in the support of recovery. To learn more about what ideas conference attendees had during this collaborative dialogue group, please find the “Out of the Box Engagement” Exercise handout. The South Southwest MHTTC team organized the ideas by the themes: centering peer support, coordinating and deconstructing our systems, embedding care in community, funding and access, holistic/person-centered care, interventions for staff, particular interventions/next steps, public education, using technology to build community. Each theme includes a brief description.  

Panel Presentation Recording Panel Presentation Summary This panel presentation occurred during the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis conference on June 2nd. Dr. Molly Lopez was the panel moderator and the panel members were Angie Tyler, Clayton Carrier, and Hiram Cortes. Presentation Summary: Coordinated specialty care (CSC) for early psychosis offers a range of multidisciplinary services, including medication management, recovery coaching, family support, peer support, supported employment and education, and psychotherapy. Growing research and lived experience highlights the integral nature of peer and family support roles within these teams. However, peer support specialists have identified the importance of role clarity and teamwork to be effective in their roles. This panel explored strategies for effective multidisciplinary collaboration that centers peer and family support roles. Panelists discussed peer and family support roles, role clarity and collaboration, and overcoming barriers to effective centering of these roles. About the Panelists Moderator   Dr. Molly Lopez (she/her/hers) Director Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health   Molly Lopez is the Director of the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, a licensed clinical psychologist, and a research associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Her research interests include child and adolescent service systems, implementation of evidence-based practices, and mental health systems development and policy. She has led a number of initiatives focused on enhancing the effectiveness of systems that interact with children, youth, and adults with significant mental health challenges and their families. Dr. Lopez currently serves as a director of the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) and principal investigator on the Early Psychosis Intervention Network in Texas (EPINET-TX). Panelists     Angie Tyler (she/her/hers) Certified Bilingual Family Partner Integral Care   Angie Tyler has been working with Integral Care RA1SE Team for 5 years and 7 months. She is part of a team in Austin, TX. As a Certified Bilingual Family Partner, she is able to share her lived experience with families and help them navigate through community resources. Her work background includes working with Travis County Juvenile Probation, Caseworker at Lifeworks for Homeless foster Youth, and Arc of the Capital Area working with IDD services as well as with the Juvenile Justice Program. The work she feels most proud of is with Integral Care RA1SE team because it has allowed her the honor to walk with so many families through their own journey and to give them hope and encouragement in their most challenging moments.     Clayton Carrier (he/him/his) Peer Support Specialist Integral Care   Clayton Carrier works with young people in a First Episode Psychosis program in Austin.             Hiram Cortes (he/him/his) Program Manager Integral Care   Hiram Cortes is currently working with Austin/Travis County integral Care with the RA1SE FEP program. He has training in CBT, CBTp, and CPT, trainings that help inform services for RA1SE clients. Part of his experience is collaborating with the multidisciplinary team including PEERS and Family Partner to deliver comprehensive and person-centered care to our population. He has previously worked at The Harris Center, in Houston, Tx where he first came to know about FEP programs via their Early Onset team.   Positionality Statement: The population served by RA1SE limits participants to range of 15-30, making it a very young population. The age of the population I serve is definitely something I keep in mind as I am very close to this age group myself. I am oh Hispanic culture (Mexican) and have interacted with some of those we serve as well as their families who have a similar cultural background. Being bi-lingual (Spanish) has also helped to facilitate rapport building and buy-in to the RA1SE program for some of these individuals. I am also aware that I am a first generation in my family to attend higher education and join the mental health field, giving me a unique perspective to families and individuals we serve as the majority come from low SES circumstances. My experience as a LPC and working specifically with trauma and CBT has allowed me to connect with a variety of populations, but working with the population served by RA1SE gives me an opportunity to work with individuals who have time to alter their lie course and increase their chances at “normalizing” their life trajectory. Alternatives to early intervention have been demonstrated to include homelessness, severe substance use, and/or being involved with the justice system. While there are many community relations and systems in place to help out the community at large, the programs currently available for the FEP population is minimal and not well known but for those in the mental health field. I see it as a great honor to also include in my work the duty of being an ambassador to our work and raise awareness of the services we provide and the results we have seen including individuals getting their GED’s/higher education, becoming employed, establishing careers, sobriety, and establishing a support system.

Presentation Slides Presentation Recording Presentation Summary This presentation occurred during the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis conference on June 3rd. Dr. Dror Ben-Zeev was the keynote speaker for this session. Presentation Summary: Technology is redefining how we study, assess, and treat mental illness. Mobile health (mHealth) now enables us to bring cutting-edge treatments out of the clinics and research centers and into the hands of the people who need them most. Professor Dror Ben-Zeev from the University of Washington provided an overview of recent advancements in the field of mHealth and examines how mobile devices and digital telecommunication infrastructure can be harnessed to support detection, prevention, and support for people with serious mental illness.  Professor Ben-Zeev described the lessons his team learned from conducting multiple mHealth initiatives with complex populations in real-world settings. He outlined his vision for effective, realistic, and sustainable mHealth for mental health in the years ahead. About the Speaker   Dr. Dror Ben-Zeev (he/him/his) Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science University of Washington   Dror Ben-Zeev, PhD, is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. He is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the development and evaluation of technology-based approaches in the study, assessment, treatment, and prevention of mental illness. Dr. Ben-Zeev serves as the Director of UW's Behavioral Research in Technology and Engineering (BRiTE) Center (https://www.brite.uw.edu/) and the mHealth for Mental Health Program (www.mh4mh.org), a multidisciplinary effort to harness mobile technology to improve the outcomes of people with psychiatric conditions and their loved ones. His research includes development of several self-management apps for people with serious mental illness, leveraging mobile and context-aware technologies for assessment of violence and suicidality in psychiatric hospital settings, behavioral sensing and Natural Language Processing systems for detection of psychotic relapses, social media-based outreach and remote data collection involving people who experience hallucinations, community-based clinical texting interventions, and technology designed to reduce human rights violations perpetrated against people with mental illness in Low and Middle Income Countries. Dr. Ben-Zeev’ s work has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute, the Veterans Administration, and several foundations. His studies have been covered by NPR, The Washington Post, Nature, Wired Magazine, Slate, Vice News, The Economist, and the New York Times. He serves as the Editor of the "Technology in Mental Health" Column in Psychiatric Services (APA Journal) and is a regular speaker at national and international scientific meetings including invited presentations at the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Academies, and the White House.

Presentation Slides Presentation Recording Presentation Summary This presentation occurred during the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis conference on June 3rd. Mx. Yaffa was the keynote presenter for this session. Presentation Summary: Although the current Mental Health system is starting to integrate understandings of equity and justice into healing practices and treatment it is important to understand the oppressive history of our system and how this has led to harm within various communities. In this session, Mx. Yaffa discussed the social, historical, and cultural factors impacting care for individuals experiencing psychosis through an intersectional lens. They shared their experiences with living with various mental health challenges and seeing, hearing, and believing things that others do not. Mx. Yaffa shared their experiences with navigating mental health care in three countries, and the cultural Intersections that create various challenges for individuals experiencing first psychosis episodes. Mx. Yaffa shares how their other intersectional identities have both made navigating the mental health system more complex and has helped on their road for recovery. In particular, Mx. Yaffa highlighted trans, Muslim, and indigenous identities as inseparable constants in their care and wellbeing. About the Speaker   Mx. Yaffa (they/them/theirs) Equity and Transformation Consultant   Mx. Yaffa is an award-winning disabled, mad, trans, queer, Muslim, indigenous Palestinian. Mx. Yaffa conducts transformative work around displacement, decolonization, equity, and centering lived experiences of individuals most impacted by injustice. Mx. Yaffa is a storyteller and an equity and transformation consultant, having shared their story with over 100,000 audience members at speaking events globally. Mx. Yaffa has worked in over two dozen countries, and specializes in global and community vision building. Mx. Yaffa is an engineer, with a specialty in sustainability and social engineering, a peer support specialist, and an equity and transformation consultant. Mx. Yaffa utilizes peer support as a foundation for all their work, supporting peer-run spaces in organizational capacity building, equity, and sustainment. Mx. Yaffa brings together engineering, peer support, and trauma to support their vision of more equitable and accountable communities that lead to individuals' self-actualization. Mx. Yaffa is the Founder of several non-profits and community projects, such as CT Mutual Aid, and Life in My Days, an international non-profit that supports individuals and their communities on their journeys for self-actualization through mutual aid, transformative justice, and disability justice. For the last few years, Mx. Yaffa has also been a Master Recovery Educator, facilitating the RI Peer Support Certification training nationally to certify individuals as Peer Support Specialists. Additionally, Mx. Yaffa is an Equity Coach with Sustainable CT, supporting municipalities in the State in engraining equity practices into any sustainability work. Mx. Yaffa has a MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen's University Belfast, a Childhood Traumatic Stress graduate certificate from the Boston Trauma Center, and a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from WPI. Mx. Yaffa currently serves as a board member for TransLifeline and is the previous co-chair of the International Association of Peer Supporters board.

Presentation Slides Presentation Recording Panel Summary This panel presentation occurred during the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis conference on June 2nd. Dr. Vanessa Vorhies Klodnick was the moderator of this session and panelists consisted of leaders from South Southwest Region 6 FEP programs. Presentation Summary: There are few opportunities within traditional conference structures to celebrate individual and program level accomplishments that incrementally improve services. The “Sharing Successes Project” allowed multiple first episode psychosis (FEP) programs within the South Southwest region of the United States to share strengths at both an individual and systems level. Presenters share about program-level changes that sustain and transform recovery-oriented care in this region as well as transformation that they hope to see in FEP care in the future, inspiring further systems-level change.   About the Panelists Moderator   Dr. Vanessa Vorhies Klodnick (she/her/hers) Director of Research & Innovation for Youth & Young Adult Services Thresholds Vanessa Vorhies Klodnick, PhD, LCSW, is a nationally-recognized expert in adapting and blending evidence-based practices for older youth and young adults, including IPS Supported Employment. Vanessa is the Director of Research & Innovation for Youth & Young Adult Services at Thresholds, the largest community mental health provider in Illinois, and a faculty affiliate at the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health at The University of Texas at Austin. Vanessa has been involved in multiple projects across the country that enhance IPS and/or draw from IPS to improve community mental health provider engagement of, partnership and impact with vulnerable and marginalized young people with serious mental health conditions. Vanessa is currently overseeing the continuous quality improvement of multiple multidisciplinary teams designed for youth and young adults, all which include Supported Employment and Education Specialists. Panelists Burke Center: Roger Riley, Program Lead Taylor Stevens Trisha Jolly, STEP MHC Recovery Coach COMPASS: Delinda Reese, Certified Family Partner Emily Sanchez, Case Manager Early First Episode Psychosis Program at UNM: Ashley Park, Program Therapist Emergence: Alejandra Cuellar, Administrative Support Supervisor and Outreach Coordinator Harris Center: Anna Marshall, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)/Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA) Integral Care: Sanjhi Gandhi, Primary Clinician    Tropical Texas: Victoria Castaneda, Case Manager