Products and Resources Catalog

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE This is a recording of the webinar held on December 13, 2022; the webinar explores the unique issues facing those doing in-person crisis intervention and first responder work. Practical information and tools will are shared to offer support to people in these roles. Providing mobile outreach crisis intervention and evaluation services for people in a behavioral health crisis takes immense skill and is a 24/7 job. The launching of the National 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline heightened the need for staff and leadership who have this complex expertise. Workers respond to complex crisis situations, conduct face-to face assessments and make determination decisions, utilizing standardized and advanced risk and assessment skills. They sometimes triage to divert from emergency services if possible and alternatives exist. Staff develop stabilization and safety plans in collaboration with the person receiving care. Supervisors of staff and teams provide feedback, ensure exceptional clinical services and effective, efficient program operations and consultation. Workers complete documentation and safety planning and possess an in-depth knowledge of community resources including the ability to address tailored needs.    Being a crisis and/or first responder takes a heavy toll. Witnessing crises, suffering and trauma day after day can affect their well-being. These roles continued despite a pandemic that is transitioning to an endemic. Job vacancies, insufficient resources, organizational culture and inadequate training can make a difficult role feel impossible. Professional distance and self-care can suffer when the crises keep happening, meanwhile working in a climate unsupportive of staff wellness and needing everyone to work extra shifts.  This presentation covered topics related to the establishment and maintenance of healthy boundaries between yourself and the work, strategies for engaging active coping skills that don’t feel like more on your “to do list,” and the various stress response systems, including how to recognize and engage effective coping based on how your brain and body are responding to the stress of the work.     Goals:  Develop detailed understanding of the ways that you personally may be impacted by the stressors of in-person response work during the transition from pandemic to endemic management of COVID 19 Understand how to create a plan for yourself in order to effectively manage stressors that you may be facing Begin to establish and maintain clear boundaries for yourself that act to protect you from additional burnout risks Outline participant needs and priorities for future trainings   RESOURCES Presentation slides Locus of Control self-assessment quiz recommended by Dr. Kira Mauseth The Evidence Base for Interventions Targeting Individuals with Work-Related PTSD: A Systematic Review and Recommendations; Volume 42, Issue 2; https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445517725048 Posttraumatic stress disorder in police, firefighters, and emergency dispatchers; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.08.005 SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center Supplemental Research Bulletin First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma Change Your Mind: Meditation Benefits for the Brain When science meets mindfulness: Researchers study how it seems to change the brain in depressed patients - The Harvard Gazette Mindfulness Improves Emotion Regulation and Executive Control on Bereaved Individuals: An fMRI Study Front. Hum. Neurosci., 28 January 2019, Sec. Cognitive Neuroscience https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00541 National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care – A Best Practice Toolkit from SAMHSA Resources from Northwest MHTTC related to this topic: Behavioral Health Crisis Response Systems webinar series Dr. Mauseth’s previous series with the Northwest MHTTC: Disaster Response and Behavioral Health Brief Behavioral Skills: DBT Distress Tolerance Skills  FACILITATOR Kira Mauseth, PhD Dr. Kira Mauseth is a practicing clinical psychologist who splits her professional time between seeing patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates, teaching as a Senior Instructor at Seattle University and serving as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health. She also serves on the state’s Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC). Her work and research interests focus on resilience and recovery from trauma as well as well as disaster behavioral health. She has worked abroad extensively in disaster response and with first responders and health care workers throughout United States. Dr. Mauseth also conducts trainings and provides presentations to organizations and educational groups about disaster preparedness and resilience building within local communities.   Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

The December issue of Northwest News provides information on support during the holidays, World AIDS Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities and National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. We also include information on our upcoming webinar: 988 in Washington State: Sharing the Journey, our most recent podcast on Intersectionality of the Transitioning Veteran, free resources, and other training opportunities.

About the Community of Practice:  In a crisis, school mental health leaders help a school community build a collective coping system; navigate overwhelming situations; and stay attuned to how various members are activated by different events, experience shared events differently, and have varying recovery and renewal needs. And, this work can be incredibly overwhelming, lonely, and isolating. It doesn’t have to be though: our greatest source of support comes from creating space to resource ourselves, resource each other, and to then resource the school communities we lead.   Join the Southeast MHTTC for the first session in a three-part coaching series for school leaders. Facilitated by the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal project, we are offering three sessions to engage in self & collective reflection. The series is an extended learning opportunity following Parts 1-6 of the collective trauma webinar series; you do not need to have attended all the webinars to attend the CoP, though it is highly recommended. You can view parts 1-6 here.   What can you expect from these CoP sessions? Application of theory, interactive breakouts, peer coaching, and bringing the frameworks to life (including workshopping how to translate framework language like “healing” into the contexts and communities in which you lead).   Session Overview:  Session 3 focuses on our school mental health crisis renewal leadership skills and approaches. We will provide a dialogue space to explore how to lead from a trauma-organized stance to a “healing-organized” stance. We will also discuss how to partner with faith based organizations, students, and diverse voices in the aftermath of a crisis.   Session Objectives:  Enhance knowledge, skills and capacities related to school crisis recovery & renewal leadership Identify 1-3 practices to begin or continue implementing that strengthen a trauma-informed crisis leadership approach

  The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The November‒December 2022 issue honors National Impaired Driving Prevention Month (December) by sharing resources and media from SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You.®" campaign for underage drinking prevention. This issue also features prevention-focused HealtheKnowledge courses, two new Counselor's Corner blog posts about the relationship between SUD and music, the Great Lakes ATTC's "Embracing Change" article on the ATTC/NIATx Service Improvement Blog, and even more brand new products and resources from HHS Region 5. 

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE This is a recording of the webinar held on December 6, 2022; the webinar explores the unique issues facing those doing virtual crisis management and response work such as crisis lines via phone, text, email or chat. Practical information and tools that provide support to people in these roles are enumerated.  Doing crisis line work can be extremely rewarding, and our field relies on countless people to serve as crisis staff answering phone calls and other messaging tools. The launching of the National 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline heightened the need for staff and leadership who have a unique set of skills. This workforce helps in immediate situations, saves lives and connects people to needed services. It performs crucial crisis intervention, suicide prevention and brief supportive counseling to people in emotional distress. They provide consultation to determine what options are appropriate and triages for safety and further evaluations. Supervisors of crisis call centers provide real-time feedback to staff, ensure exceptional customer service and effective, efficient program operations as well as stepping in for more complex scenarios. All the while, everyone strives to provide a supportive, trauma-informed, and inclusive environment.  However, many factors contribute to why these roles are challenging. Staff face highly complex topics, severe distress and trauma which can affect their well-being. Job vacancies, insufficient resources, organizational culture and inadequate training can make a difficult role feel impossible. Professional distance and self-care can suffer when hearing crisis after crisis and is exacerbated by a climate unsupportive of staff wellness and by working extra shifts.  This presentation covered topics related to the establishment and maintenance of healthy boundaries between yourself and the work, strategies for engaging active coping skills that don’t feel like more on your “to do list,” and the various stress response systems, including how to recognize and engage effective coping based on how your brain and body are responding to the stress of the work.   Goals:  Develop detailed understanding of the ways that you personally may be impacted by the stressors of virtual crisis work Understand how to create a plan for yourself in order to effectively manage stressors that you may be facing Begin to establish and maintain clear boundaries for yourself that act to protect you from additional burnout risks Outline participant needs and priorities for future trainings   RESOURCES Presentation slides Locus of Control self-assessment quiz recommended by Dr. Kira Mauseth The Evidence Base for Interventions Targeting Individuals with Work-Related PTSD: A Systematic Review and Recommendations; Volume 42, Issue 2; https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445517725048 Posttraumatic stress disorder in police, firefighters, and emergency dispatchers; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.08.005 SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center Supplemental Research Bulletin First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma Change Your Mind: Meditation Benefits for the Brain When science meets mindfulness: Researchers study how it seems to change the brain in depressed patients - The Harvard Gazette Mindfulness Improves Emotion Regulation and Executive Control on Bereaved Individuals: An fMRI Study Front. Hum. Neurosci., 28 January 2019, Sec. Cognitive Neuroscience https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00541 National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care – A Best Practice Toolkit from SAMHSA Resources from Northwest MHTTC related to this topic: Behavioral Health Crisis Response Systems webinar series Dr. Mauseth’s previous series with the Northwest MHTTC: Disaster Response and Behavioral Health Brief Behavioral Skills: DBT Distress Tolerance Skills  FACILITATOR Kira Mauseth, PhD Dr. Kira Mauseth is a practicing clinical psychologist who splits her professional time between seeing patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates, teaching as a Senior Instructor at Seattle University and serving as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health. She also serves on the state’s Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC). Her work and research interests focus on resilience and recovery from trauma as well as well as disaster behavioral health. She has worked abroad extensively in disaster response and with first responders and health care workers throughout United States. Dr. Mauseth also conducts trainings and provides presentations to organizations and educational groups about disaster preparedness and resilience building within local communities.   Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

About the Community of Practice:  In a crisis, school mental health leaders help a school community build a collective coping system; navigate overwhelming situations; and stay attuned to how various members are activated by different events, experience shared events differently, and have varying recovery and renewal needs. And, this work can be incredibly overwhelming, lonely, and isolating. It doesn’t have to be though: our greatest source of support comes from creating space to resource ourselves, resource each other, and to then resource the school communities we lead.   Join the Southeast MHTTC for the first session in a three-part coaching series for school leaders. Facilitated by the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal project, we are offering three sessions to engage in self & collective reflection. The series is an extended learning opportunity following Parts 1-6 of the collective trauma webinar series; you do not need to have attended all the webinars to attend the CoP, though it is highly recommended. You can view parts 1-6 here.   What can you expect from these CoP sessions? Application of theory, interactive breakouts, peer coaching, and bringing the frameworks to life (including workshopping how to translate framework language like “healing” into the contexts and communities in which you lead).   Session Overview: Session 2 offers a deeper study into the fourth “R” of the crisis continuum: “Renewal.” Together, we explore how we might reimagine hurt and harm into healing. We will explore how to identify root causes of crisis, engage in collective storytelling, lead the redefinition of ourselves and our organizations, and repair ( i.e., address harm that arises in crisis and post crisis). Session Objectives: Enhance knowledge, skills and capacities related to school crisis recovery & renewal leadership Identify 1-3 practices to begin or continue implementing that strengthen a trauma-informed crisis leadership approach

About this Resource:  The prevalence and impact of trauma is undeniable. Statistics show that as many as 90% of the people who enter the public behavioral health system have experienced trauma. The adverse childhood experiences study (ACE) demonstrates the correlation between early childhood adversity and negative health outcomes in adulthood, including heart disease, cancer, substance misuse and mental health challenges. Our series Trauma and the Peer Perspective will examine the myriad of way trauma is defined, and how trauma is often addressed within behavioral health systems. We will explore how systems can create trauma and/or retraumatize those seeking help and how trauma informed peer support and services can be a game changer. Trauma and 988/Crisis Services Response (Part 2) Description: Everyone is familiar with 911, 411, and even 211, but what about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline? Four years in the making, 988 is now a national reality. Trauma is very often the catalyst for crisis and providing trauma informed support is critical during times of crisis. Learning objectives: 1. Learn what’s working well with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 2. Gain insight on what could be different with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 3. Understand the ways that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline responds to trauma

In this session of the 2022 ABC Summit, Round Rock ISD leaders shares their model of collaboration between the district police force and mental health providers to support student success. The presenters discuss the different ways in which they are working to avoid the school-to-prison pipeline with mentoring, student supports, and advocacy.   Download the slides

Download the presentation slides here Session Overview:  School crises can be interrupters or the norm, depending on the school and its community context. Whether the crisis is acute, chronic, or complex, there are shared leadership practices, policies, and paradigm shifts that can support all stakeholders’ efforts to successfully navigate a crisis.  Leading school communities through crisis recovery and renewal while responding is hard and complex. We don’t need to hold this work alone (even though…we often do!). Together we explore these essential questions: What makes our leadership trauma informed- always, in the wake of, and in the aftermath of crisis?  How might we continue our trauma-informed leadership during and after a crisis has ended (e.g., COVID 19, a student death, hurricane) to strengthen our school climate?  This session is a continuation of our four-part series “Promoting School Preparedness, Community Resilience, and Recovery in the Face of Adversity” that took place in June and July of 2022. The series focused on the role of schools and school mental health providers throughout crisis planning and response and offers a framework for planning that is part of a larger trauma-informed and healing-centered approach to education and school mental health. The previous sessions covered Essentials, Improving Readiness, Response, and Recovery and Maintenance. You can review these sessions here. *The main session will be held for 60 min of teaching; we will pause at noon for those who need to exit and will then stay on for 15 more optional minutes for Q & A with the presenter.   Learning Outcomes:  Explore the ways that stress, trauma, and grief relate to our school crisis leadership approach(es) Identify what we would like to start, stop and sustain in our recovery and renewal leadership practice. Apply the principles of school crisis recovery and renewal to school site and system leadership, and larger school culture.   Speaker:    Leora Wolf-Prusan (she/hers) is the Director of Partnerships & Learning at the Center for Applied Research Solutions, serving as the Project Director for the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal (SCRR) project and as the school mental health field director for the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC); previous roles include serving as the national field director of a SAMHSA initiative (ReCAST) and a TA provider for the Now is The Time Initiative (Project AWARE). Wolf-Prusan is dedicated to work focused on educator mental health, wellness, and trauma-informed approaches to education and operates through a framework in which public health, social work, and education intersect. Her research examined the impact of student death on teachers, what factors contribute to teachers building resiliency, and what supports teachers need from the school system in the event of a student homicide or other traumas. She received a BA in international relations and a BA in Spanish with a minor in Social & Ethnic Relations from the University of California, Davis; a teaching credential from Mills College; and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her work in school crisis recovery and renewal is motivated by and dedicated to educators and youth who envision schools as a platform for community and connection.

Crisis Line Response: Helping People with Personality Disorders Recording   DESCRIPTION: A universal experience of crisis call centers is burnout among staff because of seemingly endless, often repetitive interactions with callers who are in distress and suicidal but do not respond to the usual suggestions of self-care or follow-up. An hour-long phone call can leave the worker exhausted and the caller in worse shape than at the beginning of the call. These are callers with personality disorders. They have a different agenda than the crisis worker.    This 1-hour training will provide basic information about personality disorders – specifically borderline personality, dependent personality, and histrionic personality. We will make a distinction between personality related symptoms and symptoms from primary anxiety and depression. We will also talk about the interaction patterns and some interventions that might be useful.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Have a good understanding of the most common interactional patterns seen in people with borderline, dependent, and histrionic personality disorders Be able to distinguish personality disorder depression from major depressive disorder Receive guidance in distinguishing an acute suicidal crisis from chronic suicidal behavior Learn how to set realistic goals for a limited interaction with personality disordered callers     SPEAKER: Dr. David Mays, MD, PhD, is a licensed physician in the state of Wisconsin, where he is a clinical adjunct assistant professor in the University of Wisconsin Department of Psychiatry. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is also a member of the Wisconsin Psychiatric AsSsociation. Dr. Mays has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alliance on Mental Illness in Dane County, the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Exceptional Performance Award from the Wisconsin Health and Family Services, the Outstanding Professional Award from the Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, and the Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award from the Wisconsin National Alliance on Mental Illness.      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.

Download the presentation slides here Session Overview  Join the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal project to explore the “fourth R” in the crisis continuum of care: Renewal. After readiness, through response and beyond recovery, renewal work asks us to focus on structural changes and procedures, coordinating policy, processes, and practices that center regeneration and healing.  Together, we explore the seven elements foundational to trauma-informed school crisis recovery and renewal, including  meaning-making (Neimeyer, 2001), building and fostering resilience (Ungar, 2011), post-traumatic growth theory (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006), and organizational change after crisis and healing-centered school approaches.  This session is a continuation of our four-part series “Promoting School Preparedness, Community Resilience, and Recovery in the Face of Adversity” that took place in June and July of 2022. The series focused on the role of schools and school mental health providers throughout crisis planning and response and offers a framework for planning that is part of a larger trauma-informed and healing-centered approach to education and school mental health. The previous sessions covered Essentials, Improving Readiness, Response, and Recovery and Maintenance. You can review these sessions here.   LEARNING OUTCOMES: Understand the practices to support the school crisis renewal phase, common definitions of post-traumatic growth and healing-centered schools and case examples Access and apply 1-2 individual and organizational practices to support school recovery towards the fourth R, renewal. Identify practices and approaches that your current crisis readiness and response can be expanded upon to include renewal.   Speaker:   Leora Wolf-Prusan (she/hers) is the Director of Partnerships & Learning at the Center for Applied Research Solutions, serving as the Project Director for the School Crisis Recovery & Renewal (SCRR) project and as the school mental health field director for the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC); previous roles include serving as the national field director of a SAMHSA initiative (ReCAST) and a TA provider for the Now is The Time Initiative (Project AWARE). Wolf-Prusan is dedicated to work focused on educator mental health, wellness, and trauma-informed approaches to education and operates through a framework in which public health, social work, and education intersect. Her research examined the impact of student death on teachers, what factors contribute to teachers building resiliency, and what supports teachers need from the school system in the event of a student homicide or other traumas. She received a BA in international relations and a BA in Spanish with a minor in Social & Ethnic Relations from the University of California, Davis; a teaching credential from Mills College; and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her work in school crisis recovery and renewal is motivated by and dedicated to educators and youth who envision schools as a platform for community and connection.

The Great Lakes MHTTC in partnership with People Incorporated Mental Health Services of Minnesota is pleased to offer this new training video on de-escalation. The video explains the importance of de-escalation and provides evidence-based de-escalation practices for service providers and mental health professionals. The content of the video was researched, compiled, and recorded by People Incorporated Training Institute.    

About this Resource:  This infographic defines crisis services and outlines the role of Certified Peer Specialists in crisis care. It reviews evidence-based crisis services involving peers and identifies ways peers can support themselves and others in a crisis. This product serves as a companion to our Perspectives in Mental Health Crisis four-part series examining the experiences of Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) as they navigate, utilize, and provide crisis services.

This module prepares the learner to effectively engage with clients who are experiencing a crisis. Participants will learn to: Recognize risk and early warning signs of crisis Use positive behavior supports to prevent crisis and promote health and safety Use appropriate and approved intervention approaches to resolve a crisis through the use of de-escalation techniques Seek help from other staff or services when needed during and after a crisis and knows de-escalation techniques Monitor situations and communicate with the client and his or her family and support team to reduce risk Report incidents according to policies and procedures See own potential role within a conflict or crisis and changes behavior to minimize conflict Create an individualized crisis prevention plan per agency policy and procedures   Learn more about HealtheKnowledge here: HealtheKnowledge Courses Learn more about the full series here: New Employees in Mental Health Services: A Training Series  

See each session below to access resources. Event Description This 4-part series is designed for the first responder community including law enforcement, parole, and probation personnel, EMTs, and any other members of the community engaged in emergency and front-line efforts.     The series kicks off with a 90-minute foundational introduction to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In this session, participants will learn what TBI is, its common signs and symptoms, how it can occur, and why conventional intervention methods often don't work with individuals living with TBI. We encourage all participants to attend the first session, it will establish a baseline of understanding for all participants as we move thru the series.    This training series will provide participants with tips and strategies for first responders who may encounter individuals living with a history of brain injury when responding to calls in the community. People living with brain injury have higher rates of mental health conditions and problematic use of substances and are often overrepresented among vulnerable populations. First responders may encounter individuals and their family members affected by brain injury when responding to crisis situations such as individuals expressing suicidal ideation and intent, those who are homeless, victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence, and justice-involved individuals. Participants will become familiar with common clues of a history of brain injury and strategies to engage with individuals and deescalate as needed when encountering those living with this often-hidden disability.    Training Series Dates (participants must register for each session):    June 9th - Introduction - Kick-Off 10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST  To access slide deck and associated resources, click DOWNLOAD above CLICK HERE to view the recording   June 16th: Intensive Workshop 1 for Law Enforcement and EMT Personnel 9:00 am MST - 10:00 am MST  To access slide deck and associated resources, click DOWNLOAD above CLICK HERE to view the recording   Intensive Workshop 2 for Probation and Parole Personnel 1:00 pm MST - 2:00 pm MST  To access slide deck and associated resources, click DOWNLOAD above CLICK HERE to view the recording   July 14th: Wrap-Up Panel  10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST  To access slide deck and associated resources, click DOWNLOAD above Learning Objectives Attendees will be able to describe at least 3 common brain injury-related impairments  Attendees will be able to identify three signs that an individual may have a history of brain injury  Attendees will learn 3 strategies to safely engage with and redirect individuals living with a history of brain injury  Trainer Anastasia Edmonston, MS, CRC    

Authors Kirill Staklo (he/him) and Nze Okoronta (they/them) provide an overview of the necessary information for the integration of Peer Specialists in hotline programming for equity and sustainability. Topics include: Intro to the Peer Role, Medical trauma and minority stress, Hotline work: How is it different?, Informed consent and harm reduction, Best practices in service establishment and training, and further resources.

About this Resource:   The Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® is a skills-based wellness and prevention program that provides a biological, non-stigmatizing perspective on normal human reactions to stress and trauma. In this on-demand recording, the facilitators help participants understand their nervous system and learn to track sensations connected to their own wellbeing. This low-intensity intervention teaches easy-to-learn skills to manage difficult emotions which can be brought on by stressful personal or professional situations.  CRM was developed at the Trauma Resource Institute by Elaine Miller-Karas [Miller-Karas, E. (2015). Building resilience to trauma: The trauma and community resiliency models. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group]. For more information: www.crmgeorgia.com

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE In July, the Northwest MHTTC observes Minority Mental Health Awareness Month to acknowledge the struggles faced by BIPOC individuals with mental health concerns due to racism within and beyond the mental healthcare system. We also share events happening across our network and resources on equity, peer support services in crisis care, and combating stigma.

About this Resource:  The Southeast MHTTC Newsletter highlights upcoming events and recently released products as well as shares information on available resources from SAMHSA and the MHTTC network.  The July 2022 issue recognizes National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, highlights our upcoming events and recent products, and provides resources available through the MHTTC Network and SAMHSA to connect individuals to needed treatment and support. 

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

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 

Presentation Recording Presentation Materials Presentation Slides ASQ NIH Screening Tool C-SSRS Baseline Screening Tool C-SSRS Baseline Screening Tool - Spanish Version Patient Safety Plan Template SAFE-T Handout Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire - Revised (SBQ-R) Presentation Summary This presentation occurred during the 2022 South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis conference on June 2nd. Dr. Tara Niendam facilitated this keynote session. Presentation Summary: Risk for self-harm behaviors is high in early psychosis populations; therefore, all clinical programs need a protocol for risk assessment and management that begins at first client contact and is maintained over time. This presentation provided an overview of suicide rates in the US, an approach to assessing risk and protective factors, and an introduction to the CSSRS – the gold-standard tool for suicide ideation and behavior. The presentation will also briefly covered methods for addressing suicide, including the Safety Plan Protocol. About the Speaker Dr. Tara Niendam (she/her/hers) Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Research Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of California, Davis   Dr. Niendam is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Research in Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of California, Davis. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the Executive Director of the UC Davis Early Psychosis Programs (EDAPT and SacEDAPT Clinics) and has developed 4 early psychosis programs in Northern California based on the coordinated specialty care model of early psychosis. Her research focuses on improving clinical and functional outcomes for youth with serious mental illness, with a focus on mobile health technology. She is the Principal Investigator for the Early Psychosis Intervention Network of California, or EPI-CAL, which is part of the new NIMH-funding EPI-NET program. EPI-CAL links multiple county-and university-based EP programs to bring client-level data to the clinician’s fingertips, and enable large scale data-driven approaches to improve outcomes for EP care. She also directs the EPI-CAL affiliated Training and Technical Assistance Center, which seeks to bring evidence based early psychosis care to all Californians. Within both clinical and research contexts, Dr. Niendam has worked to amplify the need for high-quality suicide risk assessment and management protocols, as this is critical to reducing high suicide rates for individuals with serious mental illness.   Positionality Statement: I come to this work from both personal and family experiences. Within the psychosis space, my family supported loved ones who experienced psychotic symptoms as part of bipolar disorder. I was raised by a single mom in a small, rural town in Kentucky, where mental health services were nonexistent for lower-middle class families like mine, and the stigma against mental health prevented us from seeking help anyway. In the realm of suicide, I have lost friends and consumers in my clinics to suicide and experienced the unbearable pain and unrelenting “what-if” questions. I believe we can do better, hence my passion for speaking about suicide and pushing our field toward incorporating high-quality approaches. I identify as a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman, a mother, a wife and a clinician-scientist. I am a consumer of mental health services. I am strongly committed to DEIA and seek to amplify the voices of marginalized communities in all areas of my work. Consumer and support person voices are present in both my research and clinical work.

About this Resource:  Perspectives in Mental Health Crisis is a four-part series examining the experiences of Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) as they navigate, utilize, and provide crisis services. In our fourth and final installment "Alternatives to Preventing and Responding to Crisis", our facilitators and panelists provide insight into how to avoid or lessen the negative impact of a mental health crisis. Peers share firsthand their hardships and how they were able to hold onto the things that mattered most to them, such as employment, housing, and relationships. In closing, several highly experienced and well-regarded trainers share formal skills peers can develop to enhance their resilience and prepare for the next situation life throws at them.   Click here to learn about other sessions in this series.

Description: Schools play an important role in the recovery of students following community-wide trauma and adversity, but the road from preparedness to recovery begins long before a crisis event occurs and the response lasts well after the event is over.  This first session of a 4-part series will provide foundational information about collective trauma, how it affects members of a school community, the role of schools in crisis planning and response, and best practices in school crisis responses (including healing-centered school programming).   Learning Objectives: Participants will: Understand the increasing risk and impact of collective trauma on students, staff, and teachers in schools. Identify the role of schools and school mental health providers in crisis planning and response. Identify the scope of trauma-informed best practices for comprehensive and long-term preparedness and response to accumulating collective trauma. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about navigating toward recovery during traumatic events.   Speaker:  Berre Burch, Ph.D., is the clinical director at the Children's Bureau of New Orleans where she oversees clinical programs that serve approximately 400 children, youth, and their families each year. A school psychologist by training, Dr. Burch has spent her career providing direct clinical services and systems-level consultation and support to address issues of childhood trauma. In her current role with the Children's Bureau, Dr. Burch partners with schools and other youth-serving organizations like courts, child advocacy centers, and workforce development programs to embed and deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed care in community settings. Dr. Burch earned her doctorate at Tulane University with a specialization in Trauma-Informed School Psychology and completed her clinical internship with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland Medical Center.