Products and Resources Catalog

Local Education Agencies generally have two staffing approaches to provide school-based mental health services: (1) hire their own personnel, and (2) partner with community-based providers. This infographic outlines the advantages of each staffing approach in regard to administrative burden, access to services, and revenue.

Download the Full Report Download an Executive Summary of the Report   ABOUT THIS RESOURCE This report describes organizational and policy strategies to improve recruitment and retention of school mental health providers. Additionally, it identifies resources developed by reputable organizations to facilitate implementation of these strategies. The report aims to provide useful guidance on developing and maintaining the school mental health workforce for organizations (e.g. schools, school districts, and community mental health agencies) and policy makers involved in school mental health efforts.

Original broadcast date: 05/11/21 A national three-digit 988 behavioral health and suicide prevention crisis hotline is probably the most significant public policy initiative impacting behavioral healthcare since Medicaid expansion. Behavioral health crisis services have never had a moment like this, where the policy forces are aligning at federal state and local levels and are driving positive change.  The implementation of 988 provides us with the opportunity to build-out and finance a statewide behavioral health crisis response system that is on par with the 911 emergency medical management system.    There are many questions that this webinar addresses as an initial forum to learn about best practices to apply to 988 crisis response system optimization. Increasing our collective knowledge is best achieved by engaging with subject-matter experts, rather than expending time, energy, or other resources extracting or researching for answers in disconnected and fragmented ways. Session outcomes include new learning and insights to more effectively respond to a rapid 988 implementation trajectory.  Participants find that the content and interchange of this session is both pragmatic and enriching.

This webinar will feature a series of Permanent Supportive Housing stakeholders from across Iowa who will share their unique perspectives on this evidence-based practice and discuss the road forward. Each of these six perspectives yields new insights into the model, how it is funded, and how services are provided. This webinar will highlight the feasibility of implementing Permanent Supportive Housing and the importance of a broad coalition of stakeholders. Content will be rooted heavily in the Permanent Supportive Housing context in Iowa, but all are welcome to attend.   Learning objectives: Introduce the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) model through a variety of stakeholders from Iowa Describe the need for a broad coalition to implement PSH Describe existing funding structures for PSH   Speakers: Marissa Eyanson serves as the Division Administrator of Community Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) for the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, she leads teams responsible for coordinating and assuring that all Iowans have access to high quality services and supports across the full spectrum of mental health and disability related needs. Marissa is a life-long small-town Iowan and graduate of Iowa State University. Her background and experience bring a unique ability to pivot perspectives from provider to payer to regulator. Marissa’s first job was as a direct support professional in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID), and she has dedicated her career to working in the mental health and disability services field in Iowa. Karen Hyatt is the Emergency Mental Health Specialist for the Division of Community Mental Health and Disability Services within the Department of Human Services and serves as the Disaster Behavioral Health Coordinator for the state. She has work emphasis in crisis stabilization services, peer support and the Office of Consumer Affairs.   Courtney Guntly is the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care Director. In this role, she supports HUD-funded housing programs in their efforts to end homelessness across Iowa’s 96 counties making up the Balance of State, all while working strategically with partners to achieve this vision. Courtney holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Luther College.   Cynthia Latcham is the Executive Director at Anawim Housing, a nonprofit that focuses on implementing permanent supportive housing programs using evidence-based principles of housing first, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care. The programs and services offered through Anawim Housing have existed for over 20 years, with Cynthia leading the team since 2017.   ​​Terri Rosonke is the Housing Programs Manager within the Iowa Finance Authority’s Housing Programs Division. She is responsible for managing the State Housing Trust Fund and leads the agency’s Olmstead compliance, permanent supportive housing, and disaster recovery initiatives.   Maria Walker is the Program Planner for Polk County Health Services. She supports, plans, implements and oversees contract management for employment and day services. She provides staff support for the Polk Regional Adult Advisory Committee and leads provider relations and provider contracting. Walker came to PCHS in August 1998 from Systems Unlimited, a provider agency in Iowa City and was the Employment Director. She has a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will feature a series of Permanent Supportive Housing stakeholders from across Iowa who will share their unique perspectives on this evidence-based practice and discuss the road forward. Each of these six perspectives yields new insights into the model, how it is funded, and how services are provided. This webinar will highlight the feasibility of implementing Permanent Supportive Housing and the importance of a broad coalition of stakeholders. Content will be rooted heavily in the Permanent Supportive Housing context in Iowa, but all are welcome to attend.   Learning objectives: Introduce the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) model through a variety of stakeholders from Iowa Describe the need for a broad coalition to implement PSH Describe existing funding structures for PSH   Speakers: Marissa Eyanson serves as the Division Administrator of Community Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) for the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, she leads teams responsible for coordinating and assuring that all Iowans have access to high quality services and supports across the full spectrum of mental health and disability related needs. Marissa is a life-long small-town Iowan and graduate of Iowa State University. Her background and experience bring a unique ability to pivot perspectives from provider to payer to regulator. Marissa’s first job was as a direct support professional in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID), and she has dedicated her career to working in the mental health and disability services field in Iowa. Karen Hyatt is the Emergency Mental Health Specialist for the Division of Community Mental Health and Disability Services within the Department of Human Services and serves as the Disaster Behavioral Health Coordinator for the state. She has work emphasis in crisis stabilization services, peer support and the Office of Consumer Affairs.   Courtney Guntly is the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care Director. In this role, she supports HUD-funded housing programs in their efforts to end homelessness across Iowa’s 96 counties making up the Balance of State, all while working strategically with partners to achieve this vision. Courtney holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Luther College.   Cynthia Latcham is the Executive Director at Anawim Housing, a nonprofit that focuses on implementing permanent supportive housing programs using evidence-based principles of housing first, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care. The programs and services offered through Anawim Housing have existed for over 20 years, with Cynthia leading the team since 2017.   ​​Terri Rosonke is the Housing Programs Manager within the Iowa Finance Authority’s Housing Programs Division. She is responsible for managing the State Housing Trust Fund and leads the agency’s Olmstead compliance, permanent supportive housing, and disaster recovery initiatives.   Maria Walker is the Program Planner for Polk County Health Services. She supports, plans, implements and oversees contract management for employment and day services. She provides staff support for the Polk Regional Adult Advisory Committee and leads provider relations and provider contracting. Walker came to PCHS in August 1998 from Systems Unlimited, a provider agency in Iowa City and was the Employment Director. She has a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This document presents a general landscape of state telemental health policies in responses to the COVID-19 emergency. This document was updated on September 3, 2021 to include the up-to-date telemental health policies in the Southeast. Many of the policies included in the document are time-sensitive and, therefore, may not remain in effect beyond the listed dates.

Persons with serious mental illnesses are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Homelessness policies in the U.S. have evolved as research has informed us about the dynamics of homelessness. Federal policies reflect research showing that a relatively small number of people who experience homelessness remain homeless for long periods of time, often because of disabilities that make it difficult to exit without structured support and housing (Permanent Supportive Housing). Also, federal efforts to address “crisis homelessness” have been deployed, providing assistance through “rapid rehousing” programs to prevent long-term homelessness. The initiative to end veteran homelessness combined these two approaches and led to a 50% reduction in homelessness. This presentation summarizes the intersection of these research and policy efforts which greatly affect the need for comprehensive housing and support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. As a result of this seminar, attendees will learn: Homelessness is characterized by two primary dynamics: crisis homelessness and chronic homelessness; Crisis homelessness can be effectively addressed by providing emergency cash, case management and relocation assistance, with rent supports; Permanent supportive housing can successfully address chronic homelessness and is cost-neutral for many populations, research shows; Three federal programs – the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP), and the campaign to end veteran homelessness – established new and more robust policies to support these research-informed approaches; Homelessness assistance programs do not prevent homelessness, and rising rates of unsheltered homelessness and the aging of the adult homeless population are creating new challenges for policymakers to address.   Speaker: Dennis Culhane, PhD, is the Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Culhane is a nationally recognized social science researcher with primary expertise in the field of homelessness. From July 2009 to June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leader in the integration of administrative data for research and directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development of integrated data systems by state and local governments for policy analysis and systems reform.  His homelessness work has positioned him as an early innovator in the use of administrative data for research and policy analysis, particularly for populations and program impacts that are difficult to assess and track. Culhane’s work has resulted in federal legislation requiring all cities and states to develop administrative data systems for tracking homeless services in order to receive HUD funding. His work has also been instrumental in a national shift in how cities address chronic homelessness and family homelessness. Culhane’s current research utilizes linked administrative data to better understand and respond to the emerging crisis of aging homelessness. Recently, this work was featured in The New York Times Magazine article, Elderly and Homeless: America’s Next Housing Crisis.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

Persons with serious mental illnesses are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Homelessness policies in the U.S. have evolved as research has informed us about the dynamics of homelessness. Federal policies reflect research showing that a relatively small number of people who experience homelessness remain homeless for long periods of time, often because of disabilities that make it difficult to exit without structured support and housing (Permanent Supportive Housing). Also, federal efforts to address “crisis homelessness” have been deployed, providing assistance through “rapid rehousing” programs to prevent long-term homelessness. The initiative to end veteran homelessness combined these two approaches and led to a 50% reduction in homelessness. This presentation summarizes the intersection of these research and policy efforts which greatly affect the need for comprehensive housing and support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. As a result of this seminar, attendees will learn: Homelessness is characterized by two primary dynamics: crisis homelessness and chronic homelessness; Crisis homelessness can be effectively addressed by providing emergency cash, case management and relocation assistance, with rent supports; Permanent supportive housing can successfully address chronic homelessness and is cost-neutral for many populations, research shows; Three federal programs – the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP), and the campaign to end veteran homelessness – established new and more robust policies to support these research-informed approaches; Homelessness assistance programs do not prevent homelessness, and rising rates of unsheltered homelessness and the aging of the adult homeless population are creating new challenges for policymakers to address.   Speaker: Dennis Culhane, PhD, is the Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Culhane is a nationally recognized social science researcher with primary expertise in the field of homelessness. From July 2009 to June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leader in the integration of administrative data for research and directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development of integrated data systems by state and local governments for policy analysis and systems reform.  His homelessness work has positioned him as an early innovator in the use of administrative data for research and policy analysis, particularly for populations and program impacts that are difficult to assess and track. Culhane’s work has resulted in federal legislation requiring all cities and states to develop administrative data systems for tracking homeless services in order to receive HUD funding. His work has also been instrumental in a national shift in how cities address chronic homelessness and family homelessness. Culhane’s current research utilizes linked administrative data to better understand and respond to the emerging crisis of aging homelessness. Recently, this work was featured in The New York Times Magazine article, Elderly and Homeless: America’s Next Housing Crisis.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This infographic presents policies related to school-based mental health that were considered or passed between January and October 2020 in the Southeast U.S.

Original Broadcast Date: 12/14/20 This three-part webinar series is for school field leaders who are leading systems’ support for student suicide prevention. Session content focuses on providing timely, effective, competent, and evidence-based suicide prevention support to students and families. Each session will be contextualized with experience and suggestions from on-the-ground regional leadership.   Learning Objectives: Understand suicide prevention policy, the prevalence and impact of traumatic stress and its relation to suicide, and resources available to schools; Understand your role as a school leader in providing trauma informed practices when conducting a risk assessment; and, Learn how to effectively collaborate with community partners when providing follow up support to students and families.   The presenters devote the first segment of each hour-long presentation to a specific topic, then address attendee-submitted questions. Audience: System leaders, prevention specialists, educators, administrators, school site leadership district and state administrative leadership, and anyone interested. The series is led by Angela J. Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW, Pacific Southwest School Mental Health Training Specialist, and systems leaders as guest presenters.   View Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.   About the Facilitator: Angela J. Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW, serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist. Angela Castellanos, LCSW, is an experienced mental health consultant and administrator with 25+ years of diverse and progressive expertise in the mental health care industry and school settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, she specializes in administering school mental health programs, mentoring industry professionals (local, state, and federal), developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery and School Mental Health. 

Original Broadcast Date: 12/07/20 This three-part webinar series is for school field leaders who are leading systems’ support for student suicide prevention. Session content focuses on providing timely, effective, competent, and evidence-based suicide prevention support to students and families. Each session is contextualized with experience and suggestions from on-the-ground regional leadership.   Learning Objectives: Understand suicide prevention policy, the prevalence and impact of traumatic stress and its relation to suicide, and resources available to schools; Understand your role as a school leader in providing trauma informed practices when conducting a risk assessment; and, Learn how to effectively collaborate with community partners when providing follow up support to students and families.   Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions upon registration, enabling our team to shape the session content to meet your needs. The presenters will devote the first segment of each hour-long presentation to a specific topic, then address attendee-submitted questions. Audience: System leaders, prevention specialists, educators, administrators, school site leadership district and state administrative leadership, and anyone interested.   The series is led by Angela J. Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW, Pacific Southwest School Mental Health Training Specialist, and systems leaders as guest presenters.   View Part 1 and Part 3 in this series.   About the Facilitator: Angela J. Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW, serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist. Angela Castellanos, LCSW, is an experienced mental health consultant and administrator with 25+ years of diverse and progressive expertise in the mental health care industry and school settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, she specializes in administering school mental health programs, mentoring industry professionals (local, state, and federal), developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery and School Mental Health.   

Original Broadcast Date: 11/13/20 For part two of this series, Justin Thongsavanh, Iana Malcolm, and Carla Fernandez share learnings from The Dinner Party, a nation-wide movement turning loss from an isolating experience to one marked by community support, candid conversation, and forward motion. From small groups gathering in over 100 cities across the US to now an entirely virtual offering in the COVID-era for individuals and organizations, Iana and Carla will share key lessons learned in 2020, and how they translate to your workplace. They will take you through an interactive work session to design your own loss readiness plan for your organization. Their work has appeared widely in media, from CNN to New York Times, OnBeing and Oprah Magazine, and as a case study in over half a dozen books. Their workplace program has been rolled out in organizations across sectors and sizes, such as Banner Health, Good Shepherd Services, Redfin, Google, and more. For more information, visit thedinnerparty.org/atwork. Download the slides HERE.   Speaker Bios: Carla Fernandez, Co-Founder, The Dinner Party Fernandez is the co-founder of the award winning The Dinner Party , which houses Grief At Work. The family dinner table is sacred ground in the Fernandez family - so when her dad passed away of brain cancer, coming back to the table was a natural way for her to connect with others and unpack the experience of life after loss. She is also on the founding team of enso, a mission-driven creative agency working with brands such as Google, Khan Academy, and Nature Conservancy on their impact campaigns. She is an NYU Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, and Senior Fellow at the USC Annenberg School of Communications Innovation Lab.     Iana Malcolm is a community manager & BIPOC lead. At 27, and after 7 years of being her Caregiver, she lost her mother to Breast Cancer. At 31 years old, she lost her father to Brain Cancer. Since then she has dedicated her life to the support of Caregivers and all those managing life after loss. Outside of her work as a Community Manager for The Dinner Party, she is a birth and death Doula, Yoga and Meditation teacher, and leads Wellness retreats worldwide with her company Bliss Out Retreats.     Justin Thongsavanh, MPA is a community manager for The Dinner Party. Throughout his career, he has worked for a variety of nonprofits and municipalities focusing on the development and implementation of programs for youth. Prior to joining The Dinner Party, he worked for one of the nation’s largest bereavement camps, developing programs and raising funds for children and teens who experienced the loss of a parent or sibling. After the death of his own father at the age of 12, he felt isolated and alone. As an adult he has made it his mission to not only find a community for himself, but to also help create a community for folks who have experienced loss and subsequent adversities. He holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a Certificate in Non-Profit Management, and a Master’s in Public Administration all from California State University, Long Beach.     This webinar was one of the sessions of November's Grief Sensitivity Virtual Learning Institute (GSVLI). For more information on how to access resources from September's and November's GSVLI, please click here.

Original Broadcast Date: 9/11/20 This two- part series shares learnings from The Dinner Party, a nation-wide movement turning loss from an isolating experience to one marked by community support, candid conversation, and forward motion. This session takes you through the basic principles of a grief-sensitive workplace, including cultivating a culture of peer support and re-engaging struggling employees. For more information, visit www.thedinnerparty.org/atwork. Download the slides HERE.   Speaker Bios: Carla Fernandez, Co-Founder, The Dinner Party Fernandez is the co-founder of the award winning The Dinner Party , which houses Grief At Work. The family dinner table is sacred ground in the Fernandez family - so when her dad passed away of brain cancer, coming back to the table was a natural way for her to connect with others and unpack the experience of life after loss. She is also on the founding team of enso, a mission-driven creative agency working with brands such as Google, Khan Academy, and Nature Conservancy on their impact campaigns. She is an NYU Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, and Senior Fellow at the USC Annenberg School of Communications Innovation Lab. Iana Malcom is a community manager & BIPOC lead. At 27, and after 7 years of being her Caregiver, she lost her mother to Breast Cancer. At 31 years old, she lost her father to Brain Cancer. Since then she has dedicated her life to the support of Caregivers and all those managing life after loss. Outside of her work as a Community Manager for The Dinner Party, she is a birth and death Doula, Yoga and Meditation teacher, and leads Wellness retreats worldwide with her company Bliss Out Retreats. Justin Thongsavanh, MPA is a community manager for The Dinner Party. Throughout his career, he has worked for a variety of nonprofits and municipalities focusing on the development and implementation of programs for youth. Prior to joining The Dinner Party, he worked for one of the nation’s largest bereavement camps, developing programs and raising funds for children and teens who experienced the loss of a parent or sibling. After the death of his own father at the age of 12, he felt isolated and alone. As an adult he has made it his mission to not only find a community for himself, but to also help create a community for folks who have experienced loss and subsequent adversities. He holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a Certificate in Non-Profit Management, and a Master’s in Public Administration all from California State University, Long Beach. This webinar was one of the sessions of September's Grief Sensitivity Virtual Learning Institute (GSVLI). For more information on how to access resources from September's and November's GSVLI, please click here.

Original Webinar Date: 8/27/20 We all have implicit biases, and it’s important that we become mindful of how they can show up and impact our work with others. Implicit biases can lead to unfair differences in the expectations we hold for those we serve, how we interact with them, and the learning opportunities we provide. In this recording of Part 4 in this series, we explore the dynamics of implicit bias and its impact on decision-making in behavioral health spaces. In the process, we grapple with the concepts of prejudice, bias, microaggressions, and stereotypes. Presented by Pacific Southwest MHTTC team members Dr. Rachele Espiritu, Kaitlin E. Ferrick, JD, and Dr. Suganya Sockalingam.   Part 4 of this recorded series will challenge you to: Reflect on your own implicit bias Recognize the role bias plays in responding to mental health concerns and in client interactions Learn ways to become self-aware of personal biases Acknowledge the way bias shows up in our organizational culture, climate, policies, and practices Examine strategies to disrupt the biases that show up in our work  

Original Webinar Date: 7/22/20 We all have implicit biases, and it’s important that we become mindful of how they can show up and impact our work with others. Implicit biases can lead to unfair differences in the expectations we hold for those we serve, how we interact with them, and the learning opportunities we provide. In this recorded series, we explore the dynamics of implicit bias and its impact on decision-making in behavioral health spaces. In the process, we grapple with the concepts of prejudice, bias, microaggressions, and stereotypes. Presented by Pacific Southwest MHTTC team members Dr. Rachele Espiritu, Kaitlin E. Ferrick, JD, and Dr. Suganya Sockalingam.   This recorded series will challenge you to: Reflect on your own implicit bias Recognize the role bias plays in responding to mental health concerns and in client interactions Learn ways to become self-aware of personal biases Acknowledge the way bias shows up in our organizational culture, climate, policies, and practices Examine strategies to disrupt the biases that show up in our work

Session three Providing Mental Health Telehealth Services in Farming and Rural Communities   This webinar addressed how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected access to care, specifically mental health services. Presenters discussed how access to care is critical for farming and rural and frontier communities and highlighted the unique barriers these communities face. Presenters also provided information about telehealth service and resources, and how best practices developed prior and during the pandemic may provide longer-term solutions to mental health care access for farmers and rural communities. Participants gained a deeper understanding of how telehealth services work and how these services are implemented in real-world settings.   Slide deck Recording   Trainers Holly J. Roberts, PhD Deborah C. Baker, JD Stephen Gillaspy, PhD                      Four-part Series Addressing Mental Health Care in Farming and Rural Communities  COVID-19 is taking a tremendous toll on farming communities across the U.S., which already faced financial hardships before the pandemic. Now, the agricultural community is grappling with greater levels of uncertainty of what will happen to their livelihood in the coming months and years. The pandemic creates a new set of challenges.    Session one Improving Mental Health Care by Understanding the Culture of Farming and Rural Communities June 25, 2020 This webinar addressed the mental health crisis and unique stressors caused by COVID-19 within farming and rural/frontier communities. Presenters spoke to the ways health practitioners and community leaders should address stigma, stressors, mental risk factors, and provide treatment resources in these communities. Participants learned about improving mental health engagement and the unique aspects of providing services within these communities while also getting a "boots-on-the-ground" perspective on mental health care for farmers.   View Resources from Session One   Trainers Monica Kramer McConkey, LPC Kristi Phillips, PsyD   Session two Approaching and Treating Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders in Farming and Rural Communities July 2, 2020 This webinar discussed co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in farming and rural communities. Speakers outlined the prevalence of mental health and substance use co-occurring disorders, linking research to real-world impact of these disorders. Presenters also touched on the impact of COVID-19 within these communities. Participants learned how primary care providers can screen and identify signs and symptoms of co-occurring disorders as well as potential options for treatment plans.   View Resources from Session Two   Trainers Maridee Shogren, CNM, DNP Rebecca Roller, PsyD, LMFT   Session four Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders in Farming and Rural Communities: Assessment, Ethics, and Preventing Compassion Fatigue   This webinar continued the conversation about co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in farming and rural communities begun by Dr. Rebecca Roller and Dr. Maridee Shogren. In this follow up session Dr. Roller and Dr. Shogren provided additional information for using assessment tools to screen for co-occurring disorders in farming and rural populations, examined the unique ethical considerations created by providing care in small communities, and touched on ways to identify and prevent provider compassion fatigue. Participant questions from the session on Approaching and Treating Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders in Farming and Rural Communities were used to help guide this presentation.   View Resources from Session Four   Trainers Maridee Shogren, CNM, DNP Rebecca Roller, PsyD, LMFT   Additional Resources Farm Stress and Mental Health Rural Mental Health Resources  

Download the slide deck here Today’s economic crisis, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures, poses significant challenges for state budget-makers. This webinar, led by health care financing expert Dr. Adam Wilk, will discuss those challenges in the context of school and school district leaders’ efforts to finance school mental health programs. Leaders must look for opportunities to sustain these programs using new funding (e.g., federal) sources and, when possible, anticipate which previously counted-on funding sources may see the largest cuts.   By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: 1. Identify new sources of financing for school-based mental health services derived from governmental responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. Discuss the potential implications of state budget crises for school-based mental health financing. 3. Illustrate the importance of state, federal, and local sources for financing school-based mental health services in different states and communities in the Southeast.

Original Webinar Date: 05/26/2020 Times of crisis necessitate health care leaders to balance competing priorities, including patient need, staff wellbeing, and one’s own health. While it can be difficult to reflect in the midst of a crisis - like in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic - this recorded session dedicates time to exploring strategies to improve leadership’s response in times of crisis. This webinar video explores the Crisis Leadership Continuum (readiness, response, recovery and renewal), highlighting health care leadership approaches and strategies integral to ensuring staff wellbeing through crisis.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explore and examine the four stages of the Crisis Leadership Continuum: readiness, response, recovery and renewal. Using reflective questions, identify 2-3 leadership crisis strengths and growth points to enhance organizational resilience. Identify 2-3 applicable strategies in the short term and long term to address staff wellbeing through crisis.   This webinar was hosted by our partner, California Primary Care Association (CPCA), and was facilitated by Leora Wolf-Prusan, the School Mental Health Lead at the Pacific Southwest MHTTC.

Original Webinar Date: 05/19/2020 This webinar was hosted by our partner, California Primary Care Association (CPCA), and facilitated by Leora Wolf-Prusan, the School Mental Health Lead at the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. Health center staff are constantly asked to prioritize the patients’ need, sometimes resulting in overwhelming feelings of stress, compassion fatigue, and burn-out. In order to fully show up for those they serve, professionals need structural policy supports and practice changes that balances self and collective wellbeing. This archived webinar explores how we can create and maintain health care work cultures - now and always - where staff are resourced and ready to care for patients. Presenters discuss frameworks for why supporting health care professionals through practice and policy changes is critical to preventing burn-out, secondary stress, and compassion fatigue.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify methods to assess areas of strength and areas of growth in support for health care professionals’ sustainability. Identify strategies to apply self and collective care through both practices and structural policies. Understand how self and collective care intersects with trauma-informed and resilience oriented workplace and culture.

Original Webinar Date: 05/13/2020 Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Everyone has them, and becoming mindful of how implicit and explicit biases impact our work with others is important. Implicit biases can lead to unfair differences in the expectations we hold for those we serve, how we interact with them, and the learning opportunities we provide. This webinar recording is part of a four-part series that explores the dynamics of implicit bias and its impact on our work in mental health. Starting with the individual, this webinar challenges you to reflect on your own implicit biases and learn ways to become self-aware regarding your own biases and microaggressions. Additional sessions in this series focus on relationships with clients, organizational culture and climate, and engagement with communities.   Viewers will be able to: Develop a shared understanding of implicit bias. Experientially grapple with the concepts of prejudice, bias, stereotypes, and attitudes. Recognize the role bias plays in responding to the mental health concerns. Learn ways to become self-aware regarding their own biases.       About the Facilitators: Dr. Rachele Espiritu is the co-director of SAMHSA's Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, and the Pacific Islands). Dr. Espiritu provides training, technical assistance, and capacity building at the local, territory, tribal, state, and national level in multiple systems, including mental health, substance use, public health, and education. She is a founding partner with Change Matrix LLC, a minority- and women-owned small business that motivates, manages and measures change to support systems that improve lives. She is a former School Board Member of Denver Public Schools (DPS), where she provided direction and leadership for Whole Child efforts and successfully passed a resolution for DPS to become a trauma-informed school district.   Kaitlin E. Ferrick, J.D. is a Knowledge Transfer Specialist with the Pacific Southwest MHTTC and a Change Specialist with Change Matrix. Ms. Ferrick’s work focuses on driving equitable outcomes for children and families through strategic, cross-sector systems change. Previously, Ms. Ferrick was the Head Start State Collaboration Office Director at the Michigan Department of Education where she worked to improve collaboration between the federal Head Start and state early childhood systems. Ms. Ferrick attended law school at the University of Wisconsin, where she participated in the Innocence Project and assisted an array of indigent clients with their legal matters. She also taught in Los Angeles County Head Start classrooms as a Teach for America corps member.   Dr. Suganya Sockalingam is a Founding Partner at Change Matrix, LLC, which supports agencies in addressing diversity, cultural competence, and cross-cultural communication as well as leadership, collaboration, and conflict management. Dr. Sockalingam focuses on supporting individuals, organizations, and systems to motivate, manage, and measure systems change. Currently, she serves as a training and technical assistance provider for several national technical assistance centers, and for other federal, national, state, territorial, and community agencies. She earned her doctorate at Washington State University and has worked in many capacities in public and behavioral health, both nationally and internationally, for over 25 years.

Drs. Holly Roberts, William Higgins and JK Costello discuss the policy and logistics of telehealth billing in this week's Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays presentation.   Download the slides.

This fact sheet focuses on supported housing and resources that may be useful in assisting individuals struggling with homelessness. It also covers information on homelessness and supported housing specific to the Southeast, and explores whether supported housing is effective in saving lives.