Products and Resources Catalog

        Chadwell, M.R., Young, K., Franta, E., S. Zivny & Clarke,B. (2021). Stress and Worry in the Classroom: Function-Based Strategies for Addressing Anxiety. Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center. 

          Chadwell, M.R., Franta, E., Robinson, L. & Clarke, B. (2021). Re-Engaging Learners: Function-Based Strategies for Fostering Engagement. Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center.

Artistic expression can be healing. Expressive Arts Therapy is the intentional use of multiple arts modalities--such as visual art, creative writing, music, movement, and theater--to promote psychological growth and well-being. This Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy Toolkit can be used to foster healing and growth through the creative process. This toolkit includes simple, trauma-informed activities from Expressive Arts Therapy that can be used for self-care or in provider's work with individuals or groups. The toolkit is intended for those working in the field of mental and behavioral health as psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, drug and alcohol recovery counselors, and more. Most of the activities can be done individually or in groups.

This handout complements Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention After a Suicide, part of the webinar series Healing Roots: Considerations for Mental Health Accessibility and Delivery of Services Across Tribal Communities.

The Pacific Southwest MHTTC curated a list of resources to support mental health needs in times of crisis. These resources have been curated with social distance mandates in mind and provide many virtual or electronic options for support. The list includes relevant webinars, stress management apps, publications, and online resources.

While schools serve as a natural setting for student mental health services, relying solely on school-based staff and resources may create system strains and inadequately meet all student needs. Building partnerships and utilizing collaborations with community health organizations can broaden access to mental health care. To support New Jersey schools and districts with identifying potential system partners, the Northeast & Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) has developed the New Jersey School Mental Health Resource Directory. This directory includes nearly 200 organizations throughout the state of New Jersey that provide mental health services to children and adolescents. When utilizing the directory schools and districts may find it most helpful to: determine the types of services for which support is needed, use the directory key to identify the type of organizations that may be applicable, and search by county for organizations that fit your needs.

Recognizing the need to provide person-centered, recovery-oriented services for people who experience mental distress during the perinatal period, the MHTTC Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) Coordination Group came together to provide training, develop products, increase access to research-based resources, and provide technical assistance to health and mental health professionals serving persons who experience mental health symptoms during the perinatal period. In December 2020, the MHTTC PMH Coordination Group developed and distributed an electronic needs assessment to gauge training and technical assistance needs related to PMH. The needs assessment was distributed via email and social media to health, mental health, and addiction treatment providers; community health centers; and perinatal health contact lists. This document is a summary report of responses. These results will help the PMH Coordination Group and the MHTTC Network better collaborate with health and mental health professionals and stakeholders throughout the country. Also, these results will inform the development of products, training materials, and technical assistance requests. To access the resource, please click the download link above.

This booklet gives teachers hands-on activities and learning opportunities to help your classroom better understand and appreciate Native American culture, both during Native American Heritage Month, or throughout the year! 

This handout complements Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Students Attending Tribal Colleges, part of the webinar series Healing Roots: Considerations for Mental Health Accessibility and Delivery of Services Across Tribal Communities.

About this Resource:  Office Hours (OH) are a series of facilitated small-group discussions on different aspects of a central topic. The purpose of this toolkit is to support an organization's efforts to host office hours by identifying and reviewing the steps involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating an OH event series. This toolkit was designed following two series of virtual OHs hosted by the Southeast Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Southeast MHTTC) during the Covid-19 pandemic. One series focused on support for Certified Peer Specialists and the other engaged administrators in navigating changes in mental health services delivery during the pandemic.  

About this Resource:       The COVID-19 Pandemic caused many providers of mental healthcare to shift from in-person to virtual services. After several months of working from home, many clinicians are beginning the process of returning to in-person services or hybrid service provision. This toolkit is meant to help clinicians prepare for their return to in-person service work by providing tools for planning their return, practicing self-care strategies, and reducing anxiety and burnout. 

  Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Toolkit Description Healing Our Protectors: Building Resilience Among Tribal Law Enforcement Officers Through Cultural Interventions is a Mountain Plains MHTTC resource that serves behavioral health treatment providers in gaining a deeper understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their work as a law enforcement officer. Co-authored by Leo Belgarde, Sr., it provides a first person account of his experiences as a tribal officer, Bureau of Indian Affairs officer, city officer, and county police officer. It describes events that precipitated him seeking treatment for PTSD and the consequences he faced due to accessing treatment. Healing Our Protectors is a resource that has been developed to provide strength-based, positive, culturally responsive strategies for Indigenous law enforcement officers. If the officer does not connect with this aspect of their culture, this resource still supports a cultural representation of where they are policing and can be modified to meet their needs.   Authors LaVonne Fox, PhD Leo Belgarde, Sr. Thomasine Heitkamp, LCSW   Editor Shawnda Schroeder, PhD, MA

    Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Toolkit Description Providing physical or behavioral healthcare to others during the global health pandemic can lead to increased levels of stress, fear, anxiety, burnout, frustration, and other strong emotions. It is imperative that physical and behavioral healthcare providers recognize personal signs of mental fatigue, are given supports in their organization to ensure continued productivity and quality care, and are provided with tools to learn how to cope and build resilience.   This toolkit has been developed to encourage self-care and to assist in building resilience among physical and behavioral healthcare providers amidst the global health pandemic. It walks the reader through a case scenario of one rural primary care provider who learns to identify signs of common mental, emotional, and psychological concerns that have arisen because of the global health pandemic. Following the case presentation are strategies for developing a personal mental health and wellness plan as well as recommendations for the health systems who employ these essential, frontline workers. Organizations can and should consider adaptations to support their employees during the pandemic, and to follow. Authors Shawnda Schroeder, PhD, MA Per Ostmo, BA Robin Landwehr, DBH, LPCC, NCC Andy McLean, MD, MPH Thomasine Heitkamp, LCSW

This interactive guide provides a trauma-conscious, equitable, and compassionate roadmap to supporting the mental health and resilience of every member of the school community.

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for caregivers (LMHA, CASAs, etc.)

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for schooling professionals.

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for juvenile justice professionals.

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for legal professionals. 

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for child welfare professionals and advocates

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for victim services professionals.

It might be happening now – your children are looking to you to help them understand what’s going on, but you’re trying to figure it out and process it yourself. You are not alone.  In the days and weeks following the attack on the U.S. Capitol, some parents and guardians may wonder how to talk to their children about what happened. Not being sure where or how to start is normal in light of the situation, so do not feel embarrassed, frustrated, or guilty for not knowing exactly what to do and say. Having an open and honest talk with your children s important, but it’s also important to also take a moment for yourself before embarking on this journey. Here are some suggestions for how to start talking about this with your children and answer some of their questions.   Access PDF  

In collaboration with the Children’s Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), this document has been created to provide trauma-informed care training resources for mental and behavioral health professionals 

      Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Strengthening Resilience: Promoting Positive School Mental Health Among Indigenous Youth   The purpose of this document is to provide tools for K-12 educators, administrators, and mental health treatment providers to better address the learning and behavioral health needs of Indigenous youth in a holistic manner. It is also a resource for faculty working in higher education to prepare future professionals, particularly those planning to work in tribal communities with children and youth. The focus of this document is on resilience and well-being of Indigenous youth in a historical context. The historical review provides a greater understanding of the role of boarding schools, forced colonization, and assimilation resulting in cultural genocide and their impact on education.   Strengthening Resilience: Promoting Positive School Mental Health Among Indigenous Youth identifies how unmet needs can be addressed through a fictitious case scenario, focusing on resilience and culturally responsive practices. The document also addresses the role of trauma to assist educators and providers to advance a greater understanding of the cultural context of Indigenous youth. Strategies and resources are provided to include the Seven Teachings and the Circle of Courage that can be incorporated into traditional teachings in the k-12 curriculums and adapted in any school. This results in opportunities to teach all youth about traditional practices of our Indigenous populations. Finally, a host of resources are provided that are easily accessible to the reader who wishes to learn more about school-based responses that can be effective in working with Indigenous youth. The resources are based on best-practices to include increasing cultural awareness of tribal history, language, and culture within the full continuum of educational and behavioral health response. This document serves as a supplement to the technical assistance efforts provided by Mountain Plain Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) entitled Building Capacity of School Personnel to Promote Mental Health in Native American Children and Youth. The focus of the training was to build capacity of school teams to promote positive mental health throughout the school day through embedded strategies in response to mental health needs of children and youth. Authors LaVonne Fox Sarah Nielsen Thomasine Heitkamp Shawnda Schroeder  

      Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Trauma Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit: Version Two, National Edition  The Trauma Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit is designed to guide users to develop a plan and to organize efforts to meet evidence-based practice standards in creating trauma responsive schools. The toolkit integrates knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices. Throughout, it aims to avoid re-traumatization. The toolkit provides an action-oriented guide for school administrators, staff, and teachers, along with community systems that serve children, youth, and families. The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center edited and contributed to this product, ensuring the original product (developed at a state level) was appropriate for a broader, national audience.   Authors Evelin Gomez Ashley Brock-Baca Angèle Fauchier   Editor and Contributor Erin Briley, Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Preferred Citation Gomez, E., Brock-Baca, A., & Fauchier, A. (2020). Trauma Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit. Version 2, National Edit. Denver, Colorado: Colorado Office of Behavioral Health. Retrieved from (MHTTC product landing page) Version One and the Statewide Toolkit COACT Colorado has developed two toolkits, based on the Trauma-Responsive Schools Theory of Change and the Statewide Trauma-Responsive Theory of Change.   Access Version One or the Statewide Toolkit Here   The Trauma-Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit: Version One Available for download, free of charge. This toolkit offers an action plan for implementing trauma-responsive practices to help address each school’s unique priorities using this Theory of Change. It contains guidance and recommendations based on the current research and the real-world experiences of teachers, administrators, staff, families, and communities. The Toolkit is intended to integrate trauma-responsive approaches with other initiatives, procedures, and daily activities in the education setting.   Statewide Trauma-Responsive Theory of Change Toolkit  The Statewide Trauma-Responsive Theory of Change Toolkit offers an action plan for implementing trauma-responsive practices to help address each agency’s unique priorities using this Theory of Change. The Statewide Toolkit is applicable to any agency or system that serves children, youth, and families, including behavioral health, child welfare, juvenile justice, courts, medicine, early childhood, and various non-profit organizations.