Products and Resources Catalog

LGBTQ communities face health disparities linked to stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. LGBTQ individuals have higher rates of psychiatric disorders, substance use, violence, and suicide and may encounter lack of acceptance by their family members and the society which. affects their mental health and personal safety. This webinar series will be served to explore how bias impact our worldview and the work with the LGBTQ population, to identify health disparities among LGTBQ population, and to explore interventions to create a safe space and minimize the impact of implicit bias.

Healthcare workers with all levels of education and training provide essential care and support to our New England population. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, this workforce has worked harder and longer to ensure that we were able to access healthcare services, often putting their physical and mental health and well-being on the line. Now, after more than a year of working during this ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease and managing their own personal challenges, healthcare providers are experiencing high levels of stress, vicarious trauma, emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and burnout. This added burden puts them at risk for stress-related medical problems, mental conditions, and substance misuse, as well as increased risk for leaving their profession altogether. The pandemic has disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and their families, who are also experiencing racial inequality in the workplace and society. On July 28, the second webinar in our series will feature presenters that recognized the struggles faced by their BIPOC employees and colleagues during COVID-19 and took steps to address their needs proactively. Our presenters will discuss emerging and best practices specific to creating equitable supports that promote the well-being of BIPOC employees.   Event moderated by: Daryl McGraw, MS, Senior Manager of Racial Justice and Equity, C4 Innovations   Presenter(s): 1) Machiste L. Rankin was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and raised in Providence, R.I.  The youngest of seven, Machiste's father is a career U.S. Navy veteran, and his mother was a homemaker who sadly lost her battle with cancer in 1993.  Machiste attended school in the City of Providence Public School System.  A former State of R.I. Correctional Officer (13 years of service), and graduate of Bristol Community College (degree in Criminal Justice and certificate of Law Enforcement) and member of Phi Theta Kappa, he now acts as the Chairman of the Advocacy Committee for RICares (Rhode Island Communities for Addiction and Recovery Efforts), Community Engagement Coordinator, and Outreach Specialist.  He is also a former Acting Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and current member of The Providence External Review Authority. He is the father of two incredible children who inspire his every deed.  Lastly, he is a man in long-term recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder.    2) Regina P. Wilson, PhD completed her Master’s Degree and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Connecticut.  She has been licensed by the State of Connecticut since 2000.  Dr. Wilson has been in private practice for the past 17 years but she has over 25 years of clinical work experience. In her professional career, Dr. Wilson has worked in variety of settings including child guidance, and inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities.  She has also provided clinical and administrative supervisor for clinical graduate students at the University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology Mental Health Clinic.   Her therapeutic approach is a more integrative, dynamic and holistic approach that involves a partnership with her clients to utilize their strengths and assets in meeting their therapeutic goals using evidence-based treatment modalities.  She tends to utilize a variety of techniques including but not limited to Trauma-informed treatment approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Psychoeducation, Behavior Modification, and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy.  While Dr. Wilson has worked with a multitude of clinical issues and diverse populations, she has specialty in the areas of trauma, sexual abuse, and domestic violence.   Besides psychotherapy, she also conducts psychological evaluations.  In addition, she is trained in EMDR. Dr. Wilson is also a board member and Vice President of the CT BIPOC Mental Health & Wellness Initiative where she has conducted numerous psychoeducational and healing forums for the BIPOC community.   In addition, she is a Level 2, Reiki healer who seeks to bridge energy healing with psychotherapy.  Dr. Wilson has sought to expand her knowledge of alternative healing practices through trainings on Shamanism, involvement in Indigenous practices such as sweat lodges, and sound healing.     

Latinxs living in the US experience disparities in access and quality of mental health services. The social determinants of health, immigration status, immigration-related trauma, and the cumulative experience of inequality, combined with the vulnerability during pregnancy and postpartum may result in a higher risk for mental health symptoms. Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHDs) is a term used to include the various disorders that can affect individuals during pregnancy and postpartum. This factsheet provides relevant information on cultural considerations for mental health providers working with Latinx populations experiencing or at risk for PMHDs.

Lxs latinxs que viven en los Estados Unidos experimentan disparidades en el acceso y en la calidad de los servicios de salud mental. Los determinantes sociales de la salud, el estado migratorio, el trauma relacionado con la inmigración y la experiencia acumulada de desigualdad, combinados con la vulnerabilidad durante el embarazo y el posparto, pueden resultar en un mayor riesgo de síntomas de salud mental. Los trastornos de salud mental perinatal (TSMP) es un término que se utiliza para incluir los diversos trastornos que pueden afectar a las personas durante el embarazo y el posparto. Esta hoja informativa proporciona información relevante sobre las consideraciones culturales para los proveedores de salud mental que trabajan con poblaciones latinas que experimentan o están en riesgo de desarrollar TSMP.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. among people ages 10-24 years old and has disproportionately increased in Hispanic and Latinx adolescents and young adults, who have elevated rates of suicidal behaviors. This factsheet will provide information about trends in suicide, suicidal thoughts, and behaviors, identifying suicide-related risk in Hispanic and Latinx youth, and review evidence-based practices to screen for risk across various settings. 

Behavioral health practitioners and organizations are often required to determine whether a particular intervention meets the needs of their clients, staff, and/or funders. The Best and Promising Practice (BPP) Fact Sheet Library, developed by the MHTTC Network, is designed to provide the mental health workforce with information about a wide array of evidence-based and promising approaches. Each fact sheet in the library summarizes a specific behavioral health practice, its evidence base, and steps for successful implementation.  In this sheet, we provide an overview of the principles and practice of Familia Adelante.

This is the Spanish language version of the accompaniment to the on-demand recording of Dr. Teri Brister's presentation. This infographic highlights the importance and essential elements of person and family centered care.  Acknowledgement: A special thank you to the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC for their assistance in developing this resource. 

          LGBT+ communities face health disparities linked to stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. LGBT+ individuals have higher rates of psychiatric disorders, substance use, violence, and suicide and may encounter a lack of acceptance by their family members and society which affects their mental health and personal safety. This webinar series will be served to explore how bias impact our worldview and the work with the LGBT+ population, to identify health disparities among LGTB+ population, and to explore interventions to create a safe space and minimize the impact of implicit bias.  

    Stress is a common factor in our society that affects and impacts us daily. For marginalized communities, the stress factor increases. For decades, the LGBT+ community has been a marginalized and stigmatized by the State. For Latinxs being part of an ethnic minority increases the stress factor. This webinar will discuss the Minority Stress Model as it describes the excessive stress to which individuals of stigmatized social categories are exposed as a result of their social position, and its impact on mental health. Furthermore, the presenter will address how Latinx cultural values can shape the coping mechanisms used to manage these stressors. The presentation will discuss the LGBTQ+ Affirmative Model as a recommended approach to work with Latinx LGBTQ+ communities with mental health challenges. This model works mainly with the acceptance of sexual orientation and gender identity / expression of the person served and requires that mental health professionals have the knowledge and sensitivity necessary to work with the community.

Original broadcast date: June 21, 2021   This session is the third in a three-part series focused on (im)migrant student mental health.   Please note that while this program has a special focus on students who identify as Latino/a/x,  Chican@, and Mexican-American, all are welcome and much can be related to other student identities with shared experiences.    Session 3: School Mental Health Strategies to Support Newcomers: CBITS and Community Building Circles  The plight of newcomers (students who have recently arrived to the United States) continues to be an issue that impacts their educational journey and is even more exacerbated during the pandemic. Students' experiences vary, but they may include feelings of isolation, integration, and adapting to new cultural norms.  This session will highlight a student’s experience and what school systems can offer to support students in traditional and distance learning settings.  The session examines shared risk and protective factors for vulnerable populations and outlines school programs like CBITS and restorative justice Community Building Circles, highlighting cultural adaptations of both models.    To deepen our awareness about (im)migrant student experiences, we:  Build understanding of: the impact of mental health on newcomer students and its relation to their learning, adapting to the American school system, and resources to support their growth. Explore myths and misconceptions about newcomer students and build empathetic partnerships for their academic and social emotional growth. Examine the risk factors and increase support systems to enhance protective factors such as CBITS and restorative justice Community Building Circles.   Priming Resources Priming Resources for Needs and Joys of Our (Im)migrant* Students, Families, and Community Partners: Exploring and Expanding our School Mental Health Practice (Spring 2021) Resources to Support the Mental Health of Asylum Seekers Northern Triangle Unaccompanied Children and Families Seeking Asylum: Traumatic Effects on Children's Attachment and Reunification Psychological First Aid for Unaccompanied Children by NCTSN   Session 3 Resources Session 3: School Mental Health to Support Newcomers: CBITS and Community Building Circles slide deck (PDF)   View Session 1 and Session 2 of this series.     Our Learning Series and Community of Practice Faculty Angela Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW  Angela J. Castellanos serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist for the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. 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); and developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery, and School Mental Health. As a direct practitioner, Angela has developed programs and services for newcomers in a school district setting.  Internationally, she has provided trauma based work in El Salvador.    Alicia Arambula, MSW, ASW, PPSC Alicia Arambula is a Latinx School Social Worker in the south San Diego region. As a School Social Worker, Arambula has developed a mental health program to address youth mental health by providing professional learning opportunities for staff, establishing systems of support utilizing restorative practices and bridging the gap for students to access mental health counseling in or outside of school. Arambula has a Master of Social Work from San Diego State University with a pupil personnel services credential in social work. Arambula has over ten years of experience serving youth and their families in various capacities such as addressing diverse needs including substance dependency, immigration, and education. Arambula is a fronteriza, a hybrid culture that exists within border regions, which directly impacts her theoretical approach in serving her community.    Claudia Gonzalez, LCSW, PPSC-SW Claudia Gonzalez is the lead child and adolescent mental health clinician at a Federally Qualified Health Center in South San Diego. She has a Master of Social Work and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Diego State University. She has over 10 years of experience working along the U.S.-Mexico border close to her hometown of San Ysidro. Her personal experience and work in the border region have afforded Claudia the opportunity to understand the intersection of the communities social, sexual, and family ties in both countries.       Claudia Rojas, MA Claudia Rojas earned her BA in Sociology from UCR, an MA in Education from UCLA, and an Administrative Credential from CSUDH; she has been an educator since 2003 and has always worked at high need schools in Los Angeles. Currently, Claudia serves as a Newcomer Coach and previously she served as a Restorative Justice Teacher Advisor. From 2012-2018, she served as a founding high school principal located in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. The school focused on mental and behavioral health and is a student-centered, teacher-driven school. Claudia is committed to student voice, social justice, equity and access, innovation, and community collaboration.

  This webinar focuses on key aspects of mental health assessment strategies for unaccompanied minors in the United States (US). The webinar will introduce participants to a definition of assessment, provide an overview of best practices for cross-cultural assessment, and introduce participants to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as one measure of psychosocial wellbeing that can be implemented in multiple clinical settings. Learning objectives: 1. Participants will learn how mental health assessment has been used in research to understand the complex psychosocial needs of unaccompanied minors. 2. Participants will learn about assessment strategies that can help identify complex mental health needs of unaccompanied minors. 3. Participants will learn how the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire can help identify symptoms of psychosocial distress as well as prosocial behavior that unaccompanied minors may experience.

  Culturally and linguistically appropriate services are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and needs of diverse consumers (Office of Minority Health, 2014). By developing Latino cultural competence, services that are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, cultural and linguistic needs of diverse students and families can be effectively delivered.

    Mental Health Issues in the Latino Communities Latino communities are at significant risk for mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, suicide attempt, and are less likely to access culturally responsive mental health services. Immigration, cultural identity, poverty, and discrimination create high levels of stress among Latinos. Mental health issues that are undiagnosed or untreated can lead to negative outcomes for Latinos, including negative interactions at school and with authorities, increased disconnection from family and society, and exposure to the criminal justice system. Culture plays an important role in the lives of Latino communities. Equity Mental Health: Breaking barriers to access mental health treatment & increase community awareness about the Latino populations Culturally and linguistically appropriate services are respectful of and responsive to diverse consumers' health beliefs, practices, and needs" (Office of Minority Health). By developing Latino cultural competence, the services can be effectively delivered in a sense of respect and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, cultural and linguistic needs of diverse students and families. In that regard, we will discuss barriers and facilitators to community participation and the importance of making referrals that lead to positive engagement for Hispanic and Latino families considering cultural and linguistic characteristics.

    Understanding culture-specific risk and protective factors associated with mental health among Latinos is essential. Unaccompanied children and youths are a particularly significant risk for psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress and are less likely to access culturally responsive mental health services and continue to be undiagnosed or untreated. This can lead to negative outcomes such as negative interactions at school and with authorities, increased disconnection from family and society, and exposure to the criminal justice system. Even when released to the community, Latino unaccompanied children (UC) and youths often struggle to find a safe haven and are susceptible to abuse, crime victimization, difficulties adjusting to a new language and culture, and lack of needed educational, medical, mental health, and legal resources. Also, the provision of psychoeducation services to unaccompanied minors and their families about the stressors faced during the pre-migration, in-journey, and post-migration can serve to validate their experiences and help them navigate obstacles over time. Challenges that can be encountered during engagement with the client and their family will be discussed as well as resources and recommendations.   Learning objectives:   1. Recognize the effects of immigration detention and family separation on the attachment reactions of Hispanic unaccompanied children and youths.   2. Discuss Hispanic and Latino culture-specific risk and protective factors associated with mental health.   3. Consider the use of psychoeducation interventions to engage Hispanic unaccompanied children and youths and their parents into mental health and community services.  

Through this webinar, participants will understand how we all can learn a common language between mental health and school communities, recognize why student’s mental health is important to consider in the school settings, and the importance that mental health providers understand how to engage the Hispanic and Latino community. Learning objectives: 1. Devise communication and negotiation tools to promote positive interaction between social workers and school staff. 2. List steps to successfully navigate a multi-tiered system of support in schools. 3. Describe how effective collaboration across integrated systems of care can lead to improved mental health supports for students and educators alike. 4. Outline best practices in school mental health collaboration and work alongside school staff to improve school climate and learning environment.

This Family Compassionate Conversation focused on wellness in Latinx families. This session, conducted in Spanish, offered positive wellness practices for families. We offered tips on ways to share practices and tools with others in your circle. Participants also experienced a brief mindfulness practice that can be shared with others in their lives.    

Original broadcast date: May 17, 2021   This session is the second in a three-part series focused on (im)migrant student mental health.   Please note that while this program has a special focus on students who identify as Latino/a/x,  Chican@, and Mexican-American, all are welcome and much can be related to other student identities with shared experiences.    Session 1: What is the what? Nuances, complications, and contributions of (Im)migrant & Latinx student mental health The number of transborder students—students that regularly cross land borders to access an education in the United States—is difficult to capture, but with 1,954 miles of borderland between the United States and Mexico, this number is easily in the thousands. Transborder students, like immigrant children, often live in the shadows. Their lives are complex, and navigating some of the busiest ports of entry in the world while balancing not being seen and at the same time being successful in school, can be tolling. This webinar addresses common school mental health challenges and celebrations of immigrant, mixed status, and transborder students. Together, we explore how to develop environments in schools that are trauma sensitive and reinforce sustainable systems of support via a cultural lens of the transborder and immigrant experience, while taking into consideration the challenges that have been exacerbated through COVID-19 and distance learning.   To deepen our awareness about (im)migrant student experiences, we:  Become more familiar with transborder student experiences. Explore the policies that impact our student population and the resources available to support us. Gain practical information that might increase confidence to provide support to transborder students and their families (including how MTSS might be adapted to border considerations).   Priming Resources Priming Resources for Needs and Joys of Our (Im)migrant* Students, Families, and Community Partners: Exploring and Expanding our School Mental Health Practice (Spring 2021) Resources to Support the Mental Health of Asylum Seekers Northern Triangle Unaccompanied Children and Families Seeking Asylum: Traumatic Effects on Children's Attachment and Reunification Psychological First Aid for Unaccompanied Children by NCTSN   Resources Session 2: Fronterismo: Supporting Transborder School Mental Health slide deck (PDF) Reflection Tool (PDF)   View Session 1 and Session 3 of this series.   Our Learning Series and Community of Practice Faculty Angela Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW  Angela J. Castellanos serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist for the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. 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); and developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery, and School Mental Health. As a direct practitioner, Angela has developed programs and services for newcomers in a school district setting.  Internationally, she has provided trauma based work in El Salvador.      Alicia Arambula, MSW, ASW, PPSC Alicia Arambula is a Latinx School Social Worker in the south San Diego region. As a School Social Worker, Arambula has developed a mental health program to address youth mental health by providing professional learning opportunities for staff, establishing systems of support utilizing restorative practices and bridging the gap for students to access mental health counseling in or outside of school. Arambula has a Master of Social Work from San Diego State University with a pupil personnel services credential in social work. Arambula has over ten years of experience serving youth and their families in various capacities such as addressing diverse needs including substance dependency, immigration, and education. Arambula is a fronteriza, a hybrid culture that exists within border regions, which directly impacts her theoretical approach in serving her community.      Claudia Gonzalez, LCSW, PPSC-SW Claudia Gonzalez is the lead child and adolescent mental health clinician at a Federally Qualified Health Center in South San Diego. She has a Master of Social Work and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Diego State University. She has over 10 years of experience working along the U.S.-Mexico border close to her hometown of San Ysidro. Her personal experience and work in the border region have afforded Claudia the opportunity to understand the intersection of the communities social, sexual, and family ties in both countries.         Claudia Rojas, MA Claudia Rojas earned her BA in Sociology from UCR, an MA in Education from UCLA, and an Administrative Credential from CSUDH; she has been an educator since 2003 and has always worked at high need schools in Los Angeles. Currently, Claudia serves as a Newcomer Coach and previously she served as a Restorative Justice Teacher Advisor. From 2012-2018, she served as a founding high school principal located in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. The school focused on mental and behavioral health and is a student-centered, teacher-driven school. Claudia is committed to student voice, social justice, equity and access, innovation, and community collaboration.

  Suicide prevention is an area of our work that is difficult to sustain a long-term commitment to. The emotional work takes a toll, and we must seek self-care regularly. Prevention strategies for Latinx and Indigenous populations are not singular nor is there one approach for all individuals or communities. Understanding the importance of cultural elements and the need to adapt any prevention strategies in order to be most effective is a primary task. Providers, community leaders, and parents must work together to uncover the reasons behind young people and adults reporting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair. Visionaries and leaders must activate hope and compassion for those who seek a new approach to life’s problems. This session will explore strategies to encourage new approaches to prevention and treatment. Learning objectives: 1. Identify and discuss the current trends in data specific to hopelessness, feeling sad, and suicidal ideation among Latinx and Indigenous populations while considering suicidal behaviors beginning in adolescence. 2. Identify and discuss the intersections of racism and discrimination as they relate to suicide among Latinx and Indigenous populations. 3. Provide examples and resources for prevention strategies that have shown to be effective with Latinx and Indigenous populations.

  This webinar will review stressors that have been intensified due to the 2020 events. The webinar will al so identify stress management tools that can be used for school aged children and those who provide services to them in a school-based setting. Special considerations for Hispanic and Latino youth mental health will also be discussed. Learning objectives: 1. Discuss how 2020 stressors impact youth and family mental health. 2. Learn stress management tools that can be utilized in a school setting. 3. Identify basic cultural considerations for Hispanic and Latino youth and families.

  Hispanic youths are less likely to have access to mental health services and more likely to prematurely terminate services when they do engage in treatment. Common barriers to accessing mental health care include: (a) limited availability of linguistically appropriate services for Spanish-speaking children and families; (b) limited services available in rural areas; (c) lack of transportation to mental health facilities; (d) being under- or uninsured; (e) caregiver employment barriers (e.g., scheduled work hours, leave restrictions; and more recently (f) a global pandemic which has shut down most in-person mental health services for over a year. Telehealth (i.e., the use of interactive technologies such as videoconferencing via computer and/or tablet to deliver mental health services) is an alternative to office-based delivery of treatment which can address disparities in access to care. This introductory webinar will describe the state of the evidence for telehealth delivery of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for underserved Hispanic youth, offer logistical and practical tips for getting started (e.g., equipment, procedures, documentation, ethical and safety considerations), and demonstrate culturally and linguistically tailored resources. Participants will also learn about challenges, facilitators, and special considerations for delivery of TF-CBT via telehealth with Hispanic youth before and during the COVID-19 global pandemic.   Learning objectives:    Describe the state of the evidence for telehealth delivery of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for underserved Hispanic youth. Describe logistical and practical tips for implementing TF-CBT via telehealth (e.g., equipment, procedures, documentation, ethical and safety considerations). Describe culturally and linguistically tailored resources for implementing TF-CBT via telehealth. Describe challenges, facilitators, and special considerations for delivery of TF-CBT via telehealth with Hispanic youth before and during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

    Raising awareness of the traumatic experiences, background, developmental history, and mental health needs of unaccompanied minors (UC) and place this in the context of the child’s culture and national origin is critical. The panelists will provide an overview of what is trauma, common reactions (emotional/behavioral) observed in youth after traumatic events, and evidence-based tips and strategies to bolster resiliency and promote psychological recovery among unaccompanied minors that any individual or community member interacting with these youth can use. The webinar will include a description of mental health assessment strategies for unaccompanied minors in the United States, with a focus on how the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Barriers and facilitators to community participation and making referrals that lead to positive engagement for UC and their families and cultural and linguistic considerations when working with Hispanic/Latino UAC will be discussed.  

Unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador make up 48%, 27%, and 14%, respectively, of all unaccompanied minors arriving to the United States. Raising awareness of the traumatic experiences, background, developmental history, and mental health needs of unaccompanied minors and understanding this information in the context of the child's culture and national origin is critical to better serve their mental health needs. This factsheet provides tips for clinicians working with Hispanic unaccompanied children who have been detained and reunited with family members. 

  Casework practices in connecting UAC to culturally relevant community resources including formal and informal mental health supports and school. The presentation will cover barriers and facilitators to community participation and making referrals that lead to positive engagement for UC and their families. We will address the benefits of community collaborations and building networks as well as strategies to reduce barriers including stigma and cultural preconceptions, with the goal of increasing service utilization. As education is one of the primary needs and also one of the main locations of connection to US-born people, we will specifically address school enrollment, orientation to US school systems, and ongoing well-being in the classroom.   Learning objectives: 1. Participants will understand barriers to community participation, school enrollment, and school well-being. 2. Participants will discuss strategies for improving barriers to community participation for immigrant children. 3. Participants will learn best practices in creating welcoming schools for immigrant children.

  Casework practices in connecting UAC to culturally relevant community resources including formal and informal mental health supports and school. The presentation will cover barriers and facilitators to community participation and making referrals that lead to positive engagement for UC and their families. We will address the benefits of community collaborations and building networks as well as strategies to reduce barriers including stigma and cultural preconceptions, with the goal of increasing service utilization. As education is one of the primary needs and also one of the main locations of connection to US-born people, we will specifically address school enrollment, orientation to US school systems, and ongoing well-being in the classroom.   Learning objectives: 1. Participants will understand barriers to community participation, school enrollment, and school well-being. 2. Participants will discuss strategies for improving barriers to community participation for immigrant children. 3. Participants will learn best practices in creating welcoming schools for immigrant children.