Products and Resources Catalog

On February 26th, we held an online discussion series led by Douglas Robbins, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with Maine Behavioral Healthcare in Portland Maine and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University. He discussed the financing of First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Programs in Maine. To download the slides, click here. 

On January 14th, the webinar led by Dr. Sonya Troller-Renfree – a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Teachers College, Columbia, University – examined how early life deprivation impacts brain activity, executive functioning, and attention across development (toddlerhood to adolescence). Participants learned how adversity-related deficits in neurocognitive functioning relate to peer relationships, mental health, and academic achievement. To download the slides, click here. 

Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Illness November 21, 2019 This webinar provided an overview of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and discussed some of the most prevalent IDDs, their associated behavioral challenges, and mental health concerns. It also provided information on how to distinguish between behaviors associated with IDD and co-occurring mental illness, helpful interventions, and how to increase provider comfort in working with people with IDD. Slide deck Recording

This flyer provides an overview of Mid-America MHTTC services in the field of integrated behavioral health and primary care.

August 28, 2019 Dr. Jay Shore, M.D., M.P.H., hosted this webinar to review best practices in using videoconferencing platforms to deliver telemental health services to individuals. This session provided an overview of the guidelines developed to support the implementation of telemental health services. American Psychiatric Association and American Telemedicine Association best practice guidelines are reviewed in detail. This training session concludes with a review of best practices and skills to use when performing a telemental health visit.  Slide deck Recording   Learning Objectives Be familiar with the recent APA and ATA best practices in telemental health. Understand how to incorporate best practices in telemental health when working with patients.  

Rural Mental Health Disparities and Workforce Implications April 25, 2019 This webinar was part one in a series addressing rural mental health. As the first in the series, this webinar provided a basic introduction to rural mental health. Presenters discusses the definition of rural, rural demographics, and data on rural mental health and mental health disparities. Speakers also presented rural issues of access, acceptability, and availability of rural mental healthcare services. Several resources will be shared for participants to find additional data, policy briefs, funding opportunities, best practices, and toolkits specifically addressing rural mental health. Slide deck Recording  

We invite you to join us for this webinar, which provides foundational knowledge on what are the social determinants of health, why they should be assessed, and how mental health service providers can leverage them for better outcomes. Hear how providers throughout the Pacific Southwest region are addressing the social determinants of health through broad initiatives, service assessments, and strategic partnerships. Journey with us as you gain an understanding of how to identify appropriate partners and collaborate with them on the shared interest of achieving mental health equity. There are many tools and resources highlighted to support your local efforts, as well as ample opportunity to ask questions. Participants: Recognize the connection between the social determinants of health and improved mental health outcomes. Access tools and resources to support appropriate assessment. Explore strategic thinking for community mental health partnerships. Learn what kinds of questions and data will lead them to these partnerships, and how to evaluate the opportunities that exist within them. Establish a framework for incorporating the social determinants of health into their everyday practice.  

Recording of the webinar titled Integrated Care Needs of Older Adults with Serious Mental Illness & Implications for Effective Care Transitions, originally held on July 10, 2019.   Slide Presentation  Older Adult Fact Sheet

Assertive Community Treatment Fidelity and Rural Considerations May 28, 2019 Dr. Hannah Koch discussed how to tweak the Assertive Community Treatment model to make it work in a rural setting. Slide deck

The Northwest MHTTC is partnering to provide All Patients Safe training to a part of the region's workforce specifically based on the rates and prevalence of suicide. Suicide is a silent epidemic and public health crisis.  In the US, suicide is a more common cause of death than breast cancer, prostate cancer, or traffic fatalities. In 2014 the rate of Alaska Native males that died by suicide was nearly four times the national average. All Patients Safe provides the necessary tools to medical providers to understand their role in suicide prevention by teaching them how to: •    Integrate screening and assessment tools into their practice •    Educate patients on keeping homes safe •    Refer patients to additional resources •    Follow up with those at risk for suicide Medical professionals can make an enormous impact! 

Suicide Prevention for Primary Care Physicians March 26, 2019 Learn more about the toolkit which offers the support necessary to establish the primary care provider as one member of a team, fully equipped to reduce suicide risk among their patients. Recording Suicide Prevention Toolkit

Why do we, as behavioral health providers, need to be concerned about the social determinants of health? This brief fact sheet examines how mental health is shaped by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people live, and how providers can address the determinants through social justice collaborations.

Dr. Michelle Zechner, PhD, LSW, CPRP is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers, School of Health Professions, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. She has focused her 25 year career on supporting the recovery of people with mental illnesses and their families. She has worked in a variety of community and inpatient settings including nursing homes, outpatient mental health services, state psychiatric hospitals, and community services for older adults. In her current role she has focused on implementation of evidence-based psychosocial practices in psychiatric hospitals, developing and testing health and wellness promotion interventions in community settings, teaching students, training diverse mental health staff on best practice interventions for older persons with mental illnesses, and conducting research. Dr. Zechner's research includes the development of multi-domain wellness programs for people with mental illnesses, promotion of and adherence to physical activity in people with mental illness, use of peer health coaching strategies and identifying best practices for use with older adults with mental illnesses. She has co-authored peer-reviewed and technical publications on health promotion for people with mental illnesses, and has presented her work at local, national, and international conferences. She is passionate about supporting older adults with mental illnesses to improve their mental and physical health.    Part 1 of the webinar addresses the following learning objectives: Develop understanding of older adults with SMI Describe this growing population Identify unique concerns for this population Health challenges Psychiatric symptoms Evaluate the strengths that develop with older age   Click here to view a recording of the webinar delivered on March 20, 2019. (Please note the recording begins a couple of slides in).  Click on the download link above to access the webinar slides. 

PDF of powerpoint slides which explain the Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC).