Products and Resources Catalog

  Farming and Faith Supports: Cultivating Spiritual Resilience in Challenging Times Resources Access slides using the download button above Recording   Corey Smith, PhD, moderated a panel of experts focused on the role of pastoral care in supporting farmers in crisis. Sean Brotherson, PhD, Monica McConkey, LPC, and Bishop William Tesch acted as panelists for this presentation. Panel members provided data and an overview of farm stress and the role faith communities play in supporting farmers. This data and policy was followed by an in-depth look at how agricultural workers engage with faith communities and the long-term benefits and improvements faith-based organizations provide. The session closed with information on resources available to farmers that are specific to faith communities.   Panelists Corey Smith, PhD Sean Brotherson, PhD Monica McConkey, LPC Bishop William Tesch

Findings, Implications, and Summary of a Survey of Probation and Parole Officers in Region 8 The Mountain Plains Mental Health and Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) team, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and state probation and parole offices, conducted an electronic survey in November and December 2019. The survey was distributed electronically to probation and parole officers in all six states located in the United States Department of Health & Human Services Region 8 in order to identify specific mental health training needs. Results will assist the Mountain Plains MHTTC staff to better serve correctional officers and stakeholders throughout the region. Additionally, the survey results will inform the development of new products, training materials, and technical assistance requests. This work includes expanding collaborations with entities serving probation and parole staff to address the training needs described.   Full Report   The full report includes an overall assessment, a presentation of training needs among rural and urban probation and parole officers, varied training needs between probation and parole, and state specific reports.   One-Page State Summaries Colorado Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs Montana Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs North Dakota Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs South Dakota Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs Utah Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs Wyoming Probation and Parole: Mental Health Training Needs Authors Shawnda Schroeder Thomasine Heitkamp Desirae Martinefski Additional Resources Addressing Mental Health for Justice-Involved Individuals A host of resources currently exist to serve the mental health training and technical assistance needs of both probation and parole staff, as well as other professionals who work with justice-involved individuals.   Resources Funded or Provided under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funds and supports over a dozen programs and initiatives that can assist those who work with justice-involved individuals who also have a mental health and/or substance use disorder. These resources, toolkits, trainings, and webpages promote early intervention and treatment as healthier alternatives to detainment, help identify treatment resources, locate housing assistance, and address integrated care, among other topics.   Additional Resources Not Funded by SAMHSA Several organizations, associations, and governmental agencies have begun to address the mental health and substance use disorder needs among individuals involved in the criminal justice system. These resources include technical assistance manuals, diversion interventions, best practices, data reports, and a list of resources that provide a wealth of information about state, federal, and organizational resources for probation and parole officials.

Compassion Fatigue: Farm Stress and the Mental Health Provider January 6, 2020 Robin Landwehr, LPCC, discussed burnout prevention strategies for mental health providers working with farm and ranch populations. This session focused on the unique challenges and stressors faced by the individuals who work to support persons experiencing farm stress. Robin also discussed ways for providers to increase compassion satisfaction, minimize compassion fatigue, and prevent the onset of burnout related to mental health work. Slide deck Recording  

Farm Stress and Mental Health Resources The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center team is dedicated to addressing rural mental health. However, they also recognize that the agricultural community encounters unique challenges related to the accessibility, availability, and acceptability of mental health services. In response, specific trainings and resources have been developed to address mental health and suicide among agricultural workers and their families. For clarity, unless otherwise specified, “farm” and “farmer” refer to ranchers, farmers, farm managers/owners, and agricultural workers. Farm Stress and Mental Health Resources The Rural Mental Health & Farm Stress resources page houses several resources that provide summaries of agricultural mental health concerns, up-to-date data visualizations, and toolkits for addressing barriers to mental health services for farmers, farm managers/owners, ranchers, agricultural workers and their families. If you have questions about this website or products you thing would be valuable on this page, please contact Shawnda Schroeder at [email protected]. 

Hands-on Tools and Strategies to Assist Providers Working with Farmers December 16, 2019 Meg Moynihan, from Eyes on the Horizon Consulting, and Monica McConkey, from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, provided an overview on the tools and strategies they utilize every day to address the mental health needs of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. This session highlighted specific examples of resources available to support farmers experiencing stress and mental health challenges, as well as a discussion on the best practices for providers working with this population. Slide deck Recording  

  The Economics of Farm Stress December 9, 2019 Dr. David Flynn, Professor of Economics, provided an overview of the economic landscape that affects farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers in the United States. This session highlighted the challenges faced by producers in adapting to uncertain commodities pricing, the long and short term impacts of tariffs, and the financial pressures caused by uncertain crop yields and changing weather. Slide deck Recording     Trainer Dr. David Flynn

Introduction to Farm Stress: Mental Health Needs Among Diverse Farm Populations   November 25, 2019 Dr. Shawnda Schroeder and Thomasine Heitkamp, Director of the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center presented alongside Matt Perdue with North Dakota Farmers Union. In this first of multiple sessions addressing agricultural mental health, presenters described the definition of farm stress, contributing factors, the impact of farm stress on the family, and how farming demographics and associated stress may vary by U.S. region. This session introduced resources that currently exist for farmers addressing stress and suicide risk, as well as presented ongoing gaps and barriers to utilizing mental health services among agricultural communities. Slide deck Recording     Trainers Dr. Shawnda Schroeder Professor Thomasine Heitkamp

Building Capacity of Rural School Personnel to Address Mental Health Needs of Students through Communities of Practice (CoP) November 7, 2019 Sarah Nielsen, Susan Bazyk, Tanja Brown, and Thomasine Heitkamp described a Communities of Practice (CoP) Model pilot project targeting implementation of a multi-tiered approach to address school mental health in six rural schools across three states.  Presenters described:  Unique features of rural schools. CoP practice approach utilized. Strengths and weaknesses of the CoP process.  Strengths and barriers to implementing a multi-tiered approach in rural settings.   Slide deck  

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

This brief provides an overview and the lessons learned from a program implemented through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s Behavioral Health Program (WICHE BHP). This initiative focused on developing rural psychology internship opportunities in an effort to grow the rural workforce. These internships have proven effective for behavioral health workforce development and may apply to other health disciplines as well. Authors Dennis Mohatt Liza Tupa Shawnda Schroeder

On September 10th, Suzan Mullane, MSEd., Research Associate and Trustee, Center for Educational Improvement, discussed how research has shown that children with mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders and their families face personal, financial, and neighborhood challenges more often than families of children without these disorders. These challenges may make it harder for some parents to give their child the resources they need to thrive. The type of community that families live in, urban versus rural, may increase these challenges. She also addressed better access to mental health care for children and parents in rural areas. To download the slides, click here.   

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  

      Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. This guide provides resources specific to addressing the unique mental health training and technical assistance needs of schools serving rural and remote communities. School administrators, faculty, and support staff are facing increasing pressure to respond to a host of unmet mental health needs of students in K-12 and higher education. In response, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a resource to assist states and schools in addressing mental health and substance use disorders. Underscoring the purpose of the document was a recognition that schools, communities, and families often lack “comprehensive treatment and services for children and youth.” That is particularly true in rural communities. Authors Thomasine Heitkamp Sarah Nielsen Shawnda Schroeder

Housing for all in Rural Communities June 24, 2019 Jennifer Lopez discussed housing for all in rural communities with a focus on housing solutions for persons with mental health concerns in rural settings. Slide deck Recording

Together with Veterans: A Rural Veteran Suicide Prevention Program June 20, 2019 Gina Brimner spoke to the Together With Veterans Program. Together With Veterans targets rural populations and empowers Veterans to lead community-based and evidence-informed planning efforts to address Veteran suicide locally and discuss implementation strategies. Slide deck

Farm Crisis and Behavioral Health June 19, 2019 Charles Griffin provided a backdrop to the recurrence of the farm crisis, new legislation to address the crisis, as well as strategies for addressing the needs of farming communities. Slide deck Recording

The workload for a school counselor in a traditional role can be overwhelming, and students in need of mental or emotional support may be inadvertently overlooked. This webinar describes how shifting from a traditional counseling approach to a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) benefits both students and staff members who provide mental and/or behavioral support services. Strategies discussed include using data to identify students in need of support, expanding the effectiveness of the continuum of interventions, and thinking “out of the box” to engage non-traditional MTSS team members. The Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience Education) Coordinators from two rural school districts in northern Nevada share how an MTSS has transformed their districts and positively impacted the lives of students. Participants learn key strategies from two rural school districts who built a Multi-Tiered System of Support from the ground up. Successes, lessons learned, and the challenges that two Project AWARE grantees have experienced while implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support will benefit all participants who join! Identify school and community resources that can be used to provide preventative and early intervention services Understand the enhanced continuum of interventions in a multi-tiered and multi-dimensional system of support Understand how to target interventions and monitor progress using data  

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! 

      Hard copies of the toolkit are also available. If you'd prefer a hard copy, please reach out to us at [email protected]. This toolkit is a blueprint for school mental health services and will guide community members, schools, local leaders, and districts through 10 best practices, including strategies for implementing, funding, and sustaining mental health services in both rural and urban schools.

Training and Technical Assistance Needs Findings from a Survey of Professionals Who Serve Individuals with Mental Illness in Region 8 The Mountain Plains MHTTC team conducted an electronic survey in March 2019 to identify the mental health technical assistance and trainings needs of Region 8. The survey was distributed electronically to individuals in Region 8 who serve persons with mental illness. Results presented in this report will help the Mountain Plains MHTTC staff better collaborate with providers and stakeholders throughout the region. Additionally, the survey results will inform the development of new products, training materials, and technical assistance requests. The report identifies aggregate training needs as well as state specific requests and variation between rural and urban respondents. Authors Shawnda Schroeder Thomasine Heitkamp

The World Health Organization has stated the “single most important barrier to overcome in the community is the stigma and associated discrimination towards persons suffering from mental and behavioural [sic] disorders.” In response, researchers collected data in North Dakota utilizing an existing and nationally validated instrument for measuring stigma. This brief presents the results of the survey and implications for communities.   On November 20, 2020, Sage Journals published an article based on this product entitled, "The Role of Rural and Urban Geography and Gender in Community Stigma Around Mental Illness." A subscription may be required for full access. Authors Shawnda Schroeder Thomasine Heitkamp Chih Ming Tan

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

The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) serve as the guiding framework for this workforce diversity and inclusion policy assessment. The focus of this assessment is CLAS-driven, state-level legislation and federal mandates. This assessment identifies efforts to advance and sustain organizational governance and leadership that promotes CLAS and health equity. It includes a scan of CLAS-related policies in the Pacific Southwest, recommendations to improve CLAS implementation at the state and island level, and national and state resources.