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Texas schools have never been more interested in supporting students’ mental health. Community mental health centers are a critical partner for schools seeking to provide comprehensive school mental health; however, creating healthy partnerships can be challenging. This first webinar in the series aims to provide community mental health leaders with an understanding of the characteristics of a comprehensive school mental health system and the different roles that community mental health providers may play in supporting student mental health and wellness. Click here to download the slides.

Dr. Anthony Zazzarino, PhD, LPC, ACS, CPRP is a full-time faculty member at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. He currently provides instruction for professional education courses for New Jersey’s Supported Housing agencies implementing Community Support Services (CSS), the Master’s program in Rehabilitation Counseling, and the Doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Zazzarino is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP). He completed his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University where he focused on improving the lives of sexual minorities with serious mental illnesses and enhancing individual’s knowledge of multicultural competence. Dr. Zazzarino is actively presenting at local, state, and national conferences related to psychiatric rehabilitation methods, counseling services, and supervision practices. In addition to his work at Rutgers, Dr. Zazzarino is a suicide prevention trainer for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, facilitates group therapy for adolescents and adults at an intensive outpatient program, provides outpatient counseling services at his private practice, and provides clinical supervision for counselors who need supervised clinical hours in New Jersey.    Webinar Description and Objectives: Participants will become familiar with the unique needs facing individuals who identify as a sexual minority, enhance awareness of increased rates of mental health symptoms, substance use, and suicidality within this population, and explore effective services for sexual minority individuals. A sexual minority is an individual who identifies with a sexual identity other than heterosexuality.    Define the term sexual minority Identify different sexual orientations Distinguish between sexual and gender identity Explain the importance of the minority stress model Discuss the increase in mental health needs of sexual minorities Illustrate the reasons for an underutilization of services   Access webinar slides. Access webinar recording. 

Participants will become familiar with the unique needs facing individuals who identify as a sexual minority, enhance awareness of increased rates of mental health symptoms, substance use, and suicidality within this population, and explore effective services for sexual minority individuals. A sexual minority is an individual who identifies with a sexual identity other than heterosexuality.  Identify additional factors that may contribute to increased mental health needs Discuss risk factors and warning signs of suicide Describe the positive psychology framework and apply this framework to working with sexual minorities   View session recording   Dr. Anthony Zazzarino, PhD, LPC, ACS, CPRP is a full-time faculty member at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. He currently provides instruction for professional education courses for New Jersey’s Supported Housing agencies implementing Community Support Services (CSS), the Master’s program in Rehabilitation Counseling, and the Doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Zazzarino is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP). He completed his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University where he focused on improving the lives of sexual minorities with serious mental illnesses and enhancing individual’s knowledge of multicultural competence. Dr. Zazzarino is actively presenting at local, state, and national conferences related to psychiatric rehabilitation methods, counseling services, and supervision practices. In addition to his work at Rutgers, Dr. Zazzarino is a suicide prevention trainer for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, facilitates group therapy for adolescents and adults at an intensive outpatient program, provides outpatient counseling services at his private practice, and provides clinical supervision for counselors who need supervised clinical hours in New Jersey. 

On June 26th, we held our webinar "Financial Health and Mental Health: Making the Connection". Annie Harper, Ph.D, from Yale Program and Recovery and Community Health, addressed the connection between mental illness and poverty, focusing particularly on money management and access to financial services. 

Texas schools have never been more interested in supporting students’ mental health. Community mental health centers are a critical partner for schools seeking to provide comprehensive school mental health; however, creating healthy partnerships can be challenging. Join us in the second webinar in the series to hear from the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission about new initiatives underway to expand access to student supports for emotional and behavioral health across the state. Tune in for an update on the recent legislative changes intended to create safe and supportive schools in Texas.

On June 19th, we held our third Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) Series webinar on "Trauma-Informed Care in the Context of Recovery-Oriented Approaches". Rebecca Miller discussed the principles of trauma-informed care and those of a recovery orientation complement one another well. She also described both models, discussed the overlap between the two, and highlighted examples of how recovery-oriented, trauma-informed approaches look in programs/practice. 

On June 19th,we held the second part of the webinar series "Person-centered Recovery Planning (PCRP) Implementation Series". Janis Tondora, PsyD. from Yale University's Program and Recovery and Community Health, and Dan Wartenberg, Psy.D, M.P.H., Chief Clinical Officer, Newport Mental Health reviewed the key indicators of PCRP from both a process and a documentation perspective.

This 45-minute video interview presentation created by Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), representing HHS Region VIII, is a professional learning tool to explore how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect the human population. Director of Mountain Plains MHTTC, Professor Thomasine Heitkamp, interviews a national expert on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Dr. Donald Warne, who offers insight to providers and educators interested in gaining a deeper understanding of ACEs, including content on historical trauma and addressing stigma. WHAT ARE ACEs? Adverse Childhood Experiences ACEs are experiences in childhood that are unhappy, unpleasant, and/or hurtful. They are sometimes referred to as toxic stress or childhood trauma. ACEs are categorized into three groups: abuse, neglect, and household challenges. Each category is further divided into multiple subcategories. The prevalence of ACEs is organized by category. All ACE questions refer to the respondent’s first 18 years of life. Abuse Emotional abuse: A parent, stepparent, or adult living in your home swore at you, insulted you, put you down, or acted in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt. Physical abuse: A parent, stepparent, or adult living in your home pushed, grabbed, slapped, threw something at you, or hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured. Sexual abuse: An adult, relative, family friend, or stranger who was at least 5 years older than you ever touched or fondled your body in a sexual way, made you touch his/her body in a sexual way, attempted to have any type of sexual intercourse with you.   Household Challenges Mother is treated violently: Your mother or stepmother was pushed, grabbed, slapped, had something thrown at her, kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, hit with something hard, repeatedly hit for over at least a few minutes, or ever threatened or hurt by a knife or gun by your father (or stepfather) or mother’s boyfriend. Substance abuse in the household: A household member was a problem drinker or alcoholic or a household member used street drugs. Mental illness in the household: A household member was depressed or mentally ill or a household member attempted suicide. Parental separation or divorce: Your parents were ever separated or divorced. Incarcerated household member: A household member went to prison.   Neglect Emotional neglect: Someone in your family helped you feel important or special, you felt loved, people in your family looked out for each other and felt close to each other, and your family was a source of strength and support. Physical neglect: There was someone to take care of you, protect you, and take you to the doctor if you needed it, you didn’t have enough to eat, your parents were too drunk or too high to take care of you, and you had to wear dirty clothes.   Research Findings The Center for Disease Control-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and later-life health and well-being. The original ACE Study was conducted at Kaiser Permanente from 1995 to 1997 with two waves of data collection. More than 17,000 Health Maintenance Organization members from Southern California receiving physical exams completed confidential surveys regarding their childhood experiences and current health status and behaviors. The CDC-Kaiser Permanente ACE Study uncovered how ACEs are strongly related to development of risk factors for disease, and well-being throughout the life course. More detailed information about the study can be found in this article, “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults External.”

There are longstanding concerns about whether the mental health workforce has been adequately trained and is large enough to the meet the diverse needs of this country’s population. The concerns have become more acute as a strong U.S. economy drives greater recruitment and retention problems in this field. This webinar, sponsored by the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office and facilitated by Michael Hoge, Ph.D., briefly reviewed the major challenges and then presented an array of strategies for finding, keeping and building a more competent workforce. Innovative practices from across the country were also highlighted. The webinar recording can be accessed here.The slide deck for this webinar, as well as the webinar recording transcription, are available for download above. Please contact Jessica Gonzalez at [email protected] if you have any questions.

On June 5th, we held the first part of the webinar series "Person-centered Recovery Planning (PCRP) Implementation Series". Janis Tondora, PsyD. from Yale University's Program and Recovery and Community Health, and Dan Wartenberg, Psy.D, M.P.H., Chief Clinical Officer, Newport Mental Health reviewed the key indicators of PCRP from both a process and a documentation perspective. 

on June 5th, Dr. Rivers Murphy, with Kate Retzel, Principal, Lee Elementary School (Lee, MA), shares strategies and activities used during the implementation of a year-long mindfulness program in a prek-6 school. They also shared strategies for introducing mindfulness in high schools, including some of the unique opportunities and challenges associated with this work at the secondary level. To download the slides, click here. Presenter(s): Michele Rivers Murphy, Ed.D., CEI Associate Director, Heart Centered Learning

On June 5th, we held our second Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) Series webinar on "What Is Trauma-Informed Care and Why Does It Matter?" Katie Volk discussed principles of trauma-informed care, ways to implement it in your organization, and how it aligns with and promotes recovery-oriented practice. To watch Nadine Burke Harris's TED Talk mentioned during the webinar, click here. 

Violence Risk Assessment & Management is a three-hour self-paced course that provides the necessary tools for clinicians to assess, manage, and stabilize threats of violence, hosted on the HealtheKnowledge platform. Concerns about violence risk frequently arise in clinical settings. There is often confusion among providers about the boundaries of confidentiality, when and how to invoke their professional obligation to protect or warn third parties, and how to balance therapeutics and public safety. This course addresses: Boundaries of confidentiality Clinicians’ duty to warn or protect potential victims Proven methods to assess and manage the risk of violence   Each module of the course includes: Real case vignettes A 3-item assessment to guide your learning Interactive practical exercises with feedback In addition, a 3.0 hour certificate of completion is available. Course Flyer Download the course flyer here. Trainers Dr. Sarah Kopelovich, a forensic clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine based at Harborview Medical Center  Dr. Katherine Michaelsen, a forensic psychiatrist at the Puget Sound Veterans Administration and Acting Assistant Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine Dr. Tobias Wasser, a forensic psychiatrist at Whiting Forensic Hospital and Assistant Professor at Yale University School of Medicine   Registration and Technical Support How to register for a course at HealtheKnowledge and how to get technical support   This online course was created by the Northwest Region 10 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.  

Prepared by Lydia Chwastiak, MD, MPH Older adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI), such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, have more hospitalizations and 4 times greater risk of death at any given age than those without SMI. They are also 3.5 times more likely to live in a nursing home. Despite higher acute and long-term healthcare costs, adults with SMI experience greater barriers to preventive and routine health care, and often receive care that is fragmented and inadequate. These disparities highlight a need for effective and sustainable integrated care models designed specifically to support the special health care needs among older adults with SMI. This research brief provides a summary of evidence-based integrated models of care that address the mental and physical health needs of adults with SMI.  

On May 23rd, Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) in collaboration with New England -MHTTC, presented the second webinar of the Childhood-Trauma Learning Collaborative (C-TLC) Webinar Series on Parents and Compassion. This webinar explained how schools can be engaged with families that are steeped in trauma. They discussed how trauma can impact children and how the family can assist, and how to increase compassionate interactions between school and families. To download the slides, click here. 

Though the practice of civil commitment and involuntary hospitalization has markedly changed since the middle of the 20th century, it remains one of the most controversial procedures in behavioral healthcare.   This webinar explores civil commitment law through the lens of civil liberties for young adults of transition age. We consider the ethical tensions between a provider or family member's desire to help a young person experiencing serious mental illness and the young person's autonomy. Presenters will discuss the importance of shared decision making and will provide strategies for improving the process of civil commitments for youth and their families.   Learning Objectives: Understand the history of civil commitment in the US. Consider justifications for civil commitment and involuntary mental health treatment. Identify best practices and practical strategies for shared decision making with youth and families through a civil commitment process. Identify key questions for policy and agency decision makers to consider when establishing processes which may lead to civil commitment.  

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

Are you a school instructional leader who wants to learn about school mental health, or a mental health provider who wants to learn about the contexts of schools and student learning outcomes? Often, the conversations between educators and mental health providers are siloed and separated. This archived webinar bridges the conversation so that both perspectives can learn from one another to better support the students they serve.   In this recording, you’ll learn more about: Common mental health issues among students and their potential effects on learning outcomes The relationship between socio-emotional development, student learning, and academic success An introduction to mental health in the classroom and school, including barriers to help-seeking and provision How to enhance our role as supportive adults for students with mental health and emotional challenges and strengths    

About this Resource: This webinar will provide an overview of clinical suicidology, including the prevailing theories, assessment, interventions, and treatments. Dr. David Jobes walks participants through several suicide risk assessment tools and provides additional information about ethics and systems of care issues. Finally, Dr. Jobes provides an overview of empirically-supported treatments for managing and treating suicidality, and illustrates the use of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide (CAMS).   About the Presenter: David A. Jobes, Ph.D., ABPP, is a Professor of Psychology, Director of the Suicide Prevention Laboratory, and Associate Director of Clinical Training at The Catholic University of America. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, at Uniformed Services University. He has published six books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Jobes is a past President of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and he is the recipient of various awards for his scientific work including the 1995 AAS “Shneidman Award” (early career contribution to suicidology), the 2012 AAS “Dublin Award” (for career contributions in suicidology), and the 2016 AAS “Linehan Award” (for suicide treatment research). He has been a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense, and Veterans Affairs. Dr. Jobes is member of the Scientific Council and the Public Policy Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is Board certified in clinical psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology). Dr. Jobes maintains a private clinical, consulting, and forensic practice in Washington DC.   Additional Resources Ask Suicide Screening Questionnaire Patient Health Questionnaire 9 Columbia Suicide Screening Rating Scale

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! 

We're looking forward to a summer of learning in our region! Next month is Summer 2019 Learning Institute in Sacramento, CA, and we are excited to announce our new Adaptive Leadership trainings in Phoenix, AZ. We have more onsite sessions and communities of practice coming up soon. We hope you will join us.

On May 13th through May 16th, New England MHTTC and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services sponsored the International Recovery and Citizenship Collective (IRCC) 2019 Symposium. The IRCC is a global collaborative of policy makers, health care providers, persons with lived experience, advocates, researchers, and other stakeholders. The IRCC focuses on bi-directional learning and the sharing of policy, service delivery, workforce, and other mental health and addictions innovations designed to promote recovery, citizenship, and health care system development and transformation. The IRCC envisions a world in which people thrive, are connected to their communities, and live meaningful lives.

Join The Teaching Well and Camino Nuevo Charter Academy leadership as we bring together diverse school site roles to share ways they have collaborated to create healthy and sustainable school climate for students, teachers and staff. Learning directly from teachers, school site personnel, and school leaders, together we consider the possibilities of integrating wellness into whole school staff development, leadership approaches, collaborative conversations, and support spaces for both teachers and students. Participants hear firsthand accounts of the personal and professional benefits when school staff make wellness a central focus in their work plans, relational strategies, and overall school culture. This webinar uplifts the concept that whole school wellness is best as a multi-year collaborative and iterative process between all members of a campus community. Participants: Define personal sustainability in the context of schools Explore the relationship between personal sustainability and professional sustainability Learn how specific school site roles can lead sustainably Learn best practices and practical strategies for integrating a wellness focus into school culture Explore the links between school leader wellness, teacher wellness, and student outcomes This webinar is most helpful for new and veteran teachers; administrators who seek to lead sustainably; and school site wellness staff such as social workers, inclusion specialists, counselors, and paraeducators or teachers on special assignment.   This is the third session in the Mental Health Literacy & Student Learning Outcomes webinar series.  

This is the first issue of the bimonthly Southeast MHTTC eNewsletter, Mental Health in the Southeast.