Products and Resources Catalog

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 health conditions, 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 persons with mental illness, 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 2 of the webinar addresses the following learning objectives: Discuss evidence based practices (EBPs) for age onset depression Identify EBPs and best practices for programming for older adults with serious mental illnesses Discuss wellness as a framework for developing new programming Explore knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for working with older adults    Click here to view a recording of the webinar delivered on March 27, 2019.  Click on the download link above to access the webinar slides. 

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.

This handout summarizes the research that links student mental health to academic outcomes. This research brief charts the effects of untreated mental health challenges on academic achievement, GPA, test scores, attendance, and graduation.

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

The National American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Technology Transfer Center's first newsletter is entitled, "Our Youth and their Trauma". You will find examples of trauma programs for Native youth, common elements across youth trauma programs and practices, and additional resources to address Native youth trauma.

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. 

These resources support those seeking care on their own behalf and those providing care to others.  There are culturally specific resources for Muslim communities and broader resources for all those who are impacted by these events.  There are resources for educators, parents, youth and young adults, and healthcare providers.  Several resources can be used to support the students in our schools. Those seeking additional support for trauma and bereavement are invited to contact us. We can provide direct assistance and linkages with other regional centers.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of Indiana's mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of Michigan's mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of Minnesota's mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of Ohio's mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of Wisconsin's mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

This one-page (two-sided) informational document gives an overview of the Illinois state mental health infrastructure, funding, and major conferences in 2019, effective March 2019.

Introducing the Great Lakes MHHTC News, our electronic newsletter! Our premier issue includes an introduction to some of our team members and invites readers to review our needs assessment survey and visit our website.   Great Lakes MHTTC News February 2019

This package of resources was developed to support Pacific Southwest mental health organizations as they work to provide culturally and linguistically competent mental health services for their diverse populations. It is easy to use and addresses the needs and realities of the Pacific Southwest region. This resource package is organized into six goal areas:  Governance and Leadership Workforce Development Community Engagement and Partnership Adaptation of Services and Supports Communication and Language Supports Continuous Quality and Accountability

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

The family navigator model is a peer-based, flexible approach to supporting families in which a child has a health or developmental challenge or disability. This guide is designed to support education agencies and school leaders interested in building or enhancing a family navigator program. Family-driven, youth-guided, culturally responsive support is a guiding principle of this document. It includes:   Overview of the model Special considerations for schools Guiding principles and best practices Practical tools for developing a program Links to more than 30 national and Pacific Southwest-specific resources This guide was developed by the Pacific Southwest MHTTC in partnership with Millie Sweeney, MS, from the Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association (FREDLA).  

Our February newsletter features several upcoming events and new resources for Black History Month. We also announce the release of new products and resources on cultural and linguistic competence, family engagement, and student mental health championship.

In an effort to better understand the needs of providers within Region 5, the Great Lakes MHTTC surveyed providers in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Our partner subcontractors in each state (provider associations known as “nodes”) assisted us in sending the survey link to providers within their association e-mail list as well as to other behavioral health providers in their state. This 22 -item survey asked respondents to rank the importance of various training and technical assistance topics from a list of commonly used mental health evidence-based practices. 

Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Manifestations and Consequences for Persons with Psychosis or Other Serious and Persistent Mental Illness   About this resource:   This pre-recorded webinar will teach clinicians about the important links among trauma, PTSD, and Serious Mental Illness (SMI) diagnoses. Clinicians will learn about the specific manifestations of trauma in this population, as well as the clinical, functional, and psychotherapeutic consequences of untreated PTSD among individuals with SMI. Finally, clinicians will learn about screening instruments and methods for assessing trauma exposure and PTSD among individuals with SMI.  About the Trainer:  Jennifer Gottlieb, Ph.D., is a Diplomate in the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and a licensed clinical psychologist whose research and clinical work is dedicated to the development and implementation of effective psychotherapeutic interventions for psychosis, schizophrenia, and other severe psychiatric conditions. She earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Montana, completed her clinical internship at the University of California/San Diego VA, and has been on the faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry Schizophrenia Program, Dartmouth Medical School, and Boston University. 

To celebrate the new year and start of the legislative session for many Pacific Southwest states and islands, the January 2019 newsletter focuses on Policy & Practice. The resources and news included focus on recent policy, upcoming legislative action, and best implementation practices at the state, local, and organizational levels. Read on to find tools to inform policy- and decision-making.

This pre-recorded webinar session celebrates culture and communities, and explores community programs and practices that work and are helping people. The session explores how we collectively approach the concept of evidence, effectiveness of practices, and the role of communities in achieving positive outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health conditions. This discussion is intended for clinicians, mental health program providers, evaluators, and others.