Products and Resources Catalog

Read our latest Northwest MHTTC newsletter! Our December newsletter is short and sweet, reflecting back on the year, and ahead to 2020. Find out about our recent in-person Advisory Board meeting in Seattle, where members from our 4-state region joined for lively discussion about collaborating to reach our mutual goals.  Best wishes to all in the holiday season!

This flyer provides an overview of Mid-America MHTTC services in the field of serious mental illness.

ISF enhances multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) by integrating student mental health and wellness into the existing structures. It engages a broader range of partners, involves a wider scope of data, and expands interventions to address mental health. This webinar will be led by Susan Barrett, contributing author for the ISF Fact Sheet series. She will be joined by school district and system-based ISF practitioners from the Northwest and Pacific Southwest regions, Tawni Barlow (Washington State) and Natalie Sedano (California). Presenters will share their ISF implementation challenges, celebrations, and lessons learned or learning.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Learn how to establish an integrated ISF leadership team Understand the foundational steps to establish ISF at the school or district level Define the process of evaluating potential evidence-based practices for inclusion in schools Discuss implementation challenges, solutions, and innovations with ISF practitioners  

The interconnected systems framework (ISF) is a strategy to align all social-emotional-behavioral interventions through one system at the state or regional, district, and school level. ISF builds on the success of social service platforms and provides specific steps for integration and alignment to create healthier schools. This webinar will kick-off the ISF learning series with a look at how we can effectively implement and lead ISF installation. Presented by Susan Barrett, MA, and facilitated by the school mental health leads of the Northwest MHTTC (Kelcey Schmitz) and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC (Leora Wolf-Prusan).   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understand ISF and its positive impact on schools Discuss strategies to align PBIS/MTSS and student mental health Identify appropriate community-level partners Learn initial steps for implementing the ISF approach   Presenter Bio Susan Barrett, MA, is the Director of the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore Maryland. She has a Masters in Counseling Psychology and certification in Special Education, having served as a teacher, administrator and coordinator with Sheppard Pratt Health System since 1993. Mrs. Barrett serves as an Implementer Partner with the United States Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)'s National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).    

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Cognitive Therapy for Anxiety (CBT-A). Anxiety is the most treatable and common mental health condition we know of today. Treatments are highly effective and well-studied over many decades. These treatments are also shown to work with complex patients in primary care. However, treating anxiety can require patients to expose themselves to situations that are difficult. This module will walk clinicians through how to approach treating anxiety in a primary care setting. The learning objectives for this module are to:   Understand the CBT model of anxiety symptoms Describe how to give the ‘treatment pitch’ to patients, and discuss the difference between treatment with exposure vs. anxiety management strategies Understand how to develop and work on an exposure hierarchy with patients Describe anxiety management strategies that use physical and cognitive approaches   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education.   Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health.   Find related Resources here.  

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Behavioral Activation, an evidence-based treatment for depressive symptoms. Behavioral Activation is a structured and brief approach to treatment that targets patterns of avoidance, withdrawal, and inactivity that are common among those with depressive symptoms. The learning objectives for this module are to:    Understand the Behavioral Activation model of depressive symptoms Describe how to develop a case formulation for a patient experiencing elevated depressive symptoms Understand the role of avoidance in maintaining depressive symptoms Describe how to help patients select activities and make a specific plan Understand how to evaluate the outcome of patients’ efforts and problem-solve barriers to action planning   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education. Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health. See related resources here.  

In this Brief Behavioral Skills module Drs. Kari Stephens and Patrick Raue provide an overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Distress Tolerance Skills, an evidence-based approach that teaches patients skills to help them tolerate distressing thoughts and emotions. Distress Tolerance (DT) skills are appropriate for patients who are experiencing crisis, especially those who are experiencing a serious problem that cannot be solved in the moment. The learning objectives for this module are to help clinicians:   Determine when to use DBT’s Distress Tolerance (DT) skills with your patients List the DT skills Integrated use of DT skills in the practice setting   Presenters: Kari Stephens, PhD Clinical Psychologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine, a UW Associate Professor of Family Medicine; an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education.   Patrick Raue, PhD Clinical Psychologist at UWMC-Roosevelt, Associate Director for the University of Washington Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions; Director of the National Network of Problem Solving Treatment Clinicians; Trainers, & Researchers and a UW Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population Health.   Find related Resources here.  

This environmental scan is a repository of evidence-based mental health programs and practices found to be effective with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) school-aged children and youth who experience adverse childhood experiences, including violence and trauma, that contribute to mental health problems. It was created in an effort to provide a repository that could be used by communities who serve Native school-age children, as well as to avoid the duplication of efforts.

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

Michael Hoge, PhD, reviews key strategies from improving recruitment and retention in mental health organizations, including examples of innovation and specific approaches for increasing the diversity of an organization’s workforce.

Michael Hoge, PhD, provides an overview of recruitment and retention in mental health.  He discusses core concepts, findings from national surveys, information on the causes of vacancies and turnover, and examples of innovative approaches to addressing recruitment and retention.

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  

Best Practices in School Mental Health November 7, 2019 Stefanie Winfield and Sarah Younggren presented on the use of Mental Health Colorado’s School Mental Health Toolkit as a framework. This discussion included “Top 10 Best Practices in School Mental Health,” and provided guidelines and suggestions to implement best practices and advocacy/ communication strategies for promoting and effecting positive change in school mental health. Slide deck

Find our October newsletter here. You will find links to three online trainings we've developed, now available as self-paced continuing education courses through the HealtheKnowledge platform. We call out the two other regional TTCs; the Northwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) and Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), and highlight upcoming webinars produced by various TTCs.  You will find links to an important survey on Serious Mental Illness and Suicide Educational Needs, as well as School Mental Health Resources, a Mental Health First Aid Course, and a Call for Presentations to the 2020 Washington Behavioral Healthcare Conference next June in Kennewick, Washington. And more! Sign Up for the Northwest MHTTC Newsletter

Southeast MHTTC  Newsletter Volume II, Issue 1 - October 2019

This presentation will look at creative intervention strategies to address the continually evolving needs in a newcomer campus that works primarily with Latino students. We will discuss the spectrum of “traditional” mental health services as well as best practices that have been implemented, including the therapy bunny, garden, and restorative circles. An overview of the needs of the school and the students will be presented to provide background on the development and implementation of the intervention strategies. The challenges that have arisen, creative solutions that have been adopted and the unexpected successes will be shared to provide participants strategies that they can implement in their settings.   

On September 19th, we kicked off the C-TLC Book Study. Based on CEI’s Heart Centered Learning® model, Mindfulness Practices explains, through research, the influential power mindfulness can have on reducing trauma and how this can positively affect a school’s climate and culture. This book study will provide educators with the opportunity to explore ways to uplift students through mindful breathing, yoga, meditation, and instruction in classrooms while building caring, kind, compassionate schools.   It was led by Christine Mason, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director, Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) and C-TLC Project Director and Michele Rivers Murphy, Ed.D., Associate Director, Heart Centered Learning, Center for Educational Improvement. 

At the Fifth Biennial Conference of the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) on September 13-14, 2019, a group representing the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center presented a research poster, “Supporting Practitioners through Workforce Development: How do Training Strategies Impact Implementation Outcomes?” The poster presentation was part of a group, “Training and D & I Competencies” on Saturday, September 14. Northwest MHTTC Co-Directors, Lydia Chwastiak and Maria Monroe-DeVita and Training Director, Sarah Kopelovich collaborated with Director of Evaluation and School Mental Health Lead, Eric Bruns and his Wraparound Evaluation and Research Team members, Jonathon Olson, Philip Benjamin, Marianne Kellogg, and Taylor Berntson. The conference took place at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. The goal of the 5th Biennial Conference of  SIRC was to explore the ways in which research, policy and practice intersect to advance the field and improve outcomes for populations served. From the conference website, “Where does the “rubber meet the road” and how do our advances in implementation science have a direct and relevant impact on policies and programs in real world settings? We hope that our 2019 conference provided the opportunity for implementation researchers, intermediaries, practitioners, policy makers and students to convene, share innovations and ideas, and learn from one another. We believe that, more than ever, it is important to create a space where interactive dialogue can enable us to better understand each other’s perspectives and advance our field. Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

September 13, 2019 The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, in partnership with the University of North Dakota Department of Occupational Therapy, hosted a half-day training symposium on suicide prevention for students and faculty of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The training opened with a presentation of commonly used suicide assessment tools, how to have a conversation with patients regarding suicidal thoughts, and best practices for using a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting patients with active suicidal thoughts. A moderated panel discussion on suicide prevention with special populations followed. Slide deck Recording

We’ve launched a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) ePrimer in HealtheKnowledge. This 3-hour, self-paced course is designed to serve as a primer in foundational concepts related to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and its application to psychotic symptoms and experiences. Learners will start by testing their knowledge on a 30-item adapted CBT quiz, and will then be guided to complete brief modules on the topics of: (1) Psychosis education, (2) CBT fundamentals, and (3) Applying CBT to psychosis. Finally, learners will apply what they’ve learned to a practice and self-reflection exercise. Resources for further learning are provided.    Trainer Sarah Kopelovich, PhD University of Washington, School of Medicine Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Professor, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis Northwest MHTTC Role: Director of Training Sarah Kopelovich, PhD is a forensically-trained, licensed clinical psychologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, based at Harborview Medical Center. Dr. Kopelovich is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and holds a Professorship in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis. Her research aims to enhance implementation and dissemination strategies for psychosocial interventions indicated for individuals with Psychotic Spectrum Disorders. She leads the only CBT for psychosis Provider Network in the country, which has received continual state funding since 2015. She regularly conducts workshops, seminars, and professional consultation across the country for mental health practitioners in CBT for psychosis (CBTp) and CBTp-informed care; Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis and Assertive Community Treatment; and diagnostic, suicide, and violence risk assessment. Dr. Kopelovich is core faculty with the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and currently serves as the Director of Training. This product launched as a closed course included with a CBTp Implementation project. The course is now available to the public and can be found by clicking the "Resource" link above.   

The Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), in collaboration with the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), has developed a three-part series of fact sheets to deepen knowledge and understanding of the ISF. All three documents provide case examples that highlight the local context in which data-based decision making occurs and reflect the diversity of school communities in the region. This particular factsheet provides an introduction to Interconnected Systems Framework, including a definition and a review of the benefits.  

The Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), in collaboration with the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), has developed a three-part series of fact sheets to deepen knowledge and understanding of the ISF. All three documents provide case examples that highlight the local context in which data-based decision making occurs and reflect the diversity of school communities in the region.  This particular factsheet describes what will be different for educators and mental health providers when school mental health is integrated into a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).  

The Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), in collaboration with the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), has developed a three-part series of fact sheets to deepen knowledge and understanding of the ISF. All three documents provide case examples that highlight the local context in which data-based decision making occurs and reflect the diversity of school communities in the region.  This particular factsheet describes how to use school and community data to determine what interventions to select and implement to meet the diverse needs of all students.  

Prepared by Sarah Kopelovich, PhD Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is an accepted evidence-based treatment aimed at reducing the distress and impairment associated with psychotic symptoms.  CBTp has been incorporated in national Canadian and United States schizophrenia treatment guidelines. It is also a mode of treatment that can sometimes be perceived by providers as lacking emphasis on human relationships, though the basis of CBT is built upon relational factors including: validation, optimism, recovery-orientated practice and collaboration.  As a result of this perception, CBTp may not be as attractive to some practitioners, resulting in fewer trained clinicians, in turn, impacting client access to this evidence based treatment. This brief provides a summary of research to determine if CBTp is able to meet the stated needs of individuals seeking mental health services.