Training and Events Calendar

ABOUT THIS EVENT This webinar will provide an overview of cultural considerations for mental health practitioners working with South Asian clients. We will briefly discuss the history of the region, religious and cultural practices, the role of the family system, the history of migration to the United States, and intersections within South Asian identities. We will also provide an outline of the current scientific literature regarding South Asian mental health. Participants will leave with a more holistic understanding of South Asian culture and the unique factors to consider when working with this community in a clinical setting. FACILITATOR Atrayee Mukherjee, M.S.Ed., LMHCA Atrayee Mukherjee (she/her) is a first-generation Indian immigrant and mental health practitioner. She received her undergraduate and graduate education from Indiana University Bloomington. Through her experiences as an international student, Atrayee became aware of the need for culturally sensitive therapeutic services for immigrant communities. She specializes in working with the South Asian community and the Queer community, and provides therapeutic services in English, Hindi, and Bengali.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2024 10:00 - 11:15 a.m. HT / 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. MT / 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. CT / 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. ET Session 8 of 8 in the "Provider Plática Learning Collaborative" Series / Sesión 8 de 8 de la Serie "Colaboración de Aprendizaje para una Plática entre Profesionales" (view series main page for full details / consultar la página principal de la serie para ver toda la información) Provider Plática Learning Collaborative: Supporting the Training Needs of Practitioners of Spanish Language Mental Health Services Colaboración de Aprendizaje para una Plática entre Profesionales: Respaldando las Necesidades de Capacitación de los Profesionales que Prestan Servicios de Salud Mental en Español August 27: Session 8 / 27 de agosto: Sesión 8   Welcome to Session 8 in this series! / ¡Bienvenidos a la Sesión 8 de esta serie! Collaboratively held by the National Training & Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC this Provider Platica program is a monthly collaborative space for peer learning and resourcing. This session and all that follow are an open, bilingual space for members of the mental health workforce to share common challenges and experiences when providing services to Spanish-speaking communities with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) as well as high-quality resources and innovative solutions. All levels of Spanish language proficiency and comfort are welcome. Este programa de Plática entre Profesionales, llevado a cabo colaborativamente por el Centro Nacional de Capacitación y Asistencia Técnica (NTTAC por sus siglas en inglés) y el Centro de Transferencia de Tecnología de Salud Mental del Sudoeste del Pacífico (MHTTC por sus siglas en inglés), es un espacio mensual de colaboración para el aprendizaje entre pares y la facilitación de recursos. Esta y todas las demás sesiones son un espacio abierto y bilingüe donde los miembros de la fuerza laboral de salud mental podrán compartir desafíos y experiencias en común a la hora de prestar servicios a las comunidades de habla hispana con un Dominio Limitado del Inglés (LEP por sus siglas en inglés), así como recursos de alta calidad y soluciones innovadoras. Son bienvenidas las personas con cualquier nivel de dominio del español y comodidad con el mismo.   Audience / Audiencia Mental health professionals across the country and U.S. territories, including clinicians, peer counselors and others who provide services to Spanish-speaking individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). We welcome providers in a wide range of professional settings, including clinical, community and government agencies, education, private practice, and more. Profesionales de la salud mental de todo Estados Unidos y sus territorios, incluidos médicos clínicos, consejeros entre pares y otras personas que prestan servicios a hablantes de español con un Dominio Limitado del Inglés (LEP por sus siglas en inglés). Les damos la bienvenida a profesionales provenientes de una amplia variedad de entornos, que incluye instituciones clínicas, comunitarias, gubernamentales, educativas, consultorios privados y demás.   About the Facilitator / Conozca a la Facilitadora   Kristi Silva (she/her) has over 15 years’ experience providing culturally responsive training and technical assistance – especially for Latine and Native American communities – at the local, state, and national level. In addition to subject matter expertise in health equity and policy, Ms. Silva is an experienced researcher and evaluator, with specialization in community-developed best practices requiring an adapted evaluation methodology. She has worked in partnership with communities impacted by pan-generational trauma to develop strengths-based policies and practices that are sustainable and rooted in a social justice framework. As a professional who now serves communities like the one she comes from, Ms. Silva brings an essential lens of lived experience to the work. Kristi Silva (ella) tiene más de 15 años de experiencia brindando capacitación y asistencia técnica culturalmente receptiva —especialmente a comunidades latinas e indígenas norteamericanas— a nivel local, estatal y nacional. Además de ser experta en asuntos de equidad y políticas de salud, la Srta. Silva es una evaluadora e investigadora experimentada, especializada en mejores prácticas desarrolladas por la comunidad que requieran una metodología de evaluación adaptada. Ha trabajado junto con comunidades impactadas por el trauma pangeneracional para desarrollar prácticas y políticas basadas en las fortalezas que sean sostenibles y se fundamenten en un marco de justicia social. Como una profesional que ahora atiende a comunidades similares a aquellas de donde proviene, la Srta. Silva lleva a cabo su trabajo con una perspectiva fundamental de experiencias de vida.     (view series main page for full details / consultar la página principal de la serie para ver toda la información)  

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. and New England MHTTC would like to invite you and your staff to attend "Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance: Wise Practices," a Tribal Behavioral Health ECHO webinar series. Native Psychological Brilliance refers to the intelligence, strengths, balance, innate resources, and resilience of Native people. This no-cost telehealth series will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 11:00 am Pacific/12:00 pm Mountain/1:00 pm Central/2:00 pm Eastern. Each session will be one hour in length and will provide an opportunity for participants to:   Gain skills on strength-based approaches in partnership with Native People to enhance Native behavioral health Discuss ways that Native brilliance is demonstrated and supports behavioral health Learn about Native brilliance examples to share with behavioral health and other health care staff, as well as with local Tribal Nation citizens   The concept of Native psychological brilliance will be celebrated through Native music video and Native spoken word performances as part of each session. Who should attend? Tribal health directors, clinic staff, counselors, social workers, physicians, nurses, Tribal Epidemiology Center staff, and anyone supporting Tribal communities through the health or behavioral health sector are welcome to join. Continuing education credits will be provided.   If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected] ahead of the event date. For example, if you would like an ASL interpreter, please let us know 3 weeks ahead of the event date so we have sufficient time to secure the services.  

ABOUT THIS EVENT Organizations must transform their approach to hiring and development to thrive in a diverse world. We must also come to terms with our readiness and capacity to interview, hire and manage from a culturally appropriate and affirming lens. This 90-minute webinar will explore how we can approach leadership and hiring in a way that creates an inclusive environment for all staff. Items to consider during this webinar: - Is diversity always a necessary component when hiring? - What does diversity in hiring and onboarding mean? We are not just speaking about diversity as how people look. - What do you consider when looking for the “right applicant”? Could bias be hiding in that outlook? - Is your organization clear on its understanding of diversity and inclusion? - As a leader, are you clued into your own biases? Have you assessed your level of cultural humility? FACILITATOR Bianca Andrews Bianca Andrews is a Washington based peer support practice manager, community care advocate, facilitator and trainer in organizational practices and behavioral health care. With focus on community care with intentionality and from a culturally affirming practice lens, Bianca aims to deliver information and perspective that creates critical thinking and space to consider elevated possibilities of support for all persons, and specifically aims to amplify the need to shift our support in a more meaningful way for persons who have historically been under resourced, marginalized and oppressed. Over the last 25 years, Bianca has provided her experience in peer support to the military and mental health communities, consulted and presented in various projects affecting community members at the local, state and national level. As a community caregiver, person living with mental health and generational trauma experience, mental health and military community member and advocate, Bianca is unrelenting and unreserved in their support of Indigenous Sovereignty.

Session Description: Executive functions (EF) are crucial cognitive processes that help individuals manage the demands of college life effectively. For students with mental health conditions (MHCs), challenges with EF can be significant barriers to academic persistence and success. This workshop is designed for supported education providers assisting postsecondary students with MHCs, offering a comprehensive exploration of executive functioning support strategies. We will review primary categories of EF, understand the impact of executive dysfunction on educational pursuits, and discuss practical strategies and interventions tailored to strengthen EF skills. Participants will gain insights and guidance on supporting students with MHCs in enhancing their executive functions, ultimately promoting their academic persistence and overall well-being. Session Objectives: Define executive functioning. Identify the primary categories of executive functions. Describe executive dysfunction. Discuss strategies and interventions to enhance executive function skills.   Presenter Bio: Amy Banko, MS, LAC, NCC, CIPS, CPRP is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University. In addition to providing course instruction, Ms.Banko serves as an implementation consultant at the Integrated Employment Institute of Rutgers. Within this role, she facilitates trauma-informed, Supported Employment and Supported Education training and technical assistance to enhance practitioner competencies and program outcomes. She is a co-investigator on two federally funded studies exploring postsecondary education, mental health conditions, and trauma. Additionally, Ms. Banko co-authored several best practice manuals for providing career services to transition-age youth and adults with mental health conditions. Ms. Banko’s research agenda focuses on rehabilitation counseling, social/transformative justice, and critical disability theory as she seeks to build interventions and counseling services that bolster the social determinants of health for those with mental health conditions. She is passionate about addressing systemic injustice and improving the social determinants of health for people with disabilities and those who experience the intersectionality of disability with other marginalized and oppressed identities. Additionally, Ms. Banko leverages her lived experience of a mental health condition to inform her research, course instruction, and counseling. Ms. Banko is currently attending her doctoral studies at Kean University for Counseling and Supervision, focusing on trauma and resilience counseling.

ABOUT THIS EVENT This presentation will review the ways in which climate change threatens human wellbeing. Bearing in mind the interdependence of mental and physical health, we will start with an overview of health impacts in general. We will then go into more detail about the different ways in which climate change can affect mental health, summarizing recent research on direct, indirect, and vicarious impacts. Finally, we will draw from some Canadian research to describe specific examples of communities where mental health has been affected by events associated with climate change. FACILITATORS Kristie Ebi, Ph.D., MPH Kristie Ebi has been conducting research on the health risks of climate variability and change for over 30 years, focusing on estimating current and future health risks of climate change; designing adaptation policies and measures to reduce these risks in multi-stressor environments; and quantifying the health co-benefits of mitigation policies. She has worked with multiple countries worldwide in assessing their vulnerability and implementing adaptation measures. She was a lead author for the 6th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment cycle; edited four books on aspects of climate change; and has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. Susan Clayton, Ph.D. Susan Clayton is the Whitmore-Williams Professor and Chair of Psychology at the College of Wooster in Ohio. Dr. Clayton’s research examines people’s relationship with the natural environment, how it is socially constructed, and how a healthy relationship with nature can be promoted. She has written about the effects of climate change on mental health and has developed a scale to assess climate anxiety. She is author or editor of six books, including Identity and the Natural Environment, Conservation Psychology, and Psychology and Climate Change, and is currently the editor of the Cambridge Elements series in Applied Social Psychology. A fellow of the American Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology, she was a lead author on the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  Sherilee Harper, MSc, PhD Sherilee Harper is a Canada Research Chair in Climate Change and Health, Kule Scholar, and Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta.  Her research investigates associations between weather, environment, and health equity in the context of climate change, and she collaborates with partners across sectors to prioritize climate-related health actions, planning, interventions, and research. She was a Lead Author on two Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports; served on the Gender Task Group for the IPCC; Lead Author on Health Canada's 2022 Climate Change and Health Assessment; and Co-chaired the Government of Canada's Health and Wellbeing Advisory Table for the National Adaptation Strategy.

Session Description: In this session, we'll be launching a new manualized positive psychology intervention for people with serious mental health conditions. This program will give you, as the facilitator, practical and effective tools from positive psychology to teach people how they can take steps to feel happier in their daily lives. You might even find that these strategies help you feel happier too! The intervention is based on existing research about happiness, methods to build on what works in one’s life, and strategies to explore new areas for growth. Unlike more traditional mental health interventions which often focus on the problems or symptoms people experience, this program encourages people to look beyond what is going wrong and focus on what is strong, nurturing these areas and developing new abilities. Feeling happier does not only come from minimizing or eliminating mental health symptoms –it involves creating a more satisfying and fulfilling life.   Presenter Bios: Michelle Zechner, PhD, LSW, CPRP, is a clinical intervention researcher, educator, and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner. Her work aims to promote recovery and multidimensional wellness for people with mental health conditions so that they can lead happier and more fulfilling lives. She has developed and evaluated best practice group psychosocial interventions and facilitated group interventions in outpatient and inpatient mental health settings. She has collaborated on positive psychology initiatives and has taken coursework in positive psychology coaching. Her work in positive psychology has focused on organizational strategies to promote flourishing, workforce development initiatives, and strategies to build personal resilience for people with serious mental illnesses, and employees in mental health and higher education settings. Kaitlin Mitchell, LCSW is a PhD candidate, adjunct faculty member, and Senior Training & Consultation Specialist in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University. She has over 10 years of clinical experience working with individuals living with serious mental health conditions in a variety of inpatient and outpatient programs. Ms. Mitchell has participated in research on the development and implementation of evidence-based positive psychology interventions in mental health settings. She has received additional training in positive psychology through the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) World Congress. Ann A. Murphy, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Director of the Northeast and Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers, School of Health Professions. Dr. Murphy conducts research focused on interventions to improve the lives of people with mental illnesses, and previously provided psychiatric rehabilitation services. She develops training, technical assistance, and resources to enhance the capacity of the behavioral health workforce to provide evidence-based and empirically supported practices.  

Educators! Join Us to Learn Realistic, Achievable Habits that Strengthen Our Mind and Improve Wellbeing SMART offers an innovative, modern, uplifting, and highly scalable approach to enhance individual resilience.  Developed by Dr. Amit Sood at the Mayo Clinic, SMART is offered as a four-module structured program. SMART has been tested and found efficacious in over 30 clinical trials for decreasing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and burnout, and increasing resilience, wellbeing, mindfulness, happiness, and positive health behaviors. CEUs are available!

The South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) invites peer specialists from across Region 6 to apply for the Youth and Young Adult Peer Specialist training. The Youth and Young Adults Peer Support training was developed to train peer supporters on the topics of youth voice and issues specific to youth navigating mental health or substance use challenges. The Youth and Young Adults Peer Support training is available for anyone who works, or is interested in working, as a peer specialist. This three-day training provides participants with a foundation for youth experience with mental health and substance use challenges, the unique issues for youth navigating recovery and youth-serving systems, and best practices and tools for peer specialists looking to support youth. The training will also encourage participants to consider how to use their own lived experience when supporting youth through structured reflection, group discussion, and interactive activities. There is no age requirement for participating in this training. Applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis, so we encourage interested folks to apply early since space in the training may fill up quickly. Not all applicants will be accepted as we have limited seats available. The Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training is appropriate for anyone working or volunteering (or interested in working or volunteering) as a peer specialist. The only prerequisite to attendance is that participants must have previous formal training in peer support practice (e.g., their state’s Peer Specialist certification training, Intentional Peer Support, etc.). Priority consideration will be given to people who are interested in attending the YAYAPS Training of Trainers so that they may facilitate the Youth and Young Adult Peer Support Training in their communities. Learning Objectives: At the end of this training, it is envisioned that participants will be able ​​to: Define the term “youth” Identify and practice effective ways of meeting youth and young people “where they are” Build authentic connections with young people based on lived experience, regardless of differences in age or other experiences Identify stigmatizing language used to describe young people and effectively reframe such language through the lens of peer values Understand how resistance or other actions may be forms of self-advocacy, communication, or responses to trauma Identify common responses to trauma that young people experience Support young people in exploring different ways to heal from trauma Utilize foundational knowledge of power and privilege to support youth experiencing oppression Assist young people in learning to advocate for themselves within the settings that young people must navigate Set and hold boundaries with persons served and coworkers Identify challenges and ethical boundaries for supporting family members of a young person Facilitators Amey Dettmer Amey Dettmer has nearly fifteen years of experience in the peer support workforce. She has worked as a peer support specialist in direct service settings, as a peer supervisor, and as a nationally recognized peer support educator. Amey is a well known leader in the peer support movement and has worked with peer supporters in all 50 states and from around the World. She was recognized by the National Association of Peer Supporters(N.A.P.S.)  in 2018 with the “Disruptive Innovator Award” highlighting her work in youth peer leadership and honoring her as a young adult who has made a significant transformative contribution to the field of Peer Support through leadership, programming, and activism.  Amey is distinguished as an Advanced Level Facilitator, an Organizational Intentional Peer Support Trainer, a Youth and Young Adult Peer Support Trainer, and an Alternatives to Suicide group facilitator. She currently is employed with Pathways Vermont as a statewide training specialist. Currently, she serves as chair of the Vermont Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Council and is a Board Member of Disability Rights Vermont.   When not pursuing her passion for peer support, Amey is focusing her energy on motherhood and raising her children in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, watching wildlife and building meaningful connections in her local community. Vanessa Williams Vanessa Williams (she/her) is a Certified Peer and Recovery Support Specialist, trainer, and mental health advocate. Since beginning her journey in 2010 as a Warm Line specialist and supervisor, Vanessa has made significant strides in the field of peer support. She has presented at several behavioral health agencies and conferences on the importance of employment opportunities for behavioral health peer support specialists.She offers continuing education training courses for Peer Specialists and facilitates support groups to support and uplift the Black community. Vanessa also serves as the Board President for the National Association of Peer Supporters (N.A.P.S.).  Specializing in the application of accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI) principles, Vanessa helps organizations enhance their workplace culture, leading to improved representation, productivity, and employee retention. Her expertise extends to peer support leadership, mentoring, and coaching from a trauma-informed perspective. Vanessa's contributions to healthcare education have earned her recognition as a finalist for The Phoenix Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes awards in 2016 and 2017.   In addition to her peer specialist work, she returned to college and earned an AAS in Organizational Management from Rio Salado College, a BAS in Public Administration from Northern Arizona University, and a MS in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She is currently working on a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

The Region 6 Peer Support Advisory Committee (PSAC) to the South Southwest MHTTC meets on a monthly basis to collaborate across the states and tribal communities to identify and address common areas of need and share resources. Based on feedback from the PSAC, and needs identified by peers across Region 6, the MHTTC organizes training and technical assistance focused on peer retention and workforce development. This is a closed meeting.

This presentation will provide an overview of the 988 Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and crisis resources for people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis. We will discuss when and how 988 could be helpful during interactions with patients, students or colleagues and offer additional resources for people who are in emotional crisis.

Event Description Increasingly, rural systems of care are employing a range of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), supported employment, and supported housing, to meet the needs of persons with serious mental illness. Rural systems often modify these EBP’s in some manner to accommodate rural environments that consistently contend with workforce limitations, small populations, intermittent broadband and cell phone service, and long distances.      Join us for this important knowledge exchange on Tuesday, 9/24 and Thursday, 9/26, from 9:00 am MT – 12:00 pm MT. Please note this training has been changed from an in-person event to two virtual training sessions.   In Session 1, we will focus upon the science and adaptation of EBP to rural practice.    In Session 2, we will focus on rural implementors and providers discussing their real-world rural challenges to implementation and on-going adoption challenges and opportunities.  This will be followed by a summary discussion of State Policy that can support rural adoption of EBPs.    If you have any questions, please contact Genevieve Berry at [email protected] 

The Northwest MHTTC team participated in program planning for the 5th annual Re-Imagining Behavioral Health: Race, Equity and Social Justice Conference hosted by the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center. CONFERENCE DETAILS The two half-day free virtual conference hosted by the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview and funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority is designed to empower individuals and teams in Washington State and beyond who want to advance health equity and support diversity and inclusion in behavioral health care. The conference is an opportunity to connect with others and join in a meaningful conversation about healing racial trauma, dismantling racism, and combating systemic racism and social injustices through the lens of mental health and substance use issues. Our Northwest MHTTC Staff have been actively involved in the planning process alongside a committee of partners, thought leaders and experts in the fields of race, equity, social justice, and behavioral health located throughout Washington State. We are honored to provide support and looking forward to this year's amazing conference! Please contact [email protected] with any questions concerning this conference.

Event Description This is Session 3 of the Thriving Together series. Learning objectives for this session include: Explore factors such as leadership styles, communication practices, reward systems, and employee support programs influence the overall culture of care within the organization.  Evaluate the components of organizational culture, including norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors, through qualitative and quantitative methods, to identify areas for improvement or alignment with organizational goals and values.  Establish metrics and identify measures to track progress, identify areas of success, and make data-driven adjustments to strategies and initiatives that promote organizational wellness. Trainers Rachel Navarro, PhD, LP  Topaza Yu