Past Events

Please join us for session 5 of the MHTTC webinar series: Trauma Informed Therapy. We will be featuring our special guest speaker: Avis Garcia, PhD, LAT, LPC, NCC, Northern Arapaho. Jun 9, 2021 1:00-2:30 EST . 12:00-1:30 CST . 11:00-12:30 MST . 10:00-11:30 PST . 9:00-10:30 AKST

Well-Being Wednesdays is a webinar series geared toward education professionals, administrators, and stakeholders, who are working together to create a culture of well-being that supports not only the students in their buildings, but the educators too! Each monthly session will outline each of the 10 ARC practice modules and follow a tell-show-do approach. Content will focus on one skill per session, outlining the skills, providing examples, and encouraging use of the skill. During the last session of the series, participants will be encouraged to identify and practice strategies that align with their personal and professional values, resulting in a “personal recipe for well-being.” In this final session, attendees will review all the previous sessions and reflect on the usefulness of each session’s concepts, skill, and strategies in developing their own wellbeing. Attendees will use this reflection to establish a wellness plan for their future and learn of a research-based goal setting strategy to achieve that plan.

There are enough COVID-19 vaccines for everyone in the United States, but some people aren't quite sure yet if they are ready to get one. Dr. Emily Kline will teach you to use skills from an evidence-based approach called motivational interviewing to have more successful conversations about COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Emily Kline is a psychologist, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, and the Director of Psychological Services for the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis program at Boston Medical Center. She has created a brief curriculum that teaches core motivational interviewing concepts to non-professionals facing difficult conversations with their loved ones.

Join us for this 75-minute webinar, where we will discuss prioritizing racial equity in behavioral health agencies. ABOUT THIS EVENT By engaging in this webinar, participants will begin to formulate anti-racist practices critical for behavioral health agencies. We can avoid performative and siloed diversity initiatives by starting with equity, leading to a more sustainable and authentic culture shift. In this session, we will take a critical look at the pervasive and innocuous consequences of racism on health and the role of behavioral health agencies and all members of the agency in responding. We will review dominant culture and institutional biases that may uphold inequities within agencies and strategize around dealing with change fatigue and resistance to essential anti-racist practices. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS SERIES FACILITATOR Ashley Stewart, MSW, PhD Dr. Ashley Stewart is an Adjunct Expert, Trainer & Curriculum Development Specialist at C4 Innovations. She received her PhD from The Ohio State University, College of Social Work and her Master’s at Columbia University. She is an Assistant Professor at Temple University, College of Public Health, School of Social Work, training interdisciplinary students about social justice theories and frameworks and translational skills for anti-oppressive practice. Ashley provides racial equity training, consultation, and support and understands and respects the intricacies inherent in diversity and inclusion. Her research includes assessing the intersections of identity, structural oppression, health and mental health, and policy. In addition to the advanced study of the consequence and causes of identity-based oppression, Ashley supports the implementation of anti-oppressive practices at organizational, structural, programmatic, and clinical interventions.  

Join us for this 2-hour training on the family partner role within the Wraparound process with Oregon Family Support Network. ABOUT THIS EVENT Wraparound is a planning process to help youth and their families realize their hopes and dreams. This training will orient you to the family partner role within the Wraparound process. We will go over the four phases of Wraparound and how the Family Partner supports the family and team members through the Wraparound process and activities associated with Wraparound planning. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS SERIES. FACILITATOR Candace Arnold Candace Arnold is a Family Support Specialist and the statewide Peer Coach and System of Care Trainer for Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN). OFSN is a family-run organization that promotes mental, behavioral, and emotional wellness for families and youth through education, support, and advocacy. Candace comes to this position with experience supporting youth and families, and with lived experience as a mother of 3 children, all with varying levels of complex mental and behavioral health needs. Being a wife and mother who has needed to learn to navigate youth and family support services, she knows, understands, and deeply respects the role of peers.   RESOURCES OFSN Technical Briefs (including Spanish versions of all of their content) Selected items related to this series: Role of the Family Partner handout  /  El Rol de un Compañero Familiar Best Practices for Retaining Family Support Specialists (Family Partners)  /Mejores Prácticas para Apoyar a Familias en el Proceso de Revisión de Servicios Comprehensivos (Wraparound) Family Partner Role in Wraparound Crisis and Safety Planning  /  El Rol del Compañero Familiar en Wraparound y la Planificación de Crisis y Seguridad      

Join our podcast club for mental health and school mental health providers on topics related to COVID-19 and its impact on our mental health and holistic wellness.  After listening to selected podcasts on your own, we will engage together in collective exploration related to the social constructs and internalized notions that impact our emotional wellbeing and the way we engage in our work as mental health providers. Oriana Ides, Pacific Southwest MHTTC School Mental Health Training Specialist, will guide our conversations Tuesday, June 8: “When ‘I’ is replaced with ‘WE,’ Illness becomes Wellness.” Listen: Empowerment and Navigating the Drift | Mario Martinez Watch: Self-Care is not Enough | Faviana Rodriguez This podcast is part of a larger series titled "We are the Pillars: A Podcast Club for Providers." You can view the full podcast description and schedule on the main event page.

This session describes steps and strategies to establishing a virtual private practice. Participants will learn how to use social media and an online presence to create a robust and thriving practice, gain insight into billing procedures, and understand how to manage crisis protocols when establishing a virtual private practice. This presentation is particularly tailored to the distinct need for, and challenges of, establishing a virtual private practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Audience participation will be engaged through polling questions, group discussions, and/or use of the chat box. Learn from a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of clinical experience who developed a thriving online practice with over 4.5K followers on Instagram and at least 20 consistent clients. Gloria B. Osborne, LCSW, will share her lessons learned, recommendations, and best practices developed over the past 1.5 years in the private practice world. Meet the Presenter Gloria B. Osborne, LCSW is a bilingual and bicultural Spanish speaking mental health clinician with over 10 years experience providing direct care in both inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and Spanish from Loyola Marymount University and earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. She currently runs a full time virtual private practice called Glow In Therapy and works part time as a Medical Social Worker for Kaiser Permanente.  Before joining Kaiser and starting a private practice, she worked many years in directly operated and County contracted facilities within Los Angeles County. She is certified in a variety of evidence based practices including Seeking Safety, TF-CBT, MAP, IPT, CPP, and national certification in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from The Academy of Cognitive Therapy.  

Join us for this 2-hour training on efficacious holistic crisis planning for families with Oregon Family Support Network. ABOUT THIS EVENT “Person and Family-Centered Planning” is not just a catchy new phrase in the mental health world for families. During this webinar we will highlight the importance of family members having active participation, and an active role, in the design of their mental health crisis plan. Together we will focus on how the family and youth perspective, lived experience, and culture can guide efficacious holistic crisis planning within all 12 life domains. Learning Objectives Understand mental health crisis planning from the Family Perspective. Distinguish crisis stabilization versus crisis planning. Navigate the paradigm shift from system led crisis planning to consumer led crisis planning. Discuss crisis planning from a holistic view and how all life domains are incorporated. Navigate strategies that assist in creating effective family crisis plans. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS SERIES.   FACILITATOR Shawna Canaga Shawna Canaga is a Family Support Specialist and the statewide Peer Delivered Services Trainer for Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN). OFSN is a family run organization that promotes mental, behavioral, and emotional wellness for families and youth through education, support, and advocacy. Shawna comes to this position with over a decade of experience supporting youth and families, and with lived experience as a mother of an adult child with complex mental health needs. Throughout both of these journeys Shawna has cultivated a passion for supporting family-driven and person-centered care within the youth and family serving systems.  

Description: From face-to-face visits to videoconferencing to virtual reality therapy -- the landscape of behavioral health care has transformed in the past year. Telehealth shows promise in increasing access and reach to some of the most vulnerable populations (e.g., people experiencing homelessness, older homebound adults, people in rural areas). As a growing number of clients/service users seek telehealth, behavioral health providers and support workers must consider the related ethical issues. This webinar will discuss the latest scientific knowledge regarding (1) telehealth privacy, confidentiality, and security issues; (2) behavioral health providers and support workers telehealth competence; (3) communication specific to technology; (4) research gaps; and (5) emergency situations. Download Flyer   Presenter: Karen L. Fortuna, PhD, LICSW, holds a doctorate in Social Welfare and a master’s degree in Social Work. Dr. Fortuna is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Dr. Fortuna is co-producing digital peer support programs with peer support specialists as equal partners in development, research, and ownership. Her team has developed a commercially viable smartphone app, PeerTECH, in which they are currently testing its impact in a real-world environment. Dr. Fortuna was awarded an NIMH K01 award (K01MH117496), a NARSAD Young Investigator Grants from the Brain and Behavior Foundation and the Alvin R. Tarlov & John E. Ware Jr. Award in Patient Reported Outcomes for her work, and the Association of Gerontological Education Social Work Faculty Achievement Award. Dr. Fortuna’s work can be seen in numerous book chapters on digital peer support, in Nature, Psychiatric Services, and Forbes Magazine. She currently serves as editor of the JMIR: Journal of Participatory Medicine. She is a board member of the International Association of Peer Supporters. She currently serves on the International Editorial Board for the British Journal of Social Work. She was invited to serve as a member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Smartphone App Expert Advisory Panel.   Learning Objectives: Determine personal views on the ethics of telehealth Understand the risks and benefits of telehealth with regards to privacy, confidentiality, and data security Develop expertise in how to develop an action plan to prepare for a telehealth emergency   Who Should Attend? Behavioral health care professionals and support workers, licensed social workers, psychologists, case managers, and peer support specialists   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (45 minutes) or more of the live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). CEUs are not offered for this session. The webinar slide presentation and recording will be posted to the website.

The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training in partnership with the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health for mental health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learn how to help an experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.   Trainers:  Riley Blythe, MSW, Prevention Program Coordinator for the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health (IABH), works to develop, implement and evaluate the Association’s prevention, wellness and leadership programs: Operation Snowball (OS) and the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI). She supports OS chapters and CGTI Community Action Teams through trainings, technical assistance, outreach, and fundraising, and work with community members to increase prevention programming throughout Illinois. Prior to joining IABH, Riley worked with individuals in recovery from substance abuse, members of the HIV community, and provided individual and group therapy to at-risk youth in the greater Chicago area. Riley holds a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Children and Family from Loyola University Chicago. Natalie Maggiore, first attended Snowball and CGTI in the 2006-2007 school year and has since grown through both programs. She has held a number of positions on the CGTI Leadership Team, including Conference Advisor, Care Team member, Youth Staff Advisor, PALS Advisor and Media Coordinator as well as serving as a workshop presenter. She also served as a member of the Operation Snowball Board of Directors from 2019-2020. Prior to joining IABH, Natalie worked as a Special Education instructor for high school students and a freelance journalist. Natalie holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and continues to pursue expanding mental health education and awareness through that avenue. CEUs This training will provide 6.5 CE units from IAODAPCA Continuing Education. There will be a $30.00 charge for the CE units from IABH. For more information, please Riley Blythe at IABH: [email protected]  

  The New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies, often called Summer School, is a 5-day (June 7-11) intensive, virtual learning experience to further knowledge, skills, and experience in the field of substance use disorder services. Each year, participants from many disciplines come together to form a unique, diverse learning community.    In order to safely meet your continuing education needs this summer, we are pleased to take the 52nd Summer School learning community online once again: Select from intensive courses from across the continuum of treatment, prevention, and recovery. Virtual courses will take place live by videoconference, allowing for interaction, including breakout groups and case studies. In addition to courses: plenary sessions, virtual community, post-program events, and more! Options are available to attend the full program or any number of days. Earn up to 26 Contact Hours during the program week, or up to 30 with additional post-event sessions!  Partial New England State Scholarships are available. Audience: Treatment, prevention, recovery support professionals, those working in related social services and healthcare, and all who recognize the impact of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs on individuals, families, and communities.    Complete Virtual Summer School Information, course information, and scholarship application links are available on the Virtual Summer School website.   A Note about the 2021 New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies Program: For over 50 years, we have welcomed new and returning Summer School participants to experience the unique learning environment of the New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies. In 2020, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly pivoted to a virtual format to ensure that the school continued. This year, for the safety of our Summer School community, we will again gather virtually. We understand that many attendees each year plan on the Summer School for their professional development, and many depend on a large number of contact hours offered for their credentialing. Addiction remains a critical issue, particularly as New England and the world experiences the COVID-19 pandemic and our field. We thank our faculty, planners, and state agency and state and regional training partners for their assistance in ensuring that a strong online program is available...We are pleased to offer this Virtual “Re-Imagined 2.0” New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies.   Sincerely, Denise Adams and AEI Team   AdCare Educational Institute of New England: https://neias.org 207-621-2549 [email protected]    

This one-hour webinar will help mental health providers become more familiar with the perspectives and experiences of the family members of people with mental illnesses. We will also identify family types, supports needed, and strategies for utilizing the strengths of families.   Presenters: Valerie Ferri, MSW, MPH, LSW is the Director of Workforce Development at the Family Training and Advocacy Center for Mental Illness (FTAC) and has worked in outpatient, inpatient, and administrative roles within the Philadelphia public behavioral health system for 20 years. She oversees various programs at FTAC that champion the importance of family within behavioral healthcare and works collaboratively with local universities, behavioral health organizations and family members to educate the workforce and support providers in their efforts to become more family inclusive.  Michelle Zechner, PhD, MSW, LSW, CPRP, an Assistant Professor at Rutgers, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions, has focused her career on the promotion of health and wellness for people with mental health conditions, their families and the staff who support them for over 25 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including: academia, outpatient mental health programs, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, family advocacy and training services.  She conducts research, teaches and mentors students, and consults with state psychiatric hospitals on supporting people with mental illness and their families. Her research interests include health promotion for people with mental health conditions and their families, aging well with disabilities, preparing mental health and health professionals to work with people with mental health conditions and their families, multi-dimensional wellness,  and motivation for physical activity. She has co-authored peer-reviewed and technical publications on health and wellness promotion. She is a sought after trainer and has given presentations locally and nationally on topics ranging from wellness and recovery, family support, and supporting self-care for families and mental health staff.  

Expect the Unexpected: Preparing for Crises in Schools is a webinar series geared toward education professionals, administrators, and stakeholders who are working together to create a school climate that aims to prevent crisis events. However, we know that not all crises can be prevented. How does your school respond to crisis events and encourage student and educator resilience? In this webinar, attendees will learn the Five R’s for best practices in school crisis response: readiness, response, recovery, review/evaluate, and resources. Attendees will identify common barriers to implementation of best practices and ways they can incorporate these vital components into their school’s crisis planning.

This month's national ACT Team meeting topic "Using Behavioral Activation and Gradual Activity Scheduling During This Time of Transition," with Jennifer Gottlieb, PhD, Cambridge Health Alliance. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a multidisciplinary, team-based model that provides intensive community-based and outreach-oriented services to people who experience the most severe and persistent mental illness. The vast majority also have a co-occurring substance use disorder and many experience comorbid medical illnesses as well as homelessness. This is a vulnerable population and their providers – ACT teams – are at elevated risk themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Northwest MHTTC is partnering with the Institute for Best Practices at the University of North Carolina to host and facilitate regular meetings for ACT teams. Learn more about the meetings here. Goals of the meetings are to: connect with one another share strategies and resources for adapting team practices and communications    facilitate connection to the most up-to-date resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.   For more information or questions, contact: Maria Monroe-DeVita or Lorna Moser, PhD, Director of the UNC ACT Technical Assistance Center in the UNC Department of Psychiatry’s Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health; and Coordinator of the North Carolina ACT Coalition.  

Registration for the Regional Peer Worker Support Circle is closed.   What: The Regional Peer Worker Support Circle (RPWSC) is a virtual gathering of peer workers from several U.S. states and territories that will meet every other week. The RPWSC is a safe and welcoming forum for mutual support, story sharing, discussion, and networking that unites peers from different professional and personal backgrounds. Meetings will focus on a variety of topics and issues central to peers, such as compassion fatigue, role clarity, systemic racism, self-care, and doing peer work amidst the pandemic. When: The Regional Peer Worker Support Circle will meet every other Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm ET. The first session will begin on Friday, February 12, 2021, and continue every other Friday through the end of August 2021. Where: The RPWSC will meet virtually via Zoom. Who Can Participate: People serving in peer worker roles are welcome to participate. Priority will be given to peer workers in the Northeast and Caribbean Region (i.e., New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands), but is not limited to individuals within the region. Schedule: 2/12; 2/26; 3/12; 3/26; 4/9; 4/23; 5/7; 5/21; 6/4; 6/18; 7/2; 7/16; 7/30; 8/6; 8/20   Facilitators: Stephanie Colon is a Bilingual Peer Specialist at the Institute for Family Health at the Center for Counseling at Walton, OnTrackNY, in the Bronx. She has been in this position since November 2017. Stephanie works with young people between the ages of 16 and 30 who have first-time altered state experiences. It is one of the most rewarding jobs that she has had in her lifetime. Stephanie is excited about being a co-facilitator of the Regional Peer Worker Support Circle. She says, “It gives me an opportunity to provide a safe/brave environment where peers feel like they are not alone and that their contribution to peer work is valuable.” Michael DeVivo is a Peer Specialist based in Syracuse, New York. He uses his lived experience with psychiatric labels to support young adults with first-episode psychosis. As a non-clinical member of a clinical team, he enjoys the challenge of improving the mental healthcare system “from the inside.” Mike is also passionate about developing the peer profession. To this end, he serves on a peer networking committee in his home region that links peer workers to foster a culture of support and solidarity, which he also hopes to promote as a co-facilitator of the Regional Peer Worker Support Circle. Outside of the peer world Mike teaches philosophy and writes music.

The second meeting for Cohort #2 takes place on June 18, 2021 from 12-2 P.M. SMART offers an innovative, modern, uplifting, and highly scalable approach to enhance individual resilience. SMART, developed by Dr. Amit Sood at Mayo Clinic, 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. The training addresses two aspects of human experience—attention and interpretation. Research shows that our brain’s attention, in its default state, incessantly wanders and instinctively focuses on the negative aspects of the day. This excessive ‘dwell time’ in the default mode correlates with symptoms of anxiety, depression, low engagement, and attention deficit. It also fatigues our brains. SMART offers a way out of this dilemma by engaging the brain’s focused mode—not only to experience more uplifting emotions, but also develop better focus, enhance creativity and productivity, improve engagement, deepen relationships, and find greater purpose in life. Each of the four modules of SMART is a combination of neuroscience and specific skills that are directly drawn from the science. The four modules will be covered in two sessions of two hours each.

Increasing Access to Rural Behavioral Health June 4, 2021 12:00 - 1:00 PM/MST | 1:00 - 2:00 PM/CST More than 20% of adults—or 1 in 5—experience a behavioral health disorder every year in the United States. Behavioral health disorders can be challenging to identify, screen for, and treat, especially in rural communities where the supply of behavioral health providers often cannot meet the demand for services. The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) is hosting a webinar to highlight state policy options for legislators aiming to increase access to rural behavioral health services. Increasing access may include improving crisis hotlines, increasing access to substance use disorder prevention and treatment series, and leverage emerging health professionals to address workforce gaps by considering scope of practice and licensing policies for behavioral health professionals.    This is a closed event for members of the NCSL. Visit the NCSL event page for more information about registration.   Visit the Rural Mental Health & Farm Stress page to learn more about free trainings and products developed by the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center.    Trainers Shawnda Schroeder, PhD, MA Andy McLean, MD, MPH  

Region 6 Peer Specialists and Family Partners working in First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) teams! The South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), in collaboration with PEPPNET, invites you to participate in our newly established monthly networking meetings. These no-cost, virtual meetings offer you the opportunity to collaborate with other FEP/CSC Team Peer Specialists and Family Partners in a supportive, mentoring environment. The goal is provide a space for resource sharing, support around ways to be most effective when working with FEP/CSC clients, options for self-care strategies, and more! For more information on how to join us for this call, please email us at [email protected].  

People define their spirituality, faith, and religion as being a process involving growth, addressing existential questions about meaning and sense in life, life satisfaction, well-being, a sense of purpose, hope, and optimism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and communities have started to explore more personal and collective connections with spiritual, faith, and religious resources as coping mechanisms. They seem to be a potential antidote that minimizes the consequences of anxiety, depression, and any other mental or physical stress caused during the coronavirus crisis.   In this context, the proposed panel and conversation series on spirituality, faith, and religion: creating a time and space for connection, wellness, and hope can be a tool for healthcare professionals, patients, family, and communities to reconnect with themselves, provide the most comprehensive care possible, benefit from spiritual practice, build social support, and share stories of hope and resilience.   Our community conversation series will offer comfort and safe space through structured and innovative conversation focusing on spiritual beliefs and coping. Activities facilitate verbal expression and appropriate social interaction and build a sense of belonging. We discuss activities and themes from these webinars within a recovery-oriented “emotion-focused coping” framework. A faith community member will lead this series.   Moderator: Thomas Burr, Community and Affiliate Relations Manager, NAMI Connecticut   Panelists for June 3rd, 2021   Reverend Torianto S. Johnson Sr. Congregation: Flames of Fire Christian Fellowship   Rev. Johnson is the founder and pastor of Flames of Fire Christian Fellowship in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He preaches a theology that calls attention to the intractability of anti-blackness, social and economic inequality, racial capitalism and the carceral state, and how colonialism affects the articulation and experience of the gospel. He is committed to preaching a prophetic message rooted in love, hope, and justice. Rev. Johnson is a native of Benton Harbor, Michigan, and a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He earned a master of arts in religion with a concentration in theology from Yale Divinity School. While at the Yale Divinity School, Rev. Johnson served as minister for Marquand Chapel and was the Reverend Dr. Samuel N. Slie Fellow for the University Church. Pastor Marylin Rodriguez Congregation: Church Oasis of Blessing Christian Center   Pastor Marilyn Rodriguez was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and raised in a Christian home. In 1996, Pastor Rodriquez received her bachelor’s degree in visual arts and moved to New Britain, Connecticut, where she met her future husband, Jose Rodriguez. She has always been active in her church, and in 1999 she graduated from the Hispanic Bible Institute. In 2014, Pastor Rodriguez graduated from the Latin-American Bible Institute and went on to teach there for 2 years. For the last 8 years, she and her husband have worked at the Church Oasis of Blessing Christian Center. Pastor Rodriguez and her husband Jose have eight children. Pastor Kelcy G. L. Steele Congregation: Varick Memorial African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church   A native of Rock Hill, South Carolina, Rev. Steele is the 43rd pastor of Varick Memorial AME Zion Church. He is author of the book The Sound of Revival: 7 Powerful Prophetic Proclamations, which explores prophetic preaching in the Wesleyan tradition. He earned his master of divinity degree at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, in 2018. Governor Ned Lamont appointed Pastor Steele to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles in 2020. Pastor Steele is CEO of the Varick Center for Empowerment and an Imani Breakthrough Project Leader. He serves on the Board of Directors of Booker T. Washington Academy and is Cultural Ambassador of the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation. Pastor William L. Mathis Congregation: Springs of Life-Giving Water Church (The Springs) A native of Albany, Georgia, after graduating from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s degree in political science and accounting, Pastor Mathis joined the staff of the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control for the U. S. House of Representatives.   Afterwards, he pursued his interest in law at Boston College, earning his JD degree in 1989 and serving as the National Chair of the Black Law Students Association in the wake of increasing minority presence in the profession. He served first as a judicial law clerk and then as Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney. While in these positions, he worked to ameliorate the plight of juvenile delinquents and to develop preventive programs and supporting environments. During this time, he was called to the ministry and began ministering through public policies. Before he entered Harvard University, he served as chaplain, counselor, and teacher at The Baraka School, a school for inner-city male youth based in Kenya, East Africa. Pastor Mathis received his MDiv from Harvard in 2002.   The Springs is an American Baptist Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Pastor Mathis seeks to help individuals view and develop each life experience as empowering and directional for their purposed lives as they become all that God intends. In line with his assignment, Pastor Mathis is CEO of WLM Ministries, a nonprofit organization devoted to providing consulting services to create community and faith-based initiatives focused on criminal justice, neighborhood safety, community building, youth empowerment, social justice, and African diaspora collaboration.    These are additional positions and affiliations for Pastor Mathis: Immediate past president, American Baptist Churches of Connecticut (ABCCONN), 2019–2020 Member, Baptist World Alliance’s Justice and Freedom Commission Consultant, Brazilian faith-based communities and non-governmental organizations working to empower Afro-Brazilian communities Member, Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors Founding and steering committee member, New Haven 828, an organization devoted to bringing pastors and para-church leaders together for prayer and the formation of collaborative initiatives to address social ills Advisory board member, New Haven’s Juvenile Review Board Member, New Haven’s Reentry Initiative Roundtable Member, New Haven Community Violence Response Group     Panelists for June 24th, 2021   Reverend Hiram L. Brett Rev. Brett, the spiritual care coordinator and chaplain at Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) in New Haven, serves as a chaplain in the Bridgeport Hospital emergency room. Before joining CMHC, Rev. Brett served as pastor of Whitneyville United Church of Christ in Hamden, Connecticut. A graduate of Yale Divinity School (MDiv) and Stanford University (MBA), Rev. Brett completed his residency in clinical pastoral education at Yale New Haven Hospital. He has completed International Federal Levels 1 and 2 coach training and is working toward professional coach certification. Rabbi Randall (Randy) Konigsburg Senior Rabbi, Beth Sholom B’nai Israel, Manchester, Connecticut For almost 40 years, Rabbi Konigsburg has been a spiritual leader and pastor in congregations in Florida, Minnesota, Alabama, and Connecticut. He graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York City with ordination and a master’s degree in rabbinic literature. He has worked as a hospital and police chaplain, as a rabbi for hospice, and as a rabbi for teens on the March of The Living, an educational history tour of holocaust sites in Poland. He has trained in pastoral crisis intervention, education, cancer care, and substance abuse. He received an honorary doctorate from JTS for his work in the Jewish community. Rabbi Konigsburg tries to find time for nature photography. Benjamin (Ben) Doolittle, MD, MA Div Rev. Dr. Benjamin Doolittle is a local church pastor and a physician. He is an associate professor of internal medicine and of pediatrics at Yale Medical School and an associate professor of religion and health at Yale Divinity School. He directs the Yale Program for Medicine, Spirituality, and Religion as well as the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. Pastor Anthony (Tony) C. Martin Congregation: Trinity Baptist Church Pastor Martin is worship director at Trinity Baptist Church in Arlington, Massachusetts, and regional worship leader at the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. He holds a master of science and a bachelor of arts degrees in music and political science from the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston). He is the director of the UMass Boston chapter of My Brother’s Keeper. Launched by President Barack Obama in 2014, the My Brother’s Keeper initiative works to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and to ensure that all young people can reach their full potential.   Panelists for July 8th, 2021   Enroue [On-roo] Halfkenny [Haf-ken-ee] Enroue Halfkenny has been a Babalawo [Bah-bah-lah-woe] within the West African traditional religion of the Yoruba [Yoh-ru-bah] People for more than 20 years. He is a clinical social worker, an artist, and an activist. He is a multiracial, Black, cisgender, heterosexual man, father of two, who has been married for more than 21 years. Mr. Halfkenny has also been living sober for over 28 years. The weaving together of spiritual health, mental health, and social justice issues and practices guide his life and direct his work with others. Noman J. Nuton Jr., Senior Minister Congregation: New Haven Church of Christ A native of Cambridge, Maryland, Minister Nuton is a graduate of Amridge University (formerly Southern Christian University) where he earned his bachelor of science degree in bible/ministry, graduating summa cum laude. For several years, he served at the Cambridge Church of Christ as the assistant minister and youth minister. At the Capital Church of Christ, he assisted with the youth ministry, teaching high school teens and preaching the gospel. Minister Nuton served as the senior minister of the Church of Christ in Easton Maryland for 6 years; for the past 4 years, he has served in his current position as senior minister at the New Haven Church of Christ. Committed to serving his church and his community, Minister Nuton is a board member of Christian Community Action, which is a faith-based nonprofit organization committed to housing, feeding, and educating families who are less fortunate. Minister Nuton achieved recognition working as a paralegal for a prominent law firm in Baltimore City, Maryland. In addition to his ministerial service, he worked in the insurance industry for 15 years in various positions, including working as a national sales executive for an insurance brokerage in Cambridge for 8 years. He also worked in conjunction with the Dorchester County Public Schools, speaking at various schools and community events. Minister Nuton, a resident of Hamden, Connecticut, is married to Myra; together they have three children, Mya, Mariah, and Norman III. Reverend Bonita Grubbs Rev. Grubbs has been the executive director of Christian Community Action since December 1988. Before that, 1985–1988, she was employed as assistant regional administrator in Region V (Northwest Connecticut) for the Connecticut Department of Mental Health. Actively engaged in public service, she has served as a governing board member for these organizations: Connecticut Housing Coalition The Hospital of Saint Raphael Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund International Festival of Arts and Ideas Connecticut Voices for Children Project Access New Haven Community Economic Development Fund Addition leadership positions include the following: Member, Connecticut Judicial Review Council Interim pastor, Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church, Hamden, Connecticut President, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness Co-chair, Steering Committee of New Haven’s Fighting Back Project Member, Board of Trustees of Mercy Center in Madison, Connecticut Member, Board of Trustees of Connecticut Center for School Change and Dwight Hall at Yale University Lecturer in supervised ministries and homiletics, Yale Divinity School President, ABCCONN, and chair of ABCCONN’s Personnel Committee   Rev. Grubbs holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and Afro-American studies from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She received two degrees from Yale University, a master of arts in religion and a master of public health. She received an honorary degree from Albertus Magnus College in 2001. In 2012, Richard Levin, former Yale University president, and Rev. Grubbs received the New Haven Register’s Person of the Year Award. In 2013, she received the Humanitarian Award from the Connecticut Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission. Presently, Rev. Grubbs is a member of the governing board of the Regional Workforce Alliance. Confirmed as deputy chaplain of the Connecticut State Senate General Assembly in 2015, she continues to serve in this capacity. Pastor Marcelo Centeno Jr. Congregation: CPR Church, Bristol, Connecticut Born on a cold December day in 1982, Pastor Centeno dedicated his life to the service of the Lord. After 4 years of biblical and theological studies, he began his evangelical and missionary ministry as well as teaching in various Bible theology schools. Pastor Centeno has preached and taught the gospel throughout the United States as well as in South and Central America. Pastors of CPR Church since 2018, Centeno and his wife Ruth Noemi offer counseling services, including marriage counseling, and helping people with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and other concerns. The pastors actively work with the community, including the Salvation Army and Brian’s Angels, which is a homeless outreach organization. They provide food and clothing to the less fortunate, and annually provide hundreds of book bags and schools supplies to low-income families. Each month, they send two 96-gallon barrels filled with clothing, canned goods, and supplies to a church ministry in the Dominican Republic. Pastor Centeno’s focus is impacting lives through the love of Jesus.   Love photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com    

Mindfulness is for Everyone; HHS Region 8 June 3, 2021 12:00pm - 1:30pm MST | 1:00pm - 2:30pm CST How helpful would it be to learn a skill that allows you to manage real challenges and difficulties with greater flexibility and resiliency? It would be amazing, right? Mindfulness is an often-misunderstood practice that can do that very thing. Perhaps now more than ever, people need to build, or maintain, skills that can help them cope with anxiety and manage the daily challenges of work, home, and health. Join presenter Robin Landwehr, DBH, LPCC, NCC and the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center for a 90 minute training to develop and practice these skills!    This training is being provided by the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center in collaboration with the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities at Minot State University and the Community Staff Training Program.    There is no fee to register for this training! However, each agency contact person needs to register their group to receive the webinar link. This link is for registrants only and not to be shared or forwarded to others. Due to limited capacity, please congregate to share viewing screens within your agency as much as safely possible within COVID guidelines.    Trainer Robin Landwehr, DBH, LPCC, NCC  

Description: Bipolar disorder can be a severe mental illness that has forensic, community, and psychosocial implications for African Americans. It is also a major risk factor for suicide and drug abuse. The need for intensive treatment services is essential despite recent advances that have greatly improved outcomes. This webinar will explore the complexities of accurately identifying and diagnosing bipolar disorder, discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, and examine the co-occurrence of bipolar and substance use disorders.   Download Flyer   Presenter: William B. Lawson, M.D., Ph.D., D.L.F.A.P.A. is Founder and Director of the Institute to Reduce Disparities LLC, Director of Psychiatric Research for the Emerson Clinical Research Institute and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is emeritus professor of psychiatry, at the Dell Medical School, University of Texas, Austin, and emeritus professor and formerly chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Howard University School of Medicine. He received a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire and M.D. from the Pritzker School of Medicine University of Chicago, did his residency at Stanford University and a fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health. He has held faculty positions at the University of Illinois, Urbana, University of California, Irvine, Vanderbilt University, University of Arkansas, and Howard University. He has held numerous senior positions and received national recognition including past President of the DC Chapter of Mental Health America, Past President of the Washington Psychiatric Society, past Chair of the Section of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the National Medical Association, and past president of the Black Psychiatrists of America. He has received several honors, including the American Psychiatric Foundation Award for Advancing Minority Mental Health, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. He has over 200 publications, and is the former editor in chief of the Journal of the National Medical Association.    Learning Objectives: Discuss the problem of misdiagnosis in diverse racial and ethnic groups Explain the differences between bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and depression List the non-pharmacological evidence-based interventions for bipolar disorder Explain the different types of pharmacological interventions and why polypharmacy is the rule Describe the role of substance use disorder comorbidity   Who Should Attend? Mental health professionals, behavioral health professionals, and the general public   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). CEUs are not offered for this session. The webinar slide presentation and recording will be posted to the website.