Past Events

DSM-5 Diagnostic Best Practices - Workshop Wednesday Session Join the Mountain Plains MHTTC on the third Wednesday of every month for training on a variety of mental health topics. All sessions are free and providers working in HHS Region 8 (and beyond) are encouraged to attend! Sessions in the Workshop Wednesday series are designed to expand on training topics of key interest identified in the HHS Region 8 Mental Health Workforce Training Needs Assessment. Regular training and knowledge sharing can help support workforce development, expedite information transfer, and knowledge acquisition.   Session Description Dr. Andrew J. McLean, MD, MPH, will provide a 90-minute session on best practices for rendering DSM-5  diagnoses in a variety of care environments. Accurate diagnoses are key to ensuring individuals receive proper care, but clinicians may encounter a variety of challenges when attempting to accurately diagnose the patients and clients they serve.   Session Objectives Identify the primary elements in common DSM-5 diagnoses. Understand necessary documentation standards to support a diagnosis. Examine common barriers to providing accurate diagnoses.  

Identify negative thoughts that persist despite evident success, identify the roots of self-doubt and intellectual fraudulence, affirm success and competence. The Northwest MHTTC is excited to collaborate with Aleks Martin, MSW, LSWAIC, SUDP, to deliver a webinar and podcast series as part of our support for provider well-being. Find out more about the series here. Presenter Aleks Martin (S/he pronouns, but they is ok) has been in the health and social service field for over 20 years. Aleks was drawn to the LGBTQI2+ community in their mid-twenties working for a national HIV-prevention study with youth called, Young Asian Men’s Study (YAMS). This exposed them to the great work of HIV workers from other organizations and how community-based programs are critical in reaching out to the most vulnerable populations. During this time, they worked as a Disease Intervention Specialist with Public Health - Seattle & King County for 7 years, including working on the pilot study for the Rapid HIV Test Kit (then a 20-minute test). A big portion of their professional career was spent at Seattle Counseling Service, a behavioral health agency for the LGBTQ community. From 2003 to 2019, Aleks started as Database Manager, Health Educator, Program Coordinator to Chemical Dependency Counselor and Addictions Program Supervisor. This was the safe space where their yearning for higher education was cultivated so they could serve their community further. As a graduate of the University of Washington’s School of Social Work - Masters Program, Aleks developed their skills as a mental health clinician and social justice advocate. Aleks’ perspectives where shifted and allowed them to have a wider lens for diversity, inclusion and equity. Aleks was inspired to start a private practice to address the special needs of the LGBTQI2+ and BBIPOC (Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color), particularly Queer and Trans Asian and Pacific Islander people dealing with unique and special issues that intersect with race/culture and gender/sexuality like coming out, spiritual conflicts, cultural dissonance, gender transition, social navigation at work and other environments, interpersonal relationships from intimacy to friendships, understanding relationships with non-LGBTQI2+ partner(s), and so on. Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

Learn skills for dealing with Family / Work Demands and Responsibilities: Addressing the Personal Impacts of the Pandemic on the Family System in a small group training setting with breakout rooms and a facilitated learning environment.   This is part of Dr. Mauseth's Disaster Response and Behavioral Health series--click here for the full list of events Each topic is offered twice in the same week to allow more people to attend. You are welcome to attend any of the modules on any topic-- there is no prerequisite or attendance requirement to take part. Each module will teach skills and include break-out rooms. Since registration is limited, please check your schedule before registering. Presenter: Dr. Kira Mauseth is a practicing clinical psychologist who sees patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates, teaches as a Senior Instructor at Seattle University and serves as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health. Her work and research interests focus on resilience, trauma and disaster behavioral health. She has worked extensively in Haiti with earthquake survivors, in Jordan with Syrian refugees and with first responders and health care workers throughout Puget Sound the United States. Dr. Mauseth also conducts trainings with organizations and educational groups about disaster preparedness and resilience building within local communities.   Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

Moral Injury is suffering that manifests as a character change in people because of challenges to their core moral foundations, which orient people to what they love and what matters most to them. This presentation will offer prevailing definitions of moral injury, both clinical and spiritual; discuss its relationship to trauma, such as PTSD; describe factors and experiences that may cause it in various professions and life circumstances; identify emotions and behaviors that indicate moral suffering; and suggest various integrating strategies that can contribute to healing.   Presenter: Dr. Rita Brock

  The Needs and Joys of our (Im)migrant Students, Families, and Community Partners: Exploring and Expanding Our School Mental Health Practice Session 1: What is the what? Nuances, complications, and contributions of (Im)migrant & Latinx student mental health Join the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center for a special three-part series followed by a four-part learning community focused on (im)migrant student mental health. Through this program, we hope to:  Deepen our understanding and awareness of the unique gifts, strengths, and challenges students with (im)migration stories hold Explore practical strategies to apply and deepen our work  Examine the What + How—what are the issues + how do we then take the what and impact our school mental health practice?   Together, we discuss and unpack nuances of students who are (im)migrants, newcomers, undocumented, transborder learners so that we can strengthen our school mental health systems, services, practices, and policies.    Please note that while this program has a special focus on students who identify as Latino/a/x,  Chican@, and Mexican-American, all are welcome and much can be related to other student identities with shared experiences.    Invited learners: school mental health professional associations (school psychology, counselors, psychiatry, teacher education programs, school social workers), community-based mental health providers who partner with schools in our Center’s region (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. Pacific Islands of American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau).  For more information about the series, visit the series page.   Session 1: What is the what? Nuances, complications, and contributions of (Im)migrant & Latinx student mental health    When:  Monday, April 19, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT (view your time zone) (Mon.) 6-8 p.m. ET / 3-5 p.m. PT / 12-2 p.m. HT / 11 a.m.-1 p.m. American Samoa (Tues.) 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Marshall Islands / 9-11 a.m. Pohnpei, Kosrae / 8-10 a.m. Guam, Chuuk, Yap, Northern Mariana Islands /  7-9 a.m. Palau Faculty: Angela Castellanos, Claudia Rojas, Alicia Arambula, & Claudia Gonzalez Our opening session features all four faculty providing an introduction to core concepts and issues that impact (Im)migrant and Latinx student mental health. Together, we discuss the concepts of triple trauma (leaving, migration, arrival); microaggressions + bias and racism; COVID-19 nuances to service delivery; and the strengths and joys of (im)migrant student mental health. To create awareness about (im)migrant student experiences, we:  Learn how stress, anxiety, and trauma impact (im)migrant students. Define the policies that impact our families and students (e.g., TPS, McKinney-Vento, DACA, U-Visas, Public Charge, Deportations, and AB2121). Explore how status affects students, families, and schools. 

The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this event for school mental health personnel and behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI In the wake of COVID-19 school closures, educators, parents, and students across the globe are coping with a new reality. In this webinar series we will explore research on belonging and connectedness, they key tenants of virtual communication for educators, and effective strategies for building virtual connectedness.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Many youths are experiencing high levels of stress as school schedules change due to the coronavirus pandemic. Youth are frequently finding themselves separated from friends and “stuck” at home, as well as worrying about their health and getting sick. Youth whose families are experiencing financial worries or illness are especially vulnerable during these trying times. There are ways you can support youth socially and emotionally even if they’re not physically in your classroom every day. This workshop will focus on defining social emotional learning (SEL), the benefit if teaching SEL, and strategies to incorporate SEL into lessons in order to help students learn more effectively. Speaker: Angela Begres Angela is a licensed clinical social worker who did her training at the University of Chicago, where she obtained her MSW. She is an experienced trainer and presenter contracted both independently and through various nonprofits in the Chicago area, Michigan, and others, with experience integrating mental health education programs into the curriculum for students and staff within the Chicago and West Cook County public schools. In Partnership with the National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) Metro Suburban, Angela also developed a program to help decrease student stress and implement mindfulness in the classrooms. She has also worked with Chicago Family Services (DCFS) providing parenting education, with efforts to get parents reunited with their children. Certificates of attendance will be provide for those who attend the full session.

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC wants to continue to support you and your work during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Many of you have developed unique strategies for meeting the needs of service participants over the course of the year, but you may still be struggling with maintaining your own wellness and self-care. To help facilitate support and the sharing of wellness strategies and resources, we will be facilitating Mutual Support Calls for Thriving at Work During COVID-19.  Who: Community Mental Health Service Providers What: One-hour virtual support group sessions to share experiences, exchange resources, develop skills, and provide and receive mutual support When: The third Monday of each month, February through September Schedule: 2/15; 3/15; 4/19; 5/17; 6/21; 7/19; 8/16; 9/20 We look forward to connecting with you!   Facilitator: Bill Burns-Lynch, MA, LPC, has a 30+ year history of engagement in the psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health treatment community. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Throughout his career, he has worked extensively in community mental health developing and supporting the implementation of innovative, effective, and evidence-based psychiatric rehabilitation practices and service delivery programs. He has been a direct service provider, program developer, supervisor, administrator, trainer, consultant, researcher, and educator.  Currently, Bill is in practice in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he provides psychotherapy and counseling services geared toward helping people identify, address, and overcome the distress associated with a number of lifestyle and life-changing events, including depression and anxiety, substance misuse and substance use disorder, and living with grief and loss (through death, divorce, loss of relationships). Bill's work focuses on the impact of trauma across the lifespan for men and women; exploring life challenges and choices related to transitioning to adulthood; and adults living with serious mental health conditions, helping to manage systems and develop recovery and wellness plans.

The Great Lakes MHTTC and ATTC offer this training for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. Many people who work in human services consider their work to be a "calling." Two occupational hazards, burnout and compassion fatigue/secondary trauma can threaten to undermine that calling and diminish your effectiveness. Burnout is caused by feeling ineffective in your work and organizational/team stress. Compassion fatigue (also called secondary trauma/secondary PTSD) results from absorbing the traumatic stories and experiences of clients. Both occupational hazards can lead to a loss of energy, loss of hope, loss of enthusiasm, loss of idealism, spiritual distress and decreased effectiveness. This virtual presentation focuses on how to prevent and recover from burnout and compassion fatigue, with an emphasis on self-care and the four things high performers do to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue. We will also discuss how to maintain energy, reduce frustration in your clinical work, and feel more successful.   Learning Objectives: Be aware of the four stages of burnout Understand the differences between burnout and compassion fatigue. Evaluate your vulnerability for developing compassion fatigue Learn and utilize 10 strategies to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue. Learn skills to reduce frustration in your clinical work. Feel a greater sense of success in your work.   Speaker:  Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is Illinois state project manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. He is an international speaker in the behavioral health field whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Caribbean and British Islands. A partial list of clients include: General Motors Corporation; Xerox Corporation, Northwestern University and the United States Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The author of five books, Mark has had two stories published in the New Times bestselling book series, Chicken Soup for The Soul. He has taught at the University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, and Illinois State University's schools of social work. Mark’s three decades of experience as a direct service, Licensed Clinical Social worker provide the foundation for his presentations.  Certificates of attendance will be available to participants who attend the training in full.

This is a closed event for Texas DFPS PEI contracting supervisors and staff only. This is an invite only event that will focus on aspects of participating in Reflective Supervision, the benefits to a home visitor, their work and families, and best practices around implementing what they learn in home settings.

This presentation will help those who are caretakers maintain well-being and preserve their mental health during difficult times. This Central East MHTTC-supported event is provided by the Baltimore Faith Based Commission for Behavioral Health.   Presenter:  Loretta Veney (Author of the book Being My Mom’s Mom)   Learning Objectives List eight strategies for reducing anxiety and fear during these stressful times Identify nine strategies for replacing current caregiver challenges with joy Define what a healthy dose of joy is and how to apply examples of that each day Discuss ways of finding joy in caregiving

Connections We Need Supporting the resiliency of youth and young adults This year has been tough, for all of us. If you are a passionate youth development professional (early learning through 12th grade), please join us for the Wellness Campaign kick-off. Get connected and hear real stories from youth about supports they need from adults around them. Following this lunch conversation, there will be a series of summer professional development opportunities led by youth that will help expanded learning opportunity programs and school staff, support them where they are, as they navigate the impacts from the pandemic, trauma, and interruption of their social emotional journey.  This is an inclusive, collaborative effort. All are welcome to participate, Black, indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ. The Washington Wellness campaign is a people-powered effort to provide help, offer hope and build resilience for all the people across Washington State — regardless of our beliefs, ethnicity, gender identity, political persuasion, sexual orientation, income-level or age.   This campaign is committed to the simple truth: We need each other.   Join Us! April 16, 2021 11:30AM - 12:30PM The Northwest School Mental Health Director, Kelcey Schmitz, will be a presenter. Register Here! For questions, please connect with: Kim Rinehardt at (360) 349-1525. Want more information and school mental health resources? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's School Mental Health page and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

Rebekah Demirel continues her provider well-being series in this seventh event. For many of us working in the fields of mental health services or teaching, we may notice that the very issues we help our clients with, are things we recognize in ourselves. We’ll discuss how this useful teaching tool in our work not only gives us empathy, but can help us heal our own wounds. The Northwest MHTTC is excited to collaborate with Rebekah Demirel L.Ac. MPCC to deliver a webinar and podcast series as part of our Provider Well-Being activities. Series Description: "We Make The Path By Walking" is an eight-part webinar series designed to help us reckon with our turbulent world, offering support and direction for a clearer path forward and featuring an open forum. Interactive sessions bring focus and connection through meaningful group discussion, opening opportunities for personal exploration, insight and the discovery of new ways to navigate life with resilience and hope. Psychotherapeutic modalities drawn from East Asian medicine equips participants with self-nurturance skills such as, meditation and breathing practices, voice-work and body awareness techniques for day-to-day well-being and sharing with others. Presenter: Rebekah Demirel L.Ac.  MPCC is the founder and director of Trauma Integration Programs, with more than a decade as an ambulance paramedic, twenty-two years as a paramedic trainer, eighteen years of mental health counseling experience, specializing in traumatic stress and she is a licensed East Asian medicine practitioner and acupuncturist. Rebekah’s unique skill set and experience are informed by her own traumatic childhood and teen years spent on the street and in the foster care system, giving her a special familiarity and empathy for trauma and loss.      Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

We are so pleased that after a short pause, our Region 9 is happy to welcome Region 6 for our School Mental Health Wellness Wednesdays. For the remaining program year, we offer three 60-minute virtual sessions for the school mental health workforce to connect, reflect, and support each other. The Wellness Wednesdays are led by Pacific Southwest MHTTC School Mental Health staff (Oriana Ides) and South Southwest MHTTC Resilience-Oriented, Healing-Centered staff (Nadia K. Maynard). Please note that Wellness Wednesdays are not a sequence; you can join some or all. Wednesday, April 14 SESSION ONE: Basic tenets of identity formation (e.g. family systems, race/class) & our Why What brings us to our work as school-based mental health professionals? AUDIENCE For state and local education agency education and behavioral health leaders, community-based organization staff, teachers, school site leaders, district administration, principals, school-based mental health staff, student support service providers, and anyone else who would like to join.   Other Wellness Wednesday Sessions Please register here for the June 9 session and register here for the August 11 session.

/*-->*/ /*--> The purpose of the webinar is to take a closer look at the ways in which peers are contributing to what the traditional mental health system considers “crisis” supports and ways to implement this approach into crisis services offered by traditional mental health programs. The presenters will offer examples of peer-enhanced services within mental health organizations and how these services complement and improve the outcomes of service systems. They will also provide resources to help webinar participants access additional information about peer services and the role of peer support professionals and identify ideas about how peer services can be incorporated into existing systems. Presenters: /*-->*/ /*--> Jessica Stohlmann-Rainey, Program Development at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners Danielle Grondin, Intentional Peer Support  

The Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University® and the National Hispanic & Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center will be hosting a free webinar for school mental health providers serving Hispanic and Latino families, children, and youths. The Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University® is an approved provider of the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, the Florida Board of Psychology, the Florida Office of School Psychology, and the Florida Board of Nursing (BAP #50- 6251), as well as the Florida Certification Board (#5350-A) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Many states accept CEUs from CSWE-accredited institutions in other states.   This webinar will review stressors that have been intensified due to the 2020 events. The webinar will al so identify stress management tools that can be used for school aged children and those who provide services to them in a school-based setting. Special considerations for Hispanic and Latino youth mental health will also be discussed. Learning objectives: 1. Discuss how 2020 stressors impact youth and family mental health. 2. Learn stress management tools that can be utilized in a school setting. 3. Identify basic cultural considerations for Hispanic and Latino youth and families.   Who should attend? This is an intermediate level workshop designed for mental health providers, school mental health providers, and school administrators.   About the speaker: Danita Gallegos, LCSW- Danita Gallegos is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Houston, Texas. She has experience working with families in medical social work, crisis response, school social work and as a psychotherapist. Danita currently works at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) Program in providing school crisis evaluations and individual therapy.

In this presentation, Mid-America MHTTC specialists and partners with Omaha-based Community Alliance will demonstrate ways in which family peer support empowers families to support their loved one’s desire to work. In particular, participants will learn how recipients of family peer support: Learn to engage their loved ones in conversations about employment and help them become motivated to work; Learn to support their loved ones with job development and seek referral for vocational rehabilitation and supported employment; Learn to help their loved ones thrive and find independence at work.   Family Peer Support: An Emerging Workforce  

Description: Over the past two years, anxiety disorders among Black Americans have risen at disproportionate rates. This webinar will examine symptoms, causes, and risk factors for this community, and discuss treatment options for addressing these disorders. Download Flyer   Presenter: Topaz Sampson, MD is a board certified, forensic-trained adult psychiatrist. She is the Secretary of the Black Psychiatrists of America, Inc. (BPA). Before her role as Secretary of the BPA, Dr. Sampson served as Member-In-Training Trustee. Dr. Sampson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Spelman College. She earned her medical degree from Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. Dr. Sampson completed her general psychiatry residency training at Baylor College of Medicine’s Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Thereafter, she returned to her home state of New York to complete her Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She has had the distinguished honor of serving as the National President of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) during her last year in medical school. While in residency she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, served as Chief Resident and upon graduation was awarded the Eugen Kahn Award for Excellence. While attending the BPA Transcultural Psychiatry Conference in 2018, she was awarded the Distinguished Jeanne Spurlock, M.D. Memorial Award for “outstanding” qualities in Psychiatry during residency. Dr. Sampson is very proud to have testified as an expert witness in New York State several times for various forensic psychiatry assessments. She also co-authored a peer reviewed article entitled, Management of Suicidal Adolescents Presenting to the Emergency Department published in Adolescent Psychiatry. She presently works with Array Behavioral Care providing Telepsychiatry services, which allows her to bring her personal mission to life: serving the underserved.   Learning Objectives: •    Define the types of anxiety disorders •    Identify the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders •    Discuss pharmacologic treatment •    Discuss non-pharmacologic treatment   Who Should Attend? Mental health professionals, mental health advocates and others that work on behalf of adults with mental illness.   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.

This is the second of a three-part webinar series related to forensic mental health. Participants interested in this topic are encouraged to attend the series, but each presentation can be viewed independently and participation in one is not dependent on participation in other lectures in the series. Research and policy communication experts, Sarah Walker, PhD, and Jennifer Piel, MD, JD, will be sharing scholarly perspectives and their personal experiences of working in the 'research to policy' process, including how to gauge and utilize policymakers' interests, and the research to date on tested models of evidence-informed policymaking. They will discuss the importance of intentionally building relationships to create change at local, state, and national levels, and how to better find and speak to important audiences for effective dissemination of results and findings to increase reach and impact of your work.   Learning Objectives Learn the most common ways research is used and research use is facilitated in policymaking Hear strategies for how to partner and tailor research to increase the likelihood that it will be used by policymakers Be able to craft the first steps for moving research forward for public health impact   Presenters Sarah Cusworth Walker, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor and Director of a research to policy center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Her center, the CoLab for Community and Behavioral Health Policy (CoLab) conducts and researches methods of bridging science and community voice to improve public health. She is the recipient of a 2014 MacArthur Foundation Champion for Change award and a 2019 Robert Wood Foundation Health Equity award for her work in juvenile justice system reform. Jennifer Piel, MD, JD, is a clinical and forensic psychiatrist. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and the Director of the University’s Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law. She received the 2017 American Medical Association Foundation Excellence in Medicine Leadership Award, in part, for her advocacy for persons with mental illness who have criminal justice involvement. She is the Legal Digest Editor for the Journal of the Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. She specializes in psycho-legal assessment, research, and education.  

Teaming: An Integral Part of the Comprehensive School Mental Health System April 15, 2021 8:00am - 9:00am MST | 9:00am - 10:00am CST Session presentation at South Dakota Counseling Association Conference  This event is only available to individuals registered for the South Dakota Counseling Association 2021 Conference.    This session will provide an overview of the National School Mental Health Curriculum, a free curriculum available in the public domain. The curriculum has 8 modules that address the different aspects of comprehensive school mental health. This session will focus on 2 modules: The Foundations of Comprehensive School Mental Health and Teaming, as well as provide a general overview of the curriculum and how it could be used and adapted in your district or school. This session will review what is meant by school mental health teaming, why it is valuable at the school and district level, and will consider school mental health teaming best practices. There will be opportunities for small and large group discussions as well as time for breaking down barriers and creating action steps.     Learning Objectives Participants will:   Understand the definition, core features, and value of comprehensive school mental health systems. Describe best practices for teaming. Create 1 (one) concrete action step for integrating teaming best practices into their schools.   Trainer   Stefanie Winfield, MSW Stefanie Winfield is the School Mental Health Coordinator for the Mountain Plains MHTTC and a Research and Technical Assistance Associate with the WICHE Behavioral Health Program. As the school mental health lead, her work focuses on providing intensive technical assistance and training to educators, teachers administrators and all school staff on ways to improve and enhance school mental health. Stefanie has extensive experience working in schools promoting youth sexual health, conflict and anger management, behavioral health education, and school-based health care. With over 20 years of experience working with nonprofits and community organizations, Stefanie has done everything from grant management and implementation, to program and outcome evaluation, training and facilitation. 

Building Capacity of School Personnel to Promote Positive Mental Health in Native American Children and Youth - Spring 2021 Part 4 This free series consists of five separate two-hour sessions from January 2021 to May 2021. Attendance is critical, so please carefully consider your availability to attend all five sessions.   The goal of this multi-state initiative is to build capacity of school teams to promote positive mental health in children/youth throughout the school day using a multi-tiered approach. Specifically, the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will build capacity of school personnel to learn about and implement model programs, such as Every Moment Counts and Circle of Courage, and embedded strategies emphasizing mental health promotion and prevention.   Read about Turtle Mountain Elementary School's positive experience with this series!   Please think about the benefits of participating in this project and your availability to attend the five virtual sessions. Please contact LaVonne Fox at [email protected] or Sarah Nielsen at [email protected] or at 701 777-2208 to indicate your interest in participating no later than December 15, 2020.   Please note that enrollment in this training is open only to school teams in HHS Region 8 states (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming). Only applications by school teams will be accepted.    If you agree to participate, you will be expected to: Identify 3-6 interdisciplinary team members to be a part of a Community of Practice (CoP) at your school. The CoP should be an interdisciplinary team including any of the following: teacher, paraprofessional, occupational therapist, administrator/counselor, nurse, speech language pathologists, social workers or school psychologists. It is strongly recommended that the team include a classroom teacher and be interdisciplinary in nature as training emphasizes application in the classroom and interdisciplinary collaboration. The CoP will participate in all five, two-hour virtual training sessions (see schedule overview below). Attendance is critical. Each CoP will develop a strategic plan identifying gaps or opportunities to improve mental health promotion throughout the school day and identify strategies to implement change.     Mountain Plains MHTTC will: Provide the training described above and any technical assistance during development of the strategic plan and implementation. Provide continuing education credits to the CoP members (20 hours). If your state requires transcripted credit, the Mountain Plains MHTTC will have the training approved, but the transcripted fee is the responsibility of the teacher. Provide required readings and resources to the CoP. Follow up on the implementation plan.     Benefits to you include: Enhanced capacity of all school personnel through enhanced understanding of how to apply knowledge about children’s mental health in the school. Free resources for each CoP. Free educational sessions and online discussions regarding mental health promotion. Feeling connected to other schools implementing the projects. Continuing education credits (20 contact hours for CoP team members).   Sessions Part One: Introduction to Intergenerational Trauma, Historical Loss, and Communities of Practice Process January 13, 2021 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST | 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST Part Two: Understanding Multi-Tiered Approaches to School Mental Health and Embedded Service Delivery February 10, 2021 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST | 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST Part Three: Culturally Relevant Embedded Programs that Support Social and Emotional Well-being March 3, 2021 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST | 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST Part Four: Mental Health Literacy April 14, 2021 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST | 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST Part Five: Indigenous Programs to Support Students and Final Reflections May 12, 2021 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST | 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST   Trainers LaVonne Fox, PhD, OTR/L  Dr. LaVonne (Poitra) Fox was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa reservation. She taught for over 26 years at the University of North Dakota and is currently employed at the Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, ND. She is currently developing a Master in Education program that will emphasize the decolonization of the educational institutions and related educational processes both at school and in the community. The Mission is to prepare reflective leaders, as change agents, who will promote the development of Indigneous culture-based education within the school, home and community.  She has considerable experience researching Indigenous Youth programs for positive mental health and wellness connected to identity. Sarah Nielsen, PhD, OTR/L Dr. Nielsen is an associate professor at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, in the Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Sarah has over 20 years of experience working with children, youth, and young adults with mental health issues in communities and schools. Her clinical practice included developing and implementing trauma-informed approaches in mental health care. She assisted students transitioning from mental health programs back to public schools where she trained and assisted schools in this effort.

Join us for this 1 hour webinar for supervisors and administrators on leadership to promote recovery and combat burnout and staff turnover. ABOUT THIS EVENT The emotional costs of COVID-19 have been overwhelming for care coordinators. This can lead to burnout and staff turnover. Recovery will take more than self-care: it will require leadership. In this leadership series, Dr. Kira Mauseth, co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health and practicing clinical psychologist, will work with supervisors and administrators to create a foundation for recovery. Brought to you by Care Connect Washington & Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center. Adaptability is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes after a trauma. In this webinar Dr. Kira Mauseth focuses on actions you can take to support staff to move towards recovery including: Acquire information, Develop options, Address key issues, Prioritize values and Talk about it, or ADAPT. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS SERIES.   FACILITATOR Dr. Kira Mauseth Dr. Kira Mauseth is a practicing clinical psychologist who sees patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates, teaches as a Senior Instructor at Seattle University and serves as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health. Her work and research interests focus on resilience, trauma and disaster behavioral health. She has worked extensively in Haiti with earthquake survivors, in Jordan with Syrian refugees and with first responders and health care workers throughout Puget Sound the United States. Dr. Mauseth also conducts trainings with organizations and educational groups about disaster preparedness and resilience building within local communities.    

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 session, attendees will learn of a new perspective on the importance of nutrition, movement, and sleep in our lives and how they can directly influence our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. They will also learn a new concept and skill to help establish personally effective practices in these life domains.