Past Events

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.

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.

In this session, we will talk about how caring for others, as mental health practitioners do, can cause exhaustion and compassion fatigue. We will present self-compassion as a way in which we can replenish our own emotional energy reserves while caring for others.

The MHTTC K-12 program is offering free training sessions throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic to support education programs in Tribal Communities. Not only has the pandemic stressed our healthcare and educational systems, but it has exacerbated the effects of historical trauma. Our MHTTC K - 12 program hopes to offer support, resiliency tools, and connections that are relevant and supportive as Native American communities remain resilient. 2:00-3:30 pm Central Standard Time MHTTC K - 12 programs will continue to support our Native school communities throughout this pandemic. We will continue to offer training for the entire school community (students, parents, teachers, counselors, and principals). This training will be bi-monthly, covering topics important to you as we finish out this storm together. Each session will include a special guest speaker, key topic information, resources, and discussion with our participants.  

Implementation of the Trauma-Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit Part 2 March 11, 2021 12:00pm - 2:00pm MST | 1:00pm - 3:00pm CST This 2-part, interactive training will build on the Trauma-Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit, and include discussions, breakout groups, and activities for participants to complete, both during and before each session. The audience for this training is school or district staff (administrators, psychologists, counselors, social workers, etc.) who are implementing or planning to implement the toolkit for their school or district. This training is open to those in Region 8 (ND, SD, MT, CO, WY, UT).   Participants must attend part 1 in order to attend part 2.   Register for Part 1, February 25th, 2021. Prior to training  Download the toolkit.  Bring a list of any priorities for trauma-responsive practice that your school/district has already identified and any initiatives already underway.    Series Objectives Part 1 - Provide an overview of implementation science.   Part 1 - Help participants construct an implementation team in their setting.   Part 1 - Deliver guidance on conducting a needs assessment.   Part 2 - Plan actions that participants’ school/district will take for each phase of the toolkit.   Part 2 - Discuss adaptations to trauma-responsive approaches during COVID-19.     Trainer Angèle Fauchier, PhD Dr. Fauchier began her career researching investigative child abuse interviewing at National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from University of Southern California and completed her clinical internship at University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Fauchier completed a postdoctoral fellowship at University of New Hampshire, then taught at universities in Maine and New Hampshire. In 2012 she joined the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where she is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Implementation and Evaluation for the Trauma-Responsive Implementation and Practice Program. She has served as an officer for the Colorado Implementation Collaborative since 2013. Her research focuses on parenting, family violence, and the intersection between the two; she is also the director of the International Parenting Study, examining parenting across 23 countries. She has studied children's exposure to violence, violence in different types of family relationships, and programs to prevent and treat trauma exposure. Her work currently focuses on incorporating trauma-responsive practices into Colorado's behavioral health, social services, justice, and educational systems and on building the resilience of those who work with traumatized populations. She is one of the authors of the Trauma-Responsive Schools Theory of Change Toolkit.

This webinar series was recorded and you can access the recording and slides for both sessions here.  If you are interested in other Southeast MHTTC resources, including infographics and webinar recordings on the topics of school mental health policy, financing, workforce, trauma-informed prevention and outreach, and more -  please click here!      This webinar will provide an overview of the school experiences of LGBTQ+ secondary school students. GLSEN’s Director of Education and Youth Programs, Sophia Arredondo, will provide basic terminology on LGBTQ+ youth, such as the differences between gender identity and sexual orientation. GLSEN Research Institute Senior Research Associate, Nhan Truong, will provide an overview of research on LGBTQ+ students’ school experiences nationally and in the Southeast, including hostile school climate indicators and LGBTQ+ related supportive school resources. LGBTQ+ youth from GLSEN’s National School Council will speak about their school experiences and the challenges they face. Sophia will discuss how LGBTQ+ youth experiences help inform the work of GLSEN’s Education Youth Programs.        

Please join us for a follow-up Discussion/Q&A session stemming from Drs. Li and Bogan’s 12/16/20 webinar on the need for cultural competency when treating patients with psychosis. If you are interested in taking part, please put your questions in the registration below. If you do not have any prior questions, you are still welcome to join to listen or ask questions/participate during the discussion.

Description:  Over 30 million people in the US struggle with disordered eating. It is important that clinical providers and community leaders be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders to get more individuals the support they need and help reduce the stigma around eating disorders. Experts from Rock Recovery, a DC Metro area-based nonprofit that supports the journey to freedom from disordered eating through affordable clinical recovery and community empowerment programs, will lead this webinar series.  Download Flyer   Presenters: Christie Dondero Bettwy is the Executive Director of Rock Recovery. Prior to becoming a Rock team staff member in 2013, she worked for Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte, NC and as a consultant with PwC in Washington, D.C. Having gone through recovery herself, Christie understands the depth of support needed to recover and is passionate about spreading the message that complete freedom from an eating disorder is possible. Rev. Erin Bair, M.Div., is the rector of St. Michael's Anglican Church in Gainesville, VA and the director of ReNew, a ministry of spiritual care and accompaniment for pastors and ministry leaders. From 2015 to 2020, she served as Rock Recovery's first chaplain, offering spiritual care and support for clients in their recovery journey. Rev. Blair holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School and is a trained spiritual director.    Series Learning Objectives: Provide an introduction to understanding the presentation and process of diagnosing eating disorders as well as information about the prevalence of eating disorders in minority communities Identify the role of trauma, anxiety, and cultural messages in the development of eating disorders, and outline various trauma-informed interventions used in the treatment of eating disorders Provide illustrations and an overview of how shame surrounding eating disorders presents in faith-based settings and outline strategies and best practices for removing mental health stigma and caring for congregants - mind, body and spirit   Who Should Attend? Behavioral health care professionals, medical professionals, faith leaders and clergy, and community advocates.   Eating Disorders Series February 25, 2021 Part 1: Marginalized Voices - Understanding the Presentation and Prevalence of Eating Disorders  11:00am—12:00pm EST March 4, 2021 Part 2: Symptom Substitution, Trauma and the Hidden Addiction of Eating Disorders  11:00am—12:00pm EST REGISTER March 11, 2021 Part 3: Breaking through Shame - How Faith Communities Can Remove Mental Health Stigma and Support those with Eating Disorders 11:00am—12:00pm EST REGISTER   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of each live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). CEUs are not offered for this session. Webinar slide presentations and recordings will be posted to the website.

Dr. Kira Mauseth will present the second of two live webinars on the provision of health care in disasters, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and the behavioral health workforce.   This webinar is appropriate for anyone working in behavioral health, community, crisis or direct care settings. Learning Objectives: Participants will :  Understand common terminology associated with the provision of health care in disasters Learn about Crisis Standards of Care and the implications for Behavioral Health  Recognize and engage in effective management techniques for Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Moral Injury. 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.

The First Episode Psychosis (FEP) monthly mentoring call hosted by the South Southwest MHTTC provides technical assistance and an open discussion platform for mental health workers offering services for FEP and clinical high risk populations

Free Virtual Conference from the National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center in collaboration the Boston University School of Social Work This conference will acknowledge disparities, mental health challenges, strengths, and global perspectives in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, it will offer strategies and resources for Latinx and other racially diverse communities affected by this pandemic.   Who should attend? This is an intermediate level workshop designed for mental health providers including psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and graduate level students in the mental health field.   About the speakers: Hanner Hernandez, PhD, CPS - Dr. Hernández is originally from Puerto Rico, is bilingual and has worked for 32 years in the health and human service field developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally and linguistically intelligent youth and adult health prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support programs. Also, Dr. Hernández has many years of experience in delivering addiction counseling and clinical supervision to professionals in the field. Furthermore, he is a professional trainer and facilitator and provides individualized technical assistance and support to organizations that provide addiction prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery supports.   Luz M López, PhD, MPH, MSW - is a faculty member at Boston University School of Social Work, Director of the Global Health Core at the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, and Director of the dual degree program in public health and social work. She has experience conducting prevention, education, and research in the fields of interpersonal violence, trauma, mental health and substance use treatment with Latinos(as)/Latinx and other racial and ethnically diverse communities. She incorporates community participatory research, strength-based practices and anti-violence pedagogy. Dr. López works with immigrants and refugees and provides culturally specific mental health and trauma trainings in partnership with Makarere University in Uganda; with the Superemos Domestic Violence Program in Estelí, Nicaragua and with the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Regional Multidisciplinary Faculty (UNAN-FAREM). She also leads and annual cultural immersion course for graduate students to Puerto Rico, where she was born and raised. Dr. López believes in culturally responsive partnerships to advance health equity, social work, and public health practices around the globe.   Lineke Ordóñez Palacios - professor of Social Work at the Estelí, Multidisciplinary Regional Faculty (FAREM), headquarters of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua. She has six years of experience as coordinator and clinician at the psychosocial and community clinic of FAREM Estelí. She is a social researcher, director in training spaces, and conducts assessment, and intervention plans for survivors of domestic violence. Her work also focus on advancing social work, gender equity and awareness for children and adolescent youth in the Americas and the Caribbean, prevention of child labor and research in ethnology and participation with student groups from primary, secondary and rural communities.   Prof. Leana Lanuza, MSc - is part of the regional multidisciplinary faculty and professional training team at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, in Estelí (UNAN-FAREM) with focus on, humanistic, scientific and technical work in university settings. She teaches English as a second language and coordinates international cultural exchanges, and instruction on managing groups, working under pressure, and business management. She leads the international programs at UNAN-FAREM.   Tania Libertad Pérez, MSc - is a psychologist and professor who coordinates the Psychosocial and Community Clinic at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Regional Multidisciplinary Faculty, in Estelí, Nicaragua (UNAN-FAREM). She also teaches at the Department of Education and Humanities. Her research focus is on psycho-pedagogical development of people and the optimization of community educational practices. She also has experience working with children and adolescents from rural and urban areas of Nicaragua, inter-institutional coordination, labor inclusion, and advocacy for individuals with disabilities.   Please read the following before registering:     The National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center use GoToWebinar as our online event system.  Audio for the event is accessible via the internet. To receive audio, attendees must join the event by using computers equipped with speakers or dial in via telephone.  After registration, a confirmation email will be generated with instructions for joining the event. To avoid problems with log-in, please use the confirmation email to join the event.  

Ethics in Practice 2021 - HHS Region 8 March 11, 2021 8:00am - 11:30am MST | 9:00am - 12:30pm CST Join the Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Mountain Plains ATTC) and Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Mountain Plains MHTTC) for a three-and-a-half-hour presentation on professional ethics for mental health professionals. Professionals across the Mountain Plains region face unique challenges when providing care in rural and remote settings and when using televideo services. During this session, Dr. Mita Johnson, President of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), will share insights and best practices from her 30-plus years of professional counseling practice.   This training is available only to individuals working in HHS Region 8 States (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY). Registration is free and required. You must register and attend a live session to claim a certificate of attendance.   Topics Boundary issues and dual relationships Maintaining scope of practice Safe and ethical use of technology Appropriate referral to treatment Being an ethical professional Maintaining a culture of ethical practice   Certificates of Attendance No pre-approved Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for this session. Certificates of attendance are available for this session and will reflect 3 hours of training attendance. Certificates of attendance can be self-submitted to attendee's licensing boards as appropriate. In order to receive a certificate of attendance, you must register and attend the entire live training session. Training attendance will be tracked by the email address used during registration using the Zoom Webinar platform. Please do not share your registration link with colleagues. If you have a colleague interested in attending this training please encourage them to register and attend this session using their own email address.   Trainer Dr. Mita Johnson, EdD, LPC, MAC, SAP Dr. Mita M. Johnson has been practicing in the world of counseling, and addictions counseling, for the past 30 years. Dr. Johnson has extensive experience as an addiction counselor and brings that expertise and leadership in advancing ethical practice. She is the President of NAADAC and is a member of the Executive Committee. Her academic background includes an Ed.D in counselor education and supervision. Dr. Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Masters Addiction Counselor, and Substance Abuse Professional.  

/*-->*/ /*--> Join us for this listening session with Meeta Gandhi, LCSW-R about year 1 in the program development and implementation of NYC’s first Children’s Mobile Crisis Team. We will discuss program efficacy, stakeholder use, and lessons learned. This will be informed by her role as Director of the Children’s Mobile Crisis Team with an NYC program.  

Please join us for session 2 of the MHTTC webinar series: Trauma Informed Therapy. We will be featuring our special guest speaker: Avis Garcia, PhD, LAT, LPC, NCC, Northern Arapaho. Mar 10, 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 session, attendees will continue with learning about the distinction between pleasant and difficult emotions and experiences; specifically, about the importance of difficult thoughts and emotions to survival. They will also learn a specific technique for getting distance from these experiences, without avoiding them, so that they can better accept, cope, and ultimately move beyond them in moments where they are unhelpful.

The Northwest MHTTC in partnership with C4 Innovations presents this webinar on trauma. Understanding trauma and its impact is crucial for providing effective care and services for people living with mental health challenges who are also likely to have histories of trauma exposure. This session will provide an overview of definitions, sources, types and the prevalence of trauma and explore its bio-psycho-social-spiritual-communal impact. We will also identify practical ways to make our services more trauma-informed. Learning Objectives Participants will be able to: Explain the difference between acute, chronic, and developmental trauma Give three examples of how trauma can affect people’s engagement in services Name one example each of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual-communal impact of trauma. Identify three ways to make our services more trauma-informed Presenter Ken Kraybill, MSW, Senior Trainer, has worked in healthcare, behavioral health, homelessness, and housing for more than 35 years. Ken has 18 years of experience working as a behavioral health practitioner in homeless services. For the past two decades, he has been developing curricula and facilitating in-person and online training nationally on topics including motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, outreach and engagement, case management, critical time intervention, and supervision. He also has experience facilitating strategic planning processes and providing staff retreats focused on finding resiliency and renewal for care providers. Ken is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). He has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington.       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.

Peer support services are an evidence-based model of care which consists of a peer support provider with lived experience who assists individuals in system navigation, connection, advocacy and increasing wellness. This training explores the strategies for success at incorporating the peer workforce and the critical role that organizational culture plays in this transformation of care. This training will also share the different peer to peer models that elevate and center family and youth voice.

About the Learning Session: The MHTTC Network is hosting an 8-part training series using the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools. The Curriculum was developed by the MHTTC Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH). It is intended to help states, districts and schools advance comprehensive school mental health and engage in a planning process for implementation. Module 3: Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping describes how to conduct and use data from needs assessment and resource mapping processes. The value of each is described as well as how they intersect to support school needs.   Each session in the series includes a pre-session video, live panel session, and post-session regional breakout. Access the pre-session video for Module 3: Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping HERE. Please watch the video PRIOR to the live session. The purpose of watching the pre-session video is to familiarize yourself with the Curriculum material for Module 3. Live sessions consist of a discussion with a small panel of education and mental health leaders from across the country (including a member from the National Center for School Mental Health team) who will provide an “always and now” application of the Curriculum and innovative ideas for implementation, considering the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on school mental health. The post-session Regional Breakout sessions are intended for participants to have an informal discussion regarding content from the live session, contextualized for their specific region. Access to the Regional Breakout sessions will be provided to all participants during the live sessions.   To learn more about the National School Mental Health Curriculum and gain access to the COMPLETE curriculum, click HERE. Session Panelists:   Dr. J Rocky Romero is the CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates, a training and consulting company he started almost 21 years ago that focuses on behavioral health evaluation, consultation, and specialized training. Dr. Romero has been a trainer and consultant for the NHL-MHTTC for the last 11 years, in addition he is a national trainer for Clare|Matrix, formerly the Matrix Institute, for the last 13 years. He is focused on teaching culturally appropriate treatment approaches while focusing on reducing health disparities for people of color. Lastly, Dr. Romero continues to research and present nationally on the intersections of racism, discrimination, and the impact of racialized legal discourse on people of color.      Dr. Jacque Gray is a Choctaw/Cherokee research associate professor and associate director of Indigenous Programs at the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She also serves as director of the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative (NIEJI) a national resource center to address elder abuse in Indian Country. In addition, Gray is the lead for the Strong Heart Study Psychosocial Work Group, a longitudinal study of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders in American Indians that began in 1988. She has worked to address health, mental health, and health disparities across Indian Country for more than 35 years and internationally, working with Māori suicide prevention. She consults with the American Indian/Alaska Native MHTTC and SAMHSA Tribal Tech TTAC. Gray received a doctorate from Oklahoma State University in 1998 and has been at UND since 1999.    Kristin Scardamalia, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine National Center for School Mental Health. She has extensive experience working with high needs youth and their families as a school psychologist in both the public schools and juvenile services. Her research focuses on the intersection of the education, juvenile justice, and mental health systems such as investigating district-wide strategies to reduce exclusionary discipline practices. In addition, she provides training and technical assistance to states and school districts on developing and improving comprehensive school mental health programming. She leads the NCSMH’s training and technical assistance efforts related to staff well-being and cultural responsiveness and equity.      

The Great Lakes MHTTC  and People Incorporated offers this training for mental health  professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. March 9, 2021 8:45–11:00am Central 9:45–12:00pm Eastern Traumatic experiences, especially early in life, can change brain and health development, which in turn increases the risk of developing disease states in later life, and the prevalence of mental illness. Since trauma affects early development, it also affects how a person learns to build and maintain relationships with other people, including caregivers. Unacknowledged and untreated, trauma can leave people isolated and in pain, seeking solace in unhealthy activities. This class defines and discusses trauma and its impacts on people’s lives in the context of behavioral health care. Providers who understand how trauma affects people can tailor services to better fit their unique needs and help build resilience.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Derive robust definitions of trauma Analyze the effects of trauma on the developing brain Introduce a paradigm for understanding people’s struggles Describe the research on trauma and its implications   Speaker Russ Turner, MA, MS, is the Director of the People Incorporated Training Institute. During his 14-year tenure he has developed and taught a curriculum of training classes and workshops in a wide variety of subjects related to behavioral health from crisis de-escalation to motivational interviewing. His audience includes mental health professionals, social workers, case managers, addiction professionals, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and organizational leaders. He trains trainers, works with management, and has consulted and coached on numerous mental health related training projects. He has worked as a teacher or trainer for over 25 years in a variety of countries and settings including Japan, the Czech Republic and the UK. His teaching philosophy is that adults learn best when they are challenged, the material is applicable to work situations, and sessions are interactive and engaging. This training is co-sponsored by Great Lakes MHTTC and  People Incorporated Training Institute  

Registration has closed for this event. Conversations around bias, race, and equity can prove uncomfortable; however, open communication is critical for advancing principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in your mental health organization. Meeting the needs of clients in the diverse Pacific Southwest requires attention to these principles and mental health providers must first build their personal capacity if they hope to deliver equitable services.    Mitigating bias and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion require personal skill-building. These sessions will provide you with tools to communicate, facilitate, and engage in conflict more effectively. Participants will learn the principles of engaging in courageous conversations to advance equity. Opportunities for practicing with peers and self-reflection are embedded in the sessions. Upon completion of the six-part, instructor-led series, participants will leave with a personal action plan and skills they need to advance equity in their work through courageous conversations.

The Great Lakes MHTTC School-based Supplement offers this training for mental health and school-based mental health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. March 8, 2021 11:30am–1:00pm CST 12:30pm–2:00pm EST Youth who feel supported during a difficult time typically are better equipped to deal with a mental health challenge and have better chances for healing and recovery. Caregivers play an important role in being able to help youth who are struggling with mental health problems. This webinar series will provide learners with tools to assess mental health in young people, recognize common mental health disorders, and identify differences between typical adolescent behavior and the onset of mental illness. We will focus on identifying how students express common mental health challenges through remote learning. In addition, we will discuss the opportunities remote learning provides for identifying students’ mental health and responding with effective coping strategies.   Learning Objectives This workshop will present: Tools for recognizing and talking about mental health with youth The importance of utilizing non-judgmental listening Guidance on supporting youth who are reluctant to have a conversation   Target Audience  School personnel, mental health providers for youth, parents   Speaker   Angela Begres is a licensed clinical social worker who trained and earned her MSW at the University of Chicago. She is an expert trainer and presenter 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.

Rebekah Demirel continues her provider well-being series in this fourth event. This session looks at how we can retrieve our deep instincts, through observation and self-care. If we learn to pay attention, our bodies can inform us how to make wise decisions, though early trauma may have shut down some of that knowing. Download "How to Use Tapping" handout 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.