Past Events

Description: This conference (with four linked modules) will focus on the integration efforts that support practical applications of comprehensive screening. Participants will build their knowledge across substance use, behavioral health, sexual health, HIV and infectious disease. Professionals working in these areas will be able to increase their knowledge of logistics updates in an interprofessional environment. This series is provided in collaboration with the MidAtlantic AIDS Education Training Center, the Danya Institute and the Johns Hopkins University STD/HIV Prevention Training Center.   Presenters: Speakers to be announced   Who Should Attend? Physicians, physicians assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, case managers, social workers, students of health professions, and other members of the healthcare team. Professionals and students in infectious disease, sexual health and family planning, substance use, behavioral health, mental health, and primary care   Module 1: Integrated Screening Processes February 2, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 2: Assessment and Referral Processes February 4, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 3: Outbreak Risk and Response February 9, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 4: Reducing Health Disparities February 11, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER  

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.

College Mental Health Professionals Community of Practice (CoP): Self-Care and Wellness during COVID-19 Part 3 February 8, 2021 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm MST | 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm CST 2020 has brought about an increased level of stress and uncertainty for college students dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. As students' mental health needs continue to escalate, the people serving them; mental/behavioral health providers, campus mental health counselors and staff are finding themselves overwhelmed with the number and frequency of requests from both students and administrators. Without training and support, providers face increasing levels of burn-out, leaving students with the possibility of receiving even fewer critical mental health services.     This CoP is designed for mental health professionals looking to learn and implement effective self-care and wellness strategies in response to the increased workload caused by COVID-19. Participants will identify a self-change project and identify 1-2 things they want to incorporate into their daily routine to promote self-care. They will track their progress throughout the series. Members of the cohort will also learn and practice coping skills and relaxation techniques that can be implemented immediately.    Dates The cohort will be comprised of four 90-minute sessions and will be limited to 12 participants.  All sessions will begin at 1:00 pm MST – 2:30 pm MST.    Session 1: January 11, 2021 Session 2: January 25, 2021 Session 3: February 8, 2021 Session 4: February 22, 2021   Trainers Shannon M. Bennett, Ph.D.  Shannon Bennett is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Attending Psychologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Bennett is the Site Clinical Director for the New York Presbyterian Hospital Youth Anxiety Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. She also serves as the Director of the Tourette Association of America’s Center of Excellence for Tourette Syndrome at Weill Cornell. Dr. Bennett’s research interests include the development and evaluation of novel treatments for anxiety and related disorders, and understanding the mechanisms involved in symptom change. Dr. Bennett currently oversees multiple clinical research studies in the areas of anxiety and related disorders, and has written several papers, book chapters, and treatment manuals on these topics. Dr. Bennett received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Boston University where she contributed to several cognitive-behavioral treatment research programs at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. She was the Co-Founder and Associate Director of the Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Intensive Treatment Program at the University of California, Los Angeles before joining the faculty at Weill Cornell. Dr. Bennett also led a multi-disciplinary research team focused on the psychosocial needs of women who experience perinatal loss, and earned a National Research Service Award for this research effort.  Dr. Bennett was honored with a Career Development Leadership Award from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and serves on the Medical Advisory Board for the Tourette Association of America. Dr. Bennett was a Principal Investigator of the Treating Tourette Together project, which was a federally funded initiative to plan the next phase of behavioral therapy research for Tourette Syndrome.   Anne Marie Albano, PhD  Anne Marie Albano is a Professor of Medical Psychology in Psychiatry at Columbia University, founder of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders, and Clinical Site Director of New York Presbyterian Hospital's Youth Anxiety Center. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Albano is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, a Beck Institute Scholar, and is Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Dr. Albano received the Herbert Pardes Faculty Fellowship (2017-2020) at Columbia University Medical Center, was the recipient of the 2015 ABCT Award for Outstanding Contributions by an Individual for Clinical Activities, and in 2008 the Rosenberry Award for service to children, adolescents and families from the University of Colorado at Denver. Dr. Albano is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a past president of the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology of the American Psychological Association, and past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). She is a past editor of Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, past associate editor of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and founding editor of the journal "Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health". She has published more than 200 articles and chapters and is the co-author of several cognitive behavioral treatment manuals and of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children, all published by Oxford University Press.   Andrea Temkin, Psy.D. Andrea Temkin, Psy.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and an Assistant Attending Psychologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital. She is a licensed psychologist with expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, depression, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and related conditions. Dr.  Temkin earned her Psy.D. from The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University where she received training at the Youth Anxiety and Depression Center. Her research focused on improving treatments for children and adolescents through technology and through the use of transdiagnostic interventions. Dr. Temkin also looked at ways to improve the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices through collaboration with community-based clinicians. Dr. Temkin completed her clinical internship at Bellevue Hospital Center/New York University Child Study Center. During this time she earned specialized training in treatments for ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders. Following her intern year, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the Youth Anxiety Center at Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian where she contributed to clinical and research efforts focused on youth and young adults.     Lauren Hoffman, Psy.D. Lauren Hoffman, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist at the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD) at Columbia University Medical Center, where she also completed her postdoctoral fellowship. Dr. Hoffman received her B.A. with honors in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. She completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the NYU Child Study Center and Bellevue Hospital Center. Dr. Hoffman specializes in providing cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depressive disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. She also has clinical expertise in family and school-based interventions for youth with disruptive behavior disorders, as well as extensive clinical training in dialectical behavioral therapy for adolescent emotion dysregulation and nonsuicidal self-injury. Dr. Hoffman’s research has examined parent-child agreement on treatment goals, the relationship between bullying and emotional distress, and the development of novel assessments and interventions for bullied youth. Her current research interests also include the use of novel technology, such as virtual reality, to improve access to care for youth and young adults with anxiety. Dr. Hoffman has presented her work at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

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. February 8, 2021 11:30am-1:00pm CST 12:30pm–2:00pm EST Today’s youth are facing new and ongoing trauma-producing challenges, including the disruption of normal school life caused by COVID-19, financial and social emotional problems at home, and the stressful, systemic realities of racial injustice. The result: students are experiencing more depression and anxiety than ever before. 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: Participants will learn: Key virtual warning signs of mental health challenge How to address mental health concerns with youth and caregiver. 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.

The Northwest MHTTC and the Great Lakes MHTTC are pleased to jointly offer this 90-minute webinar for Assertive Community Treatment Team Leaders. This is the second webinar in our four-part series "Team Leaders Making a Difference! Conversations on Leadership and Supervision in ACT." This webinar focuses on the pivotal role of Team Leaders in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and seeks to engage in a dialogue with team leaders around past and current strategies for focusing on team member well-being within the pandemic and beyond. Presenters will share lessons learned from the team leader listening sessions conducted over this year on this topic as well as relevant research findings in this area. Presenters Mimi Choy-Brown, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work. Informed by over a decade of practice and leadership in community mental health services, her research focuses on improving access to high quality mental health services for individuals who experience significant psychiatric disabilities and supervision-focused strategies to improve the implementation of recovery-oriented, evidence-based practices in routine care. She received her PhD from NYU and her MSW from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.         Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, School of Medicine, and the Director of the Washington State Center of Excellence in First Episode Psychosis. Her expertise is in implementation and services research related to evidence-based practices for adults with serious mental illness, particularly the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model. She has served as the Principal Investigator on several projects with the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, including the development, implementation, and fidelity assessment of 10 new ACT teams, and several Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) and Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) pilots across the state. She is also in the process of developing and testing novel approaches to better serving people with serious mental illness. She received a collaborative R34 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to develop and pilot-test the integration of IMR within ACT teams and is working to better define and implement integrated primary care services within ACT. She is also the lead author of the new ACT fidelity tool – the Tool for Measurement of Assertive Community Treatment (TMACT) – which has been disseminated and pilot-tested in several U.S. states and countries.   Lynette M. Studer, PhD, MSW, LCSW, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. She teaches MSW students in a mental health field unit as well as classes on Mental Health Policies & Services and Advanced Practice Skills in Mental Health. Prior to joining the UW-Madison faculty, she held a position as both an Agency Policy Specialist and State Administrator with the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services, Chemical and Mental Health Administration overseeing and improving policy and the provision of technical assistance for the state’s 32 Assertive Community Treatment teams who serve individuals with serious mental illness. Dr. Studer holds clinical social work licenses in both Wisconsin and Minnesota and has been a practicing clinical social worker for over 20 years.     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.

Webinar Description My Nervous Nervous System This session examines the body/mind science of psychoneuroimmunology, discovering how our thoughts are the first and maybe the most important thing impacting our health and well-being. Presentation Slides Click HERE to download the presentation slides 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.  Find out more about the Provider Well-Being series here. 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.

Protecting your well-being while working with and caring for overwhelmed colleagues and clients. Understand how to create, maintain, and strengthen your self-care plan. Examine the uniquely taxing effects of the pandemic and what self-care skills help most. Manage expectations of yourself and others in the face of widespread overwhelm. Facilitated by Sarri Gilman, MA, MFT

  The Dynamics of Homelessness and U.S. Policy Responses Thursday, Feb. 4, 12-1 p.m. Register | Download the flyer   Overview: Persons with serious mental illnesses are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Homelessness policies in the U.S. have evolved as research has informed us about the dynamics of homelessness. Federal policies reflect research showing that a relatively small number of people who experience homelessness remain homeless for long periods of time, often because of disabilities that make it difficult to exit without structured support and housing (Permanent Supportive Housing). Also, federal efforts to address “crisis homelessness” have been deployed, providing assistance through “rapid rehousing” programs to prevent long-term homelessness. The initiative to end veteran homelessness combined these two approaches and led to a 50% reduction in homelessness. This presentation summarizes the intersection of these research and policy efforts which greatly affect the need for comprehensive housing and support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. As a result of this seminar, attendees will learn: Homelessness is characterized by two primary dynamics: crisis homelessness and chronic homelessness; Crisis homelessness can be effectively addressed by providing emergency cash, case management and relocation assistance, with rent supports; Permanent supportive housing can successfully address chronic homelessness and is cost-neutral for many populations, research shows; Three federal programs – the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP), and the campaign to end veteran homelessness – established new and more robust policies to support these research-informed approaches; Homelessness assistance programs do not prevent homelessness, and rising rates of unsheltered homelessness and the aging of the adult homeless population are creating new challenges for policymakers to address.   Speaker: Dennis Culhane, PhD, is the Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Culhane is a nationally recognized social science researcher with primary expertise in the field of homelessness. From July 2009 to June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leader in the integration of administrative data for research and directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development of integrated data systems by state and local governments for policy analysis and systems reform.  His homelessness work has positioned him as an early innovator in the use of administrative data for research and policy analysis, particularly for populations and program impacts that are difficult to assess and track. Culhane’s work has resulted in federal legislation requiring all cities and states to develop administrative data systems for tracking homeless services in order to receive HUD funding. His work has also been instrumental in a national shift in how cities address chronic homelessness and family homelessness. Culhane’s current research utilizes linked administrative data to better understand and respond to the emerging crisis of aging homelessness. Recently, this work was featured in The New York Times Magazine article, Elderly and Homeless: America’s Next Housing Crisis.     Learn more about this series  

  Description: This webinar will present the history, science, material culture, and social impact of cannabis and stimulant abuse on adolescents, adults, and their use as patented medications to treat mental illnesses. Download the Flyer   Presenter: Benjamin Roy, MD is President of the Black Psychiatrists of America. He received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and served his internship in internal medicine at Harlem Hospital and a psychiatry residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital, both in New York, NY. He then completed a clinical fellowship in neuropharmacology at the National Institute of Mental Health and in neuroimmunology at the National Institute of Neurological, Communicative Disorders and Stroke, NIH, both in Bethesda, MD. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Roy discovered human antibodies for endorphins and the opiate receptor in patients with psychiatric disorders and holds two US patents on methods of detecting certain antibodies in human body fluids. He has participated in numerous phase 2-4 clinical trials in neuropharmacology and neuroimmunology. He exposed the purpose of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment to develop syphilis diagnostic tests that were patented and commercialized.   Learning Objectives: Discuss the history of cannabis and stimulant abuse Identify Loud, Dojo, Gas, Lean, Purple Drank, Syrup, Sizzurp, Barre, and Texas Tea abuse Identify the impact of Cannabis and stimulant abuse on cognitive function,  lasting mood and psychotic disorders, mortality, and morbidity Disseminate scientific and clinical information on Lean and Loud abuse to the public health community Learn potential susceptibility of Cannabis, Lean abuse to COVID-19 Construct a network that provides support, exchanges information, and generates new knowledge to support and improve treatment of Lean, Purple Drank, opiate, and Loud abuse   Who Should Attend? Mental health professionals; mental health advocates; mental health caretakers   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. Webinar slide presentations and recordings will be posted to the website.

Description: This conference (with four linked modules) will focus on the integration efforts that support practical applications of comprehensive screening. Participants will build their knowledge across substance use, behavioral health, sexual health, HIV and infectious disease. Professionals working in these areas will be able to increase their knowledge of logistics updates in an interprofessional environment. This series is provided in collaboration with the MidAtlantic AIDS Education Training Center, the Danya Institute and the Johns Hopkins University STD/HIV Prevention Training Center.   Presenters: Alicia Romano, Allies of Health + Wellbeing, Director of Community Health Speaker to be announced   Who Should Attend? Physicians, physicians assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, case managers, social workers, students of health professions, and other members of the healthcare team. Professionals and students in infectious disease, sexual health and family planning, substance use, behavioral health, mental health, and primary care   Module 1: Integrated Screening Processes February 2, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 2: Assessment and Referral Processes February 4, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 3: Outbreak Risk and Response February 9, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 4: Reducing Health Disparities February 11, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER  

February 4, 2021 8:30am-12:30pm CST 9:30am-1:30pm EST The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training for mental health and other behavioral health professionals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. Second in a series of seven DBT modules. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Core Mindfulness Skills will present the three steps required to learn a skill and provide homework for strengthening the skills learned. We will review three states of mind along with “what” and “how” skills. The presenter will also introduce participants to Mindfulness 101 and goals for Core Mindfulness. Learning Objectives General tasks of skill training The guidelines and structure of a DBT skills training group Learn and be able to teach and illustrate DBT’s three states of mind Learn and be able to teach and illustrate how to use what and how skills in DBT to facilitate a wise mind decisio   Audience  Mental health clinicians, community outreach workers, SUD counselors, crisis workers   Presenter  Neal Moglowsky earned his MS degree in Educational Psychology from UW-Milwaukee and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. He completed advanced training in the treatment of anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder.  He has been intensively trained in Exposure/Response Prevention for the treatment of anxiety disorders, as well as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for difficulties regulating emotions. Neal has been conducting DBT skills training groups since 1997.  He also has an interest in integrating mindfulness practices into his clinical work to help increase self-awareness and teach clients how to better control their focus and attention. Neal has an infectious sense of commitment and motivation to enhance the health of the clients he works with. His goal is to empower his clients to let their values and ethics drive their life choices rather than their emotions and impulses.  Neal is a Certified DBT Clinician through the Linehan Board of CertificationTM.     Upcoming modules in the DBT series: Click on title for the registration link for each session.  DBT Emotion Regulation Skills:  February 25, 2021 8:30am-12:30pmCST/ 9:30am-1:30pm EST DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills March 18, 2021  8:30am-12:30pm CST/9:30am-1:30pm EST DBT Distress Tolerance Skills April 8, 2021  8:30am-12:30pm CST/9:30am-1:30pm EST DBT: Adolescent Adaptation Part I April 29, 2021    1:00–5:00 pm CST/2:00–6:00 pm EST DBT: Adolescent Adaptation Part II May 20, 2021  1:00–5:00 pm CST/2:00–6:00 pm EST  

SERIES DESCRIPTION The Central East MHTTC in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health is pleased to offer a school mental health webinar series with a focus on advancing high quality, sustainable school mental health from a multi-tiered system of support, trauma sensitive, and culturally responsive and equitable lens. To familiarize yourself with the foundations of school mental health, please review the school mental health guidance document. Download the Series flyer here.   OBJECTIVES Gain increased awareness of high quality, sustainable multi-tiered system of school mental health supports and services Support trauma-informed systems in schools Discover the impacts of social determinants of health on student academic and social-emotional-behavioral success Learn to provide more culturally responsive and equitable services and supports Hear perspectives on school mental health from school, district and state levels Obtain insight into how youth, families, schools and communities can best work together to address student mental health needs   WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Educators, Administrators, Health and Behavioral Health Care Professionals, Child-Serving Agency Staff, Policymakers and Advocates     Scheduled Webinars for January – June 2021 Wednesday, January 6, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Trauma Responsive Care for Younger Students Slides    Recording Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Addressing Systemic Racism: Creating Safe and Equitable Schools Slides    Recording Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Creating Safe and Equitable Schools: Tier II Interventions and Considerations Register Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET National Association of School Psychologists: School-Community Partnerships Register Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Youth MOVE: Leveraging Youth Advocacy Register Wednesday, June 2, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Supporting Students Impacted by Racial Stress and Trauma Register   Registration questions, Dr. Sylvia McCree-Huntley, [email protected] 410-706-0981

The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted all of us. Join us to learn how community-based, peer-run organization Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon successfully modified our services to continue to serve our communities during this critical time. We’ll discuss changes made to our peer certification training in addition to program pivots within our diverse peer support offerings, including at hospitals, shelters, jails, and more.  Finally, we will consider ways in which MHAAO created new supports for our staff members and peer workforce at large.   Facilitators: Adrienne Scavera is the Training and Outreach Department Director for Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO), one of Oregon's oldest and largest peer-run organizations. In her role as a department director, Adrienne works to support the peer workforce from initial entry and training to systems-level advocacy. Currently, Adrienne serves on several committees and boards, including the Oregon Health Authority’s Training Evaluation and Metrics Program Scoring Committee and the state Traditional Health Worker Commission. In her work, Adrienne prioritizes the experience of individuals as the experts on their own lives. Over the years, she has worked in research, direct service, program development, management, training, and with non-profits, educational institutions, and peer-run organizations. She enjoys writing about herself in third person, well-organized spaces, and friendly animals.   Terry Leckron Myers has been a longtime criminal justice reform champion and Partnership for Safety & Justice board member since 2006. She has led key initiatives navigating all systems to improve the social health of all members in the community we serve, including criminal justice reform. Terry’s ability to develop trusting relationships as a liaison for internal and external teams to develop and improve systems with community partners has been demonstrated throughout her work. Recognized as a leader in bringing nonprofit and community partners together to streamline services and understanding of all partnering healthcare systems, Terry’s work includes Mentor Program Director at Bridges to Change, empowering people by strengthening individuals and families affected by addiction, mental health, poverty, and homelessness. Terry also worked as lead organizer for the Recovery Association Project where she supported people in recovery to make social changes. As Director of Central City Concern Portland Metro Worksource, she created pathways to employment and community integration for formerly incarcerated people. Currently, Terry serves as EVOLVE Program Director with Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon. In both her professional and volunteer careers, she’s driven by the belief that all people deserve to live their lives with dignity and grace.     Reina Bower is a person in long term recovery and what that means for her is that she has not used any mind altering substances for over 10 years (4-1-2010).  Her lived experience includes being incarcerated in state prison and county jails and losing her children to DHS due to being unable to care for them. While at Coffee Creek Women's Correctional Institution, Reina began to feel hope for a different way of life and started attending church, self-help recovery groups, and successfully completed a 6-month parenting class - one of the first of her many accomplishments in recovery. After taking a peer support training, Reina began working with others that had walked that same path she had and used her lived experience to positively benefit others. With her strong experience in peer support and recovery, Reina joined MHAAO as a manager and currently serves as EVOLVE Program Director. Reina is an example that people can and DO recover! Reina is pictured here with the judge who last sent her to prison, whom she credits with saving her life. 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.

Please join us in our monthly series. Special attention will be paid to resiliency, strength, overcoming challenges of social distancing, and supporting mental health professionals in their efforts to adapt their delivery of services. Times for this session: 11:00am – 12:00pm AKST 12:00pm – 1:00pm PST 1:00pm – 2:00pm MST 2:00pm – 3:00pm CST 3:00pm – 4:00pm EST   Information regarding this session: “Back to Basics All Over Again” - Elements of EBPs Inherent in the 12 Steps Guest speaker: Mike Bricker Despite decades of controversy, Twelve-Step Facilitation was finally added to the (now-defunct) NREPP catalog of evidence-based practices in 2008. Still, many clinicians are ambivalent about using it in treatment. However, a deeper examination of the Steps reveals numerous components of other Evidence-Based Practices including Motivational Interviewing, CBT/DBT, contingency management and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Similarly, a slightly different emphasis in reading of the Steps can lead to greater acceptance and less resistance on the part of patients.

Riding the Wave of Stress and Trauma to Enhance Self-Care February 2, 2021 1:00 - 2:30 pm MST | 2:00 - 3:30 pm CST Providers of all occupations are experiencing increased levels of on-the-job stress as they work to respond to the many needs of the individuals they serve during the COVID-19 pandemic. This training will provide a metaphor for riding the wave of stress, trauma, and grief. It will examine how integrating the brain and body response can heal during times of crisis. A focus will be provided on maintaining healing practices and building new pathways to enhance self-care. Traditional Indigenous trauma processing and the importance of grief rituals will be explored with a discussion of commonalities of cultures.   Learning Outcomes Examine what "your wave" looks like and learn how to utilize this energy to move forward. Consider the neurobiology mechanisms of secondary stress and ways to adapt behaviors to support self-care and self-regulation. Explore how non-linear approaches to self-care, and not viewing self-care as a final goal, supports wellbeing.   Trainer Tami DeCoteau, PhD. Tami DeCoteau obtained a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology in 2003 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with specialization in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders for adults, adolescents, and children. Dr. DeCoteau has worked in a variety of outpatient settings with a diverse patient population, including Veterans and Native Americans. She has given numerous lectures on how trauma impacts attachment and brain development, in-school strategies for working with traumatized children, and historical trauma. She is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation and a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.    

Description: This conference (with four linked modules) will focus on the integration efforts that support practical applications of comprehensive screening. Participants will build their knowledge across substance use, behavioral health, sexual health, HIV and infectious disease. Professionals working in these areas will be able to increase their knowledge of logistics updates in an interprofessional environment. This series is provided in collaboration with the MidAtlantic AIDS Education Training Center, the Danya Institute and the Johns Hopkins University STD/HIV Prevention Training Center.   Presenters: Raylette Pickett, Chief Operating Officer, SheRay's & Associates, LLC Barbara Wilgus, MSN, CRNP, Program Administrator, STD/HIV Prevention Training Center at Johns Hopkins   Who Should Attend? Physicians, physicians assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, case managers, social workers, students of health professions, and other members of the healthcare team. Professionals and students in infectious disease, sexual health and family planning, substance use, behavioral health, mental health, and primary care   Module 1: Integrated Screening Processes February 2, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 2: Assessment and Referral Processes February 4, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 3: Outbreak Risk and Response February 9, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER Module 4: Reducing Health Disparities February 11, 2021, 8:30am – 11:30am ET REGISTER  

National ACT Virtual Meetings & Discussion Forum to Address Impact of COVID-19 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. Virtual Meetings 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. Goals of the meetings are to: connect with one other share strategies and resources for adapting team practices and communications    facilitate connection to the most up-to-date resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Virtual Discussion Forum In addition to the meet-up, we have also created a Virtual Discussion Forum to help organize information, resources, and strategies used across teams. You can participate in the forum as a guest, or sign up as a member. Within the Discussion Forum are specific board topics: Support for ACT Service Recipients; Support for ACT Team Staff; Info and Updates: Federal Sources; Info and Updates: State and Local Sources; ACT Fidelity and COVID-19 Pandemic; and Words of Encouragement. Click on a board of interest to read existing threads, react to threads, or post new threads. Recordings of prior meetings are also posted at this forum.   Guest Speaker/Topic Supporting Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake: An Opportunity for ACT Teams to Strengthen Their Ability to Integrate Physical and Behavioral Health Care with Austin Hall, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Medical Director, UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health; and Director, Clinical Informatics, UNC Department of Psychiatry. Austin Hall, MD is Medical Director for the University of North Carolina’s Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health and Director of Clinical Informatics for UNC’s Department of Psychiatry.  Prior to joining UNC in 2015, Dr. Hall worked in community mental health for 12 years at Easter Seals UCP of North Carolina, where he worked on Assertive Community Treatment teams in both urban and rural settings. While at Easter Seals UCP, he helped to create the first Assertive Community Treatment team in North Carolina that focused exclusively on individuals with co-occurring substance use and severe mental illness using Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment principles.  His teaching responsibilities at UNC include resident and medical student education in the treatment of psychotic disorders.  Areas of interest include use of information technology in behavioral health services, team-based care delivery, expansion of access to care, and integration of behavioral and physical health. 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.  

School Mental Health Professionals Learning Series Winter 2021 Part 1 February 1, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MST 10:00am - 11:00am CST The School Mental Health Professionals Learning Series is a free, professional development training series that addresses the pressing needs of mental health professionals from Region 8 (ND, SD, MT, UT WY, and CO). Each session will begin with a short presentation by an expert in the field, followed by discussion and review of topical case studies. Each participant is expected to present one case study. The group will meet once a month via Zoom.    This series is a continuation of our Fall 2020 School Mental Health Professional Learning Series. Previous attendance of the Fall series is not required, and we encourage new participants to sign up!   Attendance is limited to 30 individuals. To register, please contact Stefanie Winfield at [email protected]. Dates February 1, 2021 - 9:00am MST - Part 1 March 1, 2021 - 9:00am MST - Part 2 April 5, 2021 - 9:00am MST - Part 3 May 3, 2021 - 9:00am MST - Part 4 Facilitator Stefanie Winfield, MSW

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." -Eleanor Roosevelt 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. Examples of upcoming topics: Inequalities in Education Caused by Covid-19 Trauma-Related to Covid-19 The need for increased broadband infrastructure to endure access to technology in Native communities The need for family and community outreach because of Covid-19

This session will describe the two-fold workforce development needs for creating mental health equity in integrated primary care: creating an equitable workforce and training for creating equitable clinical structures. Speakers will discuss the unique approaches that have been successful in recruiting and retaining individuals from the communities in which they serve as well as ways to engage community support.   Learning Objectives: Identify innovative approaches for recruitment and retention of your workforce team with the intent to create mental health equity within an integrated primary care system.  Discuss how to generate a more representative workforce along with more equitable outcomes as identified from research efforts involving the pediatric population  Describe the importance of obtaining support from the community including identification of resources and community agencies in order to foster growth for the future workforce.   Learn more at https://bit.ly/ComingHometoIC

Naming and Taming Overwhelm During the Pandemic Understand the impact of widespread overwhelm in this field. Acknowledge the effects of historical, intergeneration, racial, institutional, climate, political, and pandemic trauma. Recognize the signs of personal overwhelm. Learn key strategies toward overwhelm reduction and recovery that are most helpful during the pandemic. Examine your expectations, needs, vulnerabilities and strengths. Using your core values, develop your support.

Description: This webinar will explore what cultural awareness is and how it is developed. Participants will learn how they can increase their cultural awareness and sensitivity. They will also examine the impact that culture has on mental health, help-seeking, and coping strategies and identify their role in addressing these factors in their community.   Presenters: Dana Cunningham, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Faculty Consultant at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Cunningham is the Program Director of the Prince George’s School Mental Health Initiative, which is a school-based mental health program designed to support the emotional and behavioral needs of students in special education. Dr. Cunningham is also the Vice President of Community Outreach and Engagement in Black Mental Wellness. Dr. Cunningham obtained her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and completed her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Dr. Cunningham’s clinical and research interests include trauma, children of incarcerated parents, and increasing access to care for underserved youth. Jessica Henry, Ph.D., Vice President of Program Development and Evaluation for Black Mental Wellness, Corp., and Founder and CEO of Community Impact: Consultation & Psychological Services, received her B.S. from Howard University, M.A. from Columbia University, and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University. Also, she is currently the Clinical Director of a level-5 close security male prison. In essence, Dr. Henry is dedicated to reducing and eliminating barriers to receiving mental health treatment for African Americans and minorities and increasing access to mental health care for individuals and communities impacted by traumatic events.   Learning Objectives: Define cultural awareness and sensitivity Identify how cultural and structural racism impact mental health service utilization and access Increase understanding of how culture impacts expectations and interactions with others   Who Should Attend? Closed Registration: Mental Health First Aid Instructors only   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. Webinar slide presentations and recordings will be posted to the website.

On the 10 year anniversary of the repeal of the U.S. Military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t’ Tell policy, PS MHTTC invites you to attend a virtual film screening of the critically acclaimed film “The Camouflage Closet” on January 28, 2021 from 3pm PST/ 1pm HST to 5pm PST/ 3pm HST (event registration link is here). The Camouflage Closet features 9 LGBT Veterans who were provided cameras, training, and tools to create video narratives about their experiences with trauma, PTSD, suicide, and recovery. Join us to learn about the mental health needs and resilience of LGBT Veterans and strengthen ties between community-based behavioral health providers and Veterans Affairs LGBT Veteran Care Coordinators and Suicide Prevention Coordinators.   Following the film screening, PS MHTTC Associate Project Director and Producer of The Camouflage Closet Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW, will discuss LGBT Veteran mental health and culturally responsive care and facilitate a Q&A with the audience. Join us to learn about the LGBT Veteran Care and Suicide Prevention programs at Veterans Health Administrations across the Pacific Southwest.