Past Events

Expert consultants devote the first segment of each hour-long session to a specific topic and then address questions pre-submitted by registrants. The Southeast MHTTC’s Consultation Office Hours provide intensive service, staff and operations consultation, and allow for an engaging Q&A session between the experts and participants. Meet the Experts: Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) is a nationally recognized leader in developing and implementing peer support services. A grassroots nonprofit agency which has been led and run by mental health peers for over 25 years, GMHCN provides advocacy, education and training in the area of peer services across the state of Georgia. GMHCN provides consultation and training to Region IV states in the areas of training and credentialing certified peer specialists.

Description: Educators and school-based staff play important roles in supporting student mental health, often listening to students’ fears and helping them cope with stressful events. In addition, educators and staff report working long days and feeling overwhelmed by juggling many job responsibilities – including the abrupt shift to remote learning as a result of school closures. The cumulative effect of this stress can take the form of compassion fatigue, burnout, or secondary traumatic stress, which contribute to lower job satisfaction and educator turnover. This live webinar training will explore the differences between and strategies to counter fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Participants will also learn strategies to enhance well-being and promote job satisfaction.   Presenter: Kristin Scardamalia, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine National Center for School Mental Health. Dr. Scardamalia 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 including development and implementation of social emotional learning skills. Dr. Scardamalia has contributed to the development and dissemination of a national curriculum promoting comprehensive school mental health with an emphasis on educator well-being.   Learning Objectives: Describe contributors to and symptoms of compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress Gain an understanding of experiences with compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress Learn strategies to improve well-being and to counter compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress   Who Should Attend? Elementary educators: Expanded School Mental Health program (Ohio County, West Virginia)   Closed Registration

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan (CMHA) and the Great Lakes Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) present:  Family Psychoeducation (FPE) Facilitator Training June 2020: Thursday, June 11 Friday, June 12 Thursday, June 18 Friday, June 19, 2020    This training is for MI residents only.   Click here for more information and application instructions. Training Description:  This four-session training will present information distilled from best-practice structures historically defined as “active ingredients” of therapeutic change imbedded in the three traditional elements of Family Psychoeducation: Joining The Educational Workshop  Multi-Family Groups For Facilitators Instruction will begin with an examination of the theoretical and empirical foundations as leading to the development of family psychoeducation.  More specifically, FPE Model structures will be presented with differential emphasis on FPE’s effect in working with adults and their natural supports with and without a co-occurring disorder.  Population-specific content for adults will include information on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Who Should Attend: Social Workers and Clinical Workers who work with adults with schizophrenia or bipolar on a regular basis in a program that accepts Medicaid funding, and who intend to implement FPE group at their agency.  This training is appropriate for social work practice levels of beginning and intermediate.   

Times: 5pm ET / 2pm PT / 11am HT (view your time zone) Educators and school mental health leadership are resilient, creative, and tenacious, but they need to be supported to be able to provide support. In this period of stress and uncertainty, now is the time to gather and resource one another. In collaboration with the Meaning Makers Collective, we’re pleased to offer a series of School Mental Health Wellness Wednesdays. Each Wellness Wednesday is a 60-minute virtual session for the school mental health workforce to connect, reflect, and support each other. Led by Judee Fernandez and Michelle Kurta, Meaning Makers Collective.

Learn from behavioral health experts in program development, implementation, and evaluation to position your program for sustainable success! Featuring Pam Baston, MPA, MCAP, CPP; and Kathy Meyers, PhD This is a free training opportunity intended for committed individuals looking to gain skills in: Identifying and documenting needs of tribal communities Identifying effective practices aligned with the needs of your tribal population (s) of focus  Strengthening workforce and organizational capacity Documenting and evaluating outcomes Bringing it all together to make the case for sustainability opportunities  This training will be followed by self-directed project development assignments that will be reviewed with written feedback. A time commitment of 1.5 hrs. per week over a 5-6 week period will be required. A group of no greater than 20 highly motivated participants will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Wednesdays starting June 10  2-3:30 EDT . 1-2:30pm CDT . 12-1:30 MDT . 11-12:30 PDT . 10-11:30 ADT

Learn from behavioral health experts in program development, implementation, and evaluation to position your program for sustainable success!   Featuring Pam Baston, MPA, MCAP, CPP; and Kathy Meyers, PhD   *This is a closed event and only available to those that applied ahead of time. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions. 

Join us for this three-part series on addressing suicide in Indian Country. Over the course of these three sessions, we hope to give providers the tools and understanding of this issue that will help prepare them for addressing this with clients, as well as maintaining personal wellbeing. Session 1, June 10: Introduction and General Knowledge Avis Garcia, PhD, LAT, LPC, NCC 1-2 EDT . 12-1 CDT . 11-12 MDT . 10-11 PDT . 9-10 ADT Session 2, July 8: Adolescents and the Changing Brain Ken Winters, PhD 1-2 EDT . 12-1 CDT . 11-12 MDT . 10-11 PDT . 9-10 ADT Session 3, August 12: Holding on to Hope: Tools for providers to help someone experiencing suicidal ideation Avis Garcia, PhD, LAT, LPC, NCC 1-2 EDT . 12-1 CDT . 11-12 MDT . 10-11 PDT . 9-10 ADT    

Description: This webinar series will explore how faith-based community leadership can build mental health capacity in the midst of COVID-19. It addresses the need to assist these leaders in (1) improving their general knowledge base around mental and emotional disorders and (2) removing the stigma regarding mental health issues. By incorporating a cross collaboration between faith leaders and psychiatric practitioners, the three-part series will help improve the overall well-being of African-American and other communities during and beyond the current pandemic.   Presenters: Annelle Primm, M.D., MPH is the Senior Medical Director of the Steve Fund, an organization focused on the mental health of young people of color including college students.  She is also the Convener of the All Healers Mental Health Alliance and mobilizes organizational collaboration to provide healing services for disaster-affected marginalized communities. Dr. Primm is a former Deputy Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association (2004-20015).  She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, her medical degree from Howard University and psychiatric training as well as training in public health from Johns Hopkins University. She is a published author and serves as an adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, New York University and Howard University Schools of Medicine. Dr. Primm is a member of the Black Psychiatrists of America Council of Elders. Jonathan Shepherd, MD, is the Chief Medical Director with Hope Health Systems, Inc. In addition, he currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Black Mental Health Alliance INC. Dr. Shepherd is a board certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist; and has received numerous awards for his clinical work and training programs. He holds a Doctorate of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. He completed his General Psychiatry residency at the University of Illinois Medical Center and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Shepherd believes in the mission of promoting and advancing the mental health and well-being of people of color. He wants to bring awareness to mental health disorders that are a part of our global community.   Learning Objectives: Identify the more common mental disorders and psychological distress symptoms presenting to clergy in the faith community. Develop referral resources for assistance in the treatment of congregants manifesting symptoms of psychological distress. Gain confidence in communicating and securing assistance in congregants expressing suicidal thoughts.   Who Should Attend? Faith-based leaders, congregants and mental health clinicians.   Guiding the Shepherd and Shepherding the Flock in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic – Webinar series Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.  

Whether you’re a counselor, teacher, or social worker, serving children is hard. You’re taking care of everyone, and often feel exhausted. This series of 12 self-compassion sessions teach you how to care for yourself in the moment that you most need it. Research has shown that those who are more self-compassionate experience less stress, anxiety, and depression, are more resilient, and better able to deal with emotional challenges. Drawn from the internationally-acclaimed Mindful Self-Compassion program, which was created by Dr. Kristin Neff (educational psychologist at University of Texas, Austin) and Dr. Chris Germer, (clinical psychologist, Harvard University), the sessions will be comprised of didactic presentations, guided practices, and discussions which will offer specific tools that you can use to give yourself the support you deserve.

 “Strategies of Support for Mental Health Providers” - Empowering one another during times of crisis This is the eighth session of a weekly open forum to listen and share suggestions and resources. 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. Discussion will be facilitated by Sean A. Bear, BA, Meskwaki; Matt Ignacio, PhC, MSSW, Tohono O’odham; and Anne Helene Skinstad, PhD. Times for next session: 11:00am – 12:00pm AKDT 12:00pm – 1:00pm PDT 1:00pm – 2:00pm MDT 2:00pm – 3:00pm CDT 3:00pm – 4:00pm EDT

The goal of this webinar is to increase the awareness and abilities of mental health care providers in their use of cultural elements by promoting the use of culturally appropriate formulations when treating Latinx presenting with psychological and mental health disorders.  The information is informed by current research findings on the impact of cultural factors on the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders and on the therapeutic relationship. Module Goal:  This module will provide training on integrating Latino cultural factors into the assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis of emotional, psychological, and mental disorders. Module Objective: Describe and discuss key cultural concepts central to understanding Latino grief, expressions of distress, and appropriate responses to treatment; Identify, describe and apply culturally informed diagnostic and treatment approaches to mental and substance use disorders with Hispanic and Latino clients Demonstrate an ability to conceptualize and create a basic culturally informed treatment plan.    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 presenter:    Jesse Rocky Romero, PhD- Dr. J Rocky Romero is currently the United States consultant and trainer for the National Hispanic & Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center.  He is also the Associate Director for Health Programs for El Centro Family Health a federally qualified health center in northern New Mexico.  He also recently opened an intensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and serves as the Chief Operating Officer of New Mexico Hope. He is also a former tenure-track Assistant Professor for New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) School of Social Work in Albuquerque, NM and is also a graduate of NMHU.  He served as the co-chair for Governor Richardson appointed New Mexico Higher Education Departments Cultural Competency Task-Force. Dr. Romero has also served as an Executive Council member for the New Mexico Consortium for Behavioral Health Training and Research (NM-CBHTR).  In addition, Dr. Romero received his doctorate from the University of New Mexico in Language, Literacy, and Socio-cultural studies and graduated in fall 2016. He is focused on culturally appropriate treatment and access for health and mental health care for Hispanic and Latinos. In his role at NMHU-SSW in ABQ, Dr. Romero conceptualized, implemented, and received legislative and Bernalillo County funding for two evidence-based, and nationally certified with excellence, social work student training clinics.  Dr. Romero is a national trainer for the Matrix Institute on Addictions and the National Hispanic & Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center.  Dr. Romero is a native of Northern New Mexico and has served on many boards, committees, and task forces to address the needs of New Mexico’s students and citizens in his tenure with NMHU-School of Social Work. Most recently Mr. Romero has been appointed to the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Government Commission to address behavioral health and addiction issues in New Mexico.   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.  

This virtual conference will focus on the integration efforts that support a collaborative healthcare approach. Professionals working in these areas will be able to increase their knowledge of new updates in an interprofessional environment. It is designed to assist in creating comprehensive screening protocols in primary care, substance use treatment, and infectious disease and sexual health clinics.   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.   Closed Registration   This event is provided in collaboration by the MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center, The Central East ATTC, MHTTC and PTTC, and the STD/HIV Prevention Training Center.

  Click here to tune into the DBT STEPS-A YouTube Channel every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10am for their live lessons. Registration is not required. DBT STEPS-A Online Lesson 10: Distress Tolerance - Radical Acceptance Student Life Skills to Survive & Thrive During COVID-19 & Beyond About: Join Doctors Jim & Lizz Mazza & family in their living room as they teach kids the basics of emotional regulation and specific skills such as mindfulness, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness—essential skills at any time, but even more critical during COVID-19. Our kids -- all of us -- are upended emotionally right now. Tune in with your kids to help you reduce conflict and to keep this pandemic in perspective.    Tune in to YouTube live for the Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions here. It is not necessary to watch these lessons in order. You can join in the series at anytime and catch up with the recorded videos! Audience: Parents, students, educators, and more!   >> Access recordings for all 16 live lessons after the event here. << The Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center is partnering with Forefront Suicide Prevention Center & DBT in Schools to bring you a 16-lesson online curriculum for DBT STEPS-A and 2 Q&A sessions with the trainers.   This series is part of The Well-Being Series - Connections During COVID-19: Mental Wellness Webinars for Families and Educators. Click here to learn more about our series of webinars for kids, parents, and educators, focusing on mental wellness and suicide prevention. About the Presenters: Dr. James J. Mazza is the co-author of the DBT STEPS-A social emotional learning curriculum for middle and high school students. He received his masters and Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is a professor at the University of Washington – Seattle where he has been for over 20 years teaching and conducting research in the field of adolescent mental health.       Dr. Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza is a certified DBT therapist and co-author of the DBT STEPS-A social emotional learning curriculum for middle and high school students. She received her doctoral degree from the School of Professional Psychology at Pacific University in 2004, and completed her predoctoral internship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center’s Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program. Dr. Dexter-Mazza completed her postdoctoral fellowship under the direction of Dr. Marsha Linehan at the University of Washington.   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.  

For a subset of individuals affected by COVID-19, events related to the global pandemic may lead to PTSD symptoms. For others, the pandemic and related stressors may exacerbate existing PTSD symptoms. This talk will guide attendees through what the state of the science is to date on PTSD and COVID-19 and how it may affect implementation of treatment of existing or new PTSD symptoms. Speakers: Debra Kaysen, PhD ABPP is a clinical psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Dr. Kaysen’s area of specialty both in research and clinical work is in treatment for those who have experienced traumatic events including treatment of PTSD and related disorders across a variety of populations and settings. Dr. Kaysen is currently the President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Kaysen is currently involved in helping develop and implement coping strategies for healthcare workers dealing with mental health concerns related to COVID-19.   Shannon Wiltsey Stirman, PhD is a clinical psychologist and implementation researcher in the Dissemination and Training Division, and an Associate Professor at Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her clinical work and research focus on training, implementation, and adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapies for individuals with PTSD, depression, suicidality, and anxiety. She regularly provides CBT and Cognitive Processing therapy training and consultation to therapists in the community and in the VA.     Katy Dondanville, PsyD, ABPP is an Associate Professor within the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Dondanville is the Director of Research at the Fort Hood STRONG STAR Research Consortium and the Program Director for the STRONG STAR Training Initiative. Note: This is the final session of the Clinical Innovations in Telehealth Learning Series, a weekly online series targeting high-priority clinical issues for providers using telehealth. For more information on the series and to access resources from the series, please click here. Note: CEUs are not available for these sessions.

This training will provide practitioners a way of navigating the faith and spirituality of those they serve within an overall context of integrated health. Particular attention will be given to the practices of spiritual assessment, spiritual support/skill building, and connecting people to external resources and faith communities.   Learning Objectives: Increase awareness of the role of spirituality/faith for those receiving support Identify the challenges and opportunities of providing spiritual support Gain an understanding of the various approaches to conducting a spiritual assessment Learn the formats and tools available to those offering spiritual support/skill-building Gain knowledge and strategies for connecting people to other spiritual sources   Presenter: Dave Eckert, MDiv, CPRP, is the Director of Intersect, an initiative of Access Services that supports those at the intersection of faith and mental health.   Who Should Attend? Social workers, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, recovery coaches, peer specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and substance abuse counselors.

This webinar will start defining the basic concepts that comprehend the LGBTQ+ community. These concepts will set the tone to understand how minority groups become vulnerable populations in Latinx communities. Our main objective will be to promote sensible, empathic, and effective treatment strategies for the provision of mental health services.   Who should attend? This is a basic level online event designed for mental health providers including psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and graduate level students in the mental health field.   About the presenter: Miguel Vázquez, PhD- Dr. Miguel Vázquez has a Masters in Research in Clinical Psychology from the Barcelona Autonomous University, and a Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Carlos Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has researched topics such as sexual and gender diversity, suicide, psychotic disorders, youth risky behaviors, and substance abuse. He has presented in congresses and symposiums in Puerto Rico, United States, Mexico, Spain, Las Bahamas, Colombia, South Africa, and Peru. He has published social responsibility essays for local newspapers and magazines and is the principal editor of the textbook, LGBT 101: An introductory look at the community, being the first of its kind in the island, and author of LGBT Health: A therapeutic manual to work with the communities. He works as a psychologist and investigator at Centro Ararat and has his private office. He has been awarded Alumni of the Year 2015 from the Carlos Albizu University, and Psychologist of the Year, 2015 from the Puerto Rico Psychology Association. He is the developer and coordinator of the 1st LGBT Intervention Certification, education created to sensitize and educate professionals on LGBT health.     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.  

In this time of changing methods to deliver services, everyone is looking to make sure they have the skills and knowledge to provide clients with the best possible experience.  This webinar will provide an overview on how to facilitate a virtual support group with practical advice and experiences from two current facilitators. Presenters:  Vivian Flanagan joined NAMI Fox Valley in 2017 after taking the 12-week Family to Family class. The many challenges she and her husband were facing as they dealt with their son’s mental illness drew them to seek education and support from the NAMI organization. Presently, Vivian serves as the Family Program Coordinator for NAMI Fox Valley. She holds a degree in Human Growth and Development from University of Wisconsin Green Bay with a teaching certification in ECE and grades K-6. Vivian, who taught 4K for 30 years in the Kaukauna School District, began as a volunteer receptionist for NAMI Fox Valley before joining the staff and continues to fill that role one morning per week. She has also been trained to facilitate Family Support Groups.  In addition, her training includes Mental Health Chat, a presentation for school-age children. Her responsibilities as Family Program Coordinator include organizing and scheduling the Family-2-Family, NAMI Basics, Familia-2-Familia, and NAMI and Friends education classes. She also oversees the Family and Parent/Caregiver Support Groups.  Her responsibilities include offering support to family members in person, email or by phone. To keep her facilitators informed and to recognize the work they do as volunteers, Vivian plans quarterly dinner meetings, bringing in speakers and providing pertinent updates about NAMI Fox Valley.  "NAMI, through years of challenges, helped my family navigate the roller coaster rides that mental illness presented to us. That is why I work here.  My desire is that my experiences will give others hope."   Vicki Rivera joined NAMI Fox Valley’s staff in 2016 after completing their Peer Specialist Training. She started her career as a Peer Companion at Iris Place-a program of NAMI Fox Valley and progressed to her current role as Peer Program Coordinator. In this role, Vicki Rivera is responsible for all peer education and support groups. Having a close working relationship with Vivian Flanagan helps in the success of NAMI Fox Valley’s family and peer programs. Vicki holds a Bachelor of Science in both Psychology and Human Services from Upper Iowa University and certified in LGBTQ Mental Health from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  

This private Boot Camp Training is designed for administrators, mental health practitioners and educators as part of Mid-America MHTTC's Mental Health Professional Partnership with Educational Service Unit 2 in Nebraska.   

This event has ended. Click here to view the event recording.   5:00-6:30pm ET / 2:00-3:30pm PT / 11:00am-12:30pm HT (view your time zone) This presentation will focus on understanding the environment in which suicidality is possible. The presenter will review key elements of the psychological and social environment that increase likelihood of suicidality. To make a nuanced assessment, we must understanding relevant cultural factors and their impact on an individual’s suicide risk. To that end, the presenter will also provide a brief review of special risk factors for populations at increased risk for suicide. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals, including licensed and non-licensed staff.   Learning Objectives Identify three elements critical to assessing the psychological environment for suicide. Understand essential factors for stratifying suicide risk. Learn about culturally specific risk factors for suicide.   About the Presenter Tiara Peterkin, LCSW, is an advanced practice clinical social worker who has been working in the field for 8 years. Ms. Peterkin started her journey into social work in 2007 as a Peace Corps Volunteer serving as a Youth Development Volunteer in Costa Rica. After completing her social work degree with a concentration in mental health and military social work, she worked in several Veterans Affairs social work programs, including homeless outreach, combat PTSD, the emergency department, homeless case management, suicide prevention, and outpatient mental health. Under her stewardship, the suicide prevention program was able to increase outreach and engagement activities throughout the Pacific Basin and has received supplemental funding from the national office to demonstrate innovative practices in suicide prevention. Ms. Peterkin is passionate about suicide prevention and is thrilled to share her knowledge with the audience.        

Making a Good Connection: Engaging Students and Families in School Tele-Mental Health is a three-part webinar series geared toward providers who are making the transition from in-person to telehealth services. Session content will focus on practical strategies and equity concerns related to engaging children, adolescents and families using distance technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions upon registration, enabling our Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network specialists to shape their content to meet your needs. The presenters will devote the first segment of each hour-long presentation to a specific topic, then address attendee-submitted questions. Angela Castellanos, LCSW, is an experienced mental health consultant and administrator with 25+ years of diverse and progressive expertise in the mental health care industry and school settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, she specializes in administering school mental health programs, mentoring industry professionals (local, state, and federal), developing and teaching best practices.   Kazique J. Prince, PhD, founder and chief executive officer of Jelani Consulting LLC, provides executive consultation and coaching services focused on cultural competency for individuals, teams, and organizations. Based in Austin, Texas, Dr. Prince also serves as the senior policy advisor and education coordinator for City of Austin Mayor Steve Adler focused on education, public safety, and equitable economic development.   Paul Reinert, LICSW, has worked in the Boston area with children, families, and schools for over 30 years. He currently works at The Center for Trauma Care in Schools (CTCS). Paul is a trainer in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Supporting Transition Resilience Of Newcomer Groups (STRONG), two group treatment models to treat traumatic stress. He is also a certified national trainer in Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.   PJ Wenger, LPC, MFT, M.Ed., MA, Ed.S., is the Senior Training and Consultation Specialist with the Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC at Rutgers University and has 29 years of experience working in the field of mental health. She has spent considerable time in a variety of settings including psychiatric emergency centers, adult and children inpatient treatment facilities, in-home counseling for mental health, residential treatment, schools, and private practice. In addition, PJ has been a Trauma Responder at the local, state and national levels.  The 1-hour webinar sessions take place on Fridays at 10am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET. Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar. CEUs are not offered for these sessions. Webinar recordings and FAQs will be posted on the website here.

We are pleased to announce that the MHTTC Network’s new webinar series, Making a Good Connection: Engaging Students and Families in School Tele-Mental Health, kicks off 12-1 p.m. CST this Friday, May 22. This series occurs over three Fridays and is geared toward providers who are making the transition from in-person to telehealth services. Session content will focus on practical strategies and equity concerns related to engaging children, adolescents and families using distance technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions upon registration, enabling our Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network specialists to shape their content to meet your needs. The presenters will devote the first segment of each hour-long presentation to a specific topic, then address attendee-submitted questions. Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar. Webinar recordings and FAQs will be posted on the website. Use the following links to register: Best Practices for Student Engagement Through Tele-Mental Health 12-1 p.m. CST May 22 Register Enhancing Family-School Partnerships Through Tele-Mental Health 12-1 p.m. CST May 29 Register Strategies for Addressing Trauma, Crises and Grief Through Tele-Mental Health 12-1 p.m. CST June 5 Register

Debra A. Pinals, MD, Brian Hepburn, MD, and Joseph Parks, MD will speak about the response of behavioral health systems and facilities to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Their presentation will cover preparedness and response for state hospitals, crisis services, residential & community treatment services, and the criminal & civil justice interface. They will also speak about the challenges regarding financing for community providers, providing medication, adapting to changing technology, and special behavioral health populations such as people experiencing homelessness, children, and older adults.

We are all scrambling to help the kids and families we serve stay healthy and engaged during this unprecedented time. As a response to the COVID-19 emergency, CATCH Global Foundation created CATCH at Home to provide free and easy access to several of CATCH's evidence-based health, nutrition, physical education, and vaping prevention materials. During the webinar, you will get an overview and tour of the Heath@Home free Google Classroom designed for parents and students as well as the free Distance Learning Resources on CATCH.org for educators including new topical content such as immune health and risk of lung disease and vaping. Abby Rose is a Program Manager for CATCH Global Foundation where she is responsible for the development and dissemination of nutrition education, physical activity, youth vaping prevention and health promotion programs. Abby is active in SHAPE America including serving on their Physical Activity Council and Early Childhood Advisory Group. Previously, Abby was a School Wellness Specialist in the Office of Student Health and Wellness of Chicago Public Schools. Her main areas of focus were Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming (CSPAP) and early childhood wellness. Abby was the founding PE teacher and Director of Health and Wellness at Namaste Charter School, a national model of school wellness as a vehicle for student success on the southwest side of Chicago. She holds a MSED from Northwestern University.

  ABOUT THE SERIES: This webinar series is focused on the role of the school leader in creating and maintaining a positive climate and culture virtually during the global pandemic and in the building upon the return to school. We know these are challenging times and want to provide information you can use immediately and to use for the plans to return to school as part of your MTSS framework. The series is broken into three 90-minute sessions on three separate dates. *Please note that the last session is a chance to get your questions addressed LIVE!   << SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE FOR THE LIVE Q&A SESSION HERE. >>   WHEN: Part 1: (April 30th) Here and Now: Understanding Trauma and Steps to Take Today with your Staff >  Part 2: (May 14th) Re-entry: Planning Ahead for Coming Back Together Part 3: (June 4th) Discussion - LIVE Q & A with series presenters and guest school leaders  *All webinars are from 1 - 2:30PM (PST)   *Clock hours will be provided.   **Access all presentation materials and recordings after the event here.**   SERIES OBJECTIVES: Describe how trauma/extreme stress impacts our ability to learn, and executive functioning skills Identify guiding ideas, and concrete steps, school leaders can take to support teachers, families, and themselves emotionally Identify how the core features of MTSS, including systems, practices, and data, can be shaped to address build protective factors for the school community now. Identify how the core features of MTSS, including systems, practices, and data, can be shaped to address build protective factors for the school community once your students are back in the building. This series is brought to you by Sound Supports, LLC, Northwest PBIS Network, and the Association of Washington School Principals in partnership with the school mental health supplement to the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center.   The School Leader Series is part of The Well-Being Series - Connections During COVID-19: Mental Wellness Webinars for Families and Educators. Click here to learn more about our series of webinars for kids, parents, and educators, focusing on mental wellness and suicide prevention.  About the Presenters: Dr. Lori Lynass is the Owner and Executive Director of Sound Supports whose mission is to support every student and every school through the use of a Multi-tiered framework. Dr. Lynass has over 22 years of experience in the field of education and has worked directly with over 100 schools, 100 districts and 4 state departments of education on their implementation of academic and behavioral systems. Previously Dr. Lynass has been the Executive Director of Northwest PBIS and a research scientist at the University of Washington. Dr. Lynass has also overseen and coordinated grants related to academic and behavioral Multi-tiered Systems of Supports in schools and actively disseminates through presentations and publications. Dr. Lynass has also taught courses as an adjunct professor for the University of Washington, Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University.   Cher Anderton, MSW, LSWAIC is a mental health therapist, MTSS-B/PBIS coach, Trauma Informed Practices consultant, Positive Discipline parent educator and former elementary school counselor. In short, Cher loves working with adults to grow their skill set and improve resilience and sustainability in heart-center fields of work and life. Cher has a BA in History and a Masters in Social Work from Boston University.         Dr. Jessica Swain-Bradway is the Executive Director for Northwest PBIS Network. Her work in school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SW-PBIS) and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) focuses on equipping teachers with high leverage strategies for instruction, relationship-building, and designing effective learning environments. She has extensive experience supporting districts and states to build capacity for PBIS implementation and working across agencies to maximize resources for developing the organizational health of the school environment. Dr. Swain-Bradway also has expertise aligning restorative practices, mental health practices, including trauma informed care, and academic RtI into the SWPBIS framework.     Kurt Hatch M.Ed. A former teacher, instructional coach and award-winning principal, Kurt Hatch has served as a leader in a variety of systems including Puyallup, Kent, University Place, North Thurston and Shanghai, China.  Currently based out of Olympia, Kurt serves as Associate Director at the Association of Washington School Principals.  His work includes policy analysis, advocacy, leading the Mastering Principal Leadership Network and facilitating professional learning on topics such as: Systems Improvement; Distributed Leadership; and Equity, Bias and Race. Kurt also mentors early-career principals and trains school leaders on the implementation of a school-wide student support system that has helped recapture thousands of hours of instructional time, increase teacher efficacy and eliminate the use of suspensions.   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.