Past Events

 “Strategies of Support for Mental Health Providers” - Empowering one another during times of crisis This is the first 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 session: 10:00-11:00am AK, 11:00am-12:00pm PT, 12:00-1:00pm MT, 1:00-2:00pm CT, 2:00-3:00pm ET.

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. Weekly 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 and ACT stakeholders. These meetings will be held weekly on Mondays at 12:00-1:30 pm Pacific/3:00-4:30 pm Eastern. 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 outbreak.   Virtual Discussion Forum In addition to the weekly 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.   For more information or questions, contact: Maria Monroe-Devita, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine; Co-Director of the Northwest MHTTC; and Director, Washington State Center of Excellence in First Episode Psychosis. 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.  

Description: As peer support specialists seek to quickly and effectively offer digital peer support across the United States, it is important that they — and their organizations — know the practical aspects of using digital peer support to deliver support services. This presentation covers topics including the latest scientific developments on digital peer support and presents guidelines and emerging best practices to support service users through remote and telehealth technologies.   Presenter: Karen L. Fortuna, PhD, MSW, holds a doctorate in Social Welfare and a master’s degree in Social Work. Dr. Fortuna is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Dr. Fortuna is co-producing digital peer support programs with peer support specialists as equal partners in development, research, and ownership. Her team has developed a commercially viable smartphone app, PeerTECH, in which they are currently testing its impact in a real-world environment. Dr. Fortuna was awarded an NIMH K01 award (K01MH117496), a NARSAD Young Investigator Grants from the Brain and Behavior Foundation and the Alvin R. Tarlov & John E. Ware Jr. Award in Patient Reported Outcomes for her work, and the Association of Gerontological Education Social Work Faculty Achievement Award. Dr. Fortuna’s work can be seen in numerous book chapters on digital peer support, in Nature, Psychiatric Services, and Forbes Magazine. She currently serves as editor of the JMIR: Journal of Participatory Medicine. She is a board member of the International Association of Peer Supporters. She currently serves on the International Editorial Board for the British Journal of Social Work. She was invited to serve as a member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Smartphone App Expert Advisory Panel.     Learning Objectives: Define important digital literacy terms. Understand the effectiveness of digital peer support. Identify which technology platforms peer support specialists should use. Discuss the importance of bonding and connection through digital peer support. Understand how peer support specialists can assist their own recovery digitally.   Who Should Attend? Peer support specialists, researchers, administrators, behavioral health care professionals, state and local policymakers, and community advocates.

The Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and the Northwest PBIS Network are collaborating to bring you a FREE, 4-part webinar series presented by WellEducator, LLC.  Learn more about our 4-part series and access presentation materials here. About the Webinar: Compassion is how you respond in the face of someone’s suffering, including your own. Educators can experience compassion fatigue as they care for students experiencing difficulties expressing their emotions in healthy and productive ways. Compassion fatigue can affect school communities and cause friction between staff and students, amongst colleagues and between staff and administration. Building compassion takes practice and can lead to many positive benefits including stronger communities. In this webinar, participants will learn the benefits of a practice of mindful compassion on wellbeing, how to practice mindful compassion to cultivate strong school communities, and how to practice self-compassion to enhance resiliency and combat compassion fatigue. Webinar Objectives: Identify the benefits of a practice of mindful compassion and self-compassion on the wellbeing of self and school community. Learn 3 self-compassion exercises to enhance personal wellbeing. Learn 3 mindful compassion exercises to build a strong, compassionate school community. Our Presenter: Dr. Renee Van Norman - Educator and Founder of WellEducator LLC 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.  

This webinar will identify stressors particular to the Hispanic and Latino population that can be exacerbated during quarantine as a result of infectious disease outbreaks. Also, the webinar will cover stress management tools during a stressful event such as a pandemic for mental health providers to use with their Hispanic and Latino clients. Special considerations for Latino youth mental health will be also provided. Objectives:   1. Identify particular stressors in the Hispanic and Latino population. 2. Describe stress management skills, including face-to-face and long-distance coping skills.  3. Describe considerations for youth mental health during a pandemic.   

This webinar will review common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of this pandemic on family, friends, and collegial relationships. The importance of resilience in the face of this adversity will be underscored. Several effective coping strategies will be reviewed: taking care of self, fostering and re-inventing wellness, managing stress/anxiety, staying connected, promoting teamwork, and navigating existential concerns. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: List major psychological interpersonal impacts of COVID-19 Recognize the value of resilience in the face of the pandemic Describe strategies for coping adaptively in response to the pandemic

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC wants to support you and your work during this unprecedented public health crisis. And we know you want to support each other! Many of you have created unique strategies for meeting the needs of your students, but you may still also be grappling with questions or looking for better ways of doing things. To help facilitate support and the sharing of resources and ideas, we will be facilitating Mutual Support Calls for Thriving at Work During COVID-19. These calls will be facilitated by knowledgeable leaders in the field, but we also want to benefit from your experience and expertise. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions or comments in advance, but we welcome all to join and share with each other or just listen and benefit from the community. What & Who: One-hour virtual learning discussions for Educators who want to share experiences, exchange resources, and ask and answer questions of and for each other. When: You are welcome to join 1, 2, or all 3. Educators: Thursdays at 3:30 pm ET, 4/2, 4/9, and 4/16 Registration Link: https://shprutgers.zoom.us/j/539987768 Before joining each call, we invite you to submit a question or comment that you would like to see discussed during the call. We look forward to connecting with you!

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC wants to support you and your work during this unprecedented public health crisis. And we know you want to support each other! Many of you have created unique strategies for meeting the needs of your service participants, but you may still also be grappling with questions or looking for better ways of doing things. To help facilitate support and the sharing of resources and ideas, we will be facilitating Mutual Support Calls for Thriving at Work During COVID-19. These calls will be facilitated by knowledgeable leaders in the field, but we also want to benefit from your experience and expertise. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions or comments in advance, but we welcome all to join and share with each other or just listen and benefit from the community. What & Who: One-hour virtual learning discussions for mental health supervisors who want to share experiences, exchange resources, and ask and answer questions of and for each other. When: You are welcome to join 1, 2, or all 3. Mental Health Supervisors: Thursdays at 2 pm ET, 4/2, 4/9, and 4/16 Registration Link: https://shprutgers.zoom.us/j/112429134 Before joining each call, we invite you to submit a question or comment that you would like to see discussed during the call. We look forward to connecting with you!

The current pandemic requires rapid and complex changes to the way children and adults learn and live. This session aims to provide strategies for educators to use in supporting parents as they transition to a new and uncertain role in providing daily instruction for their children. Dr. Tami DeCoteau will bring her extensive knowledge and experience working with children, families, and school personnel to explore how educators can support parents in this difficult time. Learning objectives for this session:      How to assist parents in ensuring structure and routine. Strengths-based strategies to assist in building parents' confidence. Creative approaches to assisting parents with tasks at home. Authors      Tami DeCoteau  

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC wants to support you and your work during this unprecedented public health crisis. And we know you want to support each other! Many of you have created unique strategies for meeting the needs of your service participants, but you may still also be grappling with questions or looking for better ways of doing things. To help facilitate support and the sharing of resources and ideas, we will be facilitating Mutual Support Calls for Thriving at Work During COVID-19. These calls will be facilitated by knowledgeable leaders in the field, but we also want to benefit from your experience and expertise. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions or comments in advance, but we welcome all to join and share with each other or just listen and benefit from the community. What & Who: One-hour virtual learning discussions for Mental Health Service Providers who want to share experiences, exchange resources, and ask and answer questions of and for each other. When: You are welcome to join 1, 2, or all 3. Mental Health Providers: Thursdays at 12 noon ET, 4/2, 4/9, and 4/16 Registration Link: https://shprutgers.zoom.us/j/731693008 Before joining each call, we invite you to submit a question or comment that you would like to see discussed during the call. We look forward to connecting with you!

The School Mental Health supplement is partnering with Forefront Suicide Prevention & the University of Washington SMART Center to bring the LEARN® Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training for Parents/Caregivers directly to you in your own home, free of charge.  Developed by Forefront, the five simple and effective Forefront Suicide Prevention LEARN® steps empower individuals to help others move in the direction of hope, recovery, and survival. *The LEARN® Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training 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.  WHAT IT IS: Forefront Suicide Prevention Center's LEARN® Saves Lives webinar teaches essential skills for suicide prevention. Join us to learn how to:  Make your home safer to prevent the risk of suicide Ask your kid about suicide in a safe way Recognize the signs of a mental health crisis and practical steps to address it   Access event flyer here.  Learn more about Forefront and the LEARN® Saves Lives curriculum here.  Presentation PDF   Access recorded webinar and presentation materials after the event here.    WHY IT'S CRITICAL RIGHT NOW:  Several societal trends are happening related to the coronavirus outbreak that are aligning unless we take action into the perfect suicide storm. Research shows suicide rates increase during times of economic downturns. There are currently millions of families and young adults struggling to make ends meet and feeling hopeless about the current economic situation. Economic uncertainty about the future is pervasive. But we can get in front of a possible spike in the suicide curve by being proactive about suicide prevention now. This training will show you how.  ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: LEARN® Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training for Parents & Caregivers will be hosted by Dr. Jennifer Stuber, co-founder and Director of Forefront Suicide Prevention Center at University of Washington and Dr. Chris DeCou, All Patients Safe Fellow at Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center.  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.  

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm PT In times of uncertainty, there is one thing we do know: educators and school mental health leadership are resilient, creative, tenacious and…needing support to provide support. The context of our schools is changing, and the context of our work is changing. In times of uncertainty, unpredictability, and potentially overwhelming stress, now is the time to gather and resource one another as much as possible. In collaboration with the Meaning Makers Collective, we’re pleased to offer three School Mental Health Wellness Wednesdays. Each Wellness Wednesday is a 60-minute virtual session for the school mental health workforce to call in, connect, reflect, and support each other through this time period. Please note that the three Wellness Wednesdays are not a sequence; you can join us for one, two, or all three.   What: Three virtual learning discussion Hours for school mental health practitioners from Region 9 who want to share experiences, exchange resources, and ask and answer questions with and for each other. Who: For state and local education agency education and behavioral health leaders, community-based organization staff, teachers, school site leaders, district administration, principals, school-based mental health staff, student support service providers, and anyone else who would like to join.   We look forward to gathering and supporting all of you who support. March 25: http://bit.ly/ww-mar25 April 1: http://bit.ly/ww-apr1 April 8: http://bit.ly/ww-apr8

With the current public health crisis, we are facing a new way of engaging and teaching our students. While some of us may have been doing some assignments remotely in the past this new platform and the current social distancing orders have created a whole new set of stressors on our educators, their students, and families. This webinar will provide some helpful hints to help us all survive and thrive during this time while simultaneously taking care for ourselves, our students, and their families.

  This virtual chat will provide participants with best practices in telehealth and tips for clinicians, students and caregivers. Following the presentation, attendees will learn about current Washington, DC guidance and have a chance to share practices, strategies, and remaining questions related to delivering telemental health in schools.   Presenters: George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health University of Maryland School of Medicine, National Center for School Mental Health Central East Mental Health Technology Transfer Center    Who Should Attend? School Behavioral Health Coordinators from DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools in Cohorts 1, 2, 3, and 4; School-Based Clinicians from participating Community-Based Organizations.   Closed Registration.

This free, seven-week online Enhanced Professional Learning series will include blended activities of virtual online groups and self-study related to understanding and integrating substance use disorder knowledge into the provision of mental health disorders treatment. This will include interactive discussions, videos, performance-based feedback, articles, and activities. Topics will include such areas as screening, signs and symptoms, American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria, scope of practice, and referral resources.   Schedule Virtual meetings will be held every Wednesday, April 1 – May 13, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT. April 1, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT April 8, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT April 15, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT April 22, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT April 29, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT May 6, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT May 13, 2020 from 12:30 – 2:00 PM MT Target Audience Professionals in behavioral health and mental health disorders, and medical practitioners. Details The training objectives, participant commitment, and additional training information are all available through the Registration Link. Training Need The co-existence of mental health and a substance use disorders is referred to as a co-occurring disorder. In 2018, 19.3 million individuals had a substance use disorder while 19.1 million individuals had a mental health disorder, with over nine million having both disorders according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It is essential to identify and address substance use issues for patients in mental health treatment settings as it improves the overall treatment outcomes. Likewise, initiating assessment and interventions that have a co-occurring disorder focus is crucial as treatment works best when both the substance use and the mental health disorder are addressed together during the treatment process. Please contact Trisha Dudkowski at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.  

A public health crisis causes distress for all involved, including providers of behavioral health services. Attending to our personal wellbeing during this time is just as important as supporting individuals receiving services. This webinar highlights specific tools, strategies, and resources that promote provider wellbeing.

Sexual identity is just one, individualized and personally meaningful, aspect of an individual’s sexual orientation; however, is often scrutinized and misunderstood.  Individuals that identify as a sexual minority experience many barriers and healthcare obstacles, often a result of stigma, prejudice, and discrimination.  This webinar will focus on the unique needs of individuals who identify as a sexual minority to enhance services and promote more effective care.  Trainer:   Dr. Anthony Zazzarino, PhD, LPC, ACS, CPRP is a full-time faculty member at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. He currently provides instruction for professional education courses for New Jersey’s Supported Housing agencies implementing Community Support Services (CSS), the Master’s program in Rehabilitation Counseling, and the Doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Zazzarino is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP). He completed his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University where he focused on improving the lives of sexual minorities with serious mental illnesses and enhancing individual’s knowledge of multicultural competence. Dr. Zazzarino is actively presenting at local, state, and national conferences related to psychiatric rehabilitation methods, counseling services, and supervision practices. In addition to his work at Rutgers, Dr. Zazzarino is a suicide prevention trainer for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, facilitates group therapy for adolescents and adults at an intensive outpatient program, provides outpatient counseling services at his private practice, and provides clinical supervision for counselors who need supervised clinical hours in New Jersey. 

More than ever, mental health support is a necessary component of addressing the needs of students and ensuring school safety as well as student success in all schools. It’s why this revision of the School Mental Health Toolkit focuses on regional, national, and rural examples, tips, and resources. Mental Health Colorado and the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center updated the School Mental Health Toolkit and this webinar will highlight the changes and additions. Contact Stefanie Winfield with any questions at [email protected]. Presenter      Stefanie Winfield, MSW  

Please note: due to a change in trainer availability this session has been rescheduled from March 17, 2020 to March 31, 2020. Many rural communities are exploring the use of mental health courts as a potential avenue for addressing and supporting increasing numbers of individuals with serious mental health issues. Join, Mark Mitchell, PhD, as he draws on 30+ years working with rural communities, state institutions, and the Department of Justice, to guide participants through an in-depth discussion and understanding of what mental health courts are and how and when they can be effective. This three-part webinar series is designed to build on previous sessions and will incorporate information initially provided by participants. Each session will provide unique content and build on conversation from the previous, but you are welcome to join any one and/or all three of the provided trainings. The series will be held on: February 18, 2020 March 3, 2020 March 31, 2020

Recovery from SMI has been studied and documented by researchers, practitioners, and individuals with lived experience around the world and across time. Recovery is real. Recovery can be supported by practices and services that encourage participant engagement, community inclusion, valued social roles, and overall wellness. This webinar series will introduce you to recovery from SMI and many of the evidence-based and promising practices that support recovery.  This session focuses on peer services. New Date!

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC wants to support you and your work during this unprecedented public health crisis. And we know you want to support each other! Many of you have created unique strategies for meeting the needs of your service participants, but you may still also be grappling with questions or looking for better ways of doing things. To help facilitate support and the sharing of resources and ideas, we will be facilitating Mutual Support Calls for Thriving at Work During COVID-19. These calls will be facilitated by knowledgeable leaders in the field, but we also want to benefit from your experience and expertise. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions or comments in advance, but we welcome all to join and share with each other or just listen and benefit from the community. What & Who: One-hour virtual learning discussions for mental health service providers who want to share experiences, exchange resources, and ask and answer questions of and for each other. When: You are welcome to join 1, 2, or all 3. Mental Health Administrators: Tuesdays at 12 noon ET, 3/31, 4/7, and 4/14 Zoom Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/662032737?pwd=Zk1yQUNyczFsVlplQ1prQm1IOExNZz09 Before joining each call, we invite you to submit a question or comment that you would like to see discussed during the call. We look forward to connecting with you!

Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays is a weekly online series for providers who are unfamiliar with telehealth. Our Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network specialists will devote the first 20 minutes of each hour-long session to a specific topic, then address questions submitted by TTC Tuesday registrants. Recordings of the 20-minute presentations as well as additional resources will be posted on this page as they become available. You must register separately for each TLC Tuesdays session. While filling out the registration form, you will prompted to submit any questions you might have. Register by clicking one of the dates below. Certificates of completion are available.

Telehealth Basics: Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays This hour-long online series will support behavioral health providers who are new to using telehealth. During each hour-long session, our Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network specialists will spend the first 20 minutes addressing a specific topic, then answer questions submitted by TLC Tuesday registrants. Recordings of the 20-minute presentations as well as additional resources will be posted on the web as they become available. Every session will run from 9:00 am – 10:00 am (MT). Registration is required for every TLC Tuesday session. During registration, you will be prompted to submit any questions you have in advance of the session. Future Sessions      April 7: Telehealth Billing April 14: Telehealth Tools April 21: Telehealth with Children and Adolescents April 28: Telehealth Troubleshooting