Past Events

Build your Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills through the free Motivational Interviewing Learning Collaborative! Third Wednesday each month, beginning February 19, 2020.  10:00-10:45am CST The Great Lakes MHTTC and PTTC will host a series of interactive calls via Zoom for people who want to enhance their MI skills. This learning opportunity provides practitioners with a no-cost, easy to access opportunity to continue to build their practice skills towards fidelity.  All sessions will be geared towards multiple levels of learning.  Attend all sessions or select from the menu (see list of dates and topics below). Calls last for 45 minutes You only need to register one time for the Zoom link to the calls  ​​​ Trainer: Laura Saunders State Project Manager, Wisconsin Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC Laura A. Saunders, MSSW, is the Wisconsin State Project Manager for the Great Lakes Addiction, Mental Health and Prevention Technology Transfer  Centers. Her position is housed at the UW–Madison, where she’s worked since 1988. Since 2001, Laura has provided SBIRT and Motivational Interviewing training to physicians, nurses, medical students, psychologists, specialty addiction treatment providers, social workers, physical therapists, health educators, and staff who work in correctional settings. She has provided feedback and coaching to hundreds of social workers, correctional staff,  and other human service providers who are interested in using evidence-based practices with fidelity. Laura joined the international group of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2006 (Sophia, Bulgaria) and is an active member of the Wisconsin MINT group.   February 19 Your MI Spirit Is Showing March 18  Let Your Partner (Client, Consumer, Customer, Patient) Know You're Working Hard to Understand April 15 WHY Not Ask WHY And Other Things to Think About With Open Questions May 20 Taming Your Inner Cheerleader: Be Proud Of You and How Well You Can Use Affirmations June 17 Gold Star Things to Say (Genuinely!)  July 15 What To Do When the Client Says Something About Changing Their Behavior August 19 What to Do When The Client Seems Stuck About Changing Their Behavior September 16  Pay Attention to Discord October 21 Guess What Happens When You Ask for Change Talk? November 18:   TBD December 16:   TBD 

An Introduction to the National School Mental Health Training Curriculum  Sarah Parker McMinn, MSW, LCSW  School-Based Mental Health Project Manager Great Lakes MHTTC Co-Presenter Elizabeth Connors, PhD February 19, 2020  10:30a.m.EST This training will focus on providing attendees with an introduction to the FREE National School Mental Health Training Curriculum. To help states, districts, and schools across the nation understand the core components of comprehensive school mental health, as well as engage in a planning process, this eight-module school mental health curriculum focuses on providing guidance and best practices in school mental health. The curriculum is intended to be used by district teams to influence, develop, and oversee school mental health systems in districts and schools.

Stop by our exhibit table to find out more about the Great Lakes MHTTC Schoo-based projects and training opportunities at the Wisconsin School Counselor Association Conference.  

“Healing the Returning Warrior” Virtual Learning Collaborative This event will take place on Tuesday, Feb 18 from 1-2 pm CT via Zoom.   Content will be:  Recap Questions Discussion How to Implement Training opportunities Resources available Feedback Topics covered are Webinar Series presentations 1-3 (Historical Overview of Natives in Warfare/Military, Assessment and Treatment, Traditional Beliefs and Healing Practices)      To sign up and for access to the Zoom link, please contact Megan Dotson at [email protected].

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 17, 2020

This Baltimore Faith Based Commission for Behavioral Health event, supported by the Central East MHTTC, will provide training on establishing environments of recognition and respect among clergy, faith leaders and sexually diverse congregants and their communities. This training is targeted to faith leaders defined as Pastors, Rabbis, Imams, Elders, Deacons, Trustees, etc. It is open to persons in leadership positions in their respective houses of worship.

Do you treat and prescribe medications for patients with schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar and serious mood disorders, who smoke tobacco? This webinar is designed for you! It will introduce recent, clinically-relevant information that should influence treatment practices and improve provision of evidence-based care for nicotine dependence for people with serious mental illness who smoke. Speaker A. Eden Evins, MD, MPH Dr. A. Eden Evins is founder and director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and The Cox Family Professor of Psychiatry in the Field of Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Evins holds an MD from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Evins studies the efficacy of pharmacotherapeutic cessation aids in smokers with and without serious mental illness, and the effect of nicotine on cognitive performance in those with and without schizophrenia. She has conducted a series of studies that have changed clinical practice guidelines for tobacco-smoking cessation for those with and without serious mental illness, including a multi-site study in six US states and a PCORI Large Pragmatic Trial which enrolled over 1100 tobacco smokers in Greater Boston. Dr. Evins has been honored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her work.

This training will provide participants a learning opportunity on how to move forward with the understandings of equity and diversity inclusion work. This training will inform participants on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how cognitive behavioral therapy skills and motivational interviewing can be part of a culturally-informed approach to working with diverse populations.  Intended Audience: Community-based and community-intentioned providers, organizers and institutions   

The Southeast MHTTC has invited state mental health agencies in the eight Region IV states to recommend two teams from departments, community mental health centers, initiatives and/or programs for targeted practice coaching in the areas of peer workforce and mental health services quality improvement. These priority areas were identified through the Southeast MHTTC regional needs assessment process and discussions with the Southeast MHTTC Advisory Board.   Practice Coaching has been used to assist mental/behavioral health practices in their efforts to improve quality and methods of care. Practice Coaches provide intensive consultation and work collaboratively with leadership and implementers to address challenges to improvement and work to achieve organizational change. Through the Southeast MHTTC Practice Coaching program, participating teams will work with a Practice Coach to identify goals and action steps in the areas of peer workforce or mental health services quality improvement. The Practice Coaching Program aims to match teams with expert practice coaches to work toward improving clinical practices or policies. The goals of the program are to support teams in: Implementation and/or scaling of evidence-based practices Organizational change Capacity building Strengthening current programs and initiatives Open registration for this program is not currently permitted. For more information regarding this program, please contact Emily Moore at [email protected]  

Description: Join us for a discussion on Supporting Student Mental Health: Resources to Prepare Educators, a new publication developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network  (MHTTC) in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.   This product:  Describes the role of educators in supporting student mental health. Explains the core components of mental health literacy. Provides an annotated list of existing resources and trainings that instruct educators on mental health literacy.   The publication is now available on the MHTTC Network website in the Products and Resources Catalog here.   Presenters: Drs. Sharon Hoover and Nancy Lever, Co-Directors of the National Center for School Mental Health.   To join the discussion please call (866) 812- 7295, access code is 62416.

The Mid-America ATTC, MHTTC and PTTC have joined together to develop the Mid-America TTC Advisory Board. Board members from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska with expertise in substance abuse disorders, mental health, prevention, and behavioral health will help all three TTC's address the needs of the Mid-America region.

Description: Peer support is recognized internationally as an essential mental health service for people learning to cope with or manage symptoms of a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder. These individualized or group-based support services are provided by a peer (“peer support specialist”) whom has a lived experience of a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder. Along with the influx of digital mental health services changing the way traditional providers deliver psychiatric care, peer support specialists (PSS) are using technology to deliver peer support services across the globe. This three-part webinar series will explore the various platforms and contexts in which PSS are using technology to deliver these services. Part 1 will explore the landscape of digital peer support services platforms across the globe and present on program effectiveness with people with a lived experience of a mental health condition.   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: Identify recent global advances in the development of digital peer support technologies. Determine how virtual peer support services can be used in your organization. Describe how to prepare your organization to implement virtual peer support services. Implement a process to hire and train peer support specialists to offer virtual peer support and other evidence-based services.   Who Should Attend? Peer support specialists, researchers, administrators, behavioral health care professionals, state and local policymakers, and community advocates.

In an effort to support teams working in the area of First Episode Psychosis (FEP), the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) is hosting standing FEP Mentoring Calls. These monthly, hour long Zoom meetings that will allow for open discussion, group support, and resource sharing. This is an opportunity to grow as a community of support within our FEP teams. We will identify general topics, as well as schedule role specific calls. We hope you’ll be able to attend! Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/817083117?pwd=a0NUNmRJZVA0TEtMUlFhbjBodSs3Zz09 Meeting ID: 817 083 117 Password: 415555 Call in information: 1-669-900-6833 (San Jose)/1-929-436-2866 (New York) Meeting ID: 817 083 117

The NIATx Change Leader Academy (CLA) is a one-day, face-to-face workshop followed by three months of peer networking and support from a NIATx coach. The CLA trains change leaders in the NIATx model of process improvement: a structured, team-based approach to change management for organizations large and small. Attendees learn how to select a change project, set a project aim, engage senior leaders and staff in the change process, and achieve measurable, sustainable improvements. Trainer: Mat Roosa  Mathew Roosa, ACSW, LCSW-R is a consultant, trainer, and coach, providing organizational and systems level support for program development, quality improvement, and strategic planning in behavioral and healthcare environments. He is also Director of Planning and Quality Improvement for the Onondaga County Department of Adult and Long Term Services, providing support to mental health, substance use, Corrections, Ageing, and other service systems. Mr. Roosa is the former Clinical Director of Central New York Services, a Non-Profit Agency providing residential, forensic, and treatment services, and specializing in services for people with co-occurring chemical dependency and mental illness. Formerly Mr. Roosa was the Clinical Director of Family Services Associates, providing outpatient family therapy and chemical dependency services. Mr. Roosa’s experiences also include the maintenance of a private psychotherapy practice, and teaching as an adjunct faculty member of the Human Services Department at Cazenovia College and the Syracuse University Social Work Program. This event is co-sponsored by the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health.  There will be a $10.00 fee for this event.

This two-day in-person workshop will orient psychiatric care providers to the most recent empirical literature on the cognitive behavioral approach to treating individuals with psychotic symptoms, to introduce a recovery-oriented biopsychosocial model for treating psychosis, and to provide training in high-yield skills and strategies for this population. The workshop will consist of lecture, audio and video presentation, and role play demonstrations. Following this training, you will be able to:   Articulate the rationale and primary goals associated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) Understand the theoretical principles of CBTp Use high-yield CBTp-informed strategies to reduce distress and disability associated with psychosis Access high-quality resources for patients, families, and additional self-guided learning of Cognitive BehavioralTherapy for psychosis. Advocate for CBTp in your care settings and know where to access further training resources.   About the Trainers Dr. Sarah Kopelovich, PhD is a forensically-trained licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Kopelovich is an Assistant Professor in the department and holds a Professorship in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis. She regularly conducts workshops, seminars, and professional consultation across the country for an array of mental health professionals in CBT for psychosis; Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy; Individual Resiliency Training for First Episode Psychosis; Assertive Community Treatment; and diagnostic, suicide, and violence risk assessment. Dr. Jessica Maura, PhD is a Senior Fellow in Psychosis Treatment and Recovery in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Miami and completed an APA accredited internship from the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. Her research has focused primarily on the impact that culture and other psychosocial factors have on the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, as well as examining the efficacy of culturally adapted interventions for schizophrenia.

This webinar will focus on Native veterans, including a historical overview that delves into the history of Native Americans in the military, historical trauma, PTSD, suicide approaches to assessment and treatment, traditional beliefs and healing practices, and most importantly honoring self through Native American teachings and wisdom. Sean A. Bear 1st, BA, Meskwaki 1-2:30 EST   12-1:30 CST   11-12:30 MST   10-11:30 PST   9-10:30 AST

The Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, in partnership with the Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resiliency, Hope, and Wellness in Schools at the University of Southern California, present the: 2019-2020 Webinar Series: Creating Trauma-Responsive Schools The first 100 registrants can attend the live webinar. Webinars will be recorded and posted on the Northwest MHTTC website within a few days and links will be sent out through our mailing list. Each webinar requires separate registration. Register only if you plan to attend the live webinar and consider joining in a central location if multiple people from your school, district or organization plan to attend.   Webinar #3: Trauma-Informed Schools and the MTSS Framework Times: 11-12:30 p.m. PT / 10-11:30 a.m. AK / 12-1:30pm MT The trauma-informed schools webinar is designed to educate the school system including administrators, educators and other school staff about the key principles and domains of a trauma-responsive school system. The training outlines a framework for trauma-responsive schools and aligns trauma-informed practices and interventions with the Multi-tiered System of Support framework. Learn more about the six-part series and register for all six webinars here.   Presenter Bios Vivien Villaverde, MS SW, PPSC, LCSW is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Field Education Department of the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and a member of the Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Schools. She is a trained School Social Worker who was affiliated with the Los Angeles Unified School District for about 10 years. Prof. Villaverde has expertise in trauma-informed intervention, disaster/crisis response and trauma-responsive program development. She has extensive background in collaboration and education systems change. Her expertise includes training and consultation with school districts in trauma-responsive transformation including program development, EBP training, and policy development. Prof. Villaverde collaborates with the California Department of Education and has partnered internationally with South Korea and the Republic of the Philippines. In addition, she uses the “Social Responses to the Human Impacts of Climate Change” Grand Challenge in her disaster response planning work in Asia. She is also the Teaching Institution (TI) Coordinator at the School of Social Work. As the Coordinator, she engages in different innovation to promote university-community partnership for quality MSW internship and for community capacity-building.   Pamela Vona, MA, MPH, is currently the Program Manager for the Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and Wellness in Schools. Her interests include understanding how to support the implementation of trauma practices in the school setting. Specifically, her work has focused on how web-based platforms can support training in and implementation of evidence-based practices in schools. Ms. Vona served as a lead developer of the Trauma Responsive School Implementation Assessment—an online assessment designed to help schools improve their trauma-responsiveness.  She is also leading the development of the Trauma Informed Skills for Developers (TISE) curriculum designed to enhance educators’ trauma knowledge and skills. Ms. Vona serves on the School Committee Workgroup for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) and previously was a member of the NCTSN Policy Task Force.   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.

Every Wednesday, February 12 - March 25, 2020 10:00-11:30 am Mountain / 11:00 am-12:30 pm Central Description Over the past 20 years, a growing understanding of the pervasive and harmful impact of traumatic events on individuals, families and communities has led to the emergence of research on the effects of trauma and treatment strategies to address mental health. According to SAMSHA, trauma is a widespread, harmful and costly public health problem, occurring as a result of violence, abuse, neglect, loss, disaster, war and other emotionally harmful experiences. While many people who experience a traumatic event do not have lasting negative effects, others experience more difficulty with traumatic stress reactions. Emerging research has documented the relationships among exposure to traumatic events, impaired neurodevelopmental and immune systems responses and subsequent health risk behaviors resulting in chronic physical or behavioral health disorders. Studies in the criminal justice and child welfare systems reveal high rates of mental health. There are no boundaries when it comes to trauma with regard to age, gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, geography or sexual orientation. This six-week online learning series will increase the skill level of behavioral health professionals to define and recognize trauma in individuals. Practitioners who are able to help participants manage their symptoms using a strength-based approach minimize the retraumatization and provide supports that are trauma informed.   Participant Commitment & Expectations Commit to 7-weeks of live online training for 1.5 hours weekly Attend one-hour online Orientation Complete weekly self-study learning activities Access to appropriate technology to utilize videoconferencing platform (e.g., internet connection, webcam, laptop/tablet, speakers, and microphone) Be prepared and actively engage during scheduled series time   Free to Participate Registration for this series is limited to 40 providers who work in Region 8 states on a first come first served basis (Region 8 includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming). It is expected participants will view the 20-minute video tutorial: attend the live technology training; be prepared for and join each session; and actively engage in group discussions. Due to limited enrollment, if you cannot commit to the full participant requirements, please defer this registration opportunity to others. Please Note: Registrants enrolled in this series are expected to attend the February 12th and February 19th sessions. In addition, it is expected that participants will have access to the appropriate technology by February 26th and be on camera in order to fully participate. This is not a webinar series and active participation to gain/improve skills are required. Register now!   Questions? Please email Trisha Dudkowski at [email protected] or by phone 775-784-6265.  

The NIATx Change Leader Academy (CLA) is a one-day, face-to-face workshop followed by three months of peer networking and support from a NIATx coach. The CLA trains change leaders in the NIATx model of process improvement: a structured, team-based approach to change management for organizations large and small. Attendees learn how to select a change project, set a project aim, engage senior leaders and staff in the change process, and achieve measurable, sustainable improvements. Trainer: Mat Roosa  Mathew Roosa, ACSW, LCSW-R is a consultant, trainer, and coach, providing organizational and systems level support for program development, quality improvement, and strategic planning in behavioral and healthcare environments. He is also Director of Planning and Quality Improvement for the Onondaga County Department of Adult and Long Term Services, providing support to mental health, substance use, Corrections, Ageing, and other service systems. Mr. Roosa is the former Clinical Director of Central New York Services, a Non-Profit Agency providing residential, forensic, and treatment services, and specializing in services for people with co-occurring chemical dependency and mental illness. Formerly Mr. Roosa was the Clinical Director of Family Services Associates, providing outpatient family therapy and chemical dependency services. Mr. Roosa’s experiences also include the maintenance of a private psychotherapy practice, and teaching as an adjunct faculty member of the Human Services Department at Cazenovia College and the Syracuse University Social Work Program. Registration begins at 8:30 AM This event is co-sponsored by the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health.  There will be a $10.00 fee for this event. Parking is $12.00, validation is provided if needed.  

The Safety Planning Intervention Training is a 6 hour face-to-face training. It is didactic in nature with opportunities for observation and practice. Participants will have the chance to work in small groups and will participate in role-playing exercises. It is important to remember that safety planning is an intervention, not just a form to complete. This training emphasizes the skills necessary to make safety planning a collaborative process so the resulting product is meaningful to the individual at potential risk of self-harm. As a train-the-trainer event, this workshop will also provide guidance and tools to train and support staff members in developing the competencies needed to effectively perform this intervention.

Drs. Nielsen and Fox are working with tribal schools throughout the region to address student mental health. Communities of Practice (CoP) have been developed and in this first training, Drs. Nielsen and Fox will be speaking to the dimension of positive mental health and application of evidence-based mental health promotion strategies. They will discuss applying a multi-tiered public health approach to mental health with children and youth, will offer an overview of Every Moment Counts model programs, and will discuss how to build capacity of school teams to be mental health promoters. This training is a private event. If you are interested in similar training for your school, please contact Sarah Nielsen at [email protected].

This will be our annual Advisory Board Meeting, to discuss the action plan and progress report.

This will be our annual Advisory Board Meeting, to discuss the action plan and progress report.