Past Events

Times: 6-7 p.m. ET / 3-4 p.m. PT / 12-1 p.m. HT The Northwest MHTTC and Pacific Southwest MHTTC are excited to partner on an upcoming "West Coast ISF Party"! This is part one of a three-part distance learning series that will focus on the three topics of the newly released Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) Fact Sheet Series. The interconnected systems framework (ISF) promotes using a single system of delivery for educational and mental health supports in schools. ISF offers a solution to the challenge of meeting the needs of the whole child. Presented by Susan Barrett, MA, and facilitated by the school mental health leads of the Northwest MHTTC (Kelcey Schmitz) and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC (Leora Wolf-Prusan).   Learning Objectives. Participants will: Understand ISF and its positive impact on schools Discuss strategies to align PBIS/MTSS and student mental health Identify appropriate community-level partners  Learn initial steps for implementing the ISF approach    Presenter Bio Susan Barrett, MA, is the Director of the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore Maryland. She has a Masters in Counseling Psychology and certification in Special Education, having served as a teacher, administrator and coordinator with Sheppard Pratt Health System since 1993. Mrs. Barrett serves as an Implementer Partner with the United States Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)'s National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). In her role with the center, she assists with large-scale implementation of PBIS by providing training and technical assistance to states and districts across the country. She also works with Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia and University of New Hampshire to evaluate the impact of PBIS on students, school staff and school communities. She serves on the Association of Positive Behavior Supports Board of Directors. She co-leads the development of the Interconnected Systems Framework, a mental health and PBIS expansion effort, as well as serving on a National Coaching workgroup to develop systems coaching materials, tools and curriculum. Susan has been published in the areas of large-scale adoption of PBIS, mental health, cost-benefit analysis, advanced tier system development, and adoption of evidence-based practices in schools.   Download ISF 101: An Introduction Fact Sheet Event Materials: Recorded Webinar   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 training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training will be informational and interactive. Following this training, staff will participate in an ongoing learning community with other providers to discuss implementation of MI techniques learned. (Closed)

Supported housing expands the range of mental health service delivery to address a non-medical need of critical importance to the well-being of homeless Americans and adults with severe mental illness. By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Identify the causes of homelessness in the US since 1980 and its relationship to mental health service delivery and impact on people with serious mental illness and addiction problems Service models of supported housing from Housing First to Residential Treatment and including unit-based and project-based models Recognize the effectiveness of supported housing in addressing homelessness and mental and physical health issues Describe the organizational levels the must/may be engaged to start a supported housing program Understand the cost-effectiveness of supported housing from the perspectives of clients, health systems and the society in general.

Times: 9:30am - 11:30am We're a co-sponsor! The California Alliance of Child and Family Services is hosting a series of community forums to spark dialogue among community-based organizations, policymakers and government administrators around school-based mental health, highlighting meaningful and impactful strategies that are grounded in evidence. This year’s forum, STRENGTH IN PARTNERSHIP, will examine successful partnerships for the delivery of school based mental health services.

This training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training will be informational and interactive. Following this training, staff will participate in an ongoing learning community with other providers to discuss implementation of MI techniques learned. (Closed)

The purpose of this conference is: a) to provide practical implementation strategies and recommendations to primary care practices, mental health (MH) agencies, and individuals interested in integrating behavioral health (BH) into primary care practices, and b) to present “advanced” clinical training opportunities for MH providers already integrated and practicing in primary care medical clinics. Join us for stimulating presentations from experts in Integrated Behavioral Health implementation and opportunities to network and share experiences with successful integrated care programs.

Event Details: Boise State University's Idaho Positive Behavior Network, in partnership with the school mental health supplement of the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, is offering a training on Interconnected Systems Framework (installing school mental health through PBIS), lead by national school mental health integration experts.  Event Recap: Our first event was held on October 17th, 2019 and was a hands-on, full-day training for elementary, middle, and high school teams on PBIS and school mental health integration, also referred to as the Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF). The training was led by PBIS and school mental health experts Susan Barrett, a National PBIS TA Center Implementer Partner, and Jessica Swain-Bradway, the Executive Director at Northwest PBIS Network, who teamed up with the Northwest MHTTC staff at the University of Washington SMART Center to facilitate the event.  After an opening circle and introduction to ISF, participants worked within their school teams to review the Tier 1 items in the ISF Action Planning Companion Guide for the SWPBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). This tool complements the TFI and provides schools and districts with specific guidance on how to implement each TFI component with an integrated school mental health and ISF approach.     Teams assessed their level of implementation of each item and walked away with specific action items on how they can further promote school mental health in their buildings. Some of the next steps that teams walked away with included creating a safe space during lunch; bringing in more community resources; better monitoring students who might be escaping high anxiety situations to go to the office, restroom, school nurse, etc.; adding community members to their Tier 1 team; and expanding the teaching matrix to include social and emotional learning.  89% of participants completed a short survey at the end of the event evaluating their training experience. Out of those who completed the survey, 100% said that they would recommend the training to a colleague. They also indicated that the training had a high level of impact on their work, especially on their approach to addressing student needs. One participant shared, "I feel like I have a way to advocate for mental health in schools and know who to go to for resources."          Resource: PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) Resource: ISF Action Planning Companion Guide to SWPBIS-TFI   Our second event was held on February 6, 2020. This session was led by national expert Susan Barrett and is being hosted and sponsored by the Idaho Positive Behavior Network (IPBN) and the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) We are thankful for our partners in Idaho and look forward to their continued success.   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.

Research has shown that students have better outcomes in school and in mental health treatment when family involvement is present. This webinar, part one of a two-part series on family engagement, will focus on the benefit/value of engaging families in school mental health and roles they can play to support these initiatives. In addition, it will address strategies for educators, which include targeting specific issues such as bullying and emotional fitness.

On behalf of the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), we invite you to participate in the California Transition-Age Youth Professional Learning  Community (CA TAY PLC).  We will host the first transition-age mental health workforce meeting on October 16 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM PDT and the second session on October 30 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM PDT.     ABOUT THIS LEARNING SERIES The overarching goal of this series is to provide monthly community learning forums that address topics relevant to working with young adults of transition age. These forums will provide opportunities for peer-learning to build knowledge and skills for TAY-serving providers, advocates, champions, and allies. Please feel free to share this opportunity with colleagues and champions who may want to be involved. We are looking forward to having you join us!   UPCOMING SESSIONS We will be hosting monthly, 60-minute calls using the Adobe Connect platform. After the month of October, these sessions will take place on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 AM PT (see schedule below).   We want the CA TAY PLC to bring together diverse expertise from across sectors.  A tentative schedule and topics have been developed, based on feedback from the PLC planning session. TAY PLC SCHEDULE •Wednesday, October 16, from 10-11 a.m. PT (kickoff session re-scheduled from 9/25) (Register) •Wednesday, October 30, from 10-11 a.m. PT (Register) •Wednesday, November 20, from 10-11 a.m. PT (Register) •Wednesday, December 18, from 10-11 a.m. PT (Register)

Event Details: The objective of the Idaho School Mental Health Collaborative is to engage diverse stakeholders invested in Idaho's youth to build a shared family-school-community mental health agenda for reducing barriers to student learning and promote improved student academic outcomes and social-emotional-behavioral functioning. This conversation will be facilitated by Susan Barrett, a national expert on school mental health integration.  Participants will:  Learn about best practices and solutions to common barriers to integrating mental health in schools from national experts and one another Share successes and challenges to supporting the mental health for Idaho students, families, and educators Meet other state education, behavioral, and mental health leaders and leave with next steps for your agency as part of this collaborative effort to help meet the mental health needs of Idaho students, educators, and families.  Event Recap: This was held on October 18th, 2019 and included community partners and school district stakeholders with the goal of strengthening collaborative efforts across Idaho to support mental health in schools. Participants were given an overview of ISF, discussed strengths and challenges in providing mental health supports in schools, and agreed to work towards continued collaboration. Participants included representatives from Blue Cross of Idaho, Boise School District, Boise State University, BPA Health, Flier School District, Homedale School District, Idaho Association of School Administrators, Idaho Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, Marsing School District, Middle School District, IPBN, Optum Idaho, RK-12, SDE Idaho Lives Project, Twin Falls School District, and United Way of Treasure Valley.    A highlight from each day was the restorative circle that modeled a way for attendees to help promote mental health and foster positive climates through relationship development.  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.

Motivational Interviewing and Matching Vocational Interventions to Stage of Change (closed event) - ACCES-VR Syracuse District Office This training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training will be informational and interactive.   CRC CEUs are provided by New York ACCES-VR.   Who Should Attend: This training is appropriate for vocational rehabilitation counselors, supervisors, and managers of vocational rehabilitation services.    Trainers:   Ken Kinter, MA, LPC is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University providing trainings and facilitating the implementation of evidence-based practices at state psychiatric hospitals. He is currently enrolled in the Ed.D. program at Rowan University. His past work experience includes positions at screening centers, partial care programs, and a county jail. Mr. Kinter was formerly a part of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.    Joni N. Dolce, MS, CRC, CPRP, is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University where she provides training and technical assistance to improve career services for people with mental health conditions. Ms. Dolce has several years of experience working in Supported Employment services, providing both direct employment services and supervising staff. She speaks and provides workshops and trainings locally and nationally on a variety of employment related topics.

This session covers integrated and interdisciplinary services focusing on mental health promotion, prevention & intervention; application of evidence-based Tier 1 & Tier 2 strategies; plans for teams to use Every Moment Counts programs and strategies. This training is a private event. If you are interested in similar training for your school, please contact Sarah Nielsen at [email protected]. This training is being provided to Anaconda School District, Anaconda, MT; Lennox School District, Lennox, SD.

The purpose of this forum is to dispel the stereotypes about accessing behavioral health services for youth and students of color.We will explore ways to create an atmosphere of mentorship, appreciation and motivation and will provide students with tools for sustained recovery and growth. Participants will be students of the greater Boston area. 

Motivational Interviewing and Matching Vocational Interventions to Stage of Change (closed event) - Albany Location This training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training will be informational and interactive.   CRC CEUs are provided by New York ACCES-VR.   Who Should Attend: This training is appropriate for vocational rehabilitation counselors, supervisors, and managers of vocational rehabilitation services.    Trainers:   Ken Kinter, MA, LPC is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University providing trainings and facilitating the implementation of evidence-based practices at state psychiatric hospitals. He is currently enrolled in the Ed.D. program at Rowan University. His past work experience includes positions at screening centers, partial care programs, and a county jail. Mr. Kinter was formerly a part of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.    Joni N. Dolce, MS, CRC, CPRP, is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University where she provides training and technical assistance to improve career services for people with mental health conditions. Ms. Dolce has several years of experience working in Supported Employment services, providing both direct employment services and supervising staff. She speaks and provides workshops and trainings locally and nationally on a variety of employment related topics.    

This session covers integrated and interdisciplinary services focusing on mental health promotion, prevention & intervention; application of evidence-based Tier 1 & Tier 2 strategies; plans for teams to use Every Moment Counts programs and strategies. This training is a private event. If you are interested in similar training for your school, please contact Sarah Nielsen at [email protected]. This training is being provided to  Century Elementary School, Grafton, ND; West Central Middle School, Hartford, SD.

Increasingly, schools are cognizant of needs for mental health services for their pupils. Mental health counselors are being recruited for positions in schools to address behavioral issues, work with teachers on management strategies, and involve parents in treatment. This presentation at the Nebraska Counseling Association Fall Conference 2019: BYOBusiness, will discuss strategies and a training program designed to implement a comprehensive program addressing school mental health needs.

A significant market for Counselors (and other LMHP's) is emerging as medical practices recognize the needs of their patients for behavioral health services. This presentation at the Nebraska Counseling Association Fall Conference 2019: BYOBusiness, will discuss career opportunities for counselors to work in primary care medical practice and training programs that are available to support development of competencies in this area.

This training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training is specifically designed to provide clinical supervisors with additional information and skills to support supervisory approaches that reinforce MI with direct service staff. Following this training, staff will participate in an ongoing learning community with other providers to discuss implementation of MI techniques learned. (Closed)

We are happy to collaborate with Great Lakes in the symposium Empowering Faith-based Communities to Help Hispanics and Latinos Overcome Adverse Experiences Agenda Wednesday, October 9, 2019 (8:30 AM–4:30 PM) Keynote: Immigration, Trauma and The Church Cultural Elements: An Integral Part of Mental Health for Hispanics and Latinos Thursday, October 10, 2019 (8:30 AM–4:30 PM) Trauma-Informed Care: Ecosystems of Adversity in the Latino and Hispanic Population Suicide and Bullying Prevention among Hispanic and Latino Youth Storytelling and Resiliency Building Capacity: Panel Discussion Who Should Attend? Clergy, lay leaders, members of faith communities, students social workers, medical professionals, counselors, outreach workers, educators, prevention specialists, criminal justice professionals, community leaders, volunteers, and anyone interested in health equity and inclusion in behavioral health for Latinos and Hispanics. Cost: Free!  Morning snacks and lunch will be provided. Attendees are responsible for their lodging. The Great Lakes MHTTC and the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC are hosting this two-day event in partnership with Lighthouse Church & School, Centro Hispano of Dane County, Collaboration Project, and Bread of Life Anglican Church.  

The Mid-America MHTTC is excited to announce that it is accepting applications from school districts in HHS Region 7 (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas) to participate in the Mid-America School Mental Health Learning Community. Join us for an informational webinar hosted by the Mid-America MHTTC and the National Center for School Mental Health to learn more about the application process and have your questions answered. Click here to view the request for applications.

Training Family and Caregivers in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis-Informed Skills Within the Context of a CBTp State Provider Network This workshop will describe a training designed for family and loved ones of individuals with psychosis that applies principles and skills from an evidence-based treatment for psychotic spectrum disorders, called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis. Psychosis REACH (Recovery by Enabling Adult Carers at Home) made its US debut in Seattle on May 14, 2019. This workshop will explore the need for systematic and widespread dissemination of this training program, and makes the case that Washington—by virtue of state and philanthropic investments toward improving the quality of care for psychosis—provides fertile ground to embed and expand efforts that involve family members in their loved ones’ care. The workshop will be presented by Northwest MHTTC Co-Director and Faculty, Maria Monroe-DeVita with Research Study Coordinator, Bryan Stiles at the NAMI Washington 2019 Annual State Conference. Northwest MHTTC Training Director, Sarah Kopelovich collaborated on the presentation.   

Northwest MHTTC School Mental Health Lead, Kelcey Schmitz, and partners across the Northwest region are excited to facilitate a panel presentation titled: "Mental Health & PBIS: Regional Collaboration & Capacity Building" This panel will describe an ongoing effort/approach to more effectively meet the needs of children and youth and to support their well-being. The SMART Center as part ofthe Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center serving the four state region of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington; the Northwest PBIS Network; State Departments of Education across the region; and professional organizations are streamlining and coordinating efforts by combining and leverages resources, including multiple state and federal funding sources, to ensure ALL children and youth are successful in their schools and in their communities. This is achieved by building a common way of work using the MTSS core features, assessing the needs and addressing workforce gaps by providing training and implementation supports, creating learning communities and building infrastructure to support these efforts over time. A panel of Northwest region collaborators will describe their involvement and approach to collaboration.  About the Conference: The National PBIS Leadership Forum is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Program (OSEP)’s Technical Assistance Center on PBIS with support from the Midwest PBIS Network. This two-day event will include sessions related to PBIS implementation across all tiers with specific focus on important components such as classroom applications, mental health, juvenile justice, and other vulnerable populations, including students with disabilities. Content emphasizes equity and alignment with academics and related initiatives such as bullying prevention, restorative practices, trauma-informed practices, and suicide prevention. Partnerships with families and community partners are integrated throughout.   > Learn more about the conference and register here. 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.

Join suicide prevention leaders from Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana as they describe how their states are building state infrastructure to prevent suicides. Learn about the challenges they have faced when promoting awareness, implementing policy changes, disseminating training and best practices, as well as successful strategies for overcoming roadblocks. This webinar will highlight the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s new State Suicide Prevention Infrastructure recommendations. Join in to learn how developing a strong state infrastructure to address suicide allows for sustained, evidenced-based programming.

This training will provide attendees with the foundational elements of motivational interviewing and the stages of change model; demonstration and practice of skills and strategies to implement motivational interviewing in your work; and approaches to match your interventions to your participant’s stage of change. This training is specifically designed to provide clinical supervisors with additional information and skills to support supervisory approaches that reinforce MI with direct service staff. Following this training, staff will participate in an ongoing learning community with other providers to discuss implementation of MI techniques learned.  (Closed)