Past Events

Are you an experienced facilitator who is committed to fostering LGBTQ-affirming environments in behavioral health living in Region 6? The South Southwest MHTTC team encourages you to apply for the Train the Trainers Event so that you can bring the Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services training to your community!     What is the Train the Trainers Event? The Train the Trainers Event for the Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services training will prepare people to co-facilitate this training in their community. The in-person Train the Trainers Event is three days long, during which experienced facilitators will introduce the terms and concepts in the Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services training, review the structure and expectations for facilitating the training, and discuss common challenges or questions that come up when facilitating a training on gender identity and sexual orientation.     Who is eligible for the Train the Trainers Event? People are eligible to apply for the Train the Trainer Event if they are located within U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 6. Region 6 covers the following communities: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and the tribal communities in these areas.     People may apply for the Train the Trainers Event as individuals or as a co-facilitation team (up to 2 people total). If accepted as an individual, you may be paired with another facilitator from your state/community who also completes the Train the Trainer Event.     We encourage all people to apply, including: People with direct services experience in behavioral health settings (case workers, peer support specialists, clinical staff, etc.) People with experience in administration and executive leadership of behavioral health settings People who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ communities People with strong training facilitation experience     Two people from each state/community in Region 6 will be accepted into the Train the Trainers Event, for a total of up to 14 participants.     The South Southwest MHTTC will cover participants’ lodging, transportation, and daily per diem.     What is the Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services training? Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services is a four-hour training that provides an overview of terms, concepts, and identities that people working in the behavioral health field should know to cultivate affirming environments for LGBTQ people. A 2018 report from the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health showed that most providers in Texas do not hold overtly prejudicial attitudes towards LGBTQ clients. However, the report also revealed that most providers lack the knowledge, skills, or awareness to provide appropriate care to LGBTQ clients. Creating Affirming Environments for LGBTQ People Receiving Services aims to bridge the gap many providers feel by offering basic information, resources, and guidance for people working in behavioral health agencies on how to support LGBTQ people receiving services. CEUs will be provided.     Deadline to Apply: June 8, 2023 at 11:59pm CDT   Download Flyer

  Social media use among youth is on the rise.  Some young people are spending significant amounts of time on social media sites, according to a report by Common Sense Media.  Many news outlets have reported concerns from caregivers, educators, primary and behavioral health providers, and policy makers, documenting the mental and physical toll that this digital immersion can cause.  The ubiquity of social media use has been linked to low self-esteem, disordered eating, negative body images, bullying, and other deleterious consequences.  At the same time, social media is also a tool that offers endless information, communication, and allows youth to develop online identities, and build social networks. These networks can provide valuable support, especially for those who experience exclusion, persecution or have disabilities.     The Pacific Southwest MHTTC has gathered a group of leaders in the fields of social science research, mental health and youth advocacy to explore the risk factors and benefits of social media for young people, and identify strategies for fostering a more empowered, healthier relationship with this technology.  This session provides a nuanced view of both the perils and powers of social media use.  We invite providers who work with youth and young adults to this session to learn strategies that encourage clients to engage in self-regulation, self-reflection, and self-awareness in the digital environment.   Learning Objectives  Understand the positive and negative psychological impact of social media on youth and young adults Identify strategies mental health providers can use in supporting youth to reflect on their social media use, make meaning of it, and develop coping responses to harmful exposure  Learn about available tools and resources to support diversion and self-regulation in social media use Understand risk factors and impacts to specific populations of youth around social media harms  Support community efforts and advocate for improved monitoring and filtering of social media while supporting healthy social development      Audience This event is open to all mental health or school mental health professionals, including counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, peer supporters, mental health program administrators, and other allied health professionals.   Presenters Linda Charmaraman, PhD, Senior Research Scientist; Director, Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, Wellesley College, Wellesley Centers for Women (she/hers) Dr. Linda Charmaraman is a senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) and received her PhD in Human Development and Education from University of California Berkeley. As Founder and Director of the Youth, Media, and Wellbeing Research Lab (YMW), her research focuses on diverse adolescents’ risk and resilience using social technologies. Along with her lab of undergraduate and graduate students and a (teen) Youth Advisory Board, she has been organizing weeklong virtual Digital Wellbeing Summer workshops for middle school girls across the country (free of charge to families). Media mentions include New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Good Morning America, ABC News, NBC News, Discover Magazine, The Conversation, and others. In 2023, Dr. Charmaraman provided written testimony for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing regarding Protecting Our Children Online. She also co-authored the 2023 American Psychological Association’s health advisory on social media use in adolescence.     Emma Lembke, Founder, CEO, Log OFF Movement (she/hers) Emma Lembke is a 20-year-old youth digital advocate at Washington University in St Louis working to address social media’s impact on younger generations. As a senior in high school, Lembke founded LOG OFF, a youth movement dedicated to uplifting and empowering youth to tackle the complexities of social media and its impact on their privacy, safety, and mental health. As a youth-led movement, LOG OFF provides an often overlooked and critical perspective on social media by leveraging and empowering the underrepresented experts in the field – Generation Z. Emma also co-chairs Design It For Us the only youth-led coalition pushing for online platforms and social media to be designed with kids and teens in mind, rather than as an afterthought. Her efforts have been covered by numerous media outlets including the New York Times, 60 Minutes, CBS, MTV, npr, The Hill, and Bloomberg.     Tiera Tanksley, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder (she/hers) Dr. Tiera Tanksley is an Assistant Professor of Equity, Diversity and Justice in Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her scholarship, which theorizes a critical race technology theory (CRTT) in education, extends conventional education research to include sociotechnical and techno-structural analyses of digital and artificially intelligent (AI) technologies. Specifically, Dr. Tanksley’s research examines anti-Blackness as “the default setting” of technology and examines the socioemotional, mental health and consequences of algorithmic racism in the lives and schooling experiences of Black youth. Her work simultaneously recognizes Black youth as digital activities and civic agitators, and examines the complex ways they subvert, resist and rewrite racially biased technologies to produce more and joyous digital experiences for Communities of Color across the diaspora. Dr. Tanksley’s scholarship has been awarded several competitive grants in computer science, robotics and engineering. Most recently, she was awarded an Engineers and AI-Augmented Learning grant for her research on Abolitionist Approaches to AI, in which she collaborated with Black youth to design race-conscious and justice-oriented technologies. In 2022, Dr. Tanksley received the Emerging Leader in Critical Race Technology Studies Fellowship from UCLA.     Skyler Blankenship, M.A., LLPC, Outpatient Therapist (they/them/theirs) Skyler Blankenship is a local outpatient therapist in Grand Rapids Michigan. Skyler specializes in working with LGBTQIA+ as well as neurodivergent youth and young adults. Skyler spends much of their time advocating and educating on transgender topics such as Identity Affirmation and its mental health impacts on transgender youth as well as education on transgender identities for providers to bring educated and comprehensive services to these youth. They have been working in advocacy for transgender rights and education for 10 years, even creating an organization previously to address disparities of transgender young adults in Mid Michigan. They continue their work with transgender youth as a therapist and community member to address and minimize adversity faced by transgender youth and beyond.        

This learning community is closed to select participants.  To learn more about this series, visit the homepage: Implementing Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in Kansas  

Northwest MHTTC Core Faculty member Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD, is leading an in-person ACT train the trainer session in Idaho. Offered in collaboration with the Idaho Division of Behavioral Health. ABOUT THIS EVENT This six-hour in-person training session focuses on training team members who will lead ACT training and consultation for the Idaho Division of Behavioral Health Center of Excellence in the future.   Core topics include: What is ACT? ACT team roles & how they align with services How ACT Works: Recruitment & Screening Engagement Comprehensive Assessment Individual Treatment Teams/Person Centered Treatment Planning ACT Scheduling Daily Team Meeting Transition to Less intensive Services   FACILITATOR Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD Dr. Monroe-DeVita’s expertise is in implementation and services research related to evidence-based practices for adults with serious mental illness, particularly the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model. She has served as the Principal Investigator on several projects with the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, including the development, implementation, and fidelity assessment of 10 new ACT teams, and several Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) and Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) pilots across the state. She is also in the process of developing and testing novel approaches to better serving people with serious mental illness. She received a collaborative R34 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to develop and pilot-test the integration of IMR within ACT teams and is working to better define and implement integrated primary care services within ACT. She is also the lead author of the new ACT fidelity tool – the Tool for Measurement of Assertive Community Treatment (TMACT) – which has been disseminated and pilot-tested in several U.S. states and countries. Dr. Monroe-DeVita is a core faculty member of the Northwest MHTTC and SPIRIT Lab at the University of Washington, which provides training, consultation, technical assistance, and fidelity assessment to agencies across the state to support sustainable implementation of EBPs that can substantially enhance the functional recovery of individuals living with serious mental illness.      

Check & Connect's Preparation & Implementation Training provides administrators and leadership teams with a thorough overview of the intervention and how to prepare their site for implementing with fidelity. After completing C&C’s Preparation & Implementation training, participants will be able to: Lead C&C implementation with confidence Administer a systematic and structured intervention that is both data-informed and evidence-based Facilitate change and increase student engagement by connecting a caring mentor to students at-risk of dropping out Apply the conceptual framework for moving students toward successful school completion along the continuum of Attend, Engage, and Invest     This is an in-person training, designed for Texas school Administrators and/or Leadership Teams interested in preparing for and implementing Check & Connect.     *There is a maximum capacity of 40 people for this event.

    DESCRIPTION: Helpers are exposed to the traumatic lived experiences of the people they are working with, putting these workers at high risk for secondary traumatic stress. In addition, the workplace can sometimes reenact traumatic encounters for workers with primary trauma, increasing their risk for re-traumatization and reducing their effectiveness at work. Accumulation of these different work stresses affect staff performance, so supervisors need to incorporate knowledge and awareness about traumatic stress into their leadership role and supervision practices. This class aims to help supervisors proactively manage a team through trauma exposure.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Identify sources of primary and secondary traumatic stress Introduce preventative approaches to address traumatic stress Practice using a Trauma-Informed Supervisor self-assessment Plan for trauma exposure with staff     CONTINUING EDUCATION: Registrants who fully attend this training will be eligible to receive 2 continuing education (CE) hours certified by the Minnesota Board of Social Work. CE certificates are provided by People Incorporated Training Institute.     PRESENTER: Warren Duncan, BS Warren Duncan, BS, has had various roles throughout his career working with households experiencing homelessness and multiple barriers to stable housing. He has worked as direct support staff on mobile teams in Permanent Supportive Housing program across the metro area, assisted in outreach efforts for program participants living on the streets and in shelter, provided outreach to property managers and landlords, connecting them to support services in metro and greater Minnesota communities. He has worked to provide support to a network of supportive housing programs and community organizing among County, State, and local community agencies in Southern and Central Minnesota. He is currently overseeing all programming as Program Director for a Minnesota Nonprofit. Warren enjoys facilitating workshops and has led a number of training sessions. Topics include Building Landlord Relationships, Housing First, Harm Reduction, Navigating Conflict, De-escalation, and Mindfulness. Warren grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and moved to Minnesota shortly after graduating from Iowa State University. He currently lives with his family in the Twin Cities western suburbs. He enjoys drawing, painting, and photography in his spare time.   This training is provided by our valued partners at the People Incorporated Training Institute.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

This three-hour webinar will deep dive into the core competencies previously drafted and shared during the Competencies for Peer Support Workers in Crisis Services webinar hosted in March 2023. The co-facilitators – including a youth peer with recent experience working in the field in a crisis setting – will explore each competency and allow participants to apply the competencies in peer crisis work scenarios. We will present detailed information about how each competency is applicable in peer crisis work and then use breakout rooms and case studies to prompt discussion on how to utilize a specific competency.   Participants will gain knowledge about the complexities of working as a peer in crisis settings and how to maintain the ethical standards of the peer role; gain a detailed understanding of the 5 Core Competencies and how they were developed by the MHTTC team; develop a practical understanding of how the competencies will show up in their work in crisis settings; and learn about practices and tools that can be used to assist with becoming comfortable and skilled in the competencies.   Presenters: Rowan Willis-Powell, C4 Innovations and Kris Locus, On Our Own of Maryland   If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected].  

The objectives of this event are to: Describe how both positive and negative attentional biases may contribute to suicide risk Describe the Broaden and Build theory of positive emotions Describe specific strategies to increase one's attention to positive emotions and experiences   This event will be offered both in-person and online.  Join us in-person at the Sherman Auditorium at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Zoom details will be shared upon registering.   Presenter:  Shirley Yen, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology, Harvard Medical School   This hybrid event will be co-hosted by Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet   If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected].

  DESCRIPTION This virtual training teaches the general public how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. It gives participants the skills needed to provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Recognize the signs of a mental health or substance use disorder crisis Identify community resources Link individuals in need of treatment and support to the proper resources Learn a 5-step action plan that can be used to help those in need   Closed Registration  

Individuals recovering from a first episode of psychosis are prone to high rates of comorbid medical disorders due to a combination of lifestyle, medication, and self-management factors. This presentation will provide practical guidance regarding strategies for promoting a healthier lifestyle and integrated training in mental health and physical illness self-management. Principles of effective supports to improve physical health in persons with FEP, as well as multi-episode clients, will be illustrated with clinical vignettes. Presenter: Kim T. Mueser, Ph.D. is Professor of Occupational Therapy and Psychological and Brain Sciences, researcher at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. His research interests are on the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for persons with serious mental illnesses.   This webinar will be co-hosted by the Massachusetts Psychosis Network for Early Treatment (MAPNET, www.mapnet.online)   If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected].

DESCRIPTION This 6-hour webinar will teach participants about ethical issues in practicing clinical social work using telehealth with a focus on LGBTQIA+ populations.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Demonstrate ethical decision making in the use and practice of telehealth by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws, and regulations. Cite examples of ethical challenges in the use and practice of telehealth and appropriate action aligned with the NASW code of ethics. Demonstrate using technology ethically and appropriately to support clients and clinical outcome. Identify ethical challenges and solutions when working with special populations (i.e., LGBTQ, justice-involved).   PRESENTER Karen Fortuna, PhD, LICSW holds a doctorate in Social Welfare and a master’s degree in Social Work. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Dartmouth College and Co-Founder of the Collaborative Design for Recovery and Health (https://collabrh.org). As an international collaborative of patients, peer support specialists, caregivers, policymakers and payer systems, the Collaborative uses community- based participatory research to facilitate the development, evaluation, and implementation of digital tools that leverage mobile health to address needs identified by community members from vulnerable populations such as older adults with multiple chronic health conditions and people with disabilities, rare diseases, and psychiatric disorders.   She has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications co-authored with patient partners, and averages 1-2 invited presentations per month (and over 100 presentations) at both national and international scientific meetings (including invited presentations at SAMHSA, NASMHPD, and many other organizations). Dr. Fortuna has received funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), National Institute of Mental Health, American Federation of Aging, Brain and Behavior Foundation, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and the New York Academy of Sciences. Overall, she has been responsible for conducting or collaborating on more than 30 research projects including topics such as health disparities, self-management, patient engagement in digital technologies, user-centered design and community-engaged research, and has pioneered a new field of study “digital peer support”. Dr. Fortuna is also a member of the Digital Health Measurement Collaborative Community, in which she is working with the Digital Medicine Society and the Food and Drug Administration to develop best practices in diversity, equity and inclusion in digital health measurement.   REGISTRATION Closed to Morgan State University School of Social Work faculty.

This learning community is closed to select participants.  To learn more about this series, visit the homepage: Implementing Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in Kansas  

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2023 3:00pm - 5:00pm PT [Find your local time zone here] Workshop 2 of 2 in the "Motivational Interviewing in July, for the School Mental Health Workforce" Series (view series page for full details, including priming resources) Motivational Interviewing in July, for the School Mental Health Workforce   Workshop 2: Developmentally Responsive Motivational Interviewing for School Based Providers Having Strategic Conversations About Change with Young People and their Caregivers Wednesday, July 26, 2023 ● 3:00pm - 5:00pm   Motivational interviewing (MI) is a well-researched and broadly applied practice that enables us to have conversations about change with diverse individuals. Practitioners use MI with adolescents, young adults, and parents to successfully support their values and guide them toward their own desired change targets. In this session, we will discuss research-based MI interventions for youth and specific strategies to reduce resistance and engage young people in conversations about and movement toward personally meaningful change. After attending this workshop, school mental health providers and professionals will be able to: Determine the at least one type of motivation-based intervention appropriate for children, adolescents/young adults, and parents. Construct at least one values-based intervention to help guide adolescent and young adults toward change targets. Practice two interventions to reduce resistance and support autonomy of youth engaged in conversations about change. Design one conversation about change intended to support and guide parents of youth involved in change.     Other workshops in this series: Workshop 1: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Motivational Interviewing as School Mental Providers Thinking Through How to Integrate Interventions   Monday, July 24, 2023 ● 3:00pm - 5:00pm Motivational interviewing and standard versions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are powerful and effective strategies to help students and their families realize change. Although both are very effective, practitioners are often challenged by the decision to use one intervention for a variety of school-based social and emotional issues. In this session, we will consider when to use common MI and CBT interventions based on the stages of change being experienced by the student. We will also explore which MI and CBT interventions overlap, which have specific applications, and which MI and CBT interventions we can apply flexibly to a number of common school-based challenges. After attending this workshop, school mental health providers and professionals will be able to: Identify at least four common factors shared between motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy. Create a collaborative treatment/change plan with students and parents that contains at least three change targets that can be addressed using motivational interviewing or cognitive behavioral therapy. Practice applying at least three motivational interviewing and/or cognitive behavioral interventions based on a student’s or parent’s identified concerns and stage of change for each concern. Construct a plan to use integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral interventions for at least one student/parent.   While each session is standalone, we highly recommend you attend both! Join us for "MI in July" this summer!     WHO IS THIS SERIES FOR? All sessions are open to anyone (mental health or school mental health professionals including counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, peer supporters, alcohol and drug counselors, mental health program administrators, MDs, nurses, and other allied health professionals) but please note that the content is focused on school mental health contexts. We are open to all participants; our priority service areas are SAMHSA Region 9 states and territories, including: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. Pacific Islands of American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.  4 CEUs are available through full participation (you must attend both workshop sessions to access the CEs)  

This learning community is closed to select participants.  To learn more about this series, visit the homepage: Implementing Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in Kansas

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2023 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. PT   Session 5 of 5 in the "Aging Out or Growing Together?" Series (view series page for full details) Aging Out or Growing Together? Flipping the Youth Services Paradigm to Better Support Young Adulthood July 26, 2023: Closing Session   This five-part learning series is an open forum and discussion group for agencies and individuals that serve transition-aged youth and young adults. We will examine how our collective organizational values, implementation strategies, program design, and goals might expand to support the evolving, holistic needs of this age group. Join us for a panel discussion session on July 26th as we close this series that's brought together a diverse mix of youth-serving organizations to learn from each other's work and uplift the complex and comprehensive needs of transition aged youth. We will explore the creative ways youth-serving organizations are adjusting to best support them. Beyond exploring barriers to meaningful engagement and service provision, this generative space will also unpack culturally and developmentally appropriate models that support young adults in attaining wellness and self-actualization through guided conversation and promising-practice spotlights.   Series Learning Objectives Consider the unique experiences and developmental needs of transition-aged youth Build an understanding of brain science and culturally sustaining practices that strengthens service provision for transition-aged youth Expand organizational capacity to address priority topics, including but not limited to meaningful program engagement, teaming, healthy boundary setting, and accountability   Audience: All community-based organizations and institutions that support the mental health and wellness of transition-aged youth.    Series Sequence: from 10:00-11:30 a.m. PT on the last Wednesday of every other month   We welcome you to join in listening, learning and dialogue for this session, starting with a presentation panel of representatives with three youth serving organizations and hear from all voices in the space.   Panelists   Rudy Corpuz Executive Director, United Playaz Rudy Corpuz, Jr. is the Founder and Executive Director of United Playaz, a longstanding violence-prevention organization that has served the children and families of San Francisco and the South of Market since the early 90s. A  native of the SOMA, Rudy came up in the 70s and 80s surrounded by the difficult realities of the neighborhood: drugs, gangs, and crime. Inspired to effect positive change and spread love in the neighborhood and City that raised him, Rudy overcame the challenges of his SOMA childhood to develop a program of child-centric community work that is still going strong. In his quarter century of service, Rudy has established himself and his dedicated United Playaz team as indispensable stewards of the SOMA community, providing safe and reliable year-round spaces for kids to learn and grow, while simultaneously working with former prisoners to build job skills as they come back into the community.     John Torres Associate Director, Youth ALIVE! John Torres has been a leader in the violence prevention field in the Bay Area for over 25 years and has a rich background in case management, crisis response and trauma support. Currently, he serves as the Associate Director for Oakland-based Youth ALIVE!  This agency’s mission is to break the cycle of violence and uplift a thriving community of leaders rooted in Oakland and beyond through prevention, intervention, healing and advocacy.  As Associate Director, John oversees and supports the Intervention and Healing Departments that include the following programs: Caught in the Crossfire, Pathways, Relocation, Violence Interrupters, Counseling and the Khadafy Washington Project.  He is also currently a certified trainer with the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) where he provides training and guidance for other hospital violence intervention programs (HVIP).   Before joining Youth ALIVE! in 2009, John worked in San Francisco where he led the City’s Community Response Network (CRN) Initiative through the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). Additionally, John worked at various community based organizations in the Mission District such as the Real Alternatives Program (RAP), Community Bridges Beacon and Arriba Juntos.   John received a B.A. from San Francisco State University in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling from the California Institute of Integral Studies.  In May 2022, John became a fully Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and continues to provide therapy to Youth ALIVE! clients.      Mariaynez Carasco, Program Coordinator, Mission Neighborhood Centers   Facilitator  Oriana Ides, MA, APCC, PPS Oriana Ides is a School Mental Health Training Specialist at CARS (the Center for Applied Research Solutions) and approaches healing the wounds of trauma and oppression as core elements of social justice. She has worked with young people across the life course from elementary school to college, and has served as teacher-leader, school counselor, classroom educator and program director. She is committed to generating equity within school structures and policies by focusing on evidence-based mental health techniques and institutional design.   Visit the main page for more information on this series.  

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. and New England MHTTC would like to invite you and your staff to attend "Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance: Wise Practices," a Tribal Behavioral Health ECHO webinar series. Native Psychological Brilliance refers to the intelligence, strengths, balance, innate resources, and resilience of Native people.    The topic for July's session is "Native Crisis Response: Tribal 988 Successes and Challenges."   This no-cost telehealth series will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 11:00 am Pacific/12:00 pm Mountain/1:00 pm Central/2:00 pm Eastern. Each session will be one hour in length and will provide an opportunity for participants to:  Gain skills on strength-based approaches in partnership with Native People to enhance Native behavioral health Discuss ways that Native brilliance is demonstrated and supports behavioral health Learn about Native brilliance examples to share with behavioral health and other health care staff, as well as with local Tribal Nation citizens   The concept of Native psychological brilliance will be celebrated through Native music video and Native spoken word performances as part of each session. Who should attend? Tribal health directors, clinic staff, counselors, social workers, physicians, nurses, Tribal Epidemiology Center staff, and anyone supporting Tribal communities through the health or behavioral health sector are welcome to join. Continuing education credits will be provided.   If you need accommodations to join this event, please contact us.

Ethical Considerations for Peer Specialists provides opportunity for New Mexico peer specialists to deepen their understanding of ethical decision-making through the use of scenarios, discussion, and guidance from experienced peer specialist trainers. This training was approved by the New Mexico Behavioral Services Division’s Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement, providing 3 CEUs towards the annual ethics training requirements for CPSWs.   Speakers   Maisha Barrett Training Coordinator [email protected]  Maisha Barrett (she/her) spent most of her life in the New Orleans area. She began her college degree at Loyola New Orleans and finished at St. Edward's University in Austin. She has spent ten years in the nonprofit sector in fields that address trauma. These include mental health, domestic violence, and sexual violence. She is passionate about education and considers herself a lifelong learner. Her educational background includes music therapy, psychology, women's studies, and art. She is passionate about social justice, healing, and making the world a better place through all forms of art and expression. She enjoys a good story, keeping her hands busy with art, and long conversations on her porch. She is currently the Training Coordinator at Via Hope.     Christina Carney Training and Curriculum Design Manager [email protected]  Christina Carney (she/her) is a creative with a passion for equity, justice, and healing. She spent several years working in Central New York as an advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence before moving to Austin, TX in 2012. While there, she received her MA from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Engaged Humanities with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology. Drawing on her lived experience, Christina became a Mental Health Peer Specialist in 2014, working at Austin State Hospital for three years, before starting at Via Hope in 2017. She is the founder and host of Community Connections, a free monthly webinar for Peer Specialists and was the Coordinator of the Peer Voice Project, a leadership program for Peers. Christina is now the Training and Curriculum Design Manager at Via Hope.

Overview SAMHSA Region 3 Central East Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, in partnership with Advocates for Human Potential, has launched a new learning collaborative on behalf of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). This five-session training series will support Community Services Boards' (CSBs') case management and care coordination managers in enhancing excellent case management and care coordination practices throughout the state. CSBs are the entry points for publicly supported mental health, substance use disorder, and developmental services for people with intellectual disabilities and/or developmental disabilities in Virginia.   Learning Collaborative Description This learning collaborative will provide an opportunity for managers to come together for mutual learning, discussion, and problem solving. Participants are invited to share their knowledge and expertise with one another as they consider best practices, explore emerging promising practices, and discuss lessons learned. Upon completion, all CSBs will receive a one-page summary that highlights exemplary practices, strategies, and approaches that emerged during the learning collaborative sessions.   Registration Registration is closed to case management and care coordination supervisors, managers, and direct care staff at CSBs.    Structure and Topics The learning collaborative structure includes five sessions, each 60 minutes long. Participants will meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month for 5 months between April 25 and August 22, 2023. All sessions will convene virtually from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.  Sessions will be highly interactive, giving participants many opportunities to share promising practices, enhance knowledge, explore new ideas, and strategize ways to implement and support new skill development of their teams. Breakout rooms will enable the division of CSBs into rural and urban locations or other relevant configurations. Each session will focus on a unique topic.

The South Southwest MHTTC is pleased to collaborate with the Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC) to host a Trauma Informed Care Open Office Hours series. Get 'hands on' application and clarity on concepts through case-study examples and interactive discussion with TACHC Trauma Informed Care Coordinators.     TIC Open Office Hours are open and applicable to all providers (Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health, and SUD Treatment Clinicians) and all staff (direct-care, front-line, operations, administration, and leadership).     Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is an evidence-based framework particularly suited to collaboratively identify risk factors to care, such as medication access and use, therapeutic engagement, and non-medical resource needs and navigation.     These 1-hour TIC Open Office Hours will be held on the 4th Tuesday of the month: Session 1 (July 25th): Foundations & Application of TIC Session 2 (August 22nd): SDoH & JEDI Session 3 (September 26th): Care Coordination & Cross-Sector Collaboration Session 4 (October 24th): Chronic Disease Supports Session 5 (November 28th): SUD   Download Flyer 

  This event is closed to select participants.     Questions? Email us at [email protected]    

The South Southwest MHTTC is pleased to host a virtual Structured Interview of Psychosis-risk Syndromes (SIPS) Training facilitated by Dr. Jason Schiffman. This training is for our Region 6 communities (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX).     Psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia), a severe form of mental illness, typically emerge in adolescence and early adulthood. Early detection and intervention is the key to prevention and improved outcome. Its success depends on a widespread awareness of the early signs and symptoms of psychosis among the community. This workshop aims to provide health/mental health professionals and clinical researchers who work with young people with hands-on skills to assess and diagnose Clinical High Risk (CHR) syndromes and early psychosis.     Facilitator   Dr. Jason Schiffman earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern California in 2003. He is Professor and Director of Clinical Training within the Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine. Dr. Schiffman currently trains specialty clinics across the country in his psychosocial intervention model for those at risk for psychosis, as well as in the administration of the Structured Interview for Psychosis Risk Syndromes (SIPS), the gold standard interview for detecting risk for psychosis. Dr. Schiffman is one of only three certified trainers of the SIPS in the US. His psychosis research refines the identification process of people at risk, elucidates the effects of psychosocial interventions, uncovers mechanisms reducing stigma, and attempts to address health inequities.  

    DESCRIPTION: Supervision includes balancing multiple ways to help staff while demographic and cultural changes in the workforce require new skills from leaders to develop and retain quality personnel. The goal is engaged and self-motivated employees, which leads to better levels of retention and improved client outcomes. This class will help supervisors create and capitalize on opportunities for staff development through training, delegating, and empowering staff to drive their own growth and development.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Identify and explore three different functions of supervision Describe the supervisor’s role in staff training and in the transfer of learning Outline effective delegation of responsibilities and tasks Apply motivational interviewing skills with ambivalent supervisees Foster a sense of value and purpose in professional work     CONTINUING EDUCATION: Registrants who fully attend this training will be eligible to receive 2 continuing education (CE) hours certified by the Minnesota Board of Social Work. CE certificates are provided by People Incorporated Training Institute.     PRESENTER: Warren Duncan, BS Warren Duncan, BS, has had various roles throughout his career working with households experiencing homelessness and multiple barriers to stable housing. He has worked as direct support staff on mobile teams in Permanent Supportive Housing program across the metro area, assisted in outreach efforts for program participants living on the streets and in shelter, provided outreach to property managers and landlords, connecting them to support services in metro and greater Minnesota communities. He has worked to provide support to a network of supportive housing programs and community organizing among County, State, and local community agencies in Southern and Central Minnesota. He is currently overseeing all programming as Program Director for a Minnesota Nonprofit. Warren enjoys facilitating workshops and has led a number of training sessions. Topics include Building Landlord Relationships, Housing First, Harm Reduction, Navigating Conflict, De-escalation, and Mindfulness. Warren grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and moved to Minnesota shortly after graduating from Iowa State University. He currently lives with his family in the Twin Cities western suburbs. He enjoys drawing, painting, and photography in his spare time.   This training is provided by our valued partners at the People Incorporated Training Institute.   The Great Lakes MHTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Ethical Considerations for Peer Specialists provides opportunity for New Mexico peer specialists to deepen their understanding of ethical decision-making through the use of scenarios, discussion, and guidance from experienced peer specialist trainers. This training was approved by the New Mexico Behavioral Services Division’s Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement, providing 3 CEUs towards the annual ethics training requirements for CPSWs.   Speakers   Maisha Barrett Training Coordinator [email protected]  Maisha Barrett (she/her) spent most of her life in the New Orleans area. She began her college degree at Loyola New Orleans and finished at St. Edward's University in Austin. She has spent ten years in the nonprofit sector in fields that address trauma. These include mental health, domestic violence, and sexual violence. She is passionate about education and considers herself a lifelong learner. Her educational background includes music therapy, psychology, women's studies, and art. She is passionate about social justice, healing, and making the world a better place through all forms of art and expression. She enjoys a good story, keeping her hands busy with art, and long conversations on her porch. She is currently the Training Coordinator at Via Hope.     Christina Carney Training and Curriculum Design Manager [email protected]  Christina Carney (she/her) is a creative with a passion for equity, justice, and healing. She spent several years working in Central New York as an advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence before moving to Austin, TX in 2012. While there, she received her MA from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Engaged Humanities with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology. Drawing on her lived experience, Christina became a Mental Health Peer Specialist in 2014, working at Austin State Hospital for three years, before starting at Via Hope in 2017. She is the founder and host of Community Connections, a free monthly webinar for Peer Specialists and was the Coordinator of the Peer Voice Project, a leadership program for Peers. Christina is now the Training and Curriculum Design Manager at Via Hope.

  DESCRIPTION This course will train participants on learning the warning signs of of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.    LEARNING OBJECTIVES Describe how to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal Explain how to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide Identify the common causes of suicidal behavior Explain how to get help for someone in crisis     Closed Registration