Past Events

The Region 6 Peer Support Advisory Committee (PSAC) to the South Southwest MHTTC meets on a monthly basis to collaborate across the states and tribal communities to identify and address common areas of need and share resources. Based on feedback from the PSAC, and needs identified by peers across Region 6, the MHTTC organizes training and technical assistance focused on peer retention and workforce development. This is a closed meeting.

Dr. Uma Naidoo will review the scientific evidence behind Nutritional Psychiatry and the clinical application of using this in clinical care. Presenter Bio: Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, nutritional biologist, and author of the national and international bestseller: “This is Your Brain on Food.” Michelin-starred chef David Bouley described Dr. Uma Naidoo as the world’s first “triple threat” in the food and medicine space as the nexus of her interests have found their niche in Nutritional Psychiatry. Her book has been published in 22 countries and 18 languages. Dr. Naidoo founded and directs the first and only hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the USA. She is the Director of Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at the MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School.   If you need accommodations to join this event, please contact us.

About the Event:  This webinar will focus on telehealth approaches to providing educational resources for treating behavioral health conditions in rural settings. It will cover a range of technology approaches including Project ECHO, e-Consult, and use of self-management technology. Attendees will gain useful information that can help them plan for educational approaches to help staff in remote settings continue to learn, find mentoring support and thrive professionally.   About the Presenter: Dr. Lori Raney is a board-certified psychiatrist and consultant in Denver, Colorado. She is considered a leading authority on the collaborative care model and the bidirectional integration of primary care and behavioral health. Her work focuses on service evaluation, gap analysis, and design and training of multidisciplinary teams to implement evidence-based practices to improve the identification and treatment of mental illness in the primary care setting and improve the health status of patients with serious mental illness in behavioral health settings. Her current work also includes evaluating hospitals and clinics in recognizing and developing strategies to deal with the impact of behavioral health across health care systems, including the design and implementation of integrated care in primary care practices.

DESCRIPTION Psychoeducation typically refers to the provision of mental health information (e.g., regarding diagnosis, treatment, prognosis) for patients and their families. Psychoeducation is one of the cornerstones of effective mental health care, particularly when it comes to psychosis (e.g., schizophrenia-spectrum disorders) since psychosis-spectrum experiences and related disorders are generally misunderstood and highly stigmatized. Numerous studies have found that providing psychoeducation to individuals experiencing psychosis (e.g., Lincoln & Nestoriuc, 2007) and their family members (e.g., Sin et al., 2017) can improve mental health knowledge and ameliorate some family worries, and potentially reduce stigma and improve treatment outcomes. In this webinar, we will review psychosis psychoeducation, including various models and approaches, as well as specific considerations for special populations (e.g., clinical high risk for psychosis, first-episode psychosis). Important intersectional considerations will also be weaved in throughout the webinar and closely reviewed with a patient vignette.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Conceptualize and define psychoeducation Understand the importance of psychosis psychoeducation Apply psychosis psychoeducation skills in a developmentally-appropriate and culturally sensitive manner   PRESENTER Joseph DeLuca, Ph.D., is an NIMH-T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, specializing in psychosis-risk and the early stages of psychosis. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the City University of New York Graduate Center and completed his predoctoral internship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. DeLuca’s research and clinical interests include screening and treatment for psychosis-spectrum symptoms, particularly with youth and families, as well as stigma, the role of culture and context in psychosis, and the intersection of mental illness and the criminal justice system.     AUDIENCE Mental health professionals, mental health advocates, mental health graduate students, people with lived mental health experience, young people interested in mental health, and others who work with/on behalf of individuals diagnosed with mental illness

  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:   Russ Turner, MA, Director of the People Incorporated Training Institute   During Russ’s 16-year tenure, he has written and taught thousands of hours of person-centered curriculum to help people become more effective helpers, communicators, and leaders. His audience includes workers and leaders across a wide range of organizations from human services, healthcare, and libraries, to law enforcement and corrections. He trains trainers, works with management, and has consulted and coached on training projects across multiple sectors of the economy. He has worked as an educator for three decades in a variety of countries and settings including Japan, the Czech Republic, and the UK. His teaching philosophy is that adults learn best when they are challenged, the material is applicable to work situations, and sessions are interactive and engaging.     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.      

This is the final session of the Becoming a Trauma-Informed School series.   Event Description This six-session training series provides education on the fundamentals of trauma and how it emerges within our public schools.  It will provide tools and perspectives on the complexities of becoming a trauma-informed school environment and will explore the logistical components of implementing best-practices on a systems-level for trauma-informed supports and protocols.    Session 6  Developing Relevant Metrics for Measuring Progress in School-Based Trauma-Informed Practices (2/20/23) 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. MT / 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. CT Learning Objectives Learn what trauma is, what it looks like, and how to respond in a supportive way  Learning the key components of what it means to be “Trauma-Informed” within a host environment focused on academics  Identify logistical and operational elements of implementation of a trauma-informed approach to supporting public education  Developing relevant metrics for measuring progress and success in School-Based Trauma-Informed practices.  Trainer Tamera Ford, LCSW Tamera J. Ford, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) holds 15+ years of experience providing mental health therapy and case management in a multitude of settings; residential treatment, school-based health centers, outpatient mental health, primary health care, and early intervention (Head Start children and families ages 0-5).  In addition to her training in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and Synergetic Play Therapy™, Tamera has advanced standing as a student of Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing® approach for trauma resolution and currently provides trauma therapy in her private practice located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.  Formerly a teacher (K-12) and more recently a Lean Process Improvement Practitioner, Tamera's passion is in offering support and guidance to individuals, groups and organizations personally and professionally.

This is Session 2 of our Mindful Monday series, which focuses on a wide range of evidence-based practices from different disciplines.  Event Description Session 2 Feb. 20th, 2023 This is a 30-minute training and will run every other week through May 15th, 2023.     Each month will have a specific theme/focus with exercises from that discipline. At the beginning of each session, participants will spend a few minutes grounding and learning about the practice for that day and then spend approximately 15-20 minutes in experiential practice, leaving a few minutes in the end for reflection and discussion.   Trainer Christina Ruggiero, Masters of Counseling Psychology, Registered Psychotherapist

  This is a closed event. DESCRIPTION:  This 2-hour webinar is developed for navigators, leaders, and organizations interested in cultivating and sustaining a trauma-informed culture. Hispanic communities are exposed to specific challenges and barriers while seeking high-quality mental health services. The presenter will discuss a trauma-informed approach and explain key cultural factors that impacts the delivery of culturally responsive mental health services to Hispanic and Latino populations.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Explain what is a trauma-informed approach of care for Hispanic and Latino communities. Identify the core elements of culturally responsive services.  Discuss culturally responsive resources while reaching out to diverse groups presenting mental health challenges.    Audience: This is a basic level workshop designed for Ohio Mental Health Navigators.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.      PRESENTER: Isa I. Vélez Echevarría, PsyD   Isa Vélez is a Puerto Rican clinical psychologist. She is the Ohio State Project Manager for the Great Lakes Addiction, Mental Health, and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers managed by the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  During her pre-doctoral internship at Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, CA, she obtained a certification as Interpersonal Psychotherapy Clinician. She was trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Therapy. In addition, she provides telehealth services to communities of color in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Her clinical work has focused on culturally tailored and trauma-informed services to Hispanic and Latino communities.     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.

School mental health providers can strengthen their skills and grow their network through the Mid-America MHTTC School Mental Health Provider Learning Community.   This program is designed for community-based mental health providers providing services in schools and school-based mental health providers such as school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, and board-certified behavior analysts. Participants will meet bi-monthly for virtual learning sessions focused on technical assistance, coaching, and network building.     During learning community sessions, participants will partake in candid conversations and presentations on topics including:   Comprehensive systems to support school mental health  Strategies to engage and participate in school teams   Information-sharing methods  Approaches to managing school crises    This regional peer learning community is focused on comprehensive service delivery in the school-based setting and will guide providers integrate into school settings and address school mental health from a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework.   To learn more, visit the Mid-America School Mental Health Provider Learning Community homepage.      

  DESCRIPTION: Burnout is a general term that describes the chronic and cumulative effect of different stresses at work and how it negatively impacts the worker’s health and wellbeing. In the case of the helping professions this problem is made worse by chronic exposure to others’ trauma which left unchecked can lead to Compassion Fatigue. The erosion of compassion and empathy affects a worker’s effectiveness in helping others, rendering the worker ineffective and lacking confidence. This class explores this field, the nature of compassion satisfaction, and offers strategies for cultivating resilience and compassion satisfaction that are both self and team-care oriented.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Recognize warning signs of burnout and compassion fatigue Addressing the “why” of caregiver work Cultivate curiosity about secondary trauma Introduce skills in different key areas of wellness and resiliency     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 and the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy. CE certificates are provided by People Incorporated Training Institute.     PRESENTER:   Raymond Young, CPS, BA has 15 years of experience training diverse groups of adult, youth, and adolescent learners prior to joining the Training Institute at People Incorporated Mental Health Services. He has trained mental health workers, police officers, transportation professionals, business partners, and clients. Ray received his certification as a Certified Peer Specialist from the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2017 and has since worked with individuals with various mental health conditions and behavioral health concerns. He has also studied Drug and Alcohol Counseling. Ray has a passion for working with youth in Youth Leadership Programs and as a mentor in the community.       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.

This 5-hour, self-paced course is the STRIDE Group Facilitator Training, a follow up to the popular Empowering Wellness in Mental Health: Helping People with their Lifestyle Changes, which outlines the principles and evidence behind the STRIDE Program, developed by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. What makes this course unique is that it was developed specifically for people living with mental illness, taking anti-psychotic medications to help reduce the cardiovascular risks often experienced by this population. Learn with the developers of the STRIDE Program to explore and understand the Group program curriculum. The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for DOH licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, chemical dependency professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620,WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240. This online course was created by the Northwest Region 10 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).    Certificate of Completion/Contact Hours Available  Physicians, physician assistants, primary care ARNPs, psychologists, and other health care providers may be eligible for CME or CEUs for completing the course. Retain your Certificate of Completion and verify its suitability for CME/CEUS with your licensing/credentialing entity.  The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for DOH licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, chemical dependency professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620,WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240. Registration and Technical Support How to register for a course at HealtheKnowledge and how to get technical support This online course was created by the Northwest Region 10 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Want more information? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's Resource Library and Websites by Topic  and sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

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

DESCRIPTION Adults are deeply affected by experiencing microaggressions. Microaggressions are verbal, behavioral or environmental slights or insults directed towards others. Whether said intentionally or unintentionally, microaggressions communicate an underlying hostility or negative attitude based upon a dimension of the person's diversity. This workshop deals with ways to combat microaggressions by creating an agency culture of respect, reverence and dignity for all dimensions of diversity.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Define and understand microaggression in the workplace  Discuss the negative impact of microaggression on those targeted Practice how to respond when microaggressions are experienced, overheard or used   PRESENTER Interculturalist and diversity scholar, Dr. Kami J. Anderson is a thought leader, international keynote speaker and sought-after diversity consultant. Her passion is demonstrated with her emphasis on application and confidence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Spelman College, a Master’s degree in International Affairs/Interdisciplinary Studies in International Communication and Anthropology from American University and a PhD in Communication and Culture from Howard University.      

The South Southwest MHTTC invites you to attend our virtual series: First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Provider Well-Being Community Calls. The purpose of the virtual FEP Provider Well-Being Community Calls is for FEP providers to provide mutual aid to one another by discussing shared experiences, offering empathy, and facilitating change. Community calls will be structured to include one skill-based practice (e.g. mindfulness, compassion), discussion about relevant topics, and resource sharing. This is session two of the 5-session virtual series beginning on December 15, 2022. It will take place for 1-hour every two months on the third Thursday of the month @ 10:00 AM. The sessions will be facilitated by Jennifer Baran-Prall, LCSW and Samantha Reznik, PhD. Series dates: Dec 15, 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 AM CDT Feb 16, 2023 @ 10:00-11:00 AM CDT April 20, 2023 @ 10:00-11:00 AM CDT June 15, 2023 @ 10:00-11:00 AM CDT August 17, 2023 @ 10:00-11:00 AM CDT

Join the Northeast & Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center for a virtual three-session community of practice to re-imagine educational settings to reduce school violence by centering and encouraging joy. This intergenerational community of practice will elevate student voices through staff-student collaboration. Staff, and the students they select, will learn to reflect on and share their lived school experience, identify and address challenges that take place in the wake of school violence, and creatively reimagine the school environment through diverse perspectives. Outcomes Participants will leave with an enhanced awareness of their school spaces and an actionable plan for transforming them to reduce school violence and increase joy. Additionally, participants will gain a deeper understanding of joy as a method of recovery and will be able to integrate these strategies directly into daily practices. Methods This community of practice series will draw together multimodal art and critical literacy-based methods of inquiry and community building. Using collective inquiry and guided discussions, participants will reflect on their experiences to assess possibilities for their schools. Talk Back to Joy: A Community of Practice Utilizing Joy and Student Voice to Address School Violence Target Audience Session 1: Accessing A Playful Praxis: Centering Joy for educational transformation   This session is part of a 3- part series.  Session 2: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 Session 3: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 *The time for sessions 2 & 3 is TBD based on the availability of the participants.*

During this panel discussion, hosted in partnership with the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity and the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office, presenters will discuss recent efforts to adapt and create prevention and screening resources to serve LGBTQ+ young people. Presenters will include a first-person perspective from a trans person in recovery; implementation of SBIRT in high school settings; newly drafted guidelines for using SBIRT with transgender and nonbinary populations; and important findings about what drives harmful substance use among LGBTQ+ adolescents.  Registration Instructions: Please click on the purple registration button above. This will take you to the COE-LGBTQ+ event page. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and you’ll see this event listing. Upon clicking register now, you will be asked to complete the event sign-up form to be automatically enrolled in the event.  

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based practice that has been used in a variety of settings to assist individuals in making behavior changes and achieving goals. It focuses on exploring and resolving ambivalence and is geared toward understanding and enhancing internal motivations that facilitate change. This three-part training series will provide an overview of MI, when and where MI can be used, how to embody the spirit of MI, applying the foundational skills of MI, and how to use MI skills wherever an individual is in their change process. Session 1: An introduction to MI and the Spirit of MI (2 hours) By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1. Define motivational interviewing (MI) and its use in behavioral health services. 2. Identify the intersection of MI and professional values. 3. Describe the role of providers in facilitating change. 4. Describe the four elements that make up the spirit of MI and how each contributes to behavior change.

Participating in a demanding professional life while maintaining healthy engagement in non-work roles can be overwhelming, frustrating, and riddled with guilt. It can also be a source of joy, inspiration, and creativity. This session will explore how multiple demanding roles can be mutually beneficial, helping us improve our creativity, rest, and happiness. Using tools from the therapy room as well as behavioral science, attendees will learn how they can actively enhance their well-being while maintaining a foothold in multiple demanding roles.   Presenter: Yael Schonbrun, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Brown University, co-host of the Psychologists Off the Clock podcast, and author. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, and her recent book is Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like Too Much).

Session Overview:  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common co-occurring diagnosis for autistic youth. However, the substantial overlap between autism and ADHD can pose challenges in identifying and supporting students with autism, ADHD, or both. The goal of this webinar series is to provide information about executive functioning differences that are common in autistic students and how these challenges relate to and are distinct from ADHD.   Part 1 of this webinar series will help participants to understand common executive functioning differences in autistic students and how these differences relate to ADHD. You can register for part 2 here.    By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Describe how often autism and ADHD co-occur. Define executive functioning and its importance for autistic youth. Know the executive functioning differences that are common in autistic youth with and without co-occurring ADHD. Identify executive functioning differences among autistic youth within two case studies.   Speaker: Katherine Pickard, Ph.D., received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at JFK Partners at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her primary research interest is in the translation of evidence-based practices into community systems that are naturally positioned to serve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental delays. Dr. Pickard's research is grounded in community-engaged research models and guided by dissemination and implementation science. Dr. Pickard leads and collaborates on research examining mechanisms that foster the adoption, implementation and sustainment of evidence-based practices within a variety of community systems, including early intervention and public school systems. She is particularly interested in the role of families and community stakeholders in shaping interventions as they are implemented within the community, and in other factors that impact the reach and sustainability of translation efforts. Clinically, Dr. Pickard is a licensed psychologist and has a strong background in supporting individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities across the lifespan. She holds specific expertise in parent-mediated interventions rooted in naturalistic, developmental and behavioral principles (know as NDBIs) as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth with ASD and co-occuring anxiety.    In our products, we choose to use identity first language (i.e., autistic students) in response to the preference of many autistic individuals and in an effort to avoid ableist ideologies. We recognize that this is not the language preference of every individual. For more information on the rationale for our language choice, please see the Bottema-Beutel et al., 2021.

  DESCRIPTION: Clinicians and program leaders know from experience and the research literature that people with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders tend to present with higher levels of complexity and experience worse outcomes when treatment is provided by parallel mental health and substance use treatment systems of care.  This workshop will review the tenets of integrated treatment for co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders and examine real-world factors that can serve to facilitate and create barriers to their implementation.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Review the evidence-based components of integrated treatment for co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. Examine real-world factors that can serve to facilitate and create barriers to the implementation of integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders.  Identify next steps related to the implementation of integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders within one’s current program or organizational structure.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.     PRESENTER: Dr. Tim Devitt, Psy.D., LCPC, CADC has committed the past 30+ years to providing recovery-oriented services to individuals, families and organizations. He currently operates a private therapy and consultation practice in the Chicago Metropolitan Area with a specialization in integrated mental health and substance use care for adolescents, young adults and adults. Tim is the proud recipient of the 2022 William White Lifetime Achievement Award (awarded by the IL Chapter of The National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselors, NAADAC), a member of the Motivational Network of Trainers (MINT), a lecturer at the University of Chicago, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice and a board member of Serenity Academy of Chicago, a 501(c)(3) organization committed to forming alternative peer groups and a recovery high school for teens and families struggling with addiction.     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.

A school-based group intervention program designed to promote emotion-regulation skills for middle and high school students with, or at risk for developing, mental and behavioral health needs.   The POWER program incorporates techniques that have been found to be effective across adolescents with different types of emotion-related mental and behavioral health needs. As a targeted intervention, the POWER program is designed to be implemented at Tier 2 within a multi-tiered system of support framework.

SERIES DESCRIPTION The Central East MHTTC in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health is pleased to offer a school mental health webinar series with a focus on advancing high quality, sustainable school mental health from a multi-tiered system of support, trauma sensitive, and culturally responsive and equitable lens. To familiarize yourself with the foundations of school mental health, please review the school mental health guidance document.   SERIES LEARNING OBJECTIVES Gain increased awareness of school well-being within a multi-tiered system of school mental health supports and services Support trauma-informed systems in schools Increase understanding of strength-based practices that promote student academic and social-emotional-behavioral success Learn to provide more culturally responsive and equitable services and supports Hear perspectives on school mental health from school, district and state levels Obtain insight into how youth, families, schools and communities can best work together to address student mental health needs     AUDIENCE Educators, Administrators, Health and Behavioral Health Care Professionals, Central East (Region 3) Project AWARE Grantees, Policymakers and Advocates, and Child-Serving Agency Staff

DESCRIPTION This interactive webinar, based on the reference guide with the same name, will provide an overview of cultural considerations for working with youth of color, specifically Black girls. Service providers, teachers, mentors, and other adults interacting with youth must recognize cultural differences such as age, regional upbringing, and race to successfully engage and support the development of Black girls. In this training, we will explore together why it is essential to destigmatize Black skin, engage authentically, and acknowledge historical and present-day traumatic experiences impacting Black girls. We all must work consciously to not perpetuate the societal trauma inflicted based on identity.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Define positive youth development and trauma-informed care and how they are pertinent to daily interactions  Identify three ways to engage authentically with Black girls Understand and identify experiences unique to Black girls and their development Address the four key needs to support positive identity for Black girls   PRESENTER Ashlye Durrell, M.S.W., is a senior program associate at Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP), a social worker, and a Los Angeles native. While attending and graduating from the historically Black college and university (HBCU) Hampton University, she developed a strong sense for the advancement of the Black community, especially as it relates to behavioral health. For several years, Ashlye worked in Washington, DC, focusing on individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring disorders. During her career, she has served in leadership and research roles and provided group and individual therapy. In addition to her role at AHP, Ashlye holds community leadership positions, serving as Board Chair for Learning by Design Charter Schools in South Los Angeles and as secretary to the Board for TRIBE, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of Black girls. Her personal and professional experiences drive her passion for the improvement of services to historically marginalized groups while decreasing health inequities.   AUDIENCE Service providers, teachers, mentors, and others who interact with Black girls and are responsible for supporting their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.  

Co-occurring disorders are now considered the expectation, not the exception. This webinar will discuss co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in Latino youth.  It will include etiology, prevalence, and treatment options for this population.     Learning objectives:   Explain the prevalence of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders among youth. Discuss approaches to working with families with youth who have co-occurring disorders. Examine culturally appropriate treatment options for co-occurring disorders in Latino youth.   Speaker:     Diane Arms, MA  Director for The Center for Co-occurring Disorders  The Council on Recovery    Diane Arms currently serves as The Center for Co-occurring Disorders Director at The Council on Recovery. She has dedicated her career to serving the Latino population in the Health Field, including Mental Health and Substance Use. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso. Diane has served as Director of Health Integration at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, Director of Prevention and Counseling at the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, and with the Harris County Health Care Alliance as Program Manager facilitating leadership meetings amongst local FQHCs to identify, address, and resolve systemic issues proactively. Ms. Arms has also served as an Operations Administrator for the children's division unit at Emergence Health Network, El Paso's Local Mental Health Authority. She has successfully implemented programs such as Multisystemic Therapy in a Mental Health Setting and Transition Age Youth, assisting transitioning clients from children's services to adult services in the mental health system. In addition, she spearheaded the transition of the agency's clinical and behavioral health services to telehealth services to accommodate social distancing and stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19. Previously funded projects consist of identifying relationships between stress, depression, and anxiety to substance use and parenting styles in young adult Latinos, investigating the effects of chronic illnesses on children's health-related quality of life in the Colonias, an underserved and impoverished neighborhood along the Texas-Mexico border, and exploring effective decision-making aids on colorectal cancer for the aging Latino population. She sits on the Houston BARC Foundation's board, the City of Houston's Animal Shelter and Adoption Facility. She is also a fellow of the American Leadership Forum, Class 44.