Past Events

Implementing Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in Kansas: Recovery-oriented care is guided on the understanding that each person is different and an expert on their own lives. Each client should be supported to make their own choices towards achieving their goals, and they should be listened to with dignity and respect. In this training, you will learn: How to promote the active involvement of the services Implement the person-centered approach to enhance the chances of success in the road to recovery Understand what makes the person-centered approach different than traditional treatment planning    

About the Event: Staff turnover has long been a problem in the mental health field and can be costly for organizations, mental health workers, and the clients they serve. While we know a great deal about why people leave, less is known about why mental health workers stay.  This webinar will share current research based on interviewing people who have remained in their jobs for at least 14 years to understand why they stayed, even during trying times.    Learning Objectives: Learn how turnover and retention may have different predictors Identify factors that support long term retention Share concerns and solutions with other participants.   About the Presenter: Michelle P. Salyers, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She directs the ACT Center of Indiana, a collaboration of academic and community partners, including researchers, administrators, clinicians, consumers, and family members who share an interest in recovery-oriented, evidence-based practices. The overarching goal of her work is to help adults with severe mental illness live meaningful lives in the community. Her research addresses both consumers of mental health services and the providers of those services. She is increasingly targeting the interaction of consumers and providers, looking for the best way to support relationships that promote recovery and well-being. Her current work involves developing effective ways to reduce staff burnout and to increase shared decision-making in mental health care.  

Description: Schools play an important role in the recovery of students following community-wide trauma and adversity, but the road from preparedness to recovery begins long before a crisis event occurs and the response lasts well after the event is over.  This first session of a 4-part series will provide foundational information about collective trauma, how it affects members of a school community, the role of schools in crisis planning and response, and best practices in school crisis responses (including healing-centered school programming).   Learning Objectives: Participants will: Understand the increasing risk and impact of collective trauma on students, staff, and teachers in schools. Identify the role of schools and school mental health providers in crisis planning and response. Identify the scope of trauma-informed best practices for comprehensive and long-term preparedness and response to accumulating collective trauma. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about navigating toward recovery during traumatic events.   Speaker:                  Berre Burch, Ph.D., is the clinical director at the Children's Bureau of New Orleans where she oversees clinical programs that serve approximately 400 children, youth, and their families each year. A school psychologist by training, Dr. Burch has spent her career providing direct clinical services and systems-level consultation and support to address issues of childhood trauma. In her current role with the Children's Bureau, Dr. Burch partners with schools and other youth-serving organizations like courts, child advocacy centers, and workforce development programs to embed and deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed care in community settings. Dr. Burch earned her doctorate at Tulane University with a specialization in Trauma-Informed School Psychology and completed her clinical internship with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland Medical Center.   Register for other sessions in this series and view recordings HERE!

**Due to an emergency conflict with the trainer's schedule, this session of Workshop Wednesday has been postponed one week to June 22, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. MT/1:00 p.m. CT. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]. Thank you!** This session is part of our ongoing Workshop Wednesday series. It will take place at 12:00 p.m. MT/1:00 p.m. CT on June 22nd, 2022. Event Description Helping professionals, like psychologists, therapists, and counselors, are regularly exposed to the emotional turmoil and stress experienced by the clients they serve. For many, their job requirements entail active listening, validation, compassionate feedback, and helping clients manage their stressors intimately. The emotional, physical, and spiritual tolls of providing this level of support to others can compound over time, leading to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Though STS has long been an occupational hazard among helping professionals, the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated adversities have exacerbated the stressors faced by clients and clinicians alike. The increased demand for behavioral health services has put an unprecedented strain on helping professionals and their capacity to support the adequately support the needs of their clients.    This workshop is designed to provide clinicians with a general understanding of what secondary trauma is and why it matters to their personal and professional lives. Clinicians will be able to identify at least three symptoms of secondary trauma and will learn to evaluate similar signs of distress in themselves as well as to identify symptoms in their colleagues. Additionally, they will walk away with a framework for determining effective coping strategies that meet their individual needs and build resilience.  Trainer Ashely Fortier, MA, Psy.D.                     Ashley Fortier is a Psychologist Candidate in Colorado and currently serves as a Technical Assistance Associate within the Behavioral Health Program at WICHE. She works with various stakeholders across states and organizations in the West to further behavioral health initiatives. Her professional mission is to increase service efficacy, accessibility, and workforce capacity in rural and frontier regions. She collaborates on numerous research projects and publications in the areas of rural behavioral health, trauma-informed care, child and adolescent suicidology, and innovations in psychology practice. Previously, much of Fortier’s clinical experiences focused on delivering mental health services to survivors of trauma and abuse, patients with severe and persistent mental illness, incarcerated adults and juveniles, and those experiencing acute mental health crises. Fortier received her B.S. in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst as well as her M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical forensic psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology-Los Angeles.   

Session 1 Description Session 1, titled A Public Health Perspective, will be held on June 22, 2022, and features Dr. Eric Moody, Director of Research and Evaluation, Wyoming Institute for Disabilities.  Dr. Moody will provide an overview of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), current research on associated behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, and helpful interventions and treatment strategies. Trainers Eric Moody PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation, Wyoming Institute for Disabilities  Eric J. Moody, Ph.D., is the Associate Director and a Research Professor at the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND). He received his doctorate in Social Psychology and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Denver in 2007. The focus of his research there was on shared interpersonal emotions and psychophysiology. Midway through his training, he became interested in autism and how the basic psychological mechanisms he was studying are related to the autism phenotype. This interest led him to collaborate with JFK Partners, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), and a post-doctoral fellowship in autism assessment and public health/epidemiology at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. Following this postdoc, he joined the Faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and expanded his research to include public health, community-based participatory research, and health disparities. Dr. Moody joined the University of Wyoming, College of Health Sciences in 2018 as the Director of Research and Evaluation for WIND. 

  Tele-Behavioral Health Consultation (TBHC) Primary Care Webinar Series   Obsessive compulsive disorder is neurobiologically and phenomenologically unique from other anxiety disorders. It requires a more nuanced assessment, with special consideration in prescribing first-line medications and psychotherapies.    Objectives:  Describe the key diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis of OCD in the primary care setting. Understand the basic neurobiology of OCD and how it is different than other anxiety disorders.  Be able to describe the first-line psychotherapy treatment for OCD to patients and families, and how this specific type of psychotherapy may be different than other modalities.  Understand the psychopharmacological treatment options for OCD and how dosing strategies are different than for other pediatric psychiatric conditions.    Presented by: Ryan Edwards, MD Dr. Ryan Edwards is a Board-Certified Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. As a native Nebraskan, he earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He then completed both his residency and post-graduate fellowship training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His clinical interests include outpatient-based child & adolescent psychiatry, obsessive-compulsive disorder, complex anxiety disorders of childhood, and integrative and collaborative care across healthcare disciplines. He greatly enjoys teaching the next generation of medical professionals, and as a professional cyclist in a past life, he is also interested in the mental healthcare of young athletes.      

Join us to activate (y)our full presence, power, and resilience. We will be guided by Gera Marin, a Traditional Healing Arts Practitioner, Sacred Runner (Chaski), urban farmer, and Coach guide us in a 6 class journey where he will share techniques to generate emotional stability amidst the storms. Whether you are an educator, parent, organizer, or tribal leader, this series will support you with physical and mental fitness tools to assist you in sustaining your highest potentials in service of AI/AN youth communities. Through a combination of guided movement, mindfulness practices, and neuro linguistic reconditioning; participants will release self-limiting thought patterns inflicted by the colonial capitalistic dominant society and restore their innate resilience. This series is designed to lovingly support and create a space for those of you that serve in inequitable and challenging conditions, a space for you to regenerate, while reinvigorating your personal practices/routines. Session #2

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.     DESCRIPTION: In recent years the term cultural appropriation has emerged as a hot-button topic in society and can carry significant implications for marginalized cultural groups. This workshop will discuss what is cultural appropriation and how do we celebrate a culture versus appropriating it. We will explore this pertinent issue through looking at specific examples in the media and community, the impact of cultural appropriation as well as strategies at the individual, institutional, and societal levels to reduce it.      LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Introduce the concept of cultural appropriation and explore examples as they relate to education, media, and the workplace. Discuss the implications of cultural appropriation on marginalized groups including the psychological, emotional, and social impact. Explore various strategies to reduce appropriation at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Foster a dialogue around the intersectionality of cultural appropriation and microaggressions.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will be eligible to receive 2.0 hours of continuing education from the MN Board of Social Work. Certificates are disseminated via email to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.      PRESENTER: Fiyyaz Karim, Psy.D., is a resident faculty member in the master of professional studies in integrated behavioral health and master of professional studies in addictions counseling programs at the University of Minnesota.   Prior to working in higher education, Karim was employed in community mental health outpatient settings, many addressing the needs of underserved and minority populations. His clinical interests include identity development, grief and loss, social justice issues, health psychology, trauma, and PTSD. He has conducted professional training sessions and presented on diversity issues including microaggressions, cultural appropriation, and racial identity.   Karim has done clinical work and research in grief and loss, with an emphasis on unemployment, divorce (or relationship losses), chronic illness, addictions, and more recently losses with the pandemic. He has also done mental health work and research in trauma/PTSD, especially with immigrants/refugees.

Session 8 Building on our phenomenally successful Mindful Monday training series, we are pleased to continue our micro-mindful training series. Research indicates that mindfulness therapy and practices are very effective in helping to reduce levels of stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. This series is for anyone looking to build personal resiliency while investing and developing self-care practices.      Mindful Monday sessions will feature a wide range of evidence-based practices from different disciplines, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, Evidence-Based therapy, and yoga. It is a bi-weekly, 30-minute training that will begin on March 14th and run through August 8th.      Each session will involve a brief summary and learning of a new mindful skill, 5–20-minute application through practice in session, and resources to implement outside of session.      This is a great place to try different activities and practices, and to acquire tools and skills to apply in your everyday lives either personally or professionally!    Trainer Christina Ruggiero, Masters of Counselling Psychology, has developed this training and will facilitate the sessions. She is a Psychotherapist currently working at the University of Toronto in Ontario, CA. Christina will provide participants with practical tips and experiential activities that can be incorporated into daily routines and easily shared with others. 

  Youth Advocate Leadership Academy   The Pacific Southwest MHTTC is pleased to announce the National Cohort of the Youth Advocate Leadership Academy (YALA), a training for youth and young adults seeking to build their own leadership skills to create positive change in the mental health field and world around them.   This no-cost opportunity includes a copy of PS MHTTC/Youth MOVE’s leadership curriculum and four online training sessions, designed to create a peer-led environment that builds off each participant’s current skills. We blend experiential learning with peer facilitated group discussions and activities. All youth and young adults (YYA) ages 14 – 29 who are passionate about mental health, and who identify as having lived experience in a youth-serving system, are encouraged to apply.   This third Cohort within the YALA series is designed to serve YYA who work and reside all throughout the United States and U.S. territories.   YYA who may be interested in working as a youth peer provider in the future, or who are currently serving as a youth peer, would be a great fit for this training opportunity.     Apply here, by June 20, 2022     Objectives Identify individual capacity to lead and develop personal leadership style Build understanding of how personal values, culture, and experiences shape our approach to leadership Identify individual strengths and grow adaptive leadership skills Connect the value of lived experience to leadership   Benefits of Participation Learn principles of adaptive leadership and practice application in your work Access individualized coaching and resources to enhance leadership skills Meet and engage with a diverse peer-learning cohort Certificate of completion provided to build resume strength and support professional development goals at work or school   Commitment Requirements Participate in pre-work including the Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0 Assessment Participate in virtual learning sessions (on Zoom with webcam and audio connection) Complete brief thought work between each virtual session Complete training session evaluations     YALA Training Schedule All sessions will take place from 11:00AM – 3:00PM PT.   Session 1 Monday, 07/11/22 11:00AM – 3:00PM PT   Session 2 Tuesday, 07/12/22 11:00AM – 3:00PM PT   Session 3 Monday, 07/18/22 11:00AM – 3:00PM PT   Session 4 Tuesday, 07/19/22 11:00AM – 3:00PM PT     Facilitators for the National YALA Cohort Te Jay McGrath, Youth Program Specialist, Youth MOVE National   Te Jay brings many years of professional and lived experience to the Youth MOVE team. Not only has he directly served and supported many types of young adults, especially those experiencing homelessness, he has worked on policy changes when it comes to LGBTQ+ initiatives, anti-bullying efforts, and public health inequities. Te Jay has been performing all around southern California as his drag persona, Tia Wanna, for over 9 years. Originally from Hawaii, Te Jay is a Korean American who now resides in Los Angeles, which he has called home for over a decade.   Lydia Proulx, Youth Program Coordinator, Youth MOVE National   Lydia’s own lived experience with mental health, school, and youth leadership drives their dedication to authentic youth engagement, advocacy, and education. They’re excited about improving the service delivery model for LGBTQIA2-S youth on a national scale. As the former youth program manager at Youth MOVE Massachusetts and Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL), they led the development of youth peer support groups, youth trainings and speaking engagements, and the internship program. In their spare time, Lydia volunteers on a local farm for hunger relief and teaches comprehensive sexual health education to youth and young adults. Plus, they love antiquing on the weekends.     Application Process If you are interested in joining a FREE YALA training, please complete the Interest Form. The Interest Form will ask about your availability to attend the above training options. A waitlist will be developed should the trainings fill and YMN will notify applicants of future training sessions as they are scheduled. For more information, or to participate in the Youth Advocate Leadership Academy, please complete the participant information form or send an email to [email protected].     Apply here by June 20, 2022

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.     DESCRIPTION: Join the first Learning Collaborative: Ask the Expert Event focused on previous webinars in the Pre-Implementation Stage of the Trauma-Informed/Resiliency Series. This 14-Part workshop series was developed for leaders and organizations interested in cultivating and sustaining a trauma-informed culture. Each Learning Collaborative in the Trauma-Informed Series is a live interactive format that allows participants to ask specific questions and engage in a lively discussion. Trauma-Informed Early Adopter, Chuck Price will answer questions, share in-depth information, and tips & tricks to enable participants to gain new insights into the Trauma-Informed approach.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance. Certificates are disseminated via email to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.      PRESENTER: Chuck Price, M.S.   Although many consultants strive to create trauma-informed environments and guide leaders through culture change, very few have successfully led their organizations through this process. Bonafide experience is what sets Chuck Price and Blue Collar Consulting apart from the others. This experience, along with Chuck’s easy manner and ability to form authentic relationships, make Chuck a natural fit to help support you as you lead your agency’s transformation process. Chuck has filled leadership roles in several counties and private agencies throughout his 27-years working in child welfare and health and human services. Chuck’s career has been dedicated to making drastic improvements in the lives of children and families. He has been brave and selfless in his pursuit of excellence, often pioneering pathways not yet traveled by his peers. He has served in leadership roles within public and private agencies, in both urban and rural settings. All of this has provided him with a diverse perspective and the ability to quickly understand and relate to challenges faced by leaders.   As a DHHS Director, Chuck led his department on a successful and transformational journey from traditional compliance-based practice to becoming a legitimate trauma-informed agency. As a result of his work recruitment, retention, agency health, and case outcomes dramatically improved. Under his leadership, overall numbers of children living in congregate care were significantly reduced, and at one point even dropped to zero! Chuck's results and process gained recognition across the state, the country, and internationally.   Chuck started Blue Collar Consulting to broaden the impact of lessons learned so you don’t have to start at the beginning. His passion is to help support brave leaders in their professional growth and development, and to use his real-world experience to assist organizations in their trauma-informed cultural transformations. He also has a sweet spot for his two dogs, Brewer and Uecker, which might give away his other passion…Milwaukee Brewers baseball! Chuck lives in Central Wisconsin with his wife of 27 years. As a new member of the empty-nester club, he is free to travel, connect, and lead your transformational work, no matter where you are on your journey, or the map.

Event Description This 4-part series is designed for the first responder community including law enforcement, parole, and probation personnel, EMTs, and any other members of the community engaged in emergency and front-line efforts.     The series kicks off with a 90-minute foundational introduction to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In this session, participants will learn what TBI is, its common signs and symptoms, how it can occur, and why conventional intervention methods often don't work with individuals living with TBI. We encourage all participants to attend the first session, it will establish a baseline of understanding for all participants as we move thru the series.    This training series will provide participants with tips and strategies for first responders who may encounter individuals living with a history of brain injury when responding to calls in the community. People living with brain injury have higher rates of mental health conditions and problematic use of substances and are often overrepresented among vulnerable populations. First responders may encounter individuals and their family members affected by brain injury when responding to crisis situations such as individuals expressing suicidal ideation and intent, those who are homeless, victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence, and justice-involved individuals. Participants will become familiar with common clues of a history of brain injury and strategies to engage with individuals and deescalate as needed when encountering those living with this often-hidden disability.    Training Series Dates (participants must register for each session):    June 9th - Introduction - Kick-Off - 10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST    June 16th: Intensive Workshop 1 for Law Enforcement and EMT Personnel 9:00 am MST - 10:00 am MST    Intensive Workshop 2 for Probation and Parole Personnel 1:00 pm MST - 2:00 pm MST    July 14th: Wrap-Up Panel  10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST  Learning Objectives Attendees will be able to describe at least 3 common brain injury-related impairments  Attendees will be able to identify three signs that an individual may have a history of brain injury  Attendees will learn 3 strategies to safely engage with and redirect individuals living with a history of brain injury  Trainer Anastasia Edmonston, MS, CRC   Trainer bio coming soon!

  Learning Objectives: Discuss Social Impact and how it is changing business Discuss changes in workplace culture and what businesses need to do to adapt List various remote learning trends and how they fit into workplace culture   Description: The pandemic has permanently changed how we think about work. As the U.S. enters year three of working through the pandemic, people are channeling their internal reflections and shaping them into a new way of working and trying to find meaning in work and the companies that they work for. Join us for a discussion about how capitalism is evolving, why companies must do more social and environmental good and how you can recruit and retain top talent in an ever changing job market.    Presented by: Jonathan Liebert CEO and Cofounder of the National Institute for Social Impact (NI4SI) and CEO/Executive Director of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado Jonathan is a Social Entrepreneur and a Colorado Springs native. He is a recognized Leader by the Colorado Springs Leadership Institute (CSLI, class of 2017), and a Rising Star Award recipient from the Colorado Springs Business Journal. Jonathan is a champion for Social Impact, small businesses, and Trust in the marketplace. Jonathan is the Chair and Chief Architect of the new, international BBB Trustmark Program, titled BBB4Good. This new program verifies Higher-Purpose businesses and will be the first new Trustmark from BBB in more than 20 years. Jonathan is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. In partnership with UCCS, he has created the curriculum for the first course for Social Entrepreneurship in the School of Business. Jonathan is currently expanding the National Institute for Social Impact outside Colorado. This organization is key to Accelerating the evolution of Business by providing tools and training designed to enhance and organize the emerging Fourth Sector of the economy and leveraging entrepreneurial strategies that solve social and environmental issues across the globe. Jonathan currently serves on the National Board for the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Business Advisory Committee for the Colorado Secretary of State, the Colorado Nonprofit Association, and is a CiviCO Colorado Governors Fellow of 2022. Jonathan has a Masters in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education from the University of Colorado Health and Sciences Center     In support of improving patient care, University of Nebraska Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Physicians The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.        

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.     DESCRIPTION: As the substance use disorder (SUD) field addresses family involvement in SUD’s services, innovative anddifferent approaches may be needed. Whether the outcome for a loved one is a recovery journey, incarceration, or sadly, death, the families often feel grief and frustrated. Managing the next move can be difficult. It is important that providers and families understand the grief and resilience process involved with moving past the chaos. The presentation will provide an awareness of the disorder generated by a family members SUD’s. A variety of strategies that assist families in moving forward will be explored.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understanding innovative approaches to family involvement in SUD services and recovery journey Understanding resiliency factors Bring awareness to strategies to assist families in moving forward in the recovery process       CONTINUING EDUCATION: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will be eligible to receive 2 hours of continuing education from (ICB)/IAODAPCA. Certificates will be sent by the event host to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.     SPEAKER: Nancy J. Phillips, M.S. ED-PSY, CAADC, CFPP Coordinator of the Illinois Family Resource Center (IFRC), Nancy J. Phillips has been active in the substance abuse field for over thirty-five years. She has worked in both prevention and treatment services and was honored as Professional of the Year in 2018 by the Illinois Certification Board, Inc. During her years in the SUD field, she has developed and trained human service providers throughout the United States.  

About the Event:  Perspectives in Mental Health Crisis is a four-part series examining the experiences of Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) as they navigate, utilize, and provide crisis services. "Building Resilience,” the fourth and final installment of the “Perspectives in Mental Health Crisis” series, provides insight into how to avoid or lessen the negative impact of a mental health crisis. We will hear firsthand from peers who have experienced extraordinary hardship how they were able to hold onto the things that mattered most to them, such as employment, housing, and relationships, through situations and circumstances that would challenge the wellness of anyone, in mental health recovery or not. We will also hear from some highly experienced and well-regarded trainers about some of the formal skills peers can develop to enhance their resilience and prepare for the next situation life throws at them.   About the Facilitators: The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network believes in the ability of everyone living with mental health concerns to enjoy lives of purpose, meaning, productivity, and wellness. Since it was founded in 1991, this grassroots nonprofit organization has been led and run by mental health peers—people in mental health recovery. At its core, the basis of peer support—one person using their lived experience to support another—is not new; in fact, it is the basis of human growth and development. Mental health peers with special training are now able to use their lived recovery experience in clinical settings to provide something beyond a diagnosis or medication.   Roslind D. Hayes, BS, CPS-AD, CARES, WHWC is the Statewide Coordinator of the GMHCN's Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers. She is a trainer/facilitator for the Certified Peer Specialist Project, Peer Zone, and Intentional Peer Support.  Chris Johnson, MFA, CPS, CPS-AD is GMHCN's Director of Communications. He is responsible for sharing information about recovery and wellness opportunities to behavioral health peers and providers across Georgia. 

Event Description This 4-part series is designed for the first responder community including law enforcement, parole, and probation personnel, EMTs, and any other members of the community engaged in emergency and front-line efforts.     The series kicks off with a 90-minute foundational introduction to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In this session, participants will learn what TBI is, its common signs and symptoms, how it can occur, and why conventional intervention methods often don't work with individuals living with TBI. We encourage all participants to attend the first session, it will establish a baseline of understanding for all participants as we move thru the series.    This training series will provide participants with tips and strategies for first responders who may encounter individuals living with a history of brain injury when responding to calls in the community. People living with brain injury have higher rates of mental health conditions and problematic use of substances and are often overrepresented among vulnerable populations. First responders may encounter individuals and their family members affected by brain injury when responding to crisis situations such as individuals expressing suicidal ideation and intent, those who are homeless, victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence, and justice-involved individuals. Participants will become familiar with common clues of a history of brain injury and strategies to engage with individuals and deescalate as needed when encountering those living with this often-hidden disability.    Training Series Dates (participants must register for each session):    June 9th - Introduction - Kick-Off - 10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST    June 16th: Intensive Workshop 1 for Law Enforcement and EMT Personnel 9:00 am MST - 10:00 am MST    Intensive Workshop 2 for Probation and Parole Personnel 1:00 pm MST - 2:00 pm MST    July 14th: Wrap-Up Panel  10:00 am MST - 11:30 am MST  Learning Objectives Attendees will be able to describe at least 3 common brain injury-related impairments  Attendees will be able to identify three signs that an individual may have a history of brain injury  Attendees will learn 3 strategies to safely engage with and redirect individuals living with a history of brain injury  Trainer Anastasia Edmonston, MS, CRC   Trainer bio coming soon!

This panel is a collaborative event with The College of Behavioral Health Leadership Workshop Description:  Latinx youths are at significant risk for mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts. Latinx youths are also less likely to access culturally responsive mental health services and continue to be undiagnosed or untreated. This can lead to negative outcomes such as negative interactions at school and with authorities, increased disconnection from family and society, and exposure to the criminal justice system. This presentation will review related stressors and gaps that impact Latino youth and families. Special considerations for Hispanic and Latino youth mental health will be discussed. .   About the Speaker:   Angel D.S. Casillas Carmona, MHS Project Manager National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC Angel Casillas-Carmona, M.H.S. completed his graduate studies at Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) in 2020 and obtained his Master's in Health Sciences in Substance Abuse Counseling. He currently stands as Project Manager for the National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), subsidized by SAMHSA, emphasizing the Hispanic and Latino populations in the United States and its territories. He began his professional development as a Technology Transfer Specialist at the Institute of Research Education and Services of Addiction (IRESA) of UCC. He oversees coordinating training services and education and provided technical assistance for the SAMHSA-subsidized Opioid Response Network (ORN) for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. He is a volunteer coordinator for Gua'kia pa la calle, an independent harm reduction and syringe exchange program

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.     DESCRIPTION: Microaggressions usually involves demeaning implications and other subtle insults against marginalized groups. They can be very harmful since they perpetuate stereotypes and create a wide array of psychological, physical and emotional problems. Furthermore, they can potentially devalue social group identities, lead to lower work productivity, and create inequities in educational learning. This workshop will explore this important topic in our society including what microaggressions are, various ways they’re conveyed, and the impact on cultural groups. Additionally, strategies will be identified to assist with reducing this subtle form of discrimination.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Introduce the concept of microaggressions and explore examples as they relate to education, media, and the workplace. Discuss the implications of microaggressions on marginalized groups including the psychological, emotional, and social impact. Explore various strategies to reduce microaggressions at the individual, institutional, and societal levels.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will be eligible to receive 2.0 hours of continuing education from the MN Board of Social Work. Certificates are disseminated via email to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.      PRESENTER: Fiyyaz Karim, Psy.D., is a resident faculty member in the master of professional studies in integrated behavioral health and master of professional studies in addictions counseling programs at the University of Minnesota.   Prior to working in higher education, Karim was employed in community mental health outpatient settings, many addressing the needs of underserved and minority populations. His clinical interests include identity development, grief and loss, social justice issues, health psychology, trauma, and PTSD. He has conducted professional training sessions and presented on diversity issues including microaggressions, cultural appropriation, and racial identity.   Karim has done clinical work and research in grief and loss, with an emphasis on unemployment, divorce (or relationship losses), chronic illness, addictions, and more recently losses with the pandemic. He has also done mental health work and research in trauma/PTSD, especially with immigrants/refugees.

This one-hour conference presentation is part of the 2022 Washington Behavioral Healthcare Conference. ABOUT THIS EVENT Our field has always faced challenges, including caring for others while caring for ourselves. But these past 2 years have brought unprecedented levels of stress and heightened disparities and inequities in our communities which continue to affect us now. You are not alone! We have worked with providers, trainers and evaluators to learn what has helped others in our field. We created content to help providers connect about despair and also to find hope. We acknowledged difficult realities and took steps to take care of ourselves. We learned about virtual fatigue and found novel ways to connect. Please join us for a conversation as we are in this together. You’ll learn more about the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) network; training challenges we identified, including pandemic, racial injustices and related strain; and how to connect training best practices to your staff’s support and well-being. You can also share input on current training needs, and plan action steps to increase and sustain staff resilience. Resources: Presentation slides Learn more about the 2022 Washington Behavioral Healthcare Conference here. FACILITATORS Christina Clayton, MSW, LICSW, CDP, Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, University of WA; Kira Mauseth, PhD, Astrum Health LLC; Aleks Martin, MSW, AM Consulting & Clinical Services

Project AWARE Leaders from Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas) will participate in the Dare to Lead Training from June 15-17, 2022 in Austin, Texas.   Rooted in grounded theory research, Dr. Brené Brown has developed this training focused on four skillsets that are teachable, measurable and observable; rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, BRAVING trust and learning to rise.  This experiential training retreat will provide an opportunity to get to know who you are as a leader, learn about our teams in a deeper way, create a unique shared experience and develop deeper relationships and common language to support one another.  This training is closed to the public.

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.     DESCRIPTION: This 2-hour workshop is the fifth of a Trauma-Informed/Resiliency Series developed for leaders and organizations interested in cultivating and sustaining a trauma-informed culture. This presentation is intended to inspire leaders to reflect on their own selfcare toolbox and identify ways to promote a culture of health and wellness within their departments.   We live in stressful and uncertain times, bringing the need for effective self-care practices to the forefront. It is not surprising that many view their jobs as their number one life stressor – and the World Health Organization (WHO) describes stress as the “global health epidemic of the 21st century.” When life is uncertain and overwhelming, some might feel tempted to overwork in response. Others may feel frozen and self-isolated. Since the pace and intensity of our new work culture is not likely to change anytime soon, it is important for us to focus on our self-care and build resilience skills to navigate work life.   This workshop focuses on the topic of wellbeing and self-care, which is rarely discussed at a meaningful level in the workplace but is incredibly important. It is not selfish to focus on your wellbeing; in fact, it is imperative! Tips to help you better identify and become more self-aware of your own triggers and signs of stress will be discussed along with strategies to prevent burnout. Key recovery practices that can help prevent burnout and foster resilience will also be outlined.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:   Recognize the importance of a leader’s role in establishing a work culture of health and well-being. Understand what burnout is, how to recognize it (in self and others) and identify preventative strategies. Complete a brief self-assessment of burnout and gain insights into their current wellness. Outline main components of selfcare: what selfcare is and means, obstacles to selfcare, and ways to make self-care sustainable. Generate ideas for a self-care toolbox to manage stress, prevent burnout, and promote overall wellness.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance. Certificates are disseminated via email to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.      PRESENTER: Chuck Price, M.S.   Although many consultants strive to create trauma-informed environments and guide leaders through culture change, very few have successfully led their organizations through this process. Bonafide experience is what sets Chuck Price and Blue Collar Consulting apart from the others. This experience, along with Chuck’s easy manner and ability to form authentic relationships, make Chuck a natural fit to help support you as you lead your agency’s transformation process. Chuck has filled leadership roles in several counties and private agencies throughout his 27-years working in child welfare and health and human services. Chuck’s career has been dedicated to making drastic improvements in the lives of children and families. He has been brave and selfless in his pursuit of excellence, often pioneering pathways not yet traveled by his peers. He has served in leadership roles within public and private agencies, in both urban and rural settings. All of this has provided him with a diverse perspective and the ability to quickly understand and relate to challenges faced by leaders.   As a DHHS Director, Chuck led his department on a successful and transformational journey from traditional compliance-based practice to becoming a legitimate trauma-informed agency. As a result of his work recruitment, retention, agency health, and case outcomes dramatically improved. Under his leadership, overall numbers of children living in congregate care were significantly reduced, and at one point even dropped to zero! Chuck's results and process gained recognition across the state, the country, and internationally.   Chuck started Blue Collar Consulting to broaden the impact of lessons learned so you don’t have to start at the beginning. His passion is to help support brave leaders in their professional growth and development, and to use his real-world experience to assist organizations in their trauma-informed cultural transformations. He also has a sweet spot for his two dogs, Brewer and Uecker, which might give away his other passion…Milwaukee Brewers baseball! Chuck lives in Central Wisconsin with his wife of 27 years. As a new member of the empty-nester club, he is free to travel, connect, and lead your transformational work, no matter where you are on your journey, or the map.

The School Mental Health Supplement of Northwest MHTTC was requested by SAMHSA to provide technical assistance (TA) during our Year 4 (August 15, 2021 - August 14, 2022) to the Project AWARE grantees from the 2018-2021 cohorts. This event is for state-level Project Aware Grantee staff in Region 10 only

3:30pm - 4:30pm PT Meeting 5 of 5 (view main book club page) Every third Tuesday of the month from February 15th through June 21st, 2022 Note that while it’s not mandatory to attend all sessions, we strongly ask that you commit to minimally attending the first session and do not miss more than one so that community and learning is stable and strong.   Peace from Anxiety: Get Grounded, Build Resilience, and Stay Connected Amidst the Chaos is Hala Khouri’s latest book which combines somatic experiencing with social justice through an intersectional lens of privilege and power-dynamics. Join the Pacific Southwest MHTTC’s “Peace from Anxiety Book Club” led by the author, Hala, to discuss anxiety and using somatic experiences to explore critical consciousness as awareness of our mental and school mental health leadership.  Each meeting will start with a Q&A session with Hala and a group discussion based on a chapter of the book. Then we'll move into optional breakout groups for more intimate conversations, and then we'll end with a debrief. Sharing is always optional and the breakout groups are never recorded.   "I can say positively, and with the authority of someone who has been extremely candid in the public eye about her experience with anxiety, that this is THE BOOK we’ve all been waiting for. Whether you yourself deal with anxiety isn’t a prerequisite for reading because you know someone who does. We all do. This beautiful book is a guide on how to be human. Filled with grace and practical lessons and guidance, Hala Khouri has offered us a life-saving gift" — Jennifer Pastiloff, (author of National Bestseller On Being Human)    Where do I find the book?  Peace from Anxiety is available at: Amazon, Bookshop (supports local bookstores), Indiebound (supports local bookstores), & Penguin Random House    > More about the book club   Who is the faculty for this book club?  Hala Khouri, M.A., trains direct service providers and educators on how to be trauma-informed with their students and clients. Believing that oppressive systems harm all of us, even those who benefit, Hala has a private practice for individuals and couples. She also works with A Thousand Joys training direct service providers and educators to be trauma-informed and culturally responsive. The focus of both her clinical and group work has been trauma- personal, interpersonal, and systemic.  She brings her decade of clinical experience combined with her experience as a facilitator of group processes for over 15 years. As a Lebanese immigrant in a multi-racial marriage who also gets white skin privilege, Hala is able to be a bridge in the work of equity and inclusion with diverse groups. Hala is known for her compassionate yet straightforward style of facilitation which invites people to grapple with the often charged topics of diversity, inclusivity, justice, and oppression. She knows that none of us individually created these harmful systems, but it’s up to all of us to shift them and create a new paradigm that embraces and celebrates everyone.  Hala earned her B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and an M.A. in Community Psychology with an emphasis in Liberation Studies and Social Justice from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Hala is trained in Somatic Experiencing, a body-based psychotherapy that helps resolve trauma and its symptoms. She lives in Venice, California with her husband and two sons and teaches yoga classes weekly.   

With the current leadership of the Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement (OPRE), the state of New Mexico has nearly doubled the number of Certified Peer Support Workers in our state. Assisting in various capacities, Certified Peer Support Workers (CPSWs) have become a growing and present force in the Behavioral Health Network in New Mexico.   This presentation will be on the Four Agreements written by Don Miguel Ruiz. We will explore the Four Agreements and discuss and expand the understanding of how they can correlate with our Ethics and self-care as Behavioral Health Professionals.