Past Events

Interweaving Polyvagal Theory with Expressive Arts Therapy in Clinical Practice     What? Using a trauma-informed lens, this training offers tools from expressive arts therapy for working with a variety of clients. Presenter Suraya Keating, MFT, REAT, RDT, will discuss various multimodal arts practices as they relate to polyvagal theory. These practices can be used to soothe the nervous system; promote self-awareness; and support the agency, empowerment, and well-being of specific populations, including:  LGBTQ+ people  Non-binary people Individuals with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other severe mental health disorders Individuals with dementia Individuals with autism spectrum disorder In breakout rooms, participants will discuss and practice using expressive arts therapy tools informed by polyvagal theory with each of the above populations. Breakout rooms will be organized according to each practitioner’s area of clinical focus and interest.    When? Tuesday, June 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. PT   Who? This training is intended to serve clinical practitioners, including marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, drug recovery counselors, psychiatric nurses, as well as those in training or internship programs for their respective licenses. 1.5 CEUs are available through full participation in this training event.   Learning Objectives: Participants will: Learn and explain key elements of polyvagal theory as it applies to helping clients care for their nervous system. Articulate two examples of expressive arts therapy interventions that activate the ventral vagal nerve/social engagement system. Identify one expressive arts therapy tool that can help a client regulate their nervous system when it goes into dorsal vagal/freeze mode. Identify one expressive arts therapy tool that can help a client soothe when they are experiencing a fight or flight nervous system response. Identify and explain key considerations of the specific population they are focused on, and how to mindfully adapt expressive arts therapy interventions according to the needs of each person and population.    REGISTER HERE by Monday, June 13, 2022   About the Facilitator: Suraya Keating, MFT, REAT, RDT, is a master trainer in expressive arts and drama therapy as well as adjunct professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies. For 25 years, she has facilitated expressive arts and drama therapy processes with individuals and groups in schools, prisons, and hospitals, with a focus on populations who are marginalized and oppressed. During this time, she has also guided others in the creation and performance of therapeutic life-story theater. For ten years, Suraya co-supervised Contra Costa County’s Expressive Arts Therapy Department, where she trained and supervised MFT associates in the cultivation of a wide variety of tools from expressive arts therapy to support the wellbeing of individuals on the inpatient medical and psychiatric units of a county hospital, in addiction recovery programs at outpatient clinics, and in a variety of other settings. Since 2005, she has worked as Shakespeare for Social Justice Director for Marin Shakespeare’s prison programs, where she has trained hundreds of teaching artists, drama therapy students, and others interested in bringing the arts to carceral settings. Suraya works with therapeutic clients in-person and online, and also offers individual expressive arts consultation sessions as well as one-to-one solo performance coaching.  

Using data to drive decision-making is critical to ensuring that behavioral health services improve the lives of all people, no matter their race, background, or circumstance. During the Using Data for Equity webinar on Thursday, May 26 our partners at Third Sector shared a five-step process of using data to operationalize equity. This Diversity Talk pairs with that webinar and will include three elements: 1) responses to questions from the webinar, 2) deeper dives into each of the five steps, including how to address challenges and mitigate risks, and 3) facilitated discussion and peer learning on using data for equity. Check out the video archive from our May 26 webinar and make plans to extend your learning at this related Diversity Talk.    

    Tele-Behavioral Health Consultation (TBHC) Primary Care Webinar Series   Research has shown rates of anxiety, depression, impaired sleep, and suicidal ideations have risen significantly in children over the past decade. This has correlated with the increased use of smart phones and social media. Although there are some benefits to social media use, approximately 27% of youth report negative sequelae. This presentation will provide information on strategies to help parents and youth understand the safety precautions and reduce negative implications of social media use.    Objectives:  Understand the positive and negative psychological sequelae of social media on a child's mental health. Identify strategies to support parents and youth in limiting exposure to social media and developing coping responses to social media postings.  Identify which youth are at most risk for negative sequelae of social media.  Support community efforts and advocate for improved monitoring and filtering of social media while supporting healthy social development.    Presented by: Terri Matthews, PhD, APRN-NP, BCBA-D Dr. Mathews is an associate professor in the College of Nursing. Dr. Mathews received her bachelor's degree in nursing from University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE; her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and her doctoral degree in Developmental and Child Psychology from the University of Kansas. Dr. Mathews clinical specialty is child and adolescent psychiatric mental health nursing. She is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and a Licensed Psychologist. Dr. Mathews joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in 2008.      

The goal of the Latino Youth Gang Prevention in School Systems curriculum is to help educators and school mental health clinicians working with Latino youth understand the risk factors and interventions strategies specific to Latino youth. Participants will learn about the unique historical context that puts Latino youth at risk for joining and staying in the gang as well as the social determinates of health associated with gang involvement. Evidence based prevention and intervention strategies as well as best practices in cultural adaptation of existing protocols will be reviewed. In addition, cultural considerations for the clinician-youth and educator-youth relationship building and interactions will be discussed. Finally, two case presentations will illustrate what risk factors, prevention, and intervention look like in real life.   Module 1  Latino Youth Gang Involvement: The unique context and implications for Latino youth mental health.  Module 2  Joining, Staying, and Leaving:  Social determinants of health and risk factors related to Latino youth gang involvement.  Module 3  Best Practices for Culturally Inclusive, Evidenced-Based Youth Gang Prevention Programs  Module 4  Cultural Considerations when working with Latino youth and families  Module 5  Putting it All Together: Two Illustrative Case Examples 

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 Main Session: 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. PT Optional Discussion: 4:15 - 4:45 p.m. PT [Find your local time zone here] Session 2 of 4 in the "Rising Practices & Policies in our Workforce: Region 9’s Spring & Summer Learning Series" (view series page for full details) DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION PDF The recent war in Ukraine is elevating the need for mental health and school mental health systems, services, and supportive providers to grow our knowledge and skills responding sensitively to clients and students who are refugees from current and previous wars. Join us to hear from speakers across our region who have lived experience with the impact of war. These mental health and school mental health providers share strategies for working with individuals who have survived wars and navigated the ensuing primary, secondary, and vicarious traumas that resulted from this experience.   In this session, we explore: What might be fundamental elements of providing care and services to those who are war impacted? What might be ways that experiencing secondary or vicarious war impacts survivors’ recovery (e.g., how might seeing the war in Ukraine impact the mental health of Afghani refugees in California, Ecuadorian asylees in Arizona, or native Pacific Islanders in Guam)? How might therapists, peer specialists, social workers, and other providers adapt services to ensure cultural humility and responsiveness? What are the rising practices and policies emerging to help us help?   Presenters   Jose Patiño, MEd Jose Patiño was born in Mexico, raised in the Valley of the sun, Phoenix, AZ. He migrated at the age of six with this family and is part of the 1% DACAmented people in the U.S. with a master’s degree. He is an educator, and an activist. Jose holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University. Jose became involved in the Immigrant Rights and Dreamer Movement in 2009. Ever since then Jose has been standing up against the injustices that undocumented immigrants face. He stopped a bus of undocumented immigrants who were set to be deported, engaged in a direct action where he interrupted President Obama’s speech, and has lobbied for the DREAM Act and Immigration Reform. Due to Jose’s activism he was featured in The Washington Post, MSNBC, NPR, Univision, Telemundo, Buzzfeed, Think Progress, among others. He was also featured in the documentaries The Dream is Now and Underwater Dreams. Jose leads Aliento’s efforts to gain instate tuition & access to scholarships for all Arizona students regardless of immigration status. He is proud to serve his community and believes in giving back and one of his most recent accomplishments is the he co-founded a scholarship named after him to support undocumented students access to higher ed. He also serves in the National DACA Advisory Board for Teach for America as the Chair of Advocacy Committee. He is also a member of the Arizona Department of Education School Safety taskforce and a member of the City of Mesa Census 2020 taskforce.     Natalya (Natasha) Bogopolskaya, Psy.D., NCSP Dr. Natalya Bogopolskaya immigrated from Yalta, Ukraine (then Soviet Union) to San Francisco, California at age seven years. She speaks English, Russian, and French, and has studied six other languages. Dr. Bogopolskaya is a nationally certified school psychologist (NCSP). Her expertise also includes promoting protective factors and strengths for students of all abilities, families, schools, communities, and faith-based organizations in New York City’s Harlem and South Bronx, North and Southwest Philadelphia, Baltimore, and in her current residence, Los Angeles. Dr. Bogopolskaya earned a master’s degree from the Teachers College, Columbia University, and a doctorate in school psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Her doctoral dissertation examined the relationship between resilience traits, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in suicide loss survivors. She is currently a school psychologist for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and a board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Greater Los Angeles County Chapter. Dr. Bogopolskaya is also a consultant for Mzima Consulting and has been a featured consultant with L.A. Parent Magazine.     Sharon A. Hoover, Ph.D. Sharon is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Co-Director of the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH, www.schoolmentalhealth.org), and Director of the Center for Safe Supportive Schools (CS3). She currently leads national efforts to support states, districts and schools in the adoption of national performance standards of comprehensive school mental health systems (www.theSHAPEsystem.com). Dr. Hoover has led and collaborated on multiple federal and state grants, with a commitment to the study and implementation of quality children’s mental health services. Currently, she co-leads two large randomized trials of school mental health efforts, one focused on reducing exclusionary discipline practices by installing mental health and restorative practice approaches and one on improving school mental health services with best practices in family engagement, educator mental health literacy and modularized evidence-based clinical practices.       Stephanie Noriega, LCSW Stephanie Noriega is the Program Manager for the Newcomer Wellness Initiative for Oakland Unified School District. The program serves immigrant families who have recently entered the school district within their first 3 years of their arrival. She supports a team of Clinical Social Workers who provide educational assistance, referrals for medical care, legal aid and other basic needs across 15 secondary school sites. Stephanie was with the school district during the inception of the Newcomer Wellness Initiative helping shape its programming, eventually becoming the program manager. Stephanie attended the University of Southern California where she obtained her Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in adolescent adult development.         Main Session Moderator Yesmina Luchsinger, MS, PS MHTTC School Mental Health Training Specialist     Session Debrief Facilitator Leora Wolf-Prusan, EdD, PS MHTTC School Mental Health Field Director     Priming Materials Youth and Mental Health – Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center  Youth Mental Health in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program: Findings from a Descriptive Study – Office of Planning, Resources & Evaluation, An Office of the Administration for Children & Families Newcomer Students – resources and information page, CA Department of Education  Wartime Trauma Treatment; Reflections from a Therapist Treating Ukrainian Survivors - Psychotherapy Networker   Resources to Support the Mental Health of Asylum Seekers - Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network International Rescue Committee’s Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery (CARRE) – resource & information webpage Talking to Children about War - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network Psychological First Aid for Displaced Children and Families - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network New translations from NCTSN are now available! Talking to Children about War available in Hungarian PFA: For Displaced Children and Families available in Norwegian, Italian, and Polish Understanding Refugee Trauma: For Primary Care Providers available in Ukrainian Understanding Refugee Trauma: For Mental Health Professionals available in Ukrainian Understanding Refugee Trauma: For School Personnel available in Russian and Italian

Session 7 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. 

Private training for AWARE grantee. Module 5: Engaging and Treating the Hispanic and Latino Client Module Goal: This module will provide training on best practices in the engagement and treatment phase of mental health treatment with the Hispanic and Latino client. Module Objectives: Participants will be able to identify three cultural elements that inform mental health assessment and treatment interventions with Hispanic and Latino individuals; Participants will be able to list and discuss at least two specific evidence-based interventions and techniques in Latino mental health Participants will be able to demonstrate two culturally informed assessment and treatment techniques shown to be effective with Latino clients.   About the Speaker:    Diane Arms, MA  Director for The Center for Co-occurring Disorders  The Council on Recovery  Diane Arms currently serves as the Director of The Center for Co-occurring Disorders 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 both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree 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. 

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: Stress is cited as the number one health problem in America. The American Psychological Association partnered with The Harris Poll in February to conduct a survey for its Stress in America Report. The report indicates Americans are stressed about the rise in prices due to inflation, supply chain issues, global uncertainty, potential retaliation from Russia, and Russian invasion of Ukraine. Added to this list are other daily stressors related to work and school. The list goes on. In this training we will explore approaches to self-care in an effort to combat this constant stream of stress.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Ways to increase resilience to strengthen your defense against stress. 2. Why you should shift focus from time management to energy management. 3. Laughter as a tool to manage stress. 4. Taking gratitude practice to a new level. 5. What is flow and why is it important?     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: Dr. Siquilla Liebetrau is Clinical Director and a licensed Clinical Psychologist at Bowen Center, the largest Community Mental Health Center in Indiana. Dr. Liebetrau completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at DePaul University in Chicago and her graduate studies at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. She has dedicated her training and career to serving in community mental health and is passionate about serving those in greatest need of care and support.  She enjoys the variety of doing therapy with children, teenagers and adults across a broad spectrum of diagnoses. Areas of special interest include trauma, integrating behavioral health into primary care, and suicide prevention.  She also enjoys doing psychological testing including Autism Evaluations, Bonding and Attachment Assessments, and Child Hearsay Evaluations. 

This 2-hour session is part of the live learning lab series Essentials of Care for Supporting Individuals with Serious Mental Illness presented by the SPIRIT Lab at the University of Washington. This training is limited to a specific cohort. Find out more about this learning lab series here. ABOUT THE SESSION Crisis Response and Risk Reduction. Develop knowledge and skills to work with individuals in crisis. FACILITATOR JEFF ROSKELLEY, LICSW Jeff Roskelley graduated from the University of Utah with a Masters of Social Work degree in 2008, and has worked in several different settings including hospice, as a co-occurring assessment specialist at the University of Utah, and as a co-occurring specialist for the Lake Whatcom Assertive Community Treatment team in Bellingham, WA. Since 2013, Jeff has provided training, consultation, and quality monitoring to clinicians in outpatient and Assertive Community Treatment teams across Washington State and has provided training to ACT teams on evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions nationally. Finally, Jeff is an ardent dog lover and self-described qigong dabbler.  

The Northeast and Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) at Rutgers University will provide monthly webinars to support you in developing your school-based mental health services and supports. During these sessions, the MHTTC in collaboration with school mental health experts and New Jersey district exemplars will focus on the following core features of effective school mental health: Developing your Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping Establishing Universal Prevention Establishing Tiered Supports (Tier 2 & Tier 3) System Partners Risk Assessment Funding Comprehensive School-based Mental Health Staff Self-Care Intended Audience: The webinars are intended to help support school/district mental health teams that will develop and influence school mental health programming. This includes, but is not limited to: Administrators (school principals/vice-principals) School mental health professionals (e.g., school counselors, social workers, etc.) District Mental Health Director or Student Services Coordinator Community Behavioral Health Agencies

Learning objectives Address contributing psychological and sociocultural factors in suicidal behaviors among Latino populations.  Discuss culturally grounded strategies to address suicidal behaviors in school settings.  Identify culturally responsive approaches to prevent suicidal behaviors in Latino groups.    About the Speaker: J Rocky Romero, PhD, LMSW CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates Dr. J Rocky Romero, LMSW is the CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates, a company he started 21 years ago that focuses on behavioral health program development, program evaluation, consultation, and specialized training.  Dr. Romero completed his doctoral studies at the University of New Mexico in Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS) with a focus on analyzing legal discourse related so Spanish colonization while applying a critical race theory lens and a fellowship for El Centro de la Raza at the University of New Mexico.  Dr. Romero has been a trainer and consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded National Hispanic & Latino-Mental Health Technology Transfer Center for the last 13 years.  Also, locally Dr. Romero provides program evaluation and training services for the McKinley County DWI program in Gallup, NM and has done so since 2016.  Through his substance use prevention work he is a national and international senior trainer for Clare|Matrix, formerly the Matrix Institute on Addictions, for the last 14 years. 

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: Emotion Regulation Skills is the fifth module in a series of eight DBT modules that will be presented every three weeks through August 11, 2022.  This module will include understanding and naming emotions, changing emotions you want to change, reducing vulnerability to emotion mind, and managing really difficult emotions.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Learn how to label and regulate emotions as well as reduce overall vulnerability to emotion mind.   Be able to teach the emotion regulation skills to clients.     SPEAKER:  Melissa Skrzypchak MSSW, LCSW has over 18 years of experience in partnering with her clients to help them build their best lives. She is one of only a few therapists, in the state of WI, with the DBT Linehan Board of Certification. In addition, she has had intensive training in Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for persons who have overcontrol tendencies associated with chronic, treatment resistant depression and anxiety.  Melissa provides psychotherapy to individuals and groups ages 12 and up. Areas of specialty include borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. CERTIFICATES: Certificates of attendance will be emailed to all participants who attend the training in full.   

Description Self-care has been defined as "a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being. This webinar will offer participants tips and techniques for maintaining their own physical, mental, and emotional health.   Learning Objectives Define the concept of self-care as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic Identify specific self-care strategies to incorporate into one’s daily routine during the pandemic Construct a personalized self-care plan   Speaker Dr. Erin J. Richardson is a certified Life Coach, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor with more than 10 years of experience in providing counseling and therapeutic services to adults, adolescents, children, and families representing various cultures and ethnicities. She specializes in the integration of mental health and spirituality and focuses on healing the mind, body, and spirit. Her passion for helping others has led to the work of advocacy and bringing awareness to the need for mental health and wellness resources in the African American community. She currently serves as the founder of The Rich Life Brand, LLC coaching and consulting firm, Clinical Faculty member at Coppin State University, and Field Placement Coordinator and Counseling Psychology Faculty member at The University of Baltimore. Dr. Richardson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Virginia Union University. She also earned both a Master of Science degree in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Loyola University Maryland.   Certificates of attendance are available upon request Requirement: Viewing 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar  Emailed to attendees within 30 days after the webinar date   The Central East MHTTC supports this Baltimore Faith Based Commission for Behavioral Health event.

Event Description Providers of all occupations render crucial care to individuals in high-stress environments while routinely experiencing secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue in the course of delivering care. Unaddressed secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and occupational stress can lead to provider burnout and a diminished capacity to provide highly effective care. This presentation will provide foundational information for providers seeking to increase their ability to experience joy, meaning, and purpose in their work. Trainer Julio Brionez, Ph.D.                     Julio Brionez, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana. He primarily serves at the UWYO university counseling center and in his private practice, JB LLC. Dr. Brionez is a first-generation college student, identifies as Latino, male, and uses he/him pronouns. He specializes in the treatment and prevention of suicide and uses interventions from acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapies.  

Best practices in supporting people living with co-occurring conditions to promote long term recovery and successful reintegration will be addressed in this 75-minute webinar. Offered in collaboration with C4 Innovations. ABOUT THIS EVENT In the United States, almost half of all people with substance use disorders also meet criteria for a mental health disorder, and vice versa. Understanding how each disorder impacts the other is imperative to providing effective interventions. In this session, participants will learn about common psychiatric disorders, their symptoms, and treatment, and will analyze how they impact and interact with substance use disorders. Content will explore best practices in supporting people living with co-occurring conditions to promote long term recovery and successful reintegration into their community of choice. Learning Objectives: Identify common psychiatric disorders, prevalent symptoms, and effective treatment interventions Identify the 3 major components of effective treatment for substance use disorders Explain the relationship between mental health and substance use disorders and how they can impact one another Describe risk factors that make a person vulnerable to the development of co-occurring disorders Discuss person-centered care and how it works to supports recovery in persons with co-occurring disorders Recommended Resources: Infographic on comorbidity Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, Koss MP, Marks JS. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998 May;14(4):245-58. doi: 10.1016/s0749-3797(98)00017-8. PMID: 9635069. NIDA. 2018, August 1. Comorbidity: Substance Use Disorders and Other Mental Illnesses DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/comorbidity-substance-use-disorders-other-mental-illnesses on 2022, May 13. TIP 42: Substance Use Treatment for Persons With Co-Occurring Disorders. This updated (March 2020) TIP is intended to provide addiction counselors and other providers, supervisors, and administrators with the latest science in the screening, assessment, diagnosis, and management of co-occurring disorders (CODs). FACILITATOR Elizabeth Black, MRC, LADC Elizabeth Black has worked with and on behalf of marginalized populations for more than 15 years. She holds a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and is a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor. Ms. Black serves as subject matter expert, trainer, and technical assistance provider for substance use, mental health, and recovery initiatives. Her areas of interest and expertise include harm reduction, medication-assisted treatment, and health and wellness in recovery.          

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!

  Join us as we share our cultural connection to food, apply a balanced way of eating, and incorporate Indigenous traditions into our lives with the healing power of food. We welcome Dr. Vanessa Quezada (Kickapoo/Chichimeca). She is a pharmacist and founding member of SanArte Healing and Cultura clinic. Her work is at the intersections of Native traditional healing, food sovereignty and renewable energy that build more life-giving systems. Participants will become knowledgeable in providing emotional/ resilient support for AI/AN youth. Our school communities will develop healthier eating habits for successful outcomes in and out of the classroom. We will reflect upon our cultural connections to food and discuss the importance of sugar stability in the body as related to mental health support. We will learn how to adapt a balanced way of eating and discuss the role of stress, sleep and exercise. Together, we will develop plans for improving access to our traditional foods. Session #1

Description Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based, psycho-social intervention method that aims to improve mental health. CBT focuses on challenging and changing unhelpful cognitive distortions and behaviors, improving emotional regulation, and the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.     This interactive Enhanced Professional Learning (EPL) online series will provide collaborative training and practice opportunities essential to the development of CBT therapy skills, specifically for treating anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) both in individual and group therapy.    WHEN:   Every Wednesday, June 8 – July 20, 2022 from 1:30 – 3:00 PM Mountain/2:30 – 4:00 PM Central     PARTICIPANT COMMITMENT & EXPECTATIONS:  Attend a live 1-hour Orientation Session on Wednesday, June 8 at 1:30 pm Mountain/2:30 pm Central  Commit to 6-weeks of training for 1.5 hours weekly from June 15-July 20, 2022  Complete 1-hour of weekly self-study learning activities  Access to appropriate technology to utilize online videoconferencing platform (i.e., an internet connection, webcam, computer/tablet, speakers, and microphone)  Be prepared and actively engage while on camera during the scheduled series time    THERE IS NO COST TO PARTICIPATE  Registration for this series is limited to 40 mental health professionals who work in HHS Region 8 states on a first come first served basis (Region 8 includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming). Once the 40 spots have been filled, registration will be closed. Due to limited enrollment, if you cannot commit to the full requirements, please defer this opportunity to others.  Note: It is expected that participants will have access to the appropriate technology by June 8 to be able fully participate and be on camera during the session. This is not a webinar series and active participation is required to gain/improve skills.    CONTINUING EDUCATION:  The series has been approved for a total of 16 contact hours (15-hours content instruction and 1-hour orientation session). No credit will be awarded for non-attendance. The knowledge and skills learned should be applied within the framework of any applicable Operating and/or Credentialing regulations in your State of practice.  Objectives At the end of the CBT EPL series, participants will be able to:  Describe how to apply CBT skills in practice  Identify the key components of a cognitive behavioral approach to understanding anxiety, depression, PTSD.  Describe how specific kinds of behaviors and thought patterns can maintain difficulties in anxiety, depression, and PTSD and identify key CBT techniques which are used to address these in therapy.  Summarize how to use CBT in group settings to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD.  Trainer Thomas Broffman, PHD, LICSW, CAADAC, CCS, CEAP

Description:  Many adults find themselves in the position of being caretakers for their parents or a loved one as they get older. Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding experience, but can also lead to heightened feelings of stress and create strain in relationships. This workshop will explore signs and symptoms of caregiver stress and identify strategies that can be used to support caregivers as they encounter changing family roles and dynamics. Download Flyer   Presenters: Dana Cunningham, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Faculty Consultant at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Cunningham is the Program Director of the Prince George’s School Mental Health Initiative, which is a school-based mental health program designed to support the emotional and behavioral needs of students in special education. Dr. Cunningham is also the Vice President of Community Outreach and Engagement in Black Mental Wellness. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and completed her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Dr. Cunningham’s clinical and research interests include trauma, children of incarcerated parents, and increasing access to care for underserved youth.  Dr. Danielle Busby was born in Detroit, MI and raised in the Detroit metropolitan area. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, and her master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University. Currently, Dr. Busby is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). In this role, she primarily serves youth and families experiencing a range of mental health concerns through the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program. Dr. Busby’s expertise is in trauma-informed assessment and intervention; evidence-based clinical practices; and suicide risk assessment and intervention. She is passionate about decreasing barriers to mental health service use for underserved patient populations and is committed to continuously bridging the gap between research and clinical practice.   Learning Objectives: Identify how stress and “burnout” impacts physical and mental health outcomes Identify signs of caregiver stress Identify strategies to support caregivers   Who Should Attend? Caregivers, behavioral and medical health professionals, professionals who support caregivers   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). CEUs are not offered for this session.  

Private training for AWARE grantee. Module 4: Developing Culturally Centered Interventions Goal: This module will provide training on the integration of culturally centered interventions in mental health and substance use treatment Module Objectives: Participants will be able to apply culturally centered interventions when working with Hispanic and Latino individuals; Participants will be able to discuss the eight areas of culturally centered interventions, and will be able to identify specific elements of the Hispanic and Latino population which may need special attention; Participants will be able to demonstrate use of the eight culturally centered intervention modifications.   About the Speaker:    Diane Arms, MA  Director for The Center for Co-occurring Disorders  The Council on Recovery  Diane Arms currently serves as the Director of The Center for Co-occurring Disorders 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 both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree 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. 

This webinar will discuss cultural needs and treatment adaptations that can best serve Hispanic and Latinx populations. ABOUT THIS EVENT This is the third of three sessions. Each session will last 75 minutes. You are welcome to attend any of the sessions. May 11, 10-11:15am Pacific, Session 1: Understanding the Cultural Needs of the Hispanic and Latinx Client May 25, 10-11:15am Pacific, Session 2: Assessing the Cultural Adaptation Needs of the Organization and Clinician June 8, 10-11:15am Pacific, Session 3: Incorporating Strategies to Effectively Engage Hispanic and Latinx Clients Culture has proven to be the foundation of the working relationship with all populations. A positive cultural connection has been proven to increase the success of clinical interventions and prevent early termination. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to gain awareness of the cultural needs and treatment adaptations that can best serve the Hispanic and Latinx populations. In addition to identifying cultural needs, this workshop will also provide options for cultural assessment in the client-clinician-supervisor relationship and within the organization. Lastly, this presentation will provide guidance as to specific cultural adaptations that clinicians can make to their evidence-based practices (EBPs) to increase the success of treatment. Participants in this workshop will be able to: Identify specific cultural needs of Hispanic and Latinx clients Assess the cultural dynamic of the client-clinician-supervisor relationship Assess the organizational environment to identify cultural adaptation needs Incorporate strategies to effectively engage and intervene with Hispanic and Latinx clients   FACILITATOR Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC Dr. Michelle Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider and Evaluator. She has worked in primarily with the Latinx population throughout her career as a child welfare specialist and forensic evaluator and treatment provider. She is currently the Hospital Administrator for Elgin Mental Health Center in Elgin, Illinois, a state forensic psychiatric hospital. She is in private practice at Nickerson & Associates, PC, as a bilingual therapist where she treats adults and adolescents with mental health issues, substance abuse issues and sex addictions. She also teaches on these topics at Aurora University and University of Chicago. Previously, she was the Assistant Dean for Health Professions and Public Service at Waubonsee Community College, and she has held other positions within private psychiatric hospitals. Throughout her career, she has worked to increase equity, justice and cultural awareness in these institutions. Michelle Evans earned a Doctor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois.

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: One of the tenets of motivational interviewing is that people change when there is a discrepancy between a current behavior and a goal. Some clients with co-occurring disorders report not having the opportunity to focus on life goals for years, others lack hope that recovery is possible. This presentation focuses on the integration of motivational interviewing and Logo-therapy to help clients recover. Logo-therapy was developed by the renowned psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl. Logotherapy helps clients turn life pain into life purpose.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Articulate the principles of motivational Interviewing. Utilize principles of logotherapy to help clients with co-occurring disorders have hope and a sense of purpose in recovery. Integrate techniques from motivational interviewing and logotherapy to help clients recover.     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.      SPEAKER:   Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is the State Project Manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC and PTTC. Mark has worked for 40 years as a social worker, educator, and part of the SUD workforce. He is founder of the Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery and co-founder of Serenity Academy of Chicago, the only recovery-oriented high school in Illinois. Mark is also an international speaker, trainer, and consultant in the behavioral health field whose work has reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and the British Islands.    Recently, Mark Sanders was named as the 2021 recipient of the NAADAC Enlightenment Award in recognition of his outstanding work and contributions to NAADAC, the field of SUD services, and SUD professionals. He is also the recipient of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health’s 2021 Lawrence Goodman Friend of the Field award in honor of the many years of dedicated service Mark has provided to communities throughout his home state of Illinois.

  Tele-Behavioral Health Consultation (TBHC) Primary Care Webinar Series   Outline:  Discuss research on the mental health benefits of affirming children's gender identities.  Describe what the affirmative model looks like in the psychology practice.  Discuss key considerations in helping children make decisions about their ultimate gender.    Learning objectives:  Defining terms - learning gender terminology Theoretical basis and tenants of gender affirmative model  Medical interventions available to transitioning youth  Learn about effective strategies and engagement of affirmative practice Increasing the clinical and cultural competence of psychologists and allied mental health professionals who will be treating transgender and gender expansive children and youth    Presented by: Andrea Garcia, MA, MS, PLMHP Andrea Garcia, MA, MS, PLMHP is a predoctoral intern in the Munroe-Meyer Institute Department of Psychology at UNMC. Andrea provides services in the Sleep and Primary Care Clinic. Andrea is a doctoral graduate student from the University of Kansas, School Psychology Program. Andrea’s dissertation research is focused on the neurocognitive outcomes of children prenatally exposed to opioids. Her research has been presented in the state capital research summit and a grant from the Children’s Miracle Network. Andrea’s clinical experience has ranged from working with children with severe emotional disturbances to children with chronic sleep problems. At the end of her clinical rotation at Munroe Meyer Institute, Andrea will pursue a post-doc in pediatric psychology focused on actively promoting the health and psychological well-being of children with complex medical conditions and their families.    

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 series of sessions to 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 #1