Past Events

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 third 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 take an honest look at the current “system,” our roles as leaders in perpetuating the current system, and to challenge all of us to change it. One of the most critical steps to successful change is a thorough understanding of what to expect during the process. A trauma-informed approach to Human Services and other systems is certainly a great foundation; however, setting the stage and planning for change are key elements to transparency and sustainability. Change happens at the speed of trust. Cultivating an environment of trust is crucial to implementing and sustaining change. This is especially apparent during the “messy middle.” This workshop will outline strategies for managing the messy middle and leadership lag that leaders may encounter. The group will also discuss the importance of the leader’s role in establishing rhythm, predictability, and safety, all of which are key to developing a healthy workforce. The implications, but more importantly the benefits, of a healthy regulated workforce will be outlined. A trauma-informed approach to work is not just for the benefit of those we serve – it must be a parallel process with those in our organizations and departments.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:   Understand how trust impacts all facets of the organization. Recognize the importance of preparation when planning for change. Describe the importance of establishing rhythm, predictability, and safety. Develop insights and lessons learned to normalize the “messy middle.” Recognize the impact of leadership lag and create a plan to manage it.     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 Great Lakes MHTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   This is a CLOSED event for Project Aware Grantees only.     DESCRIPTION: PROJECT AWARE GRANTEES: We look forward to connecting with you soon at our second Regional Collaboration Meeting on May 18.   Each 60-minute monthly session will follow the same structure:  Introductions, sharing and requesting resources, updates A brief presentation on topics identified from the needs assessment Case study example or deep-dive questions into the presentation topic Closing   Every week you will have an opportunity to share resources that you have either recently created or have found useful to your work. And/ or make requests for resources you are looking for. Please bring a resource to share or a request or both to our first meeting.  Our topic on May 18 is supporting provider and educator wellbeing. Stefanie Winfield will be sharing her time and expertise with us highlighting tools workplaces can use to support provider and educator wellbeing and strategies for practicing self compassion. You will have an opportunity to share a case example or situation you are struggling with and talk about how you might apply the information from the presentation to your example, brainstorm solutions, and identify next steps.        LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Build community with other Project AWARE grantees in the region Receive consultation and support for your project from an expert in the field and fellow grantees Learn strategies to build your support networks and funding streams to provide comprehensive school mental health     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within 2 weeks after the conclusion of the event.        PRESENTER: Stefanie Winfield is an Adjunct Faculty Instructor the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social work. In her past role as School Mental Health Lead for the Mountain Plains MHTTC, Stefanie focused on providing intensive technical assistance and training to educators, teachers administrators and all school staff on ways to improve and enhance school mental health. Stefanie has extensive experience working in schools promoting youth sexual health, conflict and anger management, behavioral health education, and school-based health care. With over 20 years of experience working with nonprofits and community organizations, Stefanie has done everything from grant management and implementation, to program and outcome evaluation, training and facilitation.

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: An ethical dilemma arises when there is no clear correct way to proceed. These situations are difficult because the practitioner must often choose the path of doing the least harm, which does not feel very comfortable. In these difficult cases, the practitioner must weigh the consequences of different approaches to the problem and look at ethical considerations. In this class we carefully define the nature of a dilemma and look at a framework to use to decide what to do when one arises. This material builds upon basic understanding of boundaries and ethics in social work practice and leans on the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics as a guide to action as part of an eight step process.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Examine the nature of ethical dilemmas Become familiar with a framework and process Familiarize participants with options for resources Practice steps for effective resolution     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will be eligible to receive 2.0 CEs through the Minnesota Board of Social Work.     SPEAKER: Russ Turner During Russ’s 16-year tenure he has written and taught thousands of hours of person-centered curriculum to help people become more effective helpers, communicators, and leaders. His audience includes workers and leaders across a wide range of organizations from human services, healthcare, and libraries, to law enforcement and corrections. He trains trainers, works with management, and has consulted and coached on training projects across multiple sectors of the economy. He has worked as an educator for three decades in a variety of countries and settings including Japan, the Czech Republic, and the UK. His teaching philosophy is that adults learn best when they are challenged, the material is applicable to work situations, and sessions are interactive and engaging.

The 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 4 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.   

Growing More Than Corn: Nebraska Behavioral Health Workforce Development:   Join us to learn how to overcome the unique challenges of rural practice and how to address these obstacles utilizing satellite locations based on BHECN's programming within rural Nebraska.   Learning Objectives: Identify 3 factors that complicate rural practice. Compare resources in urban and rural areas within your state. Describe one unique program to address rural workforce obstacles.   Speaker:   Catherine Jones-Hazledine, PhD Dr. Jones-Hazledine has been collaborating with BHECN for several years on projects in the Nebraska Panhandle, such as FARM CAMP and the Rural Provider Support Network. She formally joined the BHECN ranks in 2018. Her other roles currently include Supervising Psychologist/Owner at Western Nebraska Behavioral Health (WNBH) Clinics (with integrated care sites around the Sandhills and Panhandle of Nebraska), adjunct faculty with Chadron State College, and the Munroe-Meyer Institute, and training and supervising early career clinicians in rural mental health. Before starting WNBH in 2011, Dr. Cate served as an Assistant Professor with the Munroe-Meyer Institute at UNMC for seven years. Dr. Cate’s training includes a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Chicago, an M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln       ACCREDITED CONTINUING EDUCATION 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.   The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.   The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this activity for 1.0 ANCC contact hour. Nurses should only claim credit for the actual time spent participating in the activity.   Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. This activity has been approved for 1.0 credit hour of continuing education credit.

Intended Audience This session is designed for local and state champions of school mental health initiatives.  It is ideal for those with a role in leading, influencing, and/or planning for the longevity of school mental health services through implementation of systems, policies, and programs. This is an opportunity to learn how to apply leadership strategies to sustainability efforts, including in collaboration with teams/partners. Learning Objectives Participants who join this session will be able to: Identify six core adaptive leadership tenants supporting longevity of school mental health initiatives. Practice positioning oneself to have critical perspective on leading complex change and adaptive challenges over time, including the experimental mindset. Navigate competing priorities in dynamic school mental health initiatives. Support leaders and staff when adaptive change requires loss during the sustainability phase. Session overview How do we approach achieving longevity of our school mental health initiatives? We face changing resources, complex challenges, and many moving parts. Adaptive leadership offers a strategic framework for how to think about the issues, generate solutions, and implement lasting change. In this first of two sessions, we will present core tenants and practices to guide your efforts for ongoing impact. Presenter  Monica Caldwell, LCSW Monica leads and supports the innovative mental health programs at RISE Wisconsin in Madison. She is the former SEA Project Director of Wisconsin’s Project AWARE grant. With 35 years of experience in schools, mental health and child welfare, she remains passionate about high quality services and supports for youth and families living with mental health challenges. Monica believes that collaboration and collective care can change the trajectory of our children’s system of care.

Description: Twelve years ago, we received a signal to prepare behavioral health professionals and community health workers, encourage judicial and court awareness, and integrate policy advancements related to a social dynamic and phenomena called Mass Incarceration. Now, we are conceptually focused, principle driven, and supported by emerging research toward best practices related to what we see as Mass Reentry.  This series, based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Trauma Informed Approaches perspective, will assess research, policy and application related to our understanding of social and emotional trauma. The webinar will examine biopsychosocial health beliefs and social determinants of health models. Part 2 will discuss research about trauma-informed approaches, application, and policy implications as they relate to Returning Adult Citizens reintegrating into society.        Download Flyer   Presenter: Argin Hutchins Dr.PH, MA, LCPC-S, CHW is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (LCPC-S) with the State of Maryland, Board of Professional Counselors and Therapist. He is also certified by the State of Maryland, Department of Health, as a Community Health Worker (CHW). He earned his Doctorate in Public Health from Morgan State University, a Master of Arts from Cornell University and earned a Bachelor of Science at the University of Maryland. He completed an appointment as an Administrative Fellow at Harvard University in Public Health. Dr. Hutchins is a behavioral health professional with 30 years’ experience. He has worked as a Counselor and Director of behavioral health services in juvenile detention facilities, community mental health centers and schools. Dr. Hutchins is also an educator. He was a Faculty Associate teaching at the Johns Hopkins University Graduate School of Education for 10 years. Currently he is an Assistant Professor at Coppin State University, in the Department of Psychology, Counseling and Behavioral Health. Dr. Hutchins also provides behavioral health consultation, education and training in trauma-informed approaches for the Youth Advocate Program Inc.     Learning Objectives: Translate and understand our science, research and policy related to SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach Analyze and assess SAMHSA’s guiding principles of trauma-informed approaches Create a conversation and dialog regarding the interpretation of SAMHSA’s trauma-informed approaches, framework and guiding principles   Who Should Attend? Behavioral, mental and somatic health professionals, community health workers, advocates, community organization professionals, reentry and peer specialists, facilitators and health navigators; probation, parole and court officials   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (45 minutes) or more of the live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). CEUs are not offered for this session. The webinar slide presentation and recording will be posted to the website.

  This event is being held on May 17th, 2022 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT/12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. CT.  Event Description May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness month.  As many as 1 in 5 new mothers experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMADs). These illnesses frequently go unnoticed and untreated, often with long-term consequences to both mother and child.  No one is immune to experiencing PMADS. Women of every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options available to help women recover, but stigma often prevents women from seeking help.     Join us this month as we offer two 1-hour training sessions that address sensitive topics that are often missed in the perinatal mental health conversation: Grief and Loss, and Birth Trauma.    Learning Objectives: ·      Identify key concepts related to perinatal loss  ·      Consider the impact of grief and loss during the perinatal period  ·      Examine effective ways to support individuals who have experienced perinatal loss  Trainer Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo  Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo is a mother, postpartum doula, Certified Lactation Educator and Clinical Psychologist specialized in Perinatal Mental Health. She completed her Master’s degree at Xavier University in Ohio and went on to complete her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the Carlos Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has been a PSI Coordinator in Puerto Rico since 2009, has a private practice and led a monthly support group for parents who have experienced perinatal loss for 11 years. She is an activist for reproductive justice and human rights in maternal infant care. Provides training on perinatal mental health and trauma for health and birth professionals, is part of the expert panel for the Observatory of Obstetric Violence in Puerto Rico and serves as a Psychology Consultant for the Puerto Rico Health Department, Mother, Child and Adolescent Division (Title V). In 2020 she co-founded the first Center for Perinatal Mental Health in Puerto Rico that focuses on research, awareness, and service for this population. 

Peer Wellness Supports for Healthcare Providers 2-Part Training     Training Overview Professionals across the health care continuum are trained to support, educate, and care for others. Sometimes this care comes at their own expense, and they may have difficulty tending to their own well-being. Burnout and compassion fatigue can lead to poor job performance which can negatively impact colleagues, patients/clients, and students, as well as family and friends. Attention to self-care and simple daily practices can build resilience and increase a person’s overall wellness. This training will help professionals in a range of disciplines and settings facilitate brief self-care sessions with their peers and colleagues. Each two-hour live webinar will include didactic, experiential, and implementation planning components (e.g., brief overview of practice, doing a self-care practice, resources, and challenges to using materials at their location, and discussion). This training is highly interactive and experiential. At the end of this training, the audience will be able to lead wellness groups for small teams within their own health center.   Training Schedule and Sequence May 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST: Session 1 will include an overview of the program and self-care practice experience for participants. May 31 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST: Session 2 will include peer strategies and how to implement a colleague-to-colleague program and developing your plan (identifying strengths, possible challenges, and strategies to overcome possible challenges).   Recommended Audience Health center leadership (with authority to implement training) across all departments, especially clinical and administrative leadership. Teams of managers/supervisors, and “change agents” who will lead wellness groups are highly encouraged to attend together.   4 CEUs are available through full participation in this training event.     REGISTER HERE by Monday, May 16, 2022     Priming Materials: For more information on the training and what to expect, please watch this brief video and review the facilitator manual that will accompany the training. Interview with Drs. Swarbrick and Zechner   Self-Care in the Workplace, Facilitator Manual     About the Facilitators   Dr. Margaret Peggy” Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA Peggy Swarbrick has made significant contributions to the body of literature in occupational therapy, nursing, and community behavioral health care practice, focused on topics such as the 8 dimensions of wellness, wellness coaching, peer support, health disparities and social determinants of health, financial wellness, employment, trauma, self-care and more.  She developed a strength based 8-dimensional wellness model to promote recovery from mental health and substance use. Peggy is known for bringing the voices and needs of people to the table by collaborating with the peer community and family groups to identify and address social determinants that are barriers to wellness. She has created self-care and wellness programs for people in recovery, caregiver’s, families, youth, and professionals. As a co-investigator, consultant, and collaborator on Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute grants as well as National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, National Institute of Mental Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, she has contributed to significant research and been a lead for developing trainings and intervention manuals for many of these projects. Peggy was a co-investigator on Perspectives on the International Classification of Diseases (11th revision); Using lived experience to improve mental health diagnoses in the United States: INCLUDE – US Study. Peggy worked for many years at the Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey Wellness Institute and has been teaching occupational therapy courses for many years.  Peggy received a doctoral degree at New York University and an Advanced Training and Research fellowship, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.   Michelle Zechner, PhD, LSW, CPRP Dr. Michelle Zechner is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers-SHP, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Programs and has focused her career on supporting health and wellness for all people, with special expertise in people living with serious mental health conditions and their supporters. Michelle has provided workforce development education and consultation in a variety of settings including community and inpatient mental health programs, aging services, and in-home services. In her current role, she works with a diverse range of health and mental health professionals to support resilience and flourishing in healthcare settings. She also teaches and mentors students.  Michelle’s research agenda centers on motivational health and wellness services.  Michelle has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and is a sought after speaker. Her latest projects include a podcast series: Flourishing at Work: A Plan for Helping Professions, the development of frameworks and programmatic strategies to support wellness for people aging with serious mental health conditions and educational research designed to improve health professional knowledge and comfort providing health care services to people living with serious mental health conditions.

This is private Training of Trainers (ToT).

This training will take place on Monday, May 16th from 1:00-2:00 p.m. MT / 2:00-3:00 p.m. CT.  Event Description Therapists are not always conscious of the beliefs they hold about themselves and their clients. Clients bring their conscious and unconscious beliefs into the therapeutic relationship. During this training, facilitators will present examples of implicit bias and arguments critical of the theory. Participants will examine one’s own self-understanding of implicit bias and reflect on thoughts and feelings when implicit bias is experienced in the workplace. Participants will review workplace mission statements to compare with personal work and life values. Facilitators will introduce the developmental process of identifying and challenging cultural bias. Facilitators will discuss how trauma-informed treatment can only be provided by therapists with antiracist values and interventions. Participants will be able to share clinical interview examples of racial sensitivity to exchange and adopt from other work teams. Additional references, resources, and tools will be provided.  Trainers Terri Davis, Ph.D.                     Terri M Davis, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and program director of the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program at the University of Denver. She teaches classes, including a year-long required sequence for second-year doctoral students focused on culturally immersive and historically problematic and evolving concepts, interactions between personal and social realities, and implications for therapists’ growth and use of self in psychotherapy for individual clients, families, and communities. Dr. Davis is currently Chair of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Training Advisory Committee. The MFP provides mentorship, funding, and community for master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral students of color.   Helen Hsu, Psy.D.                     Helen Hsu, Psy.D. is Director of Outreach at Stanford University. She is President-elect of the American Psychological Association Div. 45 (Society for the Study of Race, Culture and Ethnicity), a past president of the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA), and past Chair of the Training Advisory Committee at the American Psychological Association (APA) Minority Fellowship Program. Helen also served on the APA Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression.  As a bi-cultural, bi-lingual clinician, Helen has worked within the Alameda County Behavioral Healthcare system overseeing K-12 school based clinical services. Her work has focused primarily on intersectional diverse communities, culturally responsive treatment, parenting education, school-based clinical services, grief and loss, and mentorship and leadership training of psychology students. Helen is on the advisory board for the JED foundation which focuses on teen and young adult suicide prevention. She consults extensively with corporate, educational, and clinical training sites.  

Session 6 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. 

Suicidal behaviors constitute a series of public health concerns. Although more research and understanding have been gained in the last years, stigma and myths still permeate this topic, particularly among Latino communities. Data from the CDC indicates that the death rate from suicide for Latino men was four times the rate for Latinas in 2018. However, the suicide rate for Latino is less than half that of the non-Hispanic white population. For the Latino age group of 15-34, death by suicide was the second leading cause of death in 2019, and for Latinas in grades 9-12, suicide attempts were 30% higher than for non-Hispanic White girls in the same age group. Psychological and social factors play a role in suicidal behaviors. If we think of culture as a social factor, then it provides us with a greater understanding of suicidal behaviors. Social influencers such as stigma, poverty, lack of access, and culturally responsive services continue to play a role in providing services for suicidal behaviors among Latinos. In fact, in 2018, Latinos were 50 percent less likely to have received mental health treatment than non-Hispanic whites. This Conference will provide a forum for mental health services providers working with Latino populations to increase their knowledge and understanding of suicidal behaviors among Latinos. The Conference will address culturally grounded prevention and intervention strategies to serve Latinos at risk of suicidal behaviors best.   The goal of the conference Provide a forum for providers of mental health services working with Latino communities to learn and understand the intersection of culture as a social factor in suicidal behaviors among Latino communities. Learning objectives 1. Address contributing psychological and sociocultural factors in suicidal behaviors among Latino populations. 2. Discuss culturally grounded strategies to address suicidal behaviors in school settings. 3. Identify culturally responsive approaches to prevent suicidal behaviors in Latino groups.   Agenda, please click to see the agenda.    Speakers Master of Ceremonies 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.  An Overview of Suicide in New Mexico Jacalyn P. Dougherty, PhD, MA, MS, RN State Coordinator for Suicide Awareness and Prevention New Mexico Department of Health Epidemiology & Response Division Jacalyn Dougherty has served as the Department of Health‘s Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the past 4 years where she is continuing her life-long interest in health promotion. She received a BS in Nursing from the University of New Mexico, a MS in Nursing from the University of Colorado, and completed a Masters and doctoral study at the University of Denver in Developmental Psychology. She worked in the past as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, a school nurse, and as a nursing faculty member in Colorado educating nurse practitioners and traditional and second-degree undergraduate nursing students.  Keynote Presentation: Trajectories of Well-Being after a Suicide Attempt: The Case of Latina Adolescents   Carolina Hausmann-Stabile, PhD Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Bryn Mawr College Dr. Carolina Hausmann-Stabile is an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College. Her work applies sociocultural perspectives to the study of suicidal behaviors among minority youth in the United States and adolescents in Latin America.  She is the co-founder of the Youth Suicide Research Consortium.    Plenary Session: Suicidal behavior of young Latinos and Latinas Luis H. Zayas, PhD  Dean & Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health & Social Policy  Steve Hicks School of Social Work  The University of Texas at Austin  Luis H. Zayas, Ph.D., is dean and the Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and Professor of Psychiatry at the Dell Medical School of The University of Texas at Austin. Zayas is both a social worker and developmental psychologist. His clinical work and research have focused on disadvantaged families, particularly Hispanic and other ethnic/racial minorities.   Screening of Film: Juntos Nos Ayudamos and Grief Counseling, Self-Care and the Therapeutic Relationship Enedina Enriquez, DSW, LCSW Clinical Associate Professor School of Social Work The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Enedina Enriquez is a DSW, LCSW-S, Lecturer III. She holds a doctoral degree in social work from USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in California. She is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Social Work. She is a graduate of the University of Texas Pan American where she got her bachelor and master's social work degree. In 2011, she became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and in 2019, became a Texas State Board Approved Clinical Supervisor for licensed master level social workers and marriage and family therapy clinicians. She has worked as a school social worker, conducted case management in a rehabilitation hospital, worked in an outpatient behavioral facility conducting individual, family, and group therapy services and in hospice and palliative care. She serves on the board for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention South Texas Chapter. Shante Ortega – Invited Panelist Rosa Gallegos Zamora – Invited Panelist   LGBTQ Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Myeshia Price, PhD Senior Research Scientist The Trevor Project Myeshia Price (she/they) is a Senior Research Scientist at The Trevor Project. Dr. Price has more than fifteen years of experience in adolescent public health research, with a focus on sexuality, gender, and LGBTQ youth from an intersectional perspective. After completing their Ph.D. in developmental psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with research focusing on predicting early sexual behaviors during adolescence, they were an assistant professor at the State University of New York at Old Westbury prior to taking a postdoctoral research associate position at the Center for Innovative Public Health Research (CiPHR). Her primary research interest areas include developmental understandings of adolescent gender and sexuality and reducing LGBTQ youth mental health disparities with a particular focus on the role of protective factors.   Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: An Evidence Based Approach to Treat Latinx youth with Suicidal Behaviors Yovanska Duarté-Vélez, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Brown University and Bradley Hospital Dr. Duarté-Vélez received her PhD from the University of Puerto Rico and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and Bradley Hospital. Dr. Duarté-Vélez is also a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience with children and families from diverse backgrounds. Her research interests are to develop and tailor treatments for diverse populations (e.g. ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender) according to their needs and cultural values. Dr. Duarté-Vélez completed a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the SCBT-SB versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) in a “real world” setting with positive results. Currently, she is conducting a randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the SCBT-SB funded by the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities.  

Session Overview Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are arguably more important now than ever to support student mental health, interpersonal skill development and academic success using a universal public health approach in education. However, many schools and communities question what SEL programs are and face challenges to assess SEL program quality and alignment with local education priorities. This learning session will provide practical information about how to communicate what SEL is, including an overview of free, reputable resources that can be used to assess SEL program components and evidence. We will offer resources and facilitated discussion related to challenges communicating about SEL to equip participants with skills to lead discussions and answer questions about SEL in their communities.   Learning Objectives: Increase understanding of how to communicate about what social emotional learning programs are and evidence supporting their contribution to student academic success. Increase familiarity with free, reputable resources to assess the evidence and application of social emotional learning programs for your local school community. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about communicating the value of social emotional learning in schools.   Speaker:               Elizabeth Connors, PhD Elizabeth Connors is an Assistant Professor at Yale University, Division of Prevention and Community Research and at the Child Study Center. She is also a faculty member with the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health, where she is the Director of Quality Improvement and a developer of The SHAPE System. Dr. Connors received her Ph.D. in Clinical Child and Community Psychology and her work focuses on improving access to high-quality mental health promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports for underserved children, adolescents, young adults and their families in critical access points such as schools and community settings.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are arguably more important now than ever to support student mental health, interpersonal skill development and academic success using a universal public health approach in education. However, many schools and communities question what SEL programs are and face challenges to assess SEL program quality and alignment with local education priorities. This learning session will provide practical information about how to communicate what SEL is, including an overview of free, reputable resources that can be used to assess SEL program components and evidence. We will offer resources and facilitated discussion related to challenges communicating about SEL to equip participants with skills to lead discussions and answer questions about SEL in their communities. Learning Objectives: Increase understanding of how to communicate about what social emotional learning programs are and evidence supporting their contribution to student academic success. Increase familiarity with free, reputable resources to assess the evidence and application of social emotional learning programs for your local school community. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about communicating the value of social emotional learning in schools.   Speaker             Elizabeth Connors, PhD Elizabeth Connors is an Assistant Professor at Yale University, Division of Prevention and Community Research and at the Child Study Center. She is also a faculty member with the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health, where she is the Director of Quality Improvement and a developer of The SHAPE System. Dr. Connors received her Ph.D. in Clinical Child and Community Psychology and her work focuses on improving access to high-quality mental health promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports for underserved children, adolescents, young adults and their families in critical access points such as schools and community settings.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are arguably more important now than ever to support student mental health, interpersonal skill development and academic success using a universal public health approach in education. However, many schools and communities question what SEL programs are and face challenges to assess SEL program quality and alignment with local education priorities. This learning session will provide practical information about how to communicate what SEL is, including an overview of free, reputable resources that can be used to assess SEL program components and evidence. We will offer resources and facilitated discussion related to challenges communicating about SEL to equip participants with skills to lead discussions and answer questions about SEL in their communities. Learning Objectives: Increase understanding of how to communicate about what social emotional learning programs are and evidence supporting their contribution to student academic success. Increase familiarity with free, reputable resources to assess the evidence and application of social emotional learning programs for your local school community. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about communicating the value of social emotional learning in schools.   Speaker           Elizabeth Connors, PhD Elizabeth Connors is an Assistant Professor at Yale University, Division of Prevention and Community Research and at the Child Study Center. She is also a faculty member with the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health, where she is the Director of Quality Improvement and a developer of The SHAPE System. Dr. Connors received her Ph.D. in Clinical Child and Community Psychology and her work focuses on improving access to high-quality mental health promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports for underserved children, adolescents, young adults and their families in critical access points such as schools and community settings.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are arguably more important now than ever to support student mental health, interpersonal skill development and academic success using a universal public health approach in education. However, many schools and communities question what SEL programs are and face challenges to assess SEL program quality and alignment with local education priorities. This learning session will provide practical information about how to communicate what SEL is, including an overview of free, reputable resources that can be used to assess SEL program components and evidence. We will offer resources and facilitated discussion related to challenges communicating about SEL to equip participants with skills to lead discussions and answer questions about SEL in their communities. Learning Objectives: Increase understanding of how to communicate about what social emotional learning programs are and evidence supporting their contribution to student academic success. Increase familiarity with free, reputable resources to assess the evidence and application of social emotional learning programs for your local school community. Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about communicating the value of social emotional learning in schools.   Speaker           Elizabeth Connors, PhD Elizabeth Connors is an Assistant Professor at Yale University, Division of Prevention and Community Research and at the Child Study Center. She is also a faculty member with the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health, where she is the Director of Quality Improvement and a developer of The SHAPE System. Dr. Connors received her Ph.D. in Clinical Child and Community Psychology and her work focuses on improving access to high-quality mental health promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports for underserved children, adolescents, young adults and their families in critical access points such as schools and community settings.

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 Overview of Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Cultivate understanding of SMI signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. FACILITATOR SHANNON STEWART, LMHC   Shannon Stewart graduated from Arizona State University with a dual major in Psychology and Communication and completed a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling at Seattle University. Prior to joining the UW SPIRIT Lab, she worked at Harborview Medical Center providing supported employment and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) to adults with persistent and medication-resistant psychosis as well as First Episode Psychosis. She also served as the CBTp Agency Lead for Harborview’s Mental Health and Addiction Services. Shannon’s interests involve understanding/addressing how stigma around serious mental illness creates barriers to access, engagement, therapeutic rapport-building, and recovery. Now as a CBTp trainer with the SPIRIT lab, she is committed to using her personal experience learning CBTp as a community mental health clinician to support other professionals in their learning journey.  

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Join us to focus on the mental health and well-being of Native Youth. Today's youth face stressors that can be overwhelming. What are some coping strategies and how do we support youth who are struggling? It's in their DNA to find strength through culture and tradition. Our presenter is psychologist, John Gonzalez (Ojibwe), who is clinically trained and provides services across Indian country.

This event will be held on May 12th, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. MT.  Event Description Almost all people working in education would say they do what they do in order to support all students, and that they would never target disenfranchised students. However, the persistent educational disparities for students of color, students of low socio-economic backgrounds, and other students with unique needs have been a persistent source of distress for schools and districts across the nation. The practice of mindfulness may be a bridge to help educators better understand how they think, assume, and act based on implicit biases and systemic oppression. Mindfulness is a state of awareness upon the present moment in a particular way and without judgment (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). An extensive body of evidence suggests that mindfulness promotes greater self-awareness and empathy (Chambers, Lo & Allen, 2008; Kabat‐Zinn, 2003; Siegel, 2007), which may be an access point to addressing the dissonance that exists among many educators in bridging their theoretical understanding and ideals of culturally responsive pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995) with their praxis. This highly interactive workshop is designed for anyone working in the education field, and will cover the conceptual foundation as well as turnkey strategies for participants to unpack the layers in which we are affected by bias and the outcomes of systemic oppression, and how these factors can cause us to unintentionally act in ways that contradict our values of equity, inclusion, and belonging. Objectives Build a foundational understanding of the ideological, interpersonal, and institutional facets of systemic oppression in education, and the negative outcomes churned out for historically marginalized and underserved communities Empower participants through an examination of mindfulness as a highly effective tool in cultivating self-awareness and implementing culturally responsive practices that address patterns of inequity in education. Provide participants with turnkey strategies they can implement beyond the session Provide participants with resources to share their learning with their teams, schools, and communities Trainer Dr. Rana Razzaque, Ed.D.                     Dr. Rana Razzaque's mission is to ensure that youth and educators have an intentional focus on honoring diverse cultures and identities, utilizing challenges as opportunities to build resilience, and holistically supporting themselves and others to equitably reach their highest potential. Rana received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University, respectively, and focused her thesis research on the impact of literary influence on colonizing South Asia in the 17th century. In 2017, she earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver while working for Denver Public Schools' Office of Social Emotional Learning. Her dissertation explored how mindfulness influences the culturally responsive practices of educators. After finishing her doctorate, Rana became the Program Development Coordinator with Sources of Strength and enjoyed supporting youth-led school climate initiatives focused on holistic resilience and belonging and grounds her current work as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at Jeffco Public Schools in the intersection of wellness, equity, and transformative leadership.

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: It can be a challenging and stressful time to be working in the schools. While this session may touch on self-care practices, it’s important to consider strategies that can be implemented schoolwide for supporting staff well-being. This session will focus on strategies to create supportive environments for all school staff.     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.      SPEAKERS: Mark Sander, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist who currently leads school-based mental health initiatives for Hennepin County and the Minneapolis Public Schools. He has an extensive history in providing, managing, and supporting school-based mental health work, and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland.    Cheryl Holm-Hansen, PhD, is a community psychologist who specializes in community-based research and evaluation. She provides consulting and support to help school-based mental health programs understand community needs, develop effective services, build stronger systems, and demonstrate impact.

Date: May 11, 2022 Format: Webinar   Time: 1:00 PM—2:00 PM EST Cost: FREE   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION For National Prevention Week, join us for a panel discussion on suicide prevention throughout the lifespan. In this discussion, panelists will share research on interventions and emerging trends in suicide prevention from adolescence through older adulthood. Discussion will also address trends across racial and ethnic groups, considerations for working with LGBTQ+ populations, and the role of peer support in suicide.   ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Shirley Yen, Ph.D. Dr. Shirley Yen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Training Director of the clinical psychology internship program at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Dr. Yen's research focuses on identifying risk factors and developing interventions for suicidal behaviors in adolescents and adults. Dr. Yen has been an NIMH-funded investigator for the past 20+ years, and has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications. As an investigator on prospective, longitudinal studies of youth with bipolar disorder, adults with personality disorders, and suicidal adolescents, Dr. Yen has examined prospective predictors of suicidal behavior. Dr. Yen’s research has also focused on translational work towards developing interventions to reduce suicidal behaviors. She was recently awarded an R01 from the National Institute of Mental Health, to test the effectiveness of a new intervention she developed, Skills to Enhance Positivity (STEP), in reducing suicidal behaviors in acutely suicidal adolescents. She is currently completing a short-term mixed-method prospective study using daily diary ratings that examines mechanisms of risk for suicidal and self-injurious ideation in sexual and gender minority youth, and a pilot adaptation of a yoga-based intervention for adolescents with depression.   Timothy Schmutte, Psy.D. Dr. Schmutte is a clinical psychologist and mental health services researcher with a longstanding interest in older adults and suicide prevention. As an Assistant Professor at the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University, his current research focuses on improving the quality of care provided to patients with high risk for suicide. For his research, Dr. Schmutte uses national data to examine the service use patterns and outcomes of older adults treated for suicidal thoughts and acts in acute care settings as well as to identify risk and protective factors for suicide shortly following a diagnosis of dementia. He is also currently helping to develop a peer-based intervention to help Veterans with high suicide risk as well as a clinical decision support tool for emergency department physicians in treating patients with high suicide risk.   Cheryl Gagne, Sc.D. Cheryl Gagne, Sc.D., is a Senior Associate at C4 Innovations and directs a training program for Massachusetts addiction professionals. She also served as subject matter expert, trainer, and technical assistance provider for SAMHSA’s Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy. In this role, Cheryl developed skill-based curricula for providers including peer workers and led the team that described core competencies for peer workers for SAMHSA. Throughout her career, she has developed training interventions to meet the learning needs of diverse groups of healthcare providers and behavioral health and public health programs in the US and abroad. Her professional skills are influenced by her experiences as person in long-term recovery from bipolar and substance use disorders and the experiences of family members. Cheryl received her Doctorate of Science from Boston University.   About the webinar: This webinar is hosted by the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (HHS Region 1), a program funded through SAMHSA, in collaboration with the New England Mental Health technology Transfer Center, to address the suicide prevention as part of the National Prevention Week promoted through SAMHSA. Certificates of attendance for 1 contact hour will be provided to webinar participants. No partial credit will be awarded. This webinar will be recorded.

/*--> Join Kelsey Alexander, Training and Prevention Coordinator for the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence to learn about recognizing and responding in a trauma-informed way to disclosures of sexual violence, and what resources exist in Connecticut.   /*--> Kelsey Alexander (Pronouns: they/them) Training and Prevention Coordinator Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence