Past Events

The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   12:00PM–1:30PM Eastern 11:00PM–12:30PM Central     DESCRIPTION: The Hispanic and Latinx community is the fastest growing minority group in the United States making up approximately 16% of the total population. Despite being the largest minority population in the country, lack of access to health care and health insurance remains prominent issues for this community. This workshop will give an overview of the Hispanic and Latinx community, look at barriers in terms of access to health care and health insurance, and how to effectively address the healthcare needs of the Hispanic and Latinx population. As the Hispanic and Latinx population continues to grow, it is crucial to not only understand these barriers, but also create solutions for the well-being of current and future generations.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will: 1. Learn about the Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States and Indiana. 2.  Understand the factors that contribute to the barriers around healthcare access for the Hispanic and Latinx communities. 3.  Know the health insurance enrollment process for Immigrants. 4.  Locate resources to assist this population in enrolling and accessing healthcare.     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.      TRAINERS: Julia Holloway, MBA Julia has worked for ASPIN for over 10 years. For almost nine years, Julia has managed the ASPIN Health Navigator Program funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services having the primary day-to-day responsibility for achieving project goals, and strategizing outreach and education. She also oversees the development of pre-certification training and continuing education credits hosted by ASPIN for Indiana State Certified Navigators. Julia has over 40 years of experience in community service and a comprehensive background in leadership, government, grantsmanship, community planning, healthcare initiatives implementation, evaluation, constituency relations, and systems analysis. Julia has served on a number of statewide stakeholder work groups for healthcare. Julia received her Master’s in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Indiana University. She has received additional training in rural community development in health care from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.   Chip Zapp, CRS, CCHW Chip is currently working at ASPIN as a Community Health Worker/navigator funded through a CMS navigator state cooperative agreement. Chip has demonstrated his ability to work with numerous different populations and cultures as a navigator utilizing interpreters. He maintains a strong relationship with the Immigrant Welcome Center and other Latinx serving community groups to hold insurance-focused workshops and enrollments. He has also assisted consumers using American Sign Language (ASL). Chip attended the University of Akron and the Ohio State University.   Keny Chapman, BBA, CCHW Keny works for ASPIN as a Bilingual Program Coordinator, translating ASPIN's training courses into Spanish. She has been doing translation and interpretation for the past seven years. Keny specializes in helping members of the community, entrepreneurs, and businesses connect with the Hispanic/Latino community. Keny has over 15 years of experience in engineering and nursing. Most recently, she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration. Keny is from Peru, South America.  

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: The Hispanic and Latinx community is the fastest growing minority group in the United States making up approximately 16% of the total population. Despite being the largest minority population in the country, lack of access to health care and health insurance remains prominent issues for this community. This workshop will give an overview of the Hispanic and Latinx community, look at barriers in terms of access to health care and health insurance, and how to effectively address the healthcare needs of the Hispanic and Latinx population. As the Hispanic and Latinx population continues to grow, it is crucial to not only understand these barriers, but also create solutions for the well-being of current and future generations.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will: 1. Learn about the Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States and Indiana. 2.  Understand the factors that contribute to the barriers around healthcare access for the Hispanic and Latinx communities. 3.  Know the health insurance enrollment process for Immigrants. 4.  Locate resources to assist this population in enrolling and accessing healthcare.     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:   Julia Holloway, MBA Julia has worked for ASPIN for over 10 years. For almost nine years, Julia has managed the ASPIN Health Navigator Program funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services having the primary day-to-day responsibility for achieving project goals, and strategizing outreach and education. She also oversees the development of pre-certification training and continuing education credits hosted by ASPIN for Indiana State Certified Navigators. Julia has over 40 years of experience in community service and a comprehensive background in leadership, government, grantsmanship, community planning, healthcare initiatives implementation, evaluation, constituency relations, and systems analysis. Julia has served on a number of statewide stakeholder work groups for healthcare. Julia received her Master’s in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Indiana University. She has received additional training in rural community development in health care from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.       Chip Zapp, CRS, CCHW Chip is currently working at ASPIN as a Community Health Worker/navigator funded through a CMS navigator state cooperative agreement. Chip has demonstrated his ability to work with numerous different populations and cultures as a navigator utilizing interpreters. He maintains a strong relationship with the Immigrant Welcome Center and other Latinx serving community groups to hold insurance-focused workshops and enrollments. He has also assisted consumers using American Sign Language (ASL). Chip attended the University of Akron and the Ohio State University.     Keny Chapman, BBA, CCHW Keny works for ASPIN as a Bilingual Program Coordinator, translating ASPIN's training courses into Spanish. She has been doing translation and interpretation for the past seven years. Keny specializes in helping members of the community, entrepreneurs, and businesses connect with the Hispanic/Latino community. Keny has over 15 years of experience in engineering and nursing. Most recently, she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration. Keny is from Peru, South America.

This webinar will discuss cultural needs and treatment adaptations that can best serve the Hispanic and Latinx populations. ABOUT THIS EVENT This is the first 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 the 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: Join us for this one-hour introductory webinar presentation: Trauma Affect Regulation: A Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET). TARGET is a strengths-based and trauma-focused intervention designed for youth survivors of physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional trauma. TARGET is utilized to prevent and treat traumatic stress disorders. Dr. Julian Ford, developer of TARGET, will discuss the seven skills (FREEDOM) that students can use to regulate extreme emotional states, manage intrusive trauma memories, promote self-efficacy, and achieve lasting recovery from trauma. TARGET has also been adapted to different ages, groups, and cultures.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) method of psychoeducation and stress management skills. Describe how TARGET can be used in school settings for universal or selective prevention. Describe how TARGET can be used in school settings for indicated prevention in the aftermath of violent or other traumatic incidents.     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: Julian D. Ford, PhD Julian D. Ford, Ph.D., A.B.P.P. is a board-certified clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Law at the University of Connecticut where he directs two Treatment and Services Adaptation Centers in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network: the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice and the Center for the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders. Dr. Ford is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. He has published more than 250 articles and book chapters and is the author or editor of 10 books, including Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models.  Dr. Ford developed and has conducted randomized clinical trial and effectiveness studies with the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET©) model for youths and adults.  

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC and the Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey are proud to offer a free, webinar series for professionals in the behavioral health workforce designed to spotlight different aspects of mental health services for the Latinx/Hispanic community and adequately respond to their unique mental health needs.   This webinar series will explore the range of experiences that may lead to mental health conditions such as immigration, acculturation, trauma, and generational conflicts. This series will also highlight the unique institutional and systemic barriers that impede access to mental health services, which result in reduced help-seeking behaviors.  Note: Your one-time registration will automatically enroll you for all 3 sessions. Session 1 March 11, 2022 | 12:00-1:30 pm EST Identify and discuss the barriers that prevent members of the Hispanic and Latinx community from seeking and accessing mental health services. Presented by Dr. Jesselly De La Cruz.   Session 2 April 13, 2022 | 12:00-1:30 pm EST Explore the intersectionality and cultural diversities within the Hispanic and Latinx community and how it impacts mental health services with a focus on cultural considerations and trauma histories. Presented by Dr. Azara Santiago Rivera    Session 3 May 10, 2022 | 12:00-1:30 pm EST Identify the intersection between the legal system and mental health services as an undocumented member of the Hispanic and Latinx Community. Presented by Dr. Melissa Rivera Marano Presenters:   Dr. Jesselly De La Cruz, BA in Political Science (Rider University), MSW (Rutgers University), and DSW (Rutgers University), is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NJ. She completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy at The Multicultural Family Institute, Inc. in Highland Park, NJ. Having originated from an underprivileged background and being a child of an immigrant family herself, Dr. De La Cruz’s education and work has been motivated by her desire to support traditionally underserved populations. Towards that overarching goal, she has worked with Latino advocacy nonprofit agencies. She currently serves as Executive Director for the Latino Action Network Foundation. Her clinical experience includes providing emergency screening of persons in mental health crisis at an inner-city hospital, outpatient and in-home child and family therapy, and clinical consultation for nursing homes with primarily Spanish-speaking residents. In addition, she has extensive experience working in the prevention of child sexual abuse by conducting forensic evaluations, individual, group and family therapy at an intensive outpatient program for court mandated youth who have been sexually abused and/or have fire setting behaviors. Currently, Dr. De La Cruz coordinates the psychological treatment of child sexual abuse survivors and their non-offending families in Hudson County, NJ. As a Practitioner Scholar, her research interests focus on systemic approaches to the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse, and the healing of intergenerational trauma in families through the use of mindfulness-based psychotherapies, play therapy, multi-systemic family therapy, as well as the political empowerment of Latinos in NJ.    Dr. Azara Santiago Rivera serves as the Coordinator of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at Felician University, Lodi, New Jersey. Also, she earned the status of Emeritus Professor and was the Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in the Department of Psychology at Merrimack College. Before joining the Merrimack community, she held academic appointments at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) as the chair of the Counseling Department in August 2011 and became dean of academic affairs in August 2013 until 2015.  Dr. Santiago-Rivera served as the associate dean of the School of Education, University at Albany (NY) from 2001―2004. Among outcomes of her work were initiatives to advance early career faculty with a focus on publishing, teaching strategies and tenure and promotion processes.   In addition, she also held faculty positions as a professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2004―2011) and assistant and associate professor, University at Albany [NY] (1992―2004). Her publications and research interests include multicultural competencies in the counseling profession, bilingual therapy, Latinx adults and depression, and the impact of environmental contamination on the biopsychosocial well-being of Native Americans.  Her current work involves assessing depression in Latinx adults and the challenges associated with the use of translated measures from English to Spanish. She is a coauthor of 3 books, over 50 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, and has given over 120 presentations/workshops at local, national and international conferences, universities, and organizations. She has held leadership positions in professional organizations such as the Vice-President of the Latino Interest Network of the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), and the President of Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) within the American Counseling Association. She is a past- President of the National Latino/a Psychological Association. She is the Founding Editor of the Journal of Latinx Psychology (APA journal) and is a Fellow of Divisions 45 and 17 of APA. In 2014, Dr. Santiago-Rivera received the APA Presidential Citation for outstanding contribution to the profession. Currently, Dr. Santiago Rivera is the President of the Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey and the Treasurer-Elect of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education.   Dr. Melissa Rivera Marano obtained both her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. Dr. Rivera Marano has provided assessment and therapy services as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist since 2001. In addition to clinical services, during her career she has worked as an administrator of a youth-based community organization and program researcher. Dr. Melissa Rivera Marano is the owner of MRM Psychological Testing and Clinical Services, a group practice with two locations in Monmouth County, NJ.  She is also a Part Time Lecturer for the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University. Dr. Rivera Marano is on medical staff at Monmouth Medical Staff and works as the Psychologist on the inter-disciplinary team for the Regional Newborn Extension Program. Dr. Rivera Marano is published. Publications, presentations and research involve topics about Latinx mental health, cultural values, family and couple’s therapy, immigration and assessment. Dr. Rivera Marano is a former Board Trustee on NAMI NJ and former Board member of the New Jersey Psychological Association Foundation of New Jersey. She is an active member of the National Latino Psychological Association, NJ Psychological Association and Monmouth/Ocean County Psychological Association. Dr. Rivera Marano is also a member of NJPA’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion’s Immigration Action Group. Currently, Dr. Rivera Marano serves as the Past President of the Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey.   

Growing More Than Corn: Nebraska Behavioral Health Workforce Development:   Join us to learn how state legislatures can create and implement policy solutions to positively impact the behavioral health workforce. This webinar will describe how to leverage policy solutions to recruit, train, and retain the behavioral health workforce, as exemplified by the creation of BHECN in the Nebraska state legislature in 2009. Information will be shared on how legislative bills have supported student internships across Nebraska, including correctional facility settings. In addition, we will explore how annual policy forums amongst numerous policy stakeholders can make a difference in the legislative process.   Learning Objectives: Describe how a state legislature can be a partner in addressing behavioral health workforce shortages.  Discuss how policy solutions can help leverage training opportunities for behavioral health students. Describe how to engage legislators and other behavioral health stakeholders to create and implement behavioral health workforce policy solutions.   Speaker:   Erin Schneider, MSW Erin Schneider joined BHECN in June of 2020, as the new Outreach Coordinator. Erin will be working with the leadership team to evaluate, develop, and promote BHECN's outreach plan to the behavioral health workforce. Erin has 12 years of experience in social work and behavioral health, a bachelor of science degree in Psychology from Drake University, and a master's degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Erin's combined experience in workforce development and behavioral health is an excellent fit for the BHECN outreach coordinator position.        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.

MONDAY, MAY 9, 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 1 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 Join us for a panel discussion about how school and mental health leaders from our region are preparing their workforce for the launch of 988, the new National Suicide Prevention Hotline. On July 16, 2022, a three-digit, national mental health crisis hotline (mandated by the federal government in October 2020) will launch nationwide. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. The expansion of the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program to effectively triage, respond, and stabilize individuals experiencing a mental health crisis will require significant workforce expansion and training. This session invites regional 988 implementers to share opportunities and challenges during this transition.   In this session, we explore: What is 988, and what might it mean for our region? What are some promising and cautionary elements of this rising practice? How might our workforce successfully transition from the Suicide Prevention Lifeline model to the 988 model? How might we engage meaningful partnerships in this transition? What challenges do we foresee at the workforce level, and what training, resources, or other support would help resolve these challenges? What might be some rising practices, policies, and successful strategies for 988 adoption and integration?     Presenters   CJ Loiselle CJ Loiselle serves as the Crisis Administrator for the Division of Grants Administration within the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).  CJ has held several positions within AHCCCS since 2016 including Bureau Chief for the Office of Human Rights, Advocacy Administrator, and Quality Management Manager prior to her transition to the Crisis Administrator in November of 2021.  As the Crisis Administrator, CJ is responsible for the oversight of all crisis related initiatives and service provision across the state of Arizona. The Arizona Crisis system is managed through the state’s Medicaid agency and accessible to all Arizonans. The Arizona Crisis system includes 24/7 crisis hotline services, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization facilities. CJ has worked in the behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability public health care systems in Arizona and Nevada for over 16 years.  Prior to her work at AHCCCS, CJ worked as a provider and assisted in the development of specialized programs integrating behavioral health with home and community-based services for members with co-occurring SMI/IDD and SMI/SUD in both the adult and child systems.     David Lopez David Eric Lopez is a program manager with Kings View’s Central Valley Suicide Prevention Hotline. In 2015, he received a master’s in counseling psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy). His clinical experience includes working in an inpatient crisis stabilization unit, a therapist for foster youth, and as a crisis co-responder as field clinician responding with law enforcement to mental health crisis calls. Additionally, serves on the Fresno County’s Suicide Prevention Collaborative, steering committee. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) completing his dissertation on suicidal ideation and attempts in individual’s who experience traumatic brain injury.  Additional research interest includes furthering the mind body approach to treat mental illnesses and sports psychology.     Kelly Marschall, MSW Kelly is President of Social Entrepreneurs (SEI) and has over 30 years of experience working in and assisting nonprofit organizations. She has planned, administered and provided direct services at both a local and state level and also has provided regulatory oversight and planning for the State of Nevada. Kelly is a gifted facilitator and community planner, and as such, has worked with over 20 county commissions, multiple state agencies, and several national initiatives. She is an experienced capacity builder, having provided technical assistance, training and implementation support to both state and local public agencies. Kelly is an experienced project manager with a history of success managing numerous complex projects. She is a skilled grant writer, securing federal, state and local funding for clients. Kelly was key in establishing SEI’s consulting practice and has led SEI since 2010, providing leadership for the organization while offering high quality services to numerous organizations and agencies throughout the western United States. Kelly earned a master’s degree in social work, with high honors, from the University of Nevada, Reno and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pennsylvania State University. Kelly is also a graduate of the Certificate of Wholebeing Positive Psychology (CIPP). She graduated with tools, practices, and research to support an increased capacity for health, strengthened resilience, deeper mindfulness, and greater levels of overall well-being.     Margie Balfour, MD, PhD Dr. Margie Balfour is a psychiatrist and national leader in crisis care, quality improvement, and law enforcement responses to behavioral health emergencies.  She is Chief of Quality & Clinical Innovation at Connections Health Solutions and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona.  Dr. Balfour was named Doctor of the Year by the National Council for Behavioral Health for her leadership at the Crisis Response Center in Tucson, Arizona, and CIT International Practitioner of the Year for her work to help law enforcement better serve people with mental health and substance use needs. She co-authored the landmark report Roadmap to the Ideal Crisis System: Essential Elements, Measurable Standards, and Best Practices, and her pioneering work on defining crisis outcome measures has been adopted as a national standard.  Dr. Balfour is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and serves on the APA Council on Quality of Care, the boards of the American Association for Community Psychiatry and American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, and numerous expert panels for SAMHSA, the DOJ, and others.  A native of Monroe, Louisiana, Dr. Balfour received a BA in Biology at Johns Hopkins University and then her MD and PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati.  She completed residency and fellowship in Community Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.     Main Session Moderator Rachele Espiritu, PhD, PS MHTTC Co-Director     Session Debrief Facilitator Leora Wolf-Prusan, EdD, PS MHTTC School Mental Health Field Director Yesmina Luchsinger MS, School Mental Health Training Specialist     Priming Materials Why 988 Should Include Peer-Led Whole Health Programs - #CrisisTalk Implementing The 988 Hotline: A Critical Window To Decriminalize Mental Health The Lifeline and 988 A Guide to 988: America's Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline As Part of President Biden’s Mental Health Strategy, HHS Awards Nearly $105 Million to States and Territories to Strengthen Crisis Call Center Services in Advance of July Transition to 988 988 Partner Toolkit National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care; Best Practice Toolkit Roadmap to the Ideal Crisis System      

Workforce Diversity Leadership Community   Applications Are Open!   Workforce diversity continues to be challenging for many mental health and wellness organizations. Frequently, organizations hire additional staff to “fix” the issue. This quick-fix approach rarely works. One of the biggest reasons is that organizational leaders do not take the time to fully understand why their organization lacks diversity in the first place. Similarly, little emphasis is placed on equity, inclusion, and belonging, which are key to increasing and sustaining diversity.   To address this issue, leaders must ask critical questions such as: What is the history of my organization? How is my organization fostering a culture that not only speaks of diversity’s importance, but also demonstrates it through its values, practices, and policies? What can employees anticipate from my organization in addition to their paycheck and fringe benefits?   This five-session Workforce Diversity Leadership Community is designed for CEOs, COOs, Executive Directors, Human Resource managers, and other hiring professionals who seek to achieve and sustain diverse workforces. This learning experience will require continuous self-reflection, authentic and uncomfortable conversations, a community immersion experience, and the development of an action plan.   To enhance this leadership community experience, the cohort will be limited to 21 participants. Priority will be given to applicants who work within the Pacific Southwest Region 9 area.   Ready to learn? Apply today!   • • • • •   SESSION TOPICS AND SCHEDULE   Workforce Inequities: An Inside Job Monday, May 9: 2-4 p.m. PT    Intersectionality & Cultural Humility Monday, June 6: 2-4 p.m. PT    Hope, Justice, and Equity as a Workplace Expectations Monday, July 11: 2-4 p.m. PT    Cultivating Community Partnerships and Collaborations Monday, August 1: 2-4 p.m. PT    Community Immersion Experience Presentations & Action Plan Monday, September 12: 2-4 p.m. PT      • • • • •   KEY DATES   Application Period Closes: 5 p.m. PT, Friday, April 15, 2022 Candidate Announcements: 5 p.m. PT, Monday, April 25, 2022   APPLY HERE BY 5PM ON FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2022   Questions? Contact Dr. Tonicia Freeman-Foster at [email protected]    • • • • •   Faculty for the Workforce Diversity Leadership Community   Tonicia Freeman-Foster, Ed.D., CDP, CHES, PMP Training Specialist, Change Matrix   Dr. Tonicia Freeman-Foster (she/her/hers) is a Certified Diversity Professional who is passionate about community wellness, organizational culture, leadership, inclusion, and equity. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in improving the lives of youth, young adults, families, marginalized persons, and communities. She has demonstrated leadership in enhancing systems of care through various interventions and partnerships with community-based, state, and federal entities. Dr. Freeman-Foster previously served as Project Director of the Florida Healthy Transitions program. In this role, she worked alongside her team to engage transition-aged youth and young adults in behavioral health services through the development of a peer-to-peer model, guided by youth voice and choice. Her experiences also include engaging organizational staff and Board members in courageous conversations about race, diversity, and cultural humility. Dr. Freeman-Foster completed her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science Education (Community Health), Master’s degree in Human Services (Organizational Management & Leadership), and Doctorate degree in Education (Organizational Leadership).   Evelyn Clark, CPC Technical Assistance Specialist and Racial Equity consultant, Change Matrix    Evelyn Clark is a Mexican-Native American woman who is passionate about racial equity, leadership development and peer support. She has nearly 14 years of experience serving young people and their families who were system involved. Evelyn is also a Certified Peer Counselor. She has dedicated her career to empowering young people and their families to get involved in this work. She is a proud recipient of the 2019 Peer Alternatives youth and young adult leadership award. Evelyn’s mission is to end racial and ethnic disparities within systems of care and to promote leadership opportunities for the BIPOC workforce.

Session 5 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. 

This series of six meetings will promote further peer-to-peer learning and collaboration among Employment and Education providers in community mental health settings who want to better engage and support the career development of young adults with serious mental health needs. Each learning collaborative will cover a topic that is critical for engagement and career development; an activity; and a discussion facilitated by trainers with lots of real-world vocational and community mental health experience.

/*-->*/ /*--> There is limited research addressing the needs of gender-expansive individuals in the context of psychosis-spectrum illnesses and treatment. As first episode and clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR-p) assessment and treatment become more accessible to increasingly diverse populations, there is a need for clinicians to demonstrate greater clinical competency working with individuals across diverse social backgrounds and identities. This talk (a) reviews the diagnostic profile of gender-expansive individuals seeking assessment at the CEDAR Clinic between 2017 and 2020, (b) outlines gender-expansive practices implemented by this clinic to support clinician competency and improve care for gender-expansive patients, and (c) discusses areas for future research on psychosis risk in gender-expansive populations. Presenter:  /*-->*/ /*--> Christopher J. Ceccolini, MA is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Boston College and a predoctoral intern at NYU School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center. His research focuses on how experiences of identity-based marginalization exacerbate clinical risk for psychosis in young people. He is particularly interested in mechanisms of empowerment and comprehensive care for young people with serious mental illness. Mr. Ceccolini's clinical work centers on comprehensive interventions for youth and young adults with serious mental health needs. He has completed clinical training with this population in the New York and Boston metro areas, including Harvard Medical School and Bellevue Hospital Center. He holds a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University and a master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. He is the incoming postdoctoral fellow in the Psychotic Disorders Division at Weill Cornell Medicine for fall 2022.

Description: An examination of factors to consider when providing treatment to American Indian clients and communities utilizing examples and vignettes based upon the experiences of a Native psychologist. An overview of the Society of Indian Psychologist commentary on the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists will also be utilized to assist clinicians with self-assessment and considerations when initiating services with an individual client or in a Native community. Speaker: Dr. Shunkamolah is a member of the Osage, Dine, Kiowa, and Tohono O’odham tribes. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. He completed his internship at the Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa in Tulsa, OK, and completed his postdoctoral residency at the San Carlos Apache Tribal Wellness Center in San Carlos AZ. Dr. Shunkamolah is currently providing psychotherapy to Native clients in an urban setting, and has worked as a staff psychologist as well as the clinical chief of a behavioral department in rural Native communities.

The South Southwest MHTTC and the National American Indian and Alaskan Native MHTTC are pleased to host this event.  This presentation will provide an examination of factors to consider when providing treatment to American Indian clients and communities utilizing examples and vignettes based upon the experiences of a Native psychologist. An overview of the Society of Indian Psychologist commentary on the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists will also be utilized to assist clinicians with self-assessment and considerations when initiating services with an individual client or in a Native community.   Learning Objectives: 1. Utilize aspects of the Society of Indian Psychologist commentary on APA ethical principles to assess clinician and client needs. 2. Use presented examples to help attendees prepare to initiate and engage in ethical clinical work with American Indian clients. Speaker: Dr. William Shunkamolah is a member of the Osage, Dine, Kiowa, and Tohono O’odham tribes. He spent most of his youth in New Mexico, but has lived and worked in various Native and Non-Native communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Montana. Dr. Shunkamolah received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. He completed his internship at the Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa in Tulsa, OK, and completed his postdoctoral residency at the San Carlos Apache Tribal Wellness Center in San Carlos AZ. Dr. Shunkamolah is currently providing psychotherapy to Native clients in an urban setting, and has worked as a staff psychologist as well as the clinical chief of a behavioral department in rural Native communities.

Healing Roots: Considerations for Mental Health Accessibility and Delivery of Services Across Tribal Communities Overview In Healing Roots: Considerations for Mental Health Accessibility and Delivery of Services Across Tribal Communities, participants will learn about the gaps in services for tribal communities across settings. We will look at college mental health needs on tribal campuses, provide information on the prevention, intervention, and postvention after a suicide on the reservation, examine our own limitations with the training we received when it comes to providing culturally focused and competent care, and discuss community inclusion while implementing evidence-based practices. Attendees of each webinar will receive a toolkit with a number of resources to implement at your own unique setting.   Target Audience This activity is intended for behavioral health providers (psychologists and masters level counselors), primary care providers (physicians, NPs, PAs), and Nurses (RNs) and any additional providers serving tribal communities.   Learning Objectives Describe cultural competence including the challenges encountered in the workplace.  Discuss strategies to incorporate cultural competence and diversity in healthcare to deliver effective quality care for all patients. Identify strengths of cultural competence in your workplace and how the team provides successful patient centered care.    Description: This webinar will provide an explanation of cultural competency along with the strengths and challenges of implementation. Participants will develop an understanding of both professional and consumer experiences of cultural competency within the workplace.   Speaker:   Anitra Warrior, PhD, LP   Dr. Anitra Warrior is the owner of Morningstar Counseling and Consultation in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is from the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling psychology in 2015 and has operated her clinic since 2012. Since receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Warrior has established four additional clinics that are now located throughout eastern Nebraska. Morningstar offers counseling on two college campuses, as well as in schools, communities, and other integrated care locations with the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. Clinic sites are based on reservations and in rural and urban settings. Dr. Warrior specializes in treating trauma in children through the utilization of evidenced based practices that have been adapted to the American Indian population. Most recently, Morningstar has become a training site for doctoral candidates with the Munroe-Meyer Institute. This track will focus on integrated care on the reservation as well as provide additional clinical training opportunities in schools, colleges, and in the tribal communities       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 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with extent of their participation in the activity.    The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this activity for 1.5 ANCC contact hours. 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 1.5 credit hours of continuing education credit.    

About the Session Hosted by the MHTTC Network, in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET), PEPPNET, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the webinar Using Evidence-Based tools to Improve Clinical Care of Early Psychosis Clients  is for providers who support individuals in coordinated specialty care clinics and environments. The Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET) is a collaboration of over 100 early psychosis programs across the U.S.  All EPINET programs collect client data using the Core Assessment Battery (CAB), which is an evidence-based set of measures that are sensitive to change over time and are relevant to individuals with early psychosis.  The CAB measures are publicly available and the WebCAB, a new online data collection tool, makes it easier for clinicians to adopt these measures and use these data as part of their clinical practice.  This webinar will introduce clinicians to the CAB, and WebCAB, and discuss how even a subset of these measures can help enhance clinical interactions with clients and foster shared decision making.  Staff from early psychosis programs in Texas will discuss their experience with collecting CAB measures, how to incorporate evidence-based measures into routine clinical practice, and use of these measures as a part of quality improvement initiatives among early psychosis teams. Download the session flyer here.   

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 Trauma-Informed Care. Learn how trauma and stress affect the body and mind and apply this understanding to working with vulnerable populations. 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.  

These no-cost, virtual meetings offer you the opportunity to collaborate with other First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) team Peer Supports and Family Partners in a supportive, mentoring environment. This is a space for resource sharing, support around ways to be most effective when working with FEP/CSC clients, options for self-care strategies, and more!

Our panel of New England experts will share more about the models, frameworks, and curricula they are using to support their comprehensive school mental health systems, including collaborations with healthcare centers and community organizations, as well as use of: The SHAPE System Compassionate School Mental Health Model Integrated Multi-tiered Systems of Support National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules for States, Districts, and Schools Community Schools Model Moderator: Dana Asby, MA, MEd Education Coordinator New England MHTTC (CT) Presenters: Martha Staeheli, PhD Director, School Mental Health Initiative New England MHTTC (CT) John Crocker Director, School Mental Health & Behavioral Services, Methuen Public Schools (MA) Bridgewater Hebron Village School (Bristol, NH) Susie Da Silva, EdD Superintendent of Schools Ridgefield Public Schools (CT) Julia Macek, LCSW Program Manager/Behavioral Specialist Aroostook County Action Program (ME) Erica McLaughlin, MA Principal Randolph Elementary School (VT) Amy Mello Messenger, MSW Project AWARE Coordinator Providence Public Schools (RI)

Are you new to working with individuals with early psychosis? Are you interested in learning more about what early psychosis coordinated specialty care is all about? Please join our monthly webinar series beginning 2/3/22 at 2 PM ET.   Coordinated specialty care for early psychosis is an evidence-based treatment model aimed at fostering resilience and recovery for individuals who have experience a first episode of psychosis or are at clinical high risk for developing psychosis.  Each webinar will be co-presented by a professional with expertise in that component of care, as well as an individual with lived experience who can speak to how this aspect of care was meaningful in their journey towards recovery. This series is geared towards any individuals that are new to working on an Early Psychosis Specialty Team – including students, clinicians, prescribers, supported employment specialists, family clinicians, and peer specialists.    The content from these webinars will be recorded and used for the development of an online course aimed at helping to provide a basic orientation to new staff and trainees that are beginning to work in a coordinated specialty program for individuals experiencing early psychosis. The series will happen once per month starting in February, on the first Thursday of each month at 2 PM ET (11 AM PT).    Presenter: /*-->*/ /*--> /*--> Chantel Garrett, bio coming soon!

/*--> Creating a culture of change requires transformative leadership. Join this interactive session, an extended opportunity to discuss the traits of transformational leaders, with speakers from our 4/28/ REACH Session. Learn strategies to help create and communicate your organization’s vision, and then to inspire, motivate, and empower others to achieve that vision.   Presenters:  /*--> Livia Davis, MSW & Ashley Stewart, PhD, MSSW

Description: This session will focus on the importance of language and words choice in our everyday interactions, personally and professionally, as well as discuss the phenomenon of microaggression in society.   Presenter: Valerie L. Rochester, MPA, is the Chief Health Equity Officer at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to addressing the barriers to good health. She brings over 25 years of experience in the public health and human services fields, with a focus on impacting communities of color and improving access to quality programs and services, using a health, social equity, and justice-focused lens. Rochester has served on the board of directors of numerous national and community-based organizations, including her current tenure as board member and treasurer with the National Minority AIDS Council. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Purdue University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Indiana University.   Learning Objectives: Have a better understanding of terms and language used today Understand language as grounded in power relations Define what microaggressions are Understand the impact of microaggression on others Learn how best to respond to microaggressions Practice reframing commonly-used words and use of person-first language   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of this presentation (via email within 30 business days following the event). CEUs are not available for this session. The Central East MHTTC supports this Baltimore Faith Based Commission for Behavioral Health event.

Session Overview In this session, hosted in collaboration with the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, will provide helpful tips on working with families and other caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth. Some families may struggle to understand their child or youth’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Some may fear rejection from their own communities or fear what the future may hold for their family. During this session, attendees will hear about the importance of family support, strategies for helping families process their feelings, and promising programs that are making strides towards creating evidence-based programs for families of LGBTQ+ youth. For more information on LGBTQ+ youth mental health, view our toolkit here.    For CEU credit register here.  For CME credit register here.