Past Events

Context Clues: Using Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) to Enhance Treatment, a monthly training series co-developed by the Mid-America MHTTC and Aetna Better Health of Kansas, will provide health care providers and other interested parties the tools they need to identify social determinants of health and strategies for addressing them. Attendees will learn how economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and environmental factors, and social and community context affect patients’ health and quality-of-life outcomes.

In this interactive presentation, you will learn about the origin and values of peer support, the introduction and inclusion of peer support services in traditional service settings, the role of the supervisor in helping peer staff to remain true to peer support values, and some best practices for supervisors of this unique workforce. After the presentation, participants will be able to: Describe mutual support and the core values of peer support Compare clinical services with non-clinical peer support Communicate the benefits of supervisors who have experience as peer support workers Utilize best practices in the supervision of peer support workers.  

This four-hour workshop will look at collective trauma – today and historically – and examine its impact and demands on the field of mental and behavioral health. It will also explore the role and responsibility of mental health care providers and how the field can be instrumental in collective healing. Collective trauma, as the term implies, highlights the psychological reactions to a traumatic event that affect an entire collection of people. Those groups of people can represent a community, congregation, cultural entity, country, or entire world. Further, collective trauma may also represent a collective memory of an awful event that happened to that group of people. Obvious examples come to mind: wars, the Holocaust, the AIDS epidemic, ethnic genocide, large-scale natural disasters, and one we are currently experiencing globally – the coronavirus pandemic. The field of mental health is central to collective trauma and collective healing in that it typically experiences an increased need for services as well as an understanding of new and different services to meet those needs. Often, the learning of what is needed to help is taking place while the trauma and its impact are still unfolding. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand collective trauma and collective healing Identify mental health care needs resulting from the coronavirus pandemic Learn effective mental health care strategies for collective healing Be prepared to address the context of “the new normal” Practice self-care in support of best practices – always     SPEAKER:     Susanne Haase is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida, specialized in treating OCD and related anxiety and mood disorders. Susanne obtained her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from University of Miami a few years ago following a long and successful career in corporate communications. Susanne has always been passionate about understanding others’ pain and is now focused on helping people learn to manage their symptoms and live a fulfilling life according to their values. In late 2020, Susanne established her private practice, Mind at Peace, LLC and more recently began working with NOCD, the organization that offers online, evidence-based treatment for people suffering from OCD. Susanne’s training in Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD was solidified during her two and a half years with Rogers Behavioral Health in Miami. Now based in Stuart, Florida, Susanne continues to focus on psychoeducation and treatment for OCD, as well as treating related anxiety and mood disorders, as well as trauma. Complementing Susanne’s clinical experience is her multi-cultural background. Susanne was born in Ecuador and lived in France; she speaks fluent Spanish and French and offers counseling in all three languages. She is also a certified executive coach, arts enthusiast, active cyclist, amateur ballet dancer, and a mom (to a human and canine). Susanne is passionate about helping people overcome the obstacles to their wellness and advocates firmly for understanding of OCD and mental health in general.     Continuing Education: WAFCA will provide four NBCC continuing education hours  at no charge to those who attend the entire training event. Partial credit will be provided to those who choose to attend only part of the event.   The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training in partnership with WAFCA to behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, an WI. This training is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

SERIES DESCRIPTION Central East MHTTC in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health is pleased to offer a school mental health webinar series with a focus on advancing high quality, sustainable school mental health from a multi-tiered system of support, trauma sensitive, and culturally responsive and equitable lens. To familiarize yourself with the foundations of school mental health, please review the school mental health guidance document.   OBJECTIVES Gain increased awareness of high quality, sustainable multi-tiered system of school mental health supports and services Support trauma-informed systems in schools Discover the impacts of social determinants of health on student academic and social-emotional-behavioral success Learn to provide more culturally responsive and equitable services and supports Hear perspectives on school mental health from school, district and state levels Obtain insight into how youth, families, schools and communities can best work together to address student mental health needs   WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Educators, Administrators, Health and Behavioral Health Care Professionals, Policymakers and Advocates, Child-Serving Agency Staff  

What is this? Our region is excited to host the three-part Region 9 Comprehensive School Mental Health Champion (CSMHC) Learning Collaborative that connects educators, practice partners, district and county leaders, and researchers across the education and school mental health pipeline to co-create and execute evidence-based strategic plans that equitably advance comprehensive school mental health practices and policies.   Why? To advocate for and increase effective school-based mental health best-practices in the Pacific Southwest region, using the National School Mental Health (NSMH) curriculum modules and Classroom WISE content.     Who can participate? School mental health champions in the Pacific Southwest region (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. Pacific Islands of American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau) Teams of 2-4 people to participate: School District/County Leaders (e.g., Superintendent, School Board) & School Administrators (e.g., Principal, Assistant Principal), school site leaders (instructional coaches, MTSS teams) District Mental Health Director or Student Services Supervisor (e.g., Director of Student Services, District Supervisor School Psychologists/Social Workers/Counselors Community Behavioral Health Agency Supervisor/Director (e.g., Clinical Director of an agency that provides school-based services in the district) Youth/Family Advocate or Consumer We’ll accept individual applicants by exception.    What to expect during Part 3 of this collaborative? Part 3 is action-oriented and facilitated teaming time where our experts assist as you design or develop or begin to implement your own mental health literacy professional development or systems of support for your school communities. Participants (as teams or individuals) of either Part 1, Part 2 are invited to test their new skills with the support of our team through a plan-do-study-act cycle of continuous quality improvement. Together, we will help navigate the tricky points of implementation and in resource each other in real time. Perhaps you want to try out creating a Classroom WISE community of practice! Implement a community needs assessment! Design your own professional development on mental health literacy for the populations you serve! During Part 3, we invite you to try out implementing 1-2 modules and/or the Classroom WISE training package in your local community, receive our coaching for the design and delivery, debrief your work with us, and cross share what you create with each other.     Resources to Learn More about the Focused Content of the Region 9 CSMHC Learning Collaborative     Part 1: National School Mental Health Implementation Guidance Modules National School Mental Health Implementation Guidance Modules and Related Projects  National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Module Index  School Mental Health Best Practices 'Always and Now" Learning Series (Spring 2021)   Part 2: Classroom WISE Classroom WISE Information Session  Classroom WISE      Faculty Main faculty for Part 1: Leora Wolf-Prusan & Angela Castellanos (with supporting trainers) Main faculty for Part 2: Angela Castellanos (with supporting trainers) Main faculty for Part 3: Leora Wolf-Prusan (with supporting trainers)   Angela Castellanos, PPSC, LCSW Angela J. Castellanos (she/hers) serves as a School Mental Health Training Specialist for the Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), housed at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). Angela is an experienced mental health consultant and administrator with 25+ years of diverse and progressive expertise in the mental health care industry and school settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, she specializes in administering school mental health programs; mentoring industry professionals (local, state, and federal); and developing and teaching best practices in the area of Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Crisis Response and Recovery, and School Mental Health. As a direct practitioner, Angela has developed programs and services for newcomers in a school district setting.  Internationally, she has provided trauma-based work in El Salvador.       Heidi Cisneros, PPSC, MSW Heidi Cisneros has served in various leadership roles establishing new policy and practices in systems impacting student mental health and suicide prevention and intervention. For over 25 years, she has provided trainings on suicide and mental health trends, connecting with GenZ, school safety, school-based services, and crisis response on a local and national level. She has transformed programs and established cutting edge practices in the development of effective suicide prevention campaigns, threat management, new school based mental health systems and community-school partnerships. Currently, Heidi serves as a Student Safety Advocate, specializing in prevention and response to child sexual assault for Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs (ASCIP).     Leora Wolf-Prusan, EdD Leora Wolf-Prusan (she/hers) is the School Mental Health Field Director for the Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), housed at the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). She provides consulting and training around issues related to trauma-informed and resilience-oriented leadership, organizational and school climate and positive youth development, provider mental health and wellness, grief in the workplace, and anti-racism and health, among much more.  Wolf-Prusan leads CARS’ school mental health teaching and learning portfolio, also serving as the Project Director for the NCTSN Category II School Crisis Recovery & Renewal project in addition to many other facilitation projects. Previous roles include a national field director of a SAMHSA initiative (Resilience in Communities after Stress & Trauma), technical assistance for the Student Mental Health Program for California’s Community Colleges, CalWorks and more.  She received a BA in international relations and a BA in Spanish with a minor in Social & Ethnic Relations from the University of California, Davis; a teaching credential from Mills College; and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles.

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

Event Description 988 is the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 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.  Join us at this month's Workshop Wednesday, as we welcome Charles Smith,PhD, MA, SAMHSA Regional Administrator, Region 8, as he presents an update on the status of 988, including the difference between 988 and 911, models for how 988 can work in your community, and additional state resources.    We will leave time for Q & A after the training or you may send your questions to Genevieve Berry at [email protected] prior to the training.  Trainer Charles Smith, PhD, MA

The program describes a novel approach to engaging patients with psychosis and their families. We seek the development of true collaboration. Critical in this approach is establishing a community of individuals with a common interest that provides support for each other. The support allows the treatment team to secure the patient's trust, develop a therapeutic relationship and do the hard work of creating an optimal clozapine regimen. This session will go on to: describe how we develop clozapine regimens that minimize predictable side effects and optimize benefits;  share our results in improving patient outcomes. Presenters: Robert Laitmain, MD & Matcheri Keshavan, MD

Session 2 March 16th, 2022    Social Emotional Learning Intermediate Tier 2   This interactive session focuses more on tier 2 supports and strategies to use with students to improve social-emotional outcomes. Participants will be encouraged to consider how they promote strong connections with students and strategies that work to increase their positive habits (e.g., social connections, self-care strategies) and decrease negative responses (e.g., fear, anxiety). These tier 2 skills will help to promote healthy student behavioral functioning.    Objectives   Participants will gain a more advanced understanding of what social emotional learning is.  Participants will be given SEL strategies to use when engaging with students at tier 2.   Participants will gain online resources and materials to help them feel comfortable applying SEL.  Participants will understand, through role-play, how to effectively practice applying tier 2 SEL techniques.  Trainers Leslie Baunach, MA/CAS, NCSP                     Leslie Baunach, NCSP, was a school psychologist with Oahu Central School District for over 10 years. She is currently the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Delegate for the state of Hawaii and a Delegate Representative for the West Region on the NASP Board of Directors. Leslie has previously served on the Hawaii Association of School Psychologists (HASP) board of directors as Treasurer and President, and has headed up the legislative platform for nine years, currently serving as the HASP legislative co-chair. Leslie serves as the Executive Director of the School Psychology Support Network, which supports school psychologists nationally. Leslie became a NASP PREPaRE trainer in 2015 and has conducted PREPaRE workshops for the Hawaii DOE, HASP, Northern Marianas Islands schools, and Punahou School in Honolulu.   Traci Effinger, NCSP                     Traci Effinger is a Nationally Certified School Psychologists who has worked for the Hawai`i Department of Education for over 10 years. Traci has worked from preschool to high school in her daily job as a School Psychologist in addition to responding to crisis events at all levels. Traci is co-author of Crisis manual for Central district and also co-chair of the Crisis Team. She Performs data collection, progress monitoring, and professional development trainings for her district and school staff. She is one of only two people that are NASP Certified PREPaRE 3rd Edition trainers within the state of Hawaii. Traci and her colleague trained the entire country of Saipan for the CNMI Project HALIGI AWARE in PREPaRE and also presented and trained entire Punahou School District on PREPaRE Workshops 1. Traci is also a presenter in various professional development topics and has most recently presented for the Afterschool Alliance coalition on social emotional learning, behavior management, and threat assessment.  

For Project AWARE Grantees Only The National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC- School-Based Mental Health Project aims to provide technical assistance to AWARE grantees to implement culturally and linguistically responsive school mental health (SMH) services directed to Hispanic and Latino students and families.   DESCRIPTION: Introduction meeting to discuss the results of the Project AWARE grantees needs assessment of the Matchbook Learning Project AWARE II. Discuss TA needs, timeline, and resources.

For Project AWARE Grantees Only   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.   Please email Sarah McMinn ([email protected]) for information about joining this training.     DESCRIPTION: PROJECT AWARE GRANTEES: We look forward to connecting with you soon at our second Regional Collaboration Meeting on March 16th.  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 March 16th is continuing our conversation on Sustainability and Networking with Mark Sander sharing his time and expertise with us. 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. Certificates are disseminated via email to all qualifying individuals approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the event or training.    SPEAKER INFO: Dr. Mark Sander is a Senior Clinical Physiologist for the Hennepin County and the Director of School Mental Health for Hennepin County and the Minnesota Public Schools. He is a Certified Master Trainer on the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study and a Visiting Scholar at Wilder Research. He is also on the Advisory Board for the Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a Board Member for the Minnesota Trauma project. Dr. Sander has published journal articles and book chapters on school mental health and has presented extensively on school mental health and ACEs and developing trauma-sensitive schools at local, state, and national conferences. He has a private practice in Minnetonka, Minnesota. 

  Registration open to 30 participants.   DESCRIPTION: Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (ages 12-18) who are experiencing mental health or addictions challenges and/or crisis.      LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Learn methods to help adolescents with a mental health or addiction challenge.     CONTINUING EDUCATION: The training offers 6.5 CEs.  The IABH registration fee of $30.00 covers CE processing.  Category: Counselor I or II, Preventionist I or II, CARS I or II, CODP I or II, PCGC II, CCJP II, CAAP I, CRSS I or II, CPRS I or II, MAATP I or II, NCRS II, CFPP II, ATE, CVSS II Webcam must be turned on to receive CE certificates     SPEAKER INFO: Riley Cleary, MSW, Prevention Program Manager for IABH, works to develop, implement, and evaluate the association’s prevention, wellness, and leadership programs. Riley holds a Master of Social Work with a specialization in children and family from Loyola University Chicago. The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training in partnership with the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health 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.  

3:30pm - 4:30pm PT Meeting 2 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.   

Session Description: Helping professionals, such as counselors, teachers, and health professionals, are critically important to the workforce, yet we are also at great risk for helping others more than we help ourselves! In this 6 part series, we invite YOU to sit down, take a breath, replenish yourself and restore by considering strategies to help you flourish. Together, we’ll explore the importance of making our own well-being a priority, think about our work/life balance, remember our purpose, take actions to flourish, and use our strengths within a framework of healthy positivity. This 6-week collection (webinar and podcast series) will be led by experts in supporting personal recovery, wellness, and positive psychology with practical approaches that build up to a comprehensive flourishing plan. Join us for this series designed to support your flourishing. Your one-time registration will automatically enroll you in all 6 sessions of this series. Presenter:  Michelle Zechner, PhD, MSW, LSW, CPRP, Assistant Professor at Rutgers, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Programs, has focused her career on the promotion of health and wellness for people with mental health conditions, their families, and the staff who support them for over 25 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including: academia, outpatient mental health programs, family advocacy organization, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, and training services. She conducts research, teaches and mentors students, and consults with state psychiatric hospitals on the implementation of evidence-based mental health practices. She is also involved in family advocacy in New Jersey.

This event will be held on March 15, 2022 from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. MT. Event Description Professional caregivers often find themselves in work that is both meaningful, and extremely difficult. Without conscious effort, caregivers can become exhausted by their work with compounding effects in their personal life. This training will offer practical strategies and practices for enhancing personal and professional wellness. Professionals in caregiver roles often forget that self-care is a fundamental part of their unique and caring contribution. This training will not only give professionals permission to focus on what matters most, but will offer guidance on creating their own sustainable self-care plan!  Objectives 1. Participants will adopt strategies that support their thriving both personally and professionally.  2. Participants will be given ideas for in-the-moment stress management.  3. Participants will conduct brief experiences that build fulfillment, generate positive emotion, and create improve their connection with their work and personal life.  4. Participants will create their own sustainable self-care plan and have access to a digital workbook of strategies.  Trainer McKinley Withers (he/him), Ed.D., M.Ed. Health and Wellness Administrator, Jordan School District                     I have had the privilege of working as teacher, counselor, and administrator. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science Teaching from Brigham Young University, a Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling from Utah State University, and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah. I currently work as Jordan District’s Health and Wellness Consultant. If you don’t find me in public schools then you’ll find me with my amazing wife and beautiful children, running (preferably on trails), or trying some other outdoor hobby. I hope to meet you out in our schools or out in the wild! 

This is the sixth session for Healing School Communities: Shifting the Dominant Paradigm to Center Student Wellness, a Community of Practice intended for students, families, educators and school mental health professionals who are navigating the ongoing impact of racial violence in all forms on student mental health. This Community of Practice session will offer opportunities for participants to:   Name and examine the organizational structures that lead to Racial Violence within School Communities. Explore the various mental health implications of racial violence on school ecosystems. Identify and elevate community strengths, wisdom and voice as effective strategies for healing and place them at the center in supporting mental health. Become familiar with resources and tools to address the detrimental effects of racial violence in schools, that further build protective factors, power and agency.   Note: A recording of the learning session will be made available in the MHTTC Products and Resource Catalog. Certificates of completion are available to viewers of 50% (45 minutes) or more of the live webinar. CEUs are not available for this session. Speaker:  Jorge Santos (he/him) is a Restorative Justice Coordinator, a special education teacher and grade team leader at MS 839 in Brooklyn, NY. He is part of the school’s Instructional Leadership Team as well as the Culture & Equity Team, which focuses on creating an anti-racist and equitable learning environment. Jorge is a Restorative Justice advocate who focuses on building community and empowering student voices. He encourages social-emotional growth for students experiencing trauma instead of the traditional school disciplinary methods. He believes education and Restorative Justice practices are tools where students can examine social justice issues and become active citizens impacting their communities. Jorge has spoken at various conferences and panels discussing restorative justice, racial equity, decolonizing curriculums, and building an anti-racist school community. Jorge holds Masters Degrees in Criminology and in Special Education from St. John’s University, which influences his work around understanding social and economic inequities.   NOTE: This session is part of a Community of Practice that includes 7 weekly learning sessions. For more information about the other sessions in this Community of Practice, please click here.

  Improving mental health care for Native people in rural areas will be the focus of this 90-minute webinar presented by the National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC in collaboration with the Northwest MHTTC.  ABOUT THIS EVENT The disparities between urban and rural areas in mental health care are well-documented. Native populations in rural areas suffer even more from these disparities, but cultural elements can improve mental health for Native people living in rural areas. Join Raymond Daw, MA, Diné (Navajo), who will: Provide an overview of rural mental health disparities in the United States Provide an overview of Native American mental health disparities Describe Native American cultural elements for improved rural mental health   This event is most relevant to those who: currently work with Native/Tribal communities OR work some with Native/Tribal clients OR want to learn more about Native/Tribal issues FACILITATOR   Raymond Daw, MA, Navajo Nation Mr. Daw is a member of the Navajo Nation and is bilingual in Navajo and English. He is a trainer and web designer for the Takini Institute on the historical trauma intervention model, and he formerly worked as the Administrator of Behavioral Health at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Healthcare Corporation in Bethel, Alaska. During his tenure as Executive Director of Na’nizhoozhi Center, Inc. (NCI), he participated in research with the NIDA Clinical Trials Network through the University of New Mexico. NCI was recognized as a model and innovative program for AI/AN substance abuse treatment.            

Adolescent substance use is a major public health problem that concerns parents, schools, clinicians, and policymakers. Hispanic/Latinx youth and other youth of color with substance use problems are at particular risk for disparate health outcomes and disrupted education.     At the end of this webinar the participant will be able to:    1. Identify school-based prevention programs that are evidence-based, are culturally responsive and trauma-informed  2. Consider the impact of school drug policies and practices on student outcomes, particularly for racial-ethnic minoritized students   3. List clinical signs and symptoms of substance impairment   4. Describe and implement best practices for referral and engaging adolescents who are using substances in treatment interventions  5. Describe and implement evidence-based clinical approaches for addressing adolescent substance use   Who should attend? This webinar is designed for substance use and co-occurring disorders counselors and clinicians who work with Latinx populations and are interested in learning about the vulnerabilities and uniqueness of these populations.   About the presenter Lisa R. Fortuna, MD, MPH- is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist with over twenty years of clinical experience with children, adolescents, and families. She is Professor and Vice-Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Fortuna has published highly cited articles in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adolescent substance abuse, and Latino and immigrant mental health. She received a K23 Patient Oriented Career Development Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to develop a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for adolescents with co-occurring trauma and addictions, which formed the basis for a book: Treating co-occurring adolescent PTSD and addiction: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for adolescents with trauma and substance-abuse disorders, New Harbinger Publishing (2015). She continues to conduct research in post-traumatic stress, depression, and substance abuse, and to develop mental health services programs for adolescents and their families facing these problems.

Substance use, including drinking and other drug use, is socially and culturally normative for many in the United States. For some, however, substance use can interfere with their functioning and well-being, a vulnerability potentially made worse by the stress and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic so familiar to many health care workers. In this interactive presentation, we will discuss strategies to recognize substance use concerns, spanning mild to severe impacts on one’s life, and review the myriad approaches there are to making a change. Presenter: Brandon Bergman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, Associate Director of the Recovery Research Institute in the Center for Addiction Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and a licensed clinical psychologist. His original research, funded by a K23 from the NIAAA, spans community-based addiction recovery support services, social technology, and the life stage of emerging adulthood. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University, and his psychology internship and addiction psychology postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Session 1 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. 

Disparities in academic achievement for Latinx youth and the trajectories may be influenced by adversity and trauma experiences that impact mental health. This presentation will include an overview of theories, practice, and research with children, adolescents, and families, and will focus on intersectional factors for minoritized Latinx youth and families that exacerbate trauma-related symptoms that are too often untreated and misinterpreted as misbehaviors and/or temporary and chronic maladjustment. Using the Garcia Coll et al. (1996) Integrative Model, these factors will be discussed as situated in an ecological framework, comprised of promoting and inhibiting environments, with consideration of internal and external/environmental influences that can have direct and indirect effects on academic outcomes.  Learning Objectives: • Discuss the educational disparities for Latinx youth and the social determinants of these disparities. • Discuss the impact of adversity and trauma on cognitive and psychological processes that interfere with learning and achievement. • Discuss intersecting identity and positionality of Latinx youth that may be affected by a systemic bias that disadvantages opportunities for educational supports and increases the risk of disproportionality.   Who should attend? This webinar is designed for counselors and clinicians who work with Latinx youth and are interested in learning about the vulnerabilities and uniqueness of these populations.   About the presenter Michelle V. Porche, Ed.D.- is an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. As a developmental psychologist she has studied the impact of adversity on academic achievement for young children and adolescents, primarily using mixed-methods approaches. Her early research studies included investigation of the impact of parent involvement and life circumstances of families on the language and literacy development of children and adolescents. Recent work has included the study of early and ongoing adversity and trauma on risk of high school dropout, school engagement, and retention in grade. Working with interdisciplinary teams she has also studied the association between trauma and substance use for adolescents, related to mental health and academic outcomes, as well as a focus on immigrant children and families, with specific attention to the impact of trauma for resettled refugee youth.

In 2017, Louisiana was still an abstinence-only state as far as any treatment options were concerned for those experiencing OUD. Taking up the SAMHSA State Targeted Response (STR) Grant meant a whole new approach was required as it funded MAT for the first time, and Peer Support was seen as essential from day one. Each of the state’s ten human services districts put a Peer on staff for the Grant, and each of the state’s ten OTPs hired a resource coordinator to liaise with them. In time, we realized that Peers needed to be more directly involved at the OTP level, and added Peers to that environment. With the SOR Grant, we further expanded the remit of Peers to ERs and in SOR 2.0, five harm reduction teams throughout the state. This presentation will encapsulate our experiences in setting these steps in motion, the mistakes we’d avoid in future, the teething troubles we’ve experienced, and more importantly, the successes and knowledge we’ve gained along the way. There is still a lot of stigma in Louisiana, and much more work to be done, but we’re very encouraged by what we’ve seen so far, and have set in place a strong framework for future growth.

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.   

American Indians have a unique relationship with the education system in the U.S. As a result of the boarding school era and the miseducation of the general population, American Indian youth are not dropping out of school- they are being pushed out. This presentation will explore how historical educational oppression is linked to contemporary oppression in the classroom and schools and offer some guidance on how to overcome these barriers to support Native youth and families.