Past Events

  This event will be held on February 23, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. MT. Event Description According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people living in rural communities are at higher risk of suicide than their urban counterparts. The combination of greater access to firearms, high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, and limited access to psychologists and other mental health professionals form a lethal triad that contributes to the significantly higher numbers of suicide in rural communities.   In addition to these factors, many people living in rural community’s struggle with the stigma associated with mental health and seeking help.    For rural communities confronting the reality of higher suicide numbers and the lingering impact on their communities, identifying, and understanding how to address the relationships between these factors is key to addressing the problem.  This 4-hour seminar will give providers and anyone providing mental health support to individuals a working knowledge, resources, and community-based solutions for addressing suicide in rural communities. Participants will learn about the signs and symptoms of suicide, the impact of stigma on seeking and maintaining treatment, the role of harm reduction, and suicide postvention for providers and families.        The seminar will explore the following topics:  Stigma  Signs & Symptoms  Risk Factors vs. Protective Factors  How to Approach the Conversation as an individual and community.  Post-suicide - survivorship of the family "Nothing goes away in rural communities."    Content for this seminar is drawn from multiple sources including Mental Health First Aid, the Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Primary Care Practices, and the American Indian Addendum to the Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Primary Care Practices.     Due to the intensive and interactive nature of the seminar, registration is limited to 25 participants.    For more information, please contact us at:  [email protected]    Trainer Debra Brownlee, PhD  

About the Institute This two day institute is for those supporting individuals (general mental health and school mental health populations) experiencing grief and loss through COVID 19 and beyond. Note: Both days of the institute will run from 9:00 am-2:45 pm PT  * 10:00 am-3:45 pm MT  * 11:00 am-4:45 pm CT  * 12:00-5:45 pm ET. Full program with session lineups coming soon!    Session Themes and Speaker Lineup for Day 1           Additional Information For each day of the Institute, each session is hosted by one single zoom link; by registering you have access to any and all sessions. You can attend either day and any session no matter your role to support your interests and learning. The populations you serve may be discussed across each Institute day, settings and sessions. A recording of the learning institutes will be made available in the MHTTC Products and Resource Catalog. Certificates of completion (issued for each day of the Institute) are available for participants who attend of 50% or more of either day. CEUs are not available for these sessions. Visit our website to access additional MHTTC grief training and resources here. Questions? Contact us at [email protected]  

The Northwest MHTTC is excited to co-sponsor the UW SMART Center's Annual 2022 Speaker Series. Originally a series of in-person events, we have moved these presentations to a virtual format due to COVID-19.  Join us on Wednesday, February 23 from 8:30 - 9:45am for a presentation by Dr. Kimberly Arnold who will present: Strategies for Advancing Mental Health Equity in Schools Please note: Certificate of Attendance and Washington state clock hours will be available for attendees of the live session. Description: School mental health services increase access to mental health care for children and adolescents. However, significant disparities remain in the appropriateness, quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of school mental health services, particularly among students from marginalized racial/ethnic groups and/or families with low income. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health challenges among students and exacerbated disparities in school mental health services. The purpose of this presentation is to provide strategies for addressing mental health disparities and advancing mental health equity in schools.   Objectives: Explain the burden of mental health challenges among children and adolescents and associated disparities in school mental health care State the importance of involving stakeholders in the development, selection, adaptation, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based school mental health interventions Discuss examples of policies, interventions, and implementation strategies to advance mental health equity in schools Describe the Adapting Strategies to Promote Implementation Reach and Equity framework   About the Presenter: Kimberly T. Arnold, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health @University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Dr. Kimberly Arnold is a public health researcher and practitioner who addresses health disparities disproportionately experienced by Black Americans and engages in multi-sector collaboration to address inequities in social determinants of health in the areas of food security, housing, education, and mental health care access and quality. Dr. Arnold is a leader in health equity, community engaged research approaches, and implementation science. She conducts research—in partnership with community members, practitioners, and policymakers—to increase and improve the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of evidence-based mental health interventions in community settings with a focus on schools and churches. Dr. Arnold earned a BA in Biology with minors in African American Studies and Health from the College of Charleston in 2012, MPH from the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health and Human Rights in 2014, and PhD in Health Policy and Management and certificate in Community-Based Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2019. In 2021, she completed a National Institute of Mental Health T32 postdoctoral fellowship in implementation science, mental health services research, and academic-community partnerships at the Penn Center for Mental Health. Dr. Arnold is currently an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.   Learn more and register for other events in the series here Want more information and school mental health resources? Visit the Northwest MHTTC's School Mental Health page and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates about events, trainings, and resources available to the Northwest region.

This is the third 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:  Jerica Coffey teaches English and Ethnic Studies at Coliseum College Prep in East Oakland and is working to grow the next generation of critically conscious educators through City College of San Francisco's Teacher Preparation Program.          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.

The  Integrated Care Psychiatric Consultant Learning Collaborative (PCLC) is designed for psychiatric providers seeking additional training to deliver integrated care in community-based settings. The one-hour sessions are offered once a month, with a short didactic presentation followed by questions and discussion on a variety of integrated care topic. Sessions are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 12:00-1:00 pm Pacific. ABOUT THIS EVENT Integrated Care Psychiatric Consultant Learning Collaborative (PCLC) is a collaboration with the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, UW Medicine, and the Integrated Care Training Program. By training psychiatrists and other healthcare providers in evidence-based integrated care, we aim to increase the access to effective mental health care across HHS Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State. Our mission is to improve the health of our communities by preparing and supporting a workforce to advance effective, integrated behavioral health care. TARGET AUDIENCE: Psychiatric consultants, such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychiatric physician assistants currently practicing or planning to practice as a psychiatric consultant doing integrated care. FACILITATORS Leah Marcotte, MD Assistant Professor, Medicine; Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington.     Mari Yamamoto, PhD       CME ACCREDITATION  The University of Washington School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Washington School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Each session is 1.0 credits.  

This event was held on February 22, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. MT. *Due to a scheduling conflict, this event will be held on a Tuesday this month. Future Workshop Wednesday's will continue to be held on the third Wednesday of each month.* Event Description Everyone can all think of things they want to change about themselves or their behavior. Why is it so difficult for many people to make those desired changes? In a word, motivation. When someone is motivated, changing their behavior for the better is no longer a matter of “if” but of “how.”    This understanding is the essence of Motivational Interviewing (MI), a popular psychotherapy technique that helps individuals make positive changes to their health, relationships, and quality of life.     Motivational Interviewing is a person-centered, non-confrontational counseling technique that prompts behavior change.  Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy defines MI as “a directive, client-centered counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence.”  Originally MI was designed to address alcohol or other drug addictions but has recently been effective in situations where people may feel ambivalent about making positive behavioral changes. Motivational Interviewing is widely used to help patients address eating disorders, thoughts of suicide, smoking, gambling, hoarding, substance use disorder, and co-occurring disorders.  In this one-hour training, participants can expect to come away with a clear understanding of what Motivational Interviewing is and what it is not. Including steps on how to begin to use it most effectively to assist patients in discovering ways to make positive changes in their lives.     Trainer Ivory Tubbs, PhD Technical Expert Lead, RCORP WICHE Behavioral Health Program                   Prior to earning his doctorate in psychology, Ivory served in the United States Air Force during Operation Desert Shield in logistics in 1991. Prior to his discharge from the military, Ivory’s career in the mental/behavioral health field began in Las Vegas, Nevada as a crisis intervention specialist. Later, he transitioned to the role of child development assistant with Clark County Family Services.  In 1999 he was appointed as the Executive Director of Windsor Village Social Services, an agency working in conjunction with FEMA to provide emergency food, shelter and utility assistance for area residents. In addition to fulfilling his duties as Executive Director, Ivory was also a Senior Public Health Investigator with the City of Houston, Bureau of Epidemiology conducting psycho-social assessments regarding sexual practices and opioid use within the HIV/AIDS community for the CDC. After his simultaneous roles as Executive Director and Senior Public Health Investigator, Ivory began adding to his knowledge base by joining the University of Texas School of Health Sciences, Psychiatric Center working with acute and subacute psychosis patients as well as patients in the forensic psychology unit for the Houston Police Department.  Ivory was also a Psychological Assessor focusing on dual diagnosis patients as well as outpatient therapy to monitor psychotropic drug interactions. Ivory took a hiatus from behavioral health to become an HR Manager in compliance and performance management for Walmart US. Ivory has served on several boards of directors and has done extensive work in the homeless community. He has also held the role of director working with the developmentally delayed population. 

*** Due to great participation and desire for future sessions, we are excited to announce that Mindfulness Monday will continue! Future dates will be posted as soon as we confirm the details. Stay tuned to our social media as well as this page to register as soon as it's live! *** To access resources from sessions that have already been held, please click here.  Event Description Research indicates that mindfulness therapy and practices are very effective in helping to reduce levels of stress and feelings of being overwhelmed.  With this in mind, we are excited to present a mindfulness training series, Mindfulness Monday, for individuals working in high-stress situations or anyone looking to support their mental health and overall well-being by understanding and adopting mindfulness practices.  This training will provide participants with a quick break and easy-to-use strategies that can help mitigate feelings of stress.    This training uses evidence-based practices from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Dialectal Behavioral Therapy Evidence-based therapy and can provide people with a basic understanding of how this practice works.    Mindfulness Monday is a bi-weekly, 30-minute training. In the first session each month, participants will be introduced to a new mindful skill, building in sequence from the skill the month prior; while the second session each month is for practice only of that learned mindful skill.  It is recommended that participants at minimum attend the first session of each month but is not mandatory.  Feel free to attend any or all sessions that allow for your busy schedule.  Trainer Christina Ruggiero, CCC, RP   Christina has developed this training and will facilitate the sessions.  She is a Psychotherapist currently working at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.  Christina will provide participants with practical tips and experiential activities that can be incorporated into daily routines and easily shared with others.   

The New England MHTTC's School Mental Health Initiative is excited to announce our Healthcare workers and Educators Addressing and Reducing Trauma (HEART) Webinar Series and Community of Practice!   Educators, healthcare workers, mental and behavioral health providers, and staff of community-based organizations are invited to monthly webinars and peer support hours about: Building and Maintaining a Comprehensive School Mental Health System Effective Collaborations Funding and Logistics Stakeholder Voice, Engagement, and Advocacy Equity Considerations   Earn up to 5 hours of CEUs for this 5-month series!   1st Thursday: Evidence-based Practices to Enhance Efficacy In these 60-minute sessions, experts in education, mental health, and healthcare from New England will share the evidence-based practices they have used to forge and maintain successful collaborations around comprehensive school mental health systems.   3rd Thursday: Peer Support Hours to Learn from One Another and Receive Technical Assistance For these 60-minute sessions, members of the community of practice are invited to share their own experiences around the month's topic and ask questions about specific challenges.     See the full HEART Webinar Series and Community of Practice schedule here.    

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.

Description: Individuals suffering from mental illness often suffer from multiple comorbidities, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality.  African Americans have a disproportionately higher risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and hypertension than other ethnic or racial groups.  African Americans suffering mental illness are at even greater risk of poor outcomes associated with these conditions.  This webinar will review common medical comorbidities seen in African Americans suffering from mental illness, review contributing factors, and discuss strategies to improve outcomes. Download Flyer   Presenter: Welton Craig Washington, Jr., MD is an adult psychiatrist in Ann Arbor, MI. He is a clinical adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan and is an attending psychiatrist at Washtenaw County Community Mental Health. He has been awarded multiple teaching awards including the Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D. award for Excellence in Medical Student Education, the Alpha Omega Alpha award for Clinical Faculty of the Year, and the Irma Bland, MD Certificate of Excellence in Teaching Psychiatry Residents. He currently serves on the executive board of the Black Psychiatrists of America. He completed his undergraduate training at Morehouse College and both his medical training and psychiatry residency at the University of Michigan. Dr. Washington has special interest in treating severe and persistent mental illness in minority communities. Host: Annelle Primm, M.D., MPH is the Senior Medical Director of the Steve Fund, an organization focused on the mental health of young people of color. She is also a member of the Black Psychiatrists of America Council of Elders.   Learning Objectives: List common comorbidities seen in African American patients with mental illness Name risk factors associated with these chronic conditions     Discuss strategies to improve outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality in the African American population suffering from mental illness and comorbid chronic conditions   Who Should Attend? Mental health clinicians, case workers, peer recovery support staff, primary care staff, administrators, and others who work on behalf of adults with serious mental illnesses   Certificates of attendance will be available to viewers of 50% (30 minutes) or more of the live webinar (via email within 30 business days post-event). 

The dual public health emergencies of structural racism and the coronavirus pandemic continue to challenge communities of color across New England. The 2022 Innovations Conference will highlight providers implementing groundbreaking mental health and substance use programming amidst these crises to support resilience and recovery. Join thought leaders from our region to celebrate innovative approaches to supporting mental health and advancing substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) across New England. Presenters will share successes, lessons learned, and strategies for supporting whole-person care and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.   Day 1 - February 14, 2022: Laying the Groundwork- Foundations of Whole Person Care Day 2 - February 15, 2022: Innovative Prevention Approaches Day 3 - February 16, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Engagement, Connection, and Programming Day 4 - February 17, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Supporting Recovery, Resilience, Purpose, and Opportunities   For more information on our daily agenda and speakers, go to our event info page.    C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual trainings, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual training may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this training. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2020 to 10/17/2023. Social workers completing this training receive up to 8 continuing education credits. C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming.

Counselors have the privilege of working with individuals and families from various backgrounds, intersecting identities, and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions. To be culturally responsive means that counselors must reflect on their own journeys as cultural beings. The Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice Competencies models are guideposts to evolving our personal cultural awareness and knowledge to inform counseling practice. Another important aspect of becoming culturally responsive is attending to our emotions and our emotional intelligence.   In this workshop, there will be opportunities to address counselor cultural awareness, the stressors for contemporary immigrants, individuals and families with mental health distress because of COVID, and the stressors for working mothers. Case examples will be used to move to identifying culturally responsive counseling practices. The goal is to empower counselors to enact culturally responsive practice with or without the support of their employer.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Apply the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competency model to counselor self-examination.  Identify emotions that may interfere in being culturally responsive and empathic. Examine cultural values, traditions, and experiences with authority that may lead to mistrust. Identify immigrant strengths and stressors and the solution-oriented mindset of individuals. Recognize personal and professional resources that empower one’s behaviors as a culturally responsive counselor.     SPEAKER:      Dr. Patricia Arredondo has dedicated her career to advancing social justice, cultural competency development, immigrant and Latinx mental health education, feminist leadership, and organizational diversity strategy. She served as president of ACA and the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development and is a founding member of the Counselors for Social Justice. Currently, she is on the Nominations & Elections Committee and the Board of Elders for the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development. She is an ACA Fellow. Dr. Arredondo is co-author of the foundational Multicultural Counseling Competencies of AMCD. She is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified counselor. Dr. Arredondo received her master’s in school counseling from Boston College and her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Boston University. She is the author of more than 100 articles and book chapters and is the author/co-author of eight books. As president of the Arredondo Advisory Group, she consults nationally to organizations on their diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. She resides in Phoenix and Mexico City.     The Great Lakes MHTTC offers this training in partnership with WAFCA for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This session is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   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.

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 2 of this collaborative? Part 2: Examine February 16 - March 3, 2022 Part 2 provides a deep dive into a newly released 3-part training package on mental health literacy for teachers and school staff supporting the mental health of students. Classroom WISE, developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, and provides evidence-based strategies and skills to help educators engage and support students with mental health concerns in the classroom. Note: You can participate in Part 2 and not join us for Part 1 or 3.   Part 2: Examining Classroom WISE All sessions are required. You can participate in Part 2 and not join us for Part 1 or 3.   Welcome & Orientation-Why Educator Mental Health Literacy? February 16, 2022 at 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT Roles & Responsibilities (Models of systems-wide educator mental health literacy; school based services & educators working together): February 23, 2022 at 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT Peer teaching & peer share outs (Modules 1-3): February 24, 2022, 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT Peer teaching & peer share outs (Modules 4-6): March 2nd 2022 at 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT Integration & Action Planning: March 3rd 2022 at 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT   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.

DESCRIPTION:   Since the end of WWII the United States has admitted refugees and asylum seekers who have escaped some degree of trauma in their home countries and have come seeking safety in the U.S. This presentation will clarify the definition of a refugee and an asylum seeker. It will focus on the kinds of trauma they have experienced that caused them to become refugees or asylum seekers, the trauma they go through in the process of getting to the U.S., and the trauma of starting life over in a new country and culture. It will also focus on the resilience of many refugees and asylum seekers and how that resilience can be strengthened in communities.     PRESENTER:      Jennifer Riggs is a graduate of Bethany College in Bethany, WV, and Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT.  She is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who is now retired. Jennifer has worked in ministry with farm workers in Adams County in northeast Indiana, in prison ministry in Niantic, CT, as Director of the Student Y at Ohio Wesleyan University, and as Associate Minister of Downey Ave. Christian Church in Indianapolis. For 31 years she worked as the Director of Refugee and Immigration Ministries at the headquarters of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis. In that capacity she worked with her denomination’s congregations across the United States to resettle more than 30,000 refugees and to assist hundreds of persons with asylum or immigration issues.  During that time she traveled to over 30 countries visiting refugee camps and meeting with officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Jennifer also served over 10 years in various leadership positions with Church World Service, the ecumenical organization representing most Protestant denominations, which provides response to refugee, disaster, and development needs globally.   One CE hour (Indiana Professional Licensing Board) will be awarded to those who complete the training.

The dual public health emergencies of structural racism and the coronavirus pandemic continue to challenge communities of color across New England. The 2022 Innovations Conference will highlight providers implementing groundbreaking mental health and substance use programming amidst these crises to support resilience and recovery. Join thought leaders from our region to celebrate innovative approaches to supporting mental health and advancing substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) across New England. Presenters will share successes, lessons learned, and strategies for supporting whole-person care and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.   Day 1 - February 14, 2022: Laying the Groundwork- Foundations of Whole Person Care Day 2 - February 15, 2022: Innovative Prevention Approaches Day 3 - February 16, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Engagement, Connection, and Programming Day 4 - February 17, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Supporting Recovery, Resilience, Purpose, and Opportunities   For more information on our daily agenda and speakers, go to our event info page.    C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual trainings, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual training may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this training. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2020 to 10/17/2023. Social workers completing this training receive up to 8 continuing education credits. C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming.

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 first Regional Collaboration Meeting on February 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 February 16th is 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. 

3:30pm - 4:30pm PT Meeting 1 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.   

This is the second 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 session will explore the limitations of schooling as a way to imagine health-centered frameworks of education. This Community of Practice session will also 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:  Tiffani Marie is the daughter of Sheryll Marie, granddaughter of Dorothy Wilson and Annette Williams, and the great-grandaughter of Artelia Green and Olivia Williams. She comes from a long line of Arkansas educators. She is passionate about learning with and from youth, sewing, music production, and connecting to the natural world.         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.

Each session will go from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MT. / 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT Event Description Depression is a condition experienced by a significant number of individuals, from children, adolescents, and adults. With the ongoing pandemic, the prevalence of depression has increased significantly. This three-part series will review evidence-based screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression within primary care settings.    Session 1 - February 15, 2022 Screening for and Diagnosis of Depression in Primary Care   Learning Objectives   Identify the use of common screening tools for depression/suicide risk in primary care  Utilize or recall common treatments for depression  Identify common medical differentials/co-morbidities of depression    Session 2 - March 1, 2022 Evidence-Based Treatment of Depression   Learning Objectives   Identify evidence-based interventions for depression and suicide response  Utilize both pharmacologic and therapeutic interventions in treating to target  Identify practices in depression prevention planning    Session 3 - March 15, 2022 Pathways of Care: Building a Depression Follow-Up Program   Learning Objectives    Identify high-risk behavioral health patients  Recognize and define the roles of providers in a collaborative care model  Utilize a registry in order to track patient response to care    Trainers Dr. Andrew McLean                     Dr. McLean is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He obtained his medical degree from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine, completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Wisconsin and an M.P.H. degree from the University of Minnesota. He has been recognized as a UND School of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus, has received the American Psychiatric Association Bruno Lima award for outstanding contributions to Disaster Psychiatry, and has been conferred with numerous teaching excellence awards. Dr. McLean previously was the Medical Director of the ND Department of Human Services. He has served on numerous clinical, administrative and regulatory boards including medical licensing and professional health programs. He has lectured internationally on pertinent behavioral and public health issues. Dr. McLean has a particular interest in collaborative models of care. He also is interested in individual and community resilience.    Robin Landwehr, LPCC                     Robin is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) who holds a Master of Science degree in mental health counseling from Capella University, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree from Arizona State University. She previously served as the behavioral health director at a Federally Qualified Health Center where she helped establish a Medication Assisted Treatment Program for individuals with opioid use disorder. During her career, she has been fortunate enough to be involved in numerous writing projects, provided many trainings, practiced as part of a collaborative care team, and provided clinical supervision. Her experience as a clinical counselor includes assisting individuals struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, health behaviors, substance abuse, and other issues. She is a certified instructor in the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) suicide prevention programs.    Ken Flanagan                       Dr. Kenneth Flanagan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Dakota. He currently serves as a curriculum developer for the Mountain Plains Mental Health and Addiction Technology Transfer Centers.  Dr. Flanagan holds a license as a clinical social worker and provides counseling and behavioral management services with a clinical focus on depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues and chronic pain. He received his MSW and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Dr. Flanagan has held a range of clinical and administrative positions in healthcare and community-based organizations.   

The dual public health emergencies of structural racism and the coronavirus pandemic continue to challenge communities of color across New England. The 2022 Innovations Conference will highlight providers implementing groundbreaking mental health and substance use programming amidst these crises to support resilience and recovery. Join thought leaders from our region to celebrate innovative approaches to supporting mental health and advancing substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) across New England. Presenters will share successes, lessons learned, and strategies for supporting whole-person care and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.   Day 1 - February 14, 2022: Laying the Groundwork- Foundations of Whole Person Care Day 2 - February 15, 2022: Innovative Prevention Approaches Day 3 - February 16, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Engagement, Connection, and Programming Day 4 - February 17, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Supporting Recovery, Resilience, Purpose, and Opportunities   For more information on our daily agenda and speakers, go to our event info page.    C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual trainings, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual training may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this training. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2020 to 10/17/2023. Social workers completing this training receive up to 8 continuing education credits. C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming.

The Great Lakes MHTTC, in partnership with People Incorporated Training Institute, offers this training for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.     DESCRIPTION Successful outcomes largely depend upon the quality of interpersonal relationships with people receiving services. Workers must maintain a balance between being supportive, empathic, and understanding, yet professional at the same time. This training explores the nature of boundary issues at work by looking at the five different risk areas for most staff, offering tips and best practices for reducing the risk of boundary problems in the workplace.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES Review boundary concepts and terminology Examine ethical considerations with examples Introduce a decision-making process Adopt personal and professional interventions     CONTINUING EDUCATION Participants are eligible to receive 2 CEUs from the Minnesota Board of Social Work and the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy.     SPEAKER INFO Warren Duncan, BS, has had various roles throughout his career working with households experiencing homelessness and multiple barriers to stable housing. He has worked as direct support staff on mobile teams in permanent supportive housing program across the metro area, assisted in outreach efforts for program participants living on the streets and in shelter, provided outreach to property managers and landlords, connecting them to support services in metro and greater Minnesota communities. He has worked to provide support to a network of supportive housing programs and community organizing among county, state, and local community agencies in southern and central Minnesota. He is currently overseeing all programming as Program Director for a Minnesota nonprofit. Warren enjoys facilitating workshops and has led a number of training sessions. Topics include building landlord relationships, housing first, harm reduction, navigating conflict, de-escalation, and mindfulness. Warren grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and moved to Minnesota shortly after graduating from Iowa State University. He currently lives with his family in the Twin Cities western suburbs. He enjoys drawing, painting, and photography in his spare time.

The dual public health emergencies of structural racism and the coronavirus pandemic continue to challenge communities of color across New England. The 2022 Innovations Conference will highlight providers implementing groundbreaking mental health and substance use programming amidst these crises to support resilience and recovery. Join thought leaders from our region to celebrate innovative approaches to supporting mental health and advancing substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) across New England. Presenters will share successes, lessons learned, and strategies for supporting whole-person care and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.   Day 1 - February 14, 2022: Laying the Groundwork- Foundations of Whole Person Care Day 2 - February 15, 2022: Innovative Prevention Approaches Day 3 - February 16, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Engagement, Connection, and Programming Day 4 - February 17, 2022: Pathways of Recovery - Innovations in Supporting Recovery, Resilience, Purpose, and Opportunities   For more information on our daily agenda and speakers, go to our event info page.      C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual trainings, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual training may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this training. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2020 to 10/17/2023. Social workers completing this training receive up to 8 continuing education credits. C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming.

Join us for this monthly series where curriculum developers from the New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center will provide intensive technical assistance around implementation of its online training course, Cultivating Compassionate School Communities that Respond to Trauma Effectively. This free 12-hour course offer recommendations on cultivating compassionate school communities that buffer against the negative effects of trauma, build student resilience, and enhance the well-being of everyone in the school building. Our course supports states, districts, and schools looking to build or refine trauma-informed comprehensive school mental health support systems. As a part of our Community of Practice gatherings, participants will hear from others using this course with their staff, gain tools to debrief and discuss course concepts, and learn how coaching can enhance efficacy around new practices. Our Community of Practice participants will also have the opportunity to inform the implementation guide being offered to support our online course.   Presenters: /*-->*/ /*-->*/ /*-->*/ /*--> Martha Staeheli, PhD; Dana Asby, MA, MEd; TBD PTTC presenter

/*--> Join our value-added Diversity Talk! At this session, we will unpack information shared during our January 26 session on the impact of implicit bias on BIPOC Populations. Session collaborator, Jessica Isom, MD, MPH, will lead our talk and introduce a six-step framework for reducing disparities and fostering health equity. In preparation for this session, please review the video archive from our January 26 session and review the curated discussion resource, A Roadmap to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care.   Our Diversity Talks offer a window of availability with thought leaders and provide the space and opportunity for small group conversations and discussions around curated resources that promote racial equity and culturally humble practices in behavioral health and recovery-oriented care.