Event Description This presentation will define and describe adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and review the substantial empirical evidence on their mental and physical health effects. Multiple ways of understanding and assessing for ACEs will be discussed, as will how to identify and address them in clinical practice.    Trainer Melanie Wilcox Dr. Melanie Wilcox is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Public and Preventive Health, and Department of Psychiatry at Augusta University. She is also a licensed psychologist and board certified in counseling psychology and works part-time in private practice providing both therapy and assessment via telehealth. Her clinical areas of expertise include culturally responsive and trauma-informed care as well as substance abuse and addiction. Her research focuses on culturally response and antiracist psychotherapy and training, racial and socioeconomic inequity in higher education, and racial and social justice more broadly. She is in her final year as a member of the American Psychological Association’s Board of Educational Affairs, which she chaired in 2020, and is currently President Elect-Elect of APA Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology.  

  This is session 4 of the Mindful Monday series, running from March 11 to May 20. Event Description We are excited to announce that Christina Ruggiero, RP, is returning to lead our first Mindful Monday series, Mindful Monday – Experiential Mental Health Practice, for Spring 2024. Join us as we continue to explore and experience different mindfulness practices related to the topics of creativity, rest, and self-care. This series is for anyone who desires to improve their overall well-being, resilience, and mental health.  The practices that are presented in the training are designed for quick and effective implementation both personally and professionally.  For mental and behavioral health practitioners these techniques can be easily incorporate into their practice.  Mindfulness practices are varied and can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to an hour or more. Vishen Lakhiani, Meditation Expert and CEO of Mindvalley, states “You can take a one- to three-minute dip into peacefulness, and you can see remarkable results. The biggest benefits are going to happen in the first few minutes.” Attendees who have participated in past Mindful Monday series have the following to say about the training: “Incredibly validating experience”, “Love doing this- can we do it indefinitely”, “Thank you for this training. It is hard to recognize we also deserve to be heard, have needs/wants and slow down and breathe for a while.” This is a 30-minute interactive training that begins on March 11th and will run every other week through May 20th, 2024.  Each training will feature exercises from different mindfulness disciplines. At the beginning of each session, participants will spend a few minutes grounding and learning about the practice for that day and then spend approximately 15-20 minutes in experiential practice, leaving a few minutes at the end for reflection and discussion. Trainer Christina Ruggiero Master’s Counselling Psychology  Registered Psychotherapist

To submit an application for this year’s Academy, please visit: https://wiche.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsdO6srzwrH9BvvkMVcw44BxaZGB9UzLTT  Application Schedule:  Application Deadline: March 22, 2024  Notification of Acceptance: March 29, 2024  2024 Mountain Plains Leadership Academy – Program #24CE0009 Session 1 _ The Heart of Leadership April 22, 2024 – April 25, 2024 · Boulder, CO  Session 2 _ The Business of Leadership September 23, 2024 – September 25, 2024 · Boulder, CO Target Audience: This accredited continuing education activity is designed for directors, supervisors, upcoming supervisors in the Behavioral Health, and Substance Use Disorder fields. Global Objectives: Forge meaningful mentorship relationships with experienced leaders in the field of rural behavioral health and substance use disorder management.  Identify your own leadership style, recognizing strengths and areas for development.  Discuss how to nurture high-performing individuals within your team.  Implement strategies to cultivate a supportive and positive leadership culture within your organization.    Leadership shortages in the rural behavioral health and substance abuse workforces continue to pose significant challenges for individuals and their communities throughout HHS Region 8 states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.   The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Center (MHTTC) Leadership Academy was formed to address these gaps and for the past five years, the Academy has served the rural behavioral health workforce and their communities by providing provided customized training to effectively meet leaders where they are and provide them with a map that helps them navigate the leadership challenges they have taken on.  This year, in response to both participant feedback from the 2023 Leadership Academy, and shared concerns about the escalating impact of opioid and stimulant abuse throughout rural communities in our region, we have reformatted the Academy to offer a 6-month Leadership Intensive experience to providers in HHS Region 8 states, working in the behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse fields.  This intensive is the result of a collaboration between the Mountain Plains MHTTC and the Mountain Plains Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (ROTAC).    This collaboration allows us to expand our training offering to include two in-person events, with a training curriculum that addresses both the soft and hard skills needed to be an effective leader, one-on-one coaching, group mentoring, and ongoing monthly training.   Below is a preview of the 2024 Mountain Plains Leadership Academy Schedule:   April 22, 2024 – April 25, 2024 · Boulder, CO  Session 1 _ The Heart of Leadership Some of the topics we’ll cover include Interpersonal Style, Leadership Skills and Competencies, Situational Leadership, and Building Strong Teams.  APRIL 22nd – Afternoon & Evening Group Get Together – Introductions Group Dinner – Chautauqua, Boulder, CO  APRIL 23rd – Day 1 Continental Breakfast Provided Morning Session Lunch Provided Afternoon Session  APRIL 24th · Day 2 Continental Breakfast Provided Morning Session Individual Mentoring Sessions Lunch Individual Mentoring Sessions Afternoon Session  Monthly Trainings (1 hour) – May | June | July | August Monthly Mentoring (1 hour) Individual Mentoring or Group Mentoring (1 – 2x | month) – May | June | July | August | September   Session 2 _ The Business of Leadership Some of the topics we’ll cover include Leadership and Management Skills, Cultural Competence, Ethical and Legal Considerations, and Collaboration and Networking.  September 23, 2024 – September 25, 2024 · Boulder, CO  SEPTEMBER 23rd – Afternoon & Evening Group Get Together Group Dinner – Chautauqua, Boulder, CO  SEPTEMBER 24th – Day 1 Continental Breakfast Provided Morning Session Lunch Provided Afternoon Session  SEPTEMBER 25th – Day 2 Continental Breakfast Provided Morning Session Lunch Afternoon Session – Wrap-Up Who We’re Looking For:  New and emerging rural leaders working in the behavioral health and/or substance abuse & treatment fields in the HHS Region 8 states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.    Must be working in a leadership position.   Twenty participants are willing to commit to full participation in the 6-month intensive program.  What We Offer:  A free, customized curriculum adapted to meet the unique needs of rural leaders and facilitated by trainers in the behavioral health and substance use disorder fields, as well as private and public sector fields, with extensive leadership experience.   Continuous on-going support for the full 6-month period.  8.25 APA and LADC credits are available for Session 1. Credits for Session 2 are pending.  Travel, lodging, and all meals (excluding dinner on Tuesday evening 4/23 and 9/23) will be covered, per WICHE travel policy.  Applicants will receive more detailed information upon acceptance.   To submit an application for this year’s Academy, please visit: https://wiche.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsdO6srzwrH9BvvkMVcw44BxaZGB9UzLTT  Application Schedule:  Application Deadline: March 22, 2024  Notification of Acceptance: March 29, 2024    ACCREDITED CONTINUING EDUCATION  In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by University of Nebraska Medical Center and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). University of Nebraska Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  PSYCHOLOGISTS/LICENSE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS   Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. This activity has been approved for 8.25 credit hours of continuing education credit.    LADC  This activity meets the criteria of an approved continuing education program for Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselors (LADC). 

This is a recording of Workshop 4 of 6 in the "Trauma-Informed, In School Sessions" Workshop Series.  Counseling with Care: Trauma Informed School Counseling Practices Trauma Informed Principle to Practice: Peer Support, Empowerment   Are you a school counselor, becoming a school counselor, or someone who teams/works with school counselors? Zeyda Garcia, founder of Healing Aguas Wellness Solutions and school counseling professor, joined this series to share how to anchor and apply trauma-informed principles in school counseling practices, programs, and policies. In the workshop video, she discusses a high-level overview of trauma, its impacts on students, and different strategies school mental health providers can implement to support young people in counseling settings.   Utilizing trauma informed school counseling practices, providers can support young people in regulating their own nervous system and support them in accessing their education. Watch this workshop video and join in reflections on our unique school and personal practices, in order to enhance our trauma-informed support of students.   Viewers will walk away with practical tools to use in sessions with students, families, and school-wide. Most importantly, and in Zeyda’s words, this workshop aims to offer school counselors “more creativity, courage and confidence in yourself as a counselor and a commitment to caring for yourself.”

By the end of this webinar, participants were able to describe: The nature of insight and treatment engagement in psychotic disorders An overview of the causes of impaired insight and treatment engagement in psychotic disorders. Approaches to management of impaired insight and treatment engagement/alliance in psychotic disorders.   Presenter: ​​Dr. Keshavan is Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, as well as Academic Head of the department. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Schizophrenia Research (Elsevier) and serves on the editorial board for journals such as Early Intervention in Psychiatry and Asian Journal of Psychiatry. His main areas of research include the neurodevelopmental basis of schizophrenia, neuroimaging, and early intervention. He has an active clinical practice.   This webinar was co-hosted by the Massachusetts Psychosis Network for Early Treatment (MAPNET, www.mapnet.online).

Research has indicated that youth may experience racism, prejudice, and bias as early as preschool. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences of working within schools and school districts and learn strategies to help students navigate a culturally complex world while decreasing negative physical, emotional, and psychological outcomes. This webinar will also focus on existing policies within school systems and assess how those policies impact access to equitable and high quality mental and behavioral health care for communities of color. Attendees will walk away with strategies for how to discuss these topic areas with their students and how to support students who are coping with complex cultural issues in developmentally appropriate ways.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Define racial stress and trauma and Provide examples of how racial stress and trauma can occur in schools Identify the systems & policies within schools that impact student health and wellness Understanding the role of implicit bias in school systems & policies   CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.   PRESENTERS: Nicole L. Cammack, PhD Dr. Nicole L. Cammack is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Speaker, Media Contributor, and the Founder, President and CEO of Black Mental Wellness, Corp. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University and her Master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University. Lastly, she completed a specialized Postdoctoral Fellowship, with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine.  Dr. Cammack is passionate about mental health awareness, treatment, and reducing the mental health stigma, particularly as it relates to Black communities. This passion is what led to the development of Black Mental Wellness, Corp an organization of clinical psychologists passionate about shifting the narrative of mental health in the Black community. In addition, she is a co-author of, Healing Racial Stress Workbook for Black Teens: Skills to Help You Manage Emotions, Resist Racism, and Feel Empowered. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Essence, People, Thrive Global, Good Housekeeping, Salesforce, and Rally Up Magazine (Cover feature). In addition, she was recognized as a 40 under 40 Honoree with the Leadership Center for Excellence and recognized through her work at Fort Meade and the Department of the Army with an Achievement Medal for Civilian Service. Danielle R. Busby, PhD Dr. Danielle Busby is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Speaker, Author, Educator, and Co-Founder and Vice President of Professional Relations of Black Mental Wellness Corp. She received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan and her Master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the George Washington University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship, with a child trauma specialization, at Duke University’s Medical Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Busby is passionate about decreasing barriers to mental health service use for underserved patient populations and is committed to continuously bridging the gap between research and clinical practice. Her research and clinical work are centered on examining barriers to mental health service use, specifically among Black youth who are at an elevated risk for suicide. She has led and contributed to scholarly articles and research on child trauma, youth suicide prevention, racial discrimination among Black youth, and the psychological effects of neighborhood stressors, such as, community violence exposure among Black adolescents.  Dr. Busby and her work has been featured in NBC News, People, Women’s Health, Parents, Rally Up Magazine (Cover feature), PsychAlive, and WJLA news. Additionally, she is an awarded recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. She is a proud member of the American Psychological Association’s Leadership Development Institute, SelfSea Digital Wellbeing Advisory Board, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she has served for over 15 years. Dr. Busby was born in Detroit, MI and raised in Southfield, MI. She loves early morning yoga, college football Saturdays, and traveling with her close family and friends.   This event is being held in partnership with Black Mental Wellness.   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.