Private event, by invitation only.

The purpose of this training is to further develop the skills of mental health providers working with Latinx populations with co-occurring disorders, thus reducing disparities in services and improving outcomes. The training includes information on cultural values and how they may relate to symptom manifestation, help seeking behaviors and recovery processes. Furthermore, the training addresses risk and protective factors for co-occurring disorders among Hispanic and Latino populations promoting a strength-based approach to treatment, as well as the use of the Cultural Formulation Interview as part of assessment when working with Hispanic and Latino populations. The goal of this training is to increase the awareness and enhance the abilities of providers in their use of cultural elements by promoting cultural formulations when treating Hispanics and Latinos with co-occurring disorders.

Target Audience- Professionals working Latino populations who experience co-occurring disorders

The specific objectives of the training are to:

1. Discuss prevalence of mental health and co-occurring disorders among Latinos and contributing factors.
2. Demonstrate the consideration and incorporation of cultural values and cultural idioms of distress when treating Hispanics and Latinos with mental health and co-occurring disorders.
3. Distinguish cultural considerations when working with Latino populations with co-occurring disorders.
4. Identify and address mental health risk and protective factors in Hispanic and Latino communities.
5. Address how to incorporate strategies to effectively engage, and treat Hispanic and Latino clients, including the Cultural Formulation Interview.

About Presenters:

Haner Hernández, PhD, CPS, CADCII, LADCI

Dr. Hernández is originally from Puerto Rico, is bilingual and has worked for 31 years in the health and human service field developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally and linguistically intelligent youth and adult health prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support programs. Also, Dr. Hernández has many years of experience in delivering addiction counseling and clinical supervision to professionals in the field. Furthermore, he is a professional trainer and facilitator and provides individualized technical assistance and support to organizations that provide addiction prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery supports.

Haner earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Springfield College and a Master of Education with concentrations in Counseling Psychology and Addiction Studies from Cambridge College in Massachusetts. His doctoral degree was earned at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His major was Community Health Education and his minor was Social Justice Education. In addition, Mr. Hernandez holds an advance Certification in Drug and Alcohol Counseling at the reciprocal level, is licensed in Massachusetts, and is a Certified Prevention Specialist.

Erick Senior-Roges, MS

Erick Senior is currently the Training and Content Specialist for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTCC. He received his master’s degree in Psychology from The New School for Social Research in New York and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico. He has worked in clinical and research mental health settings with Hispanic and Latinx populations as a study coordinator for the Albert Einstein School of Medicine and the Behavioral Sciences Research Institute in Puerto Rico. He has also provided psychotherapeutic services to immigrant families and at the Roberto Clemente Center Family Guidance Center of New York City and as part of post-disaster recovery efforts with Proyecto Patria of Hispanic Federation in Puerto Rico.