South Southwest PTTC

COURSE DESCRIPTION Due to the overwhelming interest and limited seating in our last session, we’re excited to offer another opportunity for you to join the training! This workshop will explore the intersection of youth mental health and substance misuse. Presenters will outline effective strategies and interventions that prevention professionals can implement to improve mental health and reduce substance misuse among youth.  PRESENTERS Cindy Rivera Change Consultant, Project Director specializing in early childhood and mental health across the lifespan. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience working at the community level to implement programming to meet identified needs. She worked across communities from Tennessee to American Samoa on issues ranging from community volunteerism to chronic disease prevention. Cindy believes when community members are seen as experts, organizations may begin to support innovative solutions to complex challenges. Cindy holds a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Mexican American studies from the University of Arizona. She is originally from Arizona, however, has spent the past 9 years zigzagging the country as military spouse. Currently, she resides in Fort Moore, Georgia, but will always call Southern Arizona home. “Listening is where love begins: listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors.”  – Fred Rogers    Since 1996, veteran Derrick Newby has worked in the field of prevention and public health in both the public and private sectors. He serves as a training and technical assistance specialist for the South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center for HHS Region 6.   As a veteran's counselor and advocate, Mr. Newby gained experience with the impact of federal programs on communities after working as a special assistant to a member of Congress. He then worked as the Program Coordinator in Arkansas for the Delta Region AIDS Education and Training Center for 15 years, facilitating the education of providers interested in increasing their capacity to provide comprehensive services related to HIV including testing and treatment. In 2017, he was selected for a position with the University of Arkansas Little Rock and served as a Program Coordinator with MidSOUTH Center for Prevention and Training for 5 years, helping to facilitate the growth of the prevention system.   Serving on the Arkansas Prevention Certification Board since 2020, Mr. Newby has a Master of Public Administration and a bachelor of science in psychology with a minor in education.    

In this Issue National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Additional Resources on Suicide and Substance Use Disorder Epi Corner: Gone Too Soon: Suicide Among Adolescents and Young Adults What's Happening Around the Region? Webinar: Navigating the Green Wave: Strategies for a Local Response to Cannabis Legalization Webinar: Strategies to Disrupt the Proliferation of Emerging Drugs: A Community Approach New from SAMHSA Preventing Substance Use Among Young Adults with Disabilities National Recovery Month

COURSE DESCRIPTION This workshop explores the intersection of youth mental health and substance misuse. Presenters outline effective strategies and interventions that prevention professionals can implement to improve mental health and reduce substance misuse among youth. Select View Resource to watch the recording. Below are the training materials. PPT Reducing youth substance misuse HHS Risk and Protective Factors MHTTC School Mental Health initiative Highlights 2022-2023   PRESENTERS Cindy Rivera Change Consultant, Project Director specializing in early childhood and mental health across the lifespan. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience working at the community level to implement programming to meet identified needs. She worked across communities from Tennessee to American Samoa on issues ranging from community volunteerism to chronic disease prevention. Cindy believes when community members are seen as experts, organizations may begin to support innovative solutions to complex challenges. Cindy holds a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Mexican American studies from the University of Arizona. She is originally from Arizona, however, has spent the past 9 years zigzagging the country as military spouse. Currently, she resides in Fort Moore, Georgia, but will always call Southern Arizona home. “Listening is where love begins: listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors.”  – Fred Rogers    Since 1996, veteran Derrick Newby has worked in the field of prevention and public health in both the public and private sectors. He serves as a training and technical assistance specialist for the South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center for HHS Region 6.   As a veteran's counselor and advocate, Mr. Newby gained experience with the impact of federal programs on communities after working as a special assistant to a member of Congress. He then worked as the Program Coordinator in Arkansas for the Delta Region AIDS Education and Training Center for 15 years, facilitating the education of providers interested in increasing their capacity to provide comprehensive services related to HIV including testing and treatment. In 2017, he was selected for a position with the University of Arkansas Little Rock and served as a Program Coordinator with MidSOUTH Center for Prevention and Training for 5 years, helping to facilitate the growth of the prevention system.   Serving on the Arkansas Prevention Certification Board since 2020, Mr. Newby has a Master of Public Administration and a bachelor of science in psychology with a minor in education.    

In this Issue North Texas Tackles the Fentanyl Crisis with New Documentary National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is August 21 Harm Reduction Resources Epi Corner: Opioid Overdoses in Children and Adolescents What's Happening Around the Region? Webinar: Reducing Youth Substance Misuse by Implementing Mental Health Initiatives Webinar: Navigating the Green Wave: Strategies for a Local Response to Cannabis Legalization Webinar: Strategies to Disrupt the Proliferation of Emerging Drugs: A Community Approach New From SAMHSA SAMHSA Releases the 2023 National Survey on Drug use and Health (NSDUH) National Mental Wellness Month