Products and Resources Catalog

April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. To raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of alcohol policy safeguards, we have launched the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit: #ProofIsInTheNumbers. The Alcohol Awareness Toolkit seeks to do the following during the month of April: Raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of strong alcohol policies using memes, and Encourage engagement from prevention and public health stakeholders to strategically educate and inform decision makers about effective alcohol policies by providing easy-to-personalize, templated opinion editorials, letters to legislators and proclamations.   The Northwest PTTC is excited to bring these resources to communities in Region 10 and throughout the rest of the PTTC Network. We encourage our prevention partners to use the materials to raise awareness around the weekly themes to observe April as National Alcohol Awareness Month.   View the other resources available in this toolkit.

While building protection for all our young people is a common and aspirational goal for many from diverse walks of life, schools present a unique opportunity and challenge for doing so. This report describes a set of simple yet powerful practices that, when used consistently by teachers, can enhance middle school student agency and build student success skills. This report summarizes these activities and aligns the evidence-based practices to the components of the Social Development Strategy, a strategy for enhancing daily interactions with young people that have been proven to have far-reaching positive effects on their development.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The February 2023 issue honors National Black History Month by sharing resources and content from the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and SAMHSA that focus on how social determinants of health have affected the health and well-being of African Americans, as well as the importance of providing culturally responsive behavioral health services. This issue also features exciting, new training opportunities sponsored by the Great Lakes PTTC, the ATTC Network's Pearls of Wisdom blog series, and the final article of the Power of Music series by Mark Sanders and Kisha Freed.  As always, The Great Lakes Current provides links to all the upcoming events and trainings for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   

Product Description  The following resources define stigma as negative attitudes or discrimination against individuals or groups based on a particular characteristic, associated with substance use disorders (SUDs), as well as other physical, mental, and behavioral health conditions. The information sheets provide tips on how to prevent, understand, and recognize stigma, in addition to highlighting reduction strategies and additional online resources.   For your convenience, one information sheet includes the types of stigma (self-stigma, public stigma, and structural stigma), in addition to the information outline above.   Resources  Stigma Information Sheet Stigma Information Sheet with Type Definitions

This product was developed as a handout to be shared with people unfamiliar with the substance use prevention field. It is intended to be an informational tool, summarizing what prevention is and why it is important. The product describes the prevention framework and the core principles that guide prevention efforts. It also provides key facts illustrating the scope of substance use issues in the United States and the value of prevention. It also describes the many forms that prevention can take.

Sheryl “Ms. Sherry” Branch-Maxwell, has been a driving force in Missouri for more than four decades. During that time, she has overseen the provision of capacity-building assistance to promote evidence-informed practices with state and local partners. For over 35 years, Ms. Sherry has embraced positive youth development, policy change and truly believes in the strength and ability of youth in the Missouri Bootheel. Currently, Ms. Sherry serves as Assistant Area Coordinator for Lincoln University Cooperative Extension in Charleston, MO and is innovative in leading partnerships, integrating youth programming, food and nutrition programs, while working closely with state officials to expand assistance to those in need. Ms. Sherry’s most notable project, is Kids’ Beat. At one time the organization had an enrollment of over 1,500 members across more than 30 clubs in all 6 Bootheel counties, including Butler and Cape Girardeau. She has served on several gubernatorial boards, including but not limited to, The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission, The Children’s Trust Fund, African American Task Force and the Missouri Commission for Volunteerism. Most recently, Ms. Sherry was the 2021 DeVerne Lee Calloway Woman of the Year Award recipient. *** Visit the SAMHSA store front where you’ll find hundreds of publications, including One Voice, One Community offers strategies for communities on collaborating with faith-based organizations to address the service needs of people living with mental illness, substance use disorders, or both. Here's a link to this resource...https://store.samhsa.gov/product/One-Voice-One-Community-Building-Strong-Effective-Partnerships-Among-Community-Faith/SMA13-473   The African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence was developed by SAMHSA to address the urgent need for greater equity and effectiveness in behavioral health services for African Americans. They are determined to help our field transform behavioral health services for African Americans.       Visit their website...https://africanamericanbehavioralhealth.org

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Self-Care Basics for Prevention Staff Jessica Hulsey, BA January 31, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION During safety demonstrations, flight attendants will remind you to put on your safety mask before helping others. The same applies to individuals in the substance use disorder (SUD) field. Working in the addiction field can expose professionals to additional stress and trauma, which can often lead to burnout. This session will cover key elements of self-care and action steps to take. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify key elements of self-care for professionals in the substance use disorder field. Understand the domains of wellness. Understand the connection between stress, self-care, health and wellbeing. PRESENTER Jessica Hulsey, BA is the Executive Director of the Addiction Policy Forum, a national nonprofit organization that leads the fight against the deadly consequences of addiction and helps patients, families, and communities affected by the disease. Jessica has more than 25 years of experience in the field of prevention, treatment, and policy solutions to address substance use disorders and has collaborated with our nation’s top scientists to translate the science of addiction into digestible content for patients, families, and other key audiences.  

Preventing Underage Drinking and Excessive Drinking among Adults through Alcohol Policy Webinar 1: The Why - Alcohol Policy: A Community Approach to Reduce Community Harms   January 18, 2023   Webinar Overview and Objectives In collaboration with the Southeast PTTC, Center for Advancing Alcohol Science to Practice, and the US Alcohol Policy Alliance, interactive webinar #1 will detail the benefits of working on evidence-based, population-level strategies to make the largest impact on community-level harms associated with alcohol. Presenters will discuss the science that guides effective strategies and how the science relates to communities working on alcohol-related issues. In this webinar, participants will explore: The data associated with harms from excessive drinking and underage drinking in the US How local conditions affect alcohol-related harms at the community level The power of evidence-based, population-level strategies to address the community harms associated with excessive and underage drinking   Learning Session Materials Recording for Webinar 1: The Why - Alcohol Policy: A Community Approach to Reduce Community Harms Slide Deck for Webinar 1: The Why - Alcohol Policy: A Community Approach to Reduce Community Harms (PDF) Local Alcohol Policy Exploration Worksheet   Additional Resources  Center for Advancing Alcohol Science to Practice CADCA's Community Assessment Primer Alcohol Action Network American Public Health Association, Addressing Alcohol-Related Harms: A Population Level Response CDC's Alcohol and Public Health Website and Alcohol Portal A Tale of Two Zip Codes   Recordings for Other Sessions Recording for Webinar 2: The What - Evidence-Based Alcohol Policies to Reduce Community Level Harms Recording for Webinar 3: The How - A  Proven and Practical Model to Guide the Development of Local Alcohol Policies   Presenters: Michael Sparks is an Alcohol Policy Specialist and President of Sparks Initiatives. His primary interest is in assisting communities to implement evidence-based environmental strategies to reduce alcohol and other drug problems. Among others, Michael is currently working with Wake Forest University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation and Health Foundation of South Florida on a range of public health issues. He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the US Alcohol Policy Alliance.       Sara Cooley Broschart leads the newly established Center for Advancing Alcohol Science to Practice. Sara is a public health leader with over a decade of experience in substance use prevention at local, regional and state levels. Contribution to community has been a driving value, and she is thrilled to work with communities nationwide in her new role. Her experience includes advising alcohol and marijuana regulators on policy and best practices, developing innovative methods to engage community voices in policy making activities, building a statewide alcohol policy alliance from the ground up, and establishing a health network in rural Nicaragua. Sara has done extensive graduate work in Cultural Anthropology and Public Health at the University of Michigan and holds a BA in Biology and Anthropology from the University of Virginia.     Liz Parsons joined the Center as Associate Director this spring. She has worked in the youth and community health field for 20 years, specializing in youth substance use prevention for the last 14 years. She has led local youth substance use prevention initiatives in several communities in Massachusetts and was a leader in the public health response to Massachusetts’ review of alcohol laws. Liz has presented about local and state alcohol policy implementation at local and national forums. She especially enjoys supporting public health professionals in their efforts to increase awareness and knowledge about impactful alcohol policies and connecting alcohol policy research with practitioner efforts in communities. Liz has a master of education from the University of Bristol, UK.        Snigdha Peddireddy is a Fellow currently supporting the Training and Technical Assistance Center and Alcohol Action Network. She is an early-career alcohol and other drug policy researcher with expertise in policy evaluation and statistical modeling methods. Broadly, Snigdha studies the impacts of structural determinants on inequities in substance use-related harms. She is a current PhD student at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. Snigdha also holds an MPH in Health Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS in Neuroscience from Duke University.     Izabelle Wensley is the joint Project Coordinator for the Center for Advancing Alcohol Science to Practice and the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance. She is an experienced public health advocate and activist. She started her advocacy career at the age of 13 with Dover Youth to Youth, a non-profit program that specializes in drug and alcohol prevention through youth empowerment. She has conducted trainings in over a dozen states, engaging youth across the country. Her desire to make a difference through advocacy led her to pursue higher education in public health. Izabelle graduated from Johnson & Wales University in 2022 with a B.S. in Public Health where she helped establish the Undergraduate Research Center. Izabelle looks forward to continuing to develop her knowledge and skills in the alcohol prevention field.     Questions? Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

Supplemental Resources: Engaging Youth to Improve Substance Misuse Prevention: Information Guide Series   Youth Engagement (YE) is an approach to prevention in which prevention organizations effectively engage youth as leaders or partners in planning, tailoring, implementing, or evaluating prevention programming. In this webinar, Dr. Ballard will describe different models of YE for prevention, share tips for YE, and provide tools to guide members of the substance misuse prevention workforce through decisions about whether, and how, to incorporate YE into their prevention work.   Learning Objectives: Identify the benefits and challenges of engaging youth voices to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Understand different models of youth engagement Identify key questions to consider as you prepare to engage with youth to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Become familiar with tools and resources to help you incorporate youth engagement into your substance misuse prevention efforts   About the Presenter:   Dr. Ballard is an Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine in the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how young people engage with their communities, increasing equitable and meaningful opportunities for youth voice in communities, and understanding how youth engagement can improve community efforts and promote healthy youth development. In one current project, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, she applies ideas from developmental psychology to increase opportunities for youth voice in substance misuse prevention efforts. In another current project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, she is co-leading a randomized-controlled trial study to understand the effects of a school-based action civics intervention. Outside of work, Parissa spends time exploring mountains, creeks, and playgrounds around North Carolina, with her husband and four young kids.

Webinar Description  This interactive four-hour workshop reviewed mitigating factors that influence differential treatment on stigmatized communities. Content unpacked racial perspectives and discussed factors that impact cross-cultural communications and interactions. Providers reviewed strategies to identify and reduce unconscious bias in care. Further, content informed on cultural humility for practice to help mitigate stigma and increase person-centered culturally appropriate care. The benefit of integrating cultural responsiveness helps to achieve and retain highest levels of prevention and recovery supports for persons of color and other marginalized communities. Presenter  Diana Padilla is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC) and provides training and technical assistance on implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and Equity & Inclusion capacity building opportunities. Supplemental Material  PowerPoint Flyer 

COURSE DESCRIPTION In this session, we explore the power of Excel to create meaningful data visualizations for prevention professionals. Participants are guided through real-life examples of applying the 4-step visualization process using Excel to create a meaningful data story for a prevention audience. Excel is a practical and accessible tool for creating data visualizations for prevention professionals who may not have access to expensive software packages. This is a beginner's guide to using Excel for visualization. MATERIALS Select the View Resource button above to watch the recording. Here is the PowerPoint for this webinar.   If you would like to follow along to create a data visualization during the recording, open the companion materials below. The Creating Data Visualization Instructions document outlines the steps. When the Data Excel File link is selected, it will download the Excel file to your computer. Creating Data Visualization Instructions Data Excel File   For more training and resources, check out the Ditching the Discomfort to Data Series. Part 5, Communicating and Visualizing Data explores methods for prevention professionals to effectively disseminate data-related information.   PRESENTER Sheila Boswell is a highly experienced project coordinator that serves as the assistant evaluator for the South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (SSW PTTC). She writes, designs, and analyzes data for training and technical assistance (T/TA) reports, as well as helps publicize services to optimize client relationships, engagement, and success with the center's grant opportunities and T/TA. Her work plays a vital role in providing high-impact services to the prevention workforce, emerging prevention professionals, organizations, and community prevention stakeholders. During her eight years at the University of Oklahoma, Sheila has worked as an evaluator for state and federal programs concentrating on mental health and substance misuse prevention. She communicates evaluation findings using graphics and data visualizations to inform decision-making. Through collaboration with her SSW PTTC team and partners, she focuses on creating deliverables that include the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion with a positive message to achieve successful program outcomes.     

  What is Prevention? January 26, 2023   This recorded presentation, developed with the brand-new prevention professional in mind, will help orient viewers within the field of primary substance misuse prevention. Viewers will gain basic insight into primary prevention concepts such as risk and protective factors, evidence-based interventions, the Strategic Prevention Framework, and the coalition model. By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: Define primary prevention Explain the importance of using a data-informed planning process Identify who does prevention work within a community   Presentation Materials Recording for What is Prevention Slide Deck for What is Prevention (PDF)   Audience: Community, tribal, jurisdiction, and state-level substance misuse prevention practitioners and allied health partners located in the Pacific Southwest region, including American Samoa, Arizona, California, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Republic of Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau.   Presenter:   Britany Wiele, CPS, is a Project Coordinator, Workforce Development at the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). In her role at CASAT, Britany serves as a Training and Technical Assistant Specialist for SAMHSA’s Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center which aims to expand the capacity of the substance misuse prevention workforce. She is a Certified Prevention Specialist with experience working with community coalitions in all areas of the Strategic Prevention Framework. Prior to joining CASAT, she worked for Join Together Northern Nevada providing leadership in developing effective community-wide youth and adult programming, implementing evidence-based programs, and building community partnerships. Britany has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of California, Riverside.   Questions? Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.    

Grant Writing Series Part 2: Building Grant Writing Skills Dan Webb, PhD January 25, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION In this session, participants will learn how to read a grant announcement and create a plan for responding to a request for proposals (RFP). LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explain how to create a community overview and assessment Review practical approaches to satisfying response requirements within allotted space Explore techniques for making the grant writing process more manageable PRESENTER Dan Webb, PhD, is co-owner of Catalyst Research, LLC and Catalyst Insight, LLC. Dan has over eighteen years of experience writing and evaluating local, state, and national grants. In addition, he has over ten years of experience in business/organizational intelligence and analytics. His experience includes evaluation and research in education (elementary through post-secondary), youth substance use prevention, health and medicine, and housing and urban development. Dan holds a PhD in Sociology from the University at Buffalo.  

Webinar Description  This interactive virtual training reviewed cultural humility as a practical strategy to help providers to identify and diffuse personal bias, to increase person-centered care through core communication skills, and to increase the potential to deliver culturally informed care for racial and ethnic populations. Providers also explored how cultural humility can also help support staff supervision.   Presenters  Diana Padilla is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC) and provides training and technical assistance on implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and Equity & Inclusion capacity building opportunities.   Supplemental Materials  PowerPoint  Flyer 

Webinar Description  This two-part virtual learning event looked at professional development and certification as key steps for how prevention staff can personally build their skills and a career while remaining up-to-date in the evolving field of substance prevention. We identified several benefits of continual learning for prevention staff, especially those new to the field, reviewed how new research and developments in substance misuse prevention drive the need for ongoing professional development of staff, and explored how professional development can help prepare staff to fill any variety of career paths available. We introduced the substance abuse prevention competencies as identified by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) and discussed prevention specialist certification as one step to professionalization. Resources to support individuals with preparation for certification and developing a professional development career plan were identified and discussed.   Presenters  Carol Oliver, CPS has 25 years’ experience in the field of substance abuse prevention and in the provision of training and technical assistance at the National, State and community level. She is an expert in the implementation of SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework and has provided technical assistance to numerous states and communities on its implementation. Ms. Oliver is a master trainer with strong design and delivery skills in face to face and virtual training methods. She is one of the lead authors of the national Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training, a foundational substance abuse prevention curriculum currently provided across the country. Ivy Jones Turner, MPA, CPS is an expert in behavioral and mental health promotion and prevention, is an experienced program leader, technical assistance (TA) specialist, applied researcher, and evaluator. Her expertise includes building the capacity of schools and organizations to research, implement, evaluate, and sustain interventions to prevent substance misuse, suicide, youth violence, and bullying, and to promote social-emotional and mental health. Ivy holds an MA in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and is a certified specialist in prevention and conflict mediation in Massachusetts.   Supplemental Materials  PowerPoint  Flyer  Personal Action Plan Worksheet

  Webinar Description  This two-part virtual learning event will look at professional development and certification as key steps for how prevention staff can personally build their skills and a career while remaining up to date in the evolving field of substance prevention.  We will identify several benefits of continual learning for prevention staff, especially those new to the field, reviewed how new research and developments in substance misuse prevention drive the need for ongoing professional development of staff, and explored how professional development can help prepare staff to fill any variety of career paths available. We introduced the substance abuse prevention competencies as identified by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) and discussed prevention specialist certification as one step to professionalization.  Session 2 focused on certification as one method of professional development and provided an overview of the certification process to become a Certified Prevention Specialist.    Presenters  Sandra Del Sesto, ACPS has provided training on community and strategic planning, program development, and capacity building in all areas of prevention practice for over 35 years. She is a co-author of the widely used Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training (SAPST), a foundational substance use prevention curriculum currently provided across the country. She serves on the advisory boards of the National Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), the New England PTTC, and the Latino PTTC. She is a RI delegate to the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium and past co-chair of its Prevention Committee. Carol Oliver, CPS has 25 years’ experience in the field of substance abuse prevention and in the provision of training and technical assistance at the National, State and community level. She is an expert in the implementation of SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework and has provided technical assistance to numerous states and communities on its implementation. Ms. Oliver is a master trainer with strong design and delivery skills in face to face and virtual training methods. She is one of the lead authors of the national Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPTS), a foundational substance abuse prevention curriculum currently provided across the country. Ivy Jones Turner, MPA, CPS is  an expert in behavioral and mental health promotion and prevention, is an experienced program leader, technical assistance (TA) specialist, applied researcher, and evaluator. Her expertise includes building the capacity of schools and organizations to research, implement, evaluate, and sustain interventions to prevent substance misuse, suicide, youth violence, and bullying, and to promote social-emotional and mental health. Ivy holds an MA in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and is a certified specialist in prevention and conflict mediation in Massachusetts.   Supplemental Material  PowerPoint  Flyer  Personal Action Plan Worksheet 

Join us this Winter to focus on healthy aspects of Traditional living during this time. Being well and making healthy choices during this time is a topic for consideration in the areas of: making connections, taking care of ourselves while caring for others, getting active together, and building healthy relationships with our families. We have strengths in our Culture and Traditions. Let us look for ways to build up ourselves with healthy habits through our Indigenous ways of knowledge. This event took place on December 20, 2022.

Our Native Veterans serve to protect and defend the US, their tribal lands and its people. The National AI/AN ATTC and National AI/AN PTTC are collaborating to honor Native American veterans for their service. The series will provide opportunities for our Native American veterans to have support, for their families to learn more about their support services, and a learning collaborative for Veterans that provides access to culturally responsive resources, including treatment and healing options. This vent took place on January 5, 2023.

Trauma Informed De-Escalation: Consideration for Providers Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW January 24, 2023, 10:00am-12:00pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Trauma Informed De-escalation moves beyond typical de-escalation content by acknowledging the role of biological responses, trauma histories, and neurobiology when engaging with individuals who have triggered and presenting challenging survival behavior. From identifying the provider's contributions to the conflict to empowering practitioners to better navigate the needs and reactions of those they serve, Trauma Informed De-escalation offers tools and strategies that can be offered universally in any heightened emotional conflict. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explain the definition of trauma and principles of Trauma Informed Care as they relate to De-escalation considerations. Examine the common causes of conflict and the opportunities they offer for engaging the principles of Trauma Informed Care in our responses. Provide strategies, tips, and language to actualize Trauma Informed De-escalation in various settings with different populations. PRESENTERS Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with experience in medical, behavioral and mental health settings.  Laura has had the pleasure of working with high acuity special needs populations and their providers for over 22 years.  An alumna and instructor at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice for 13 years, and Bryn Mawr’s School of Social Work and Social Research’s for the past 4 years, Laura has supported the learning and education of new social workers, veterans in the field, and their interdisciplinary partners.  With a focus on trauma, human and gender development, racial equity, and crisis intervention Laura supports special needs populations and those who serve them.  

  Webinar Description    Despite the prevalence of trauma, it often goes undetected particularly in people already dealing with life challenges and at high risk of substance use, misuse, and mental health problems. This training reviewed variations of trauma, and factors that can increase the likelihood of re-traumatization, and how the use of trauma informed care principles are preventive and support effective engagement and care. Discussion also explored de-escalation and self-regulation techniques, and the importance of provider self-care for person centered, trauma informed care.   The Presenter    Diana Padilla is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC) and provides training and technical assistance on implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and Equity & Inclusion capacity building opportunities.   Supplemental Materials    Powerpoint Flyer 

Webinar: Working to Promote Protection by Supporting LGBTQ+ Teens in Foster Care December 8, 2022   Webinar Description Youth in foster care face unique risk and protective factors related to substance misuse. LGTBQ+ youth in foster care need explicit support and acceptance; however, few caseworkers and caregivers receive specialized training. To address this, the Connecting: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) eLearning was developed. During this webinar, participants will learn about the importance of gender-affirming care for adolescence. They will also learn about the free online resource for caregivers and social workers offered by the State of Washington Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence.   Webinar Recording and Slides Working to Promote Protection by Supporting LGBTQ+ Teens in Foster Care Recording Working to Promote Protection by Supporting LGBTQ+ Teens in Foster Care Slides (PDF)   Additional Resources Connecting: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity & Expression (SOGIE): A Guide for Foster Families Connecting: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Training for Caregivers and Kinship Providers (eLearning) by The Alliance for Professional Development Training, and Caregiver Excellence:   Presenters Susan Barkan, PhD, Director of Research, Partners for our Children. Dr. Barkan is a Principal Research Scientist and Director of Research at Partners for Our Children. Her work involves developing and evaluating programs and policies to improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system. Susan is the principal investigator of Strive, a curriculum-based program designed to facilitate quality visits between parents and their children in foster care. She is a co-investigator of Connecting, a program for teens and their foster or relative caregivers aimed at preventing teens’ initiation of risky behaviors. Connecting has also developed a new module addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ2S teens in foster care. The module is available in the Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence training catalogue for caregivers. Throughout Susan’s career, she has focused on the social determinants of health and the elimination of inequities in health and wellness. She served on the Washington State Racial Disproportionality Advisory Committee until the committee ended in 2018. Susan earned a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Yale University and a B.A. in psychology and biology from Antioch College. She completed a National Institute of Mental Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship in Family Violence at The Children's Hospital in Boston, MA, where she also held a faculty appointment in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She holds affiliate faculty appointments within the University of Washington Schools of Public Health and Social Work. Kym Ahrens MD, MPH, University of Washington Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Ahrens is an Associate Professor of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington School of Medicine. She also serves as Medical Director for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families Juvenile Rehabilitation System (DCYF JR. She conducts research to identify needs and improve outcomes for youth exposed to early adversity including systems-involved and gender-diverse youth.  Kevin P. Haggerty, M.S.W., Ph.D Dr. Haggerty is a professor emeritus at the University of Washington School of Social Work. He is the former director of the Social Development Research Group where he specialized in the delivery of prevention programs at the community, school and family level. For over three decades, he has focused on developing innovative ways to organize the scientific knowledge base for prevention so that parents, communities and schools can better identify, assess, and prioritize customized approaches that meet their needs. He has served as principal investigator on a variety of intervention-focused federally funded grants. An expert on substance abuse and delinquency prevention, Dr. Haggerty speaks, conducts trainings, and writes extensively on this field. He is a former board member and Fellow of the Society for Prevention Research and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and is a prevention science reviewer for periodicals such as Prevention Science.   Questions? Contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

Recording: Supporting Grandfamilies as Caregivers in the Opioid Crisis   DESCRIPTION: It is estimated that 2.6 million children are raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, other extended family, and close family friends who step forward to care for them when parents are unable. With the rise in heroin and other opioid use, more relatives are raising children because the parents have died, are incarcerated, are using drugs, are in treatment or are otherwise unable to take care of their children. We understand that these children experience physical and cognitive health challenges as their caregiver’s face hurdles with housing, school enrollment, health, and legal issues as they struggle with their own grief.  This webinar will present evidence-based interventions designed to strengthen the resilience of these children along with tested approaches for supporting grandparents in this role.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants in this webinar will be able to: Identify the trends around children being raised by grandparents because of the opioid crisis Explain how children and grandfamilies are impacted by the opioid epidemic, including as they navigate these relationships Identify strategies for building skills and support systems for grandparents that are assuming the responsibility of caring for vulnerable grandchildren   PRESENTER: Chuck Klevgaard, BSW, CSPS Chuck Klevgaard is a nationally recognized expert in substance misuse prevention, public health, and school-based health. Drawing on his experience in collective impact and prevention-focused partnerships, he builds the capacity of states, tribes, schools, communities, and cities to use evidence-based substance misuse prevention and intervention strategies. He specializes in behavioral health support; training and technical assistance; and evidence-based alcohol, opioid, and substance misuse programs and policies. Nationwide, he provides trainings to prevent opioid overdose, including working with first responders to administer naloxone. As a consultant to Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, Klevgaard provides training and technical assistance to substance misuse prevention entities within the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. Klevgaard, a Certified Senior Prevention Specialist through the Illinois Certification Board, Inc., holds a BSW from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Introduction to Qigong & Tai Chi for Self Care Mary Pinkard, M. Ed., NQA Professional Level II January 19, 2023, 10:00am-12:00pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Introduction to Qigong & Tai Chi for Self Care for professionals working in addictions counseling. A brief overview of these ancient practices of moving meditation as another option for help in prevention of compassion fatigue. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Define the history of Qigong & Tai Chi Learn about the varied Schools & Practices of Qigong & Tai Chi Understand why Qigong & Tai Chi are helpful for professionals in preventing compassion fatigue Participate in an active practice / demonstration of Qigong & Tai Chi to experience & discover how these moving meditations affect them PRESENTER Mary Pinkard, M. Ed., NQA Professional Level II, has expertise in multiple wellness domains, with her primary areas of focus being the practices of qigong and feng shui. She places a particular emphasis on the energy within us and all around us, helping to teach how we can maximize it for our individual health and wellness. Mrs. Pinkard has studied qigong under several masters and experts, including Kevin Chen at the University of Maryland, as well as Daisy Lee, Robert Peng, David Dorian Ross, and Lee Holden, all of whom are advanced certified qigong instructors. She is a Level II Certified Qigong instructor as conferred by the National Qigong Association (NQA). In addition, she has done extensive study in the field of feng shui. Mrs. Pinkard holds a BA from Skidmore College and a M.Ed. from Towson University. Music and education are fundamental to her work in both feng shui and qigong. Mrs. Pinkard maintains her professional affiliations with the American Aerobics and Fitness Association, the National Qigong Association, and the American Dowser Association. Mrs. Pinkard currently teaches a regular qigong curriculum in person at several locations as well online classes via Zoom. She has done numerous presentations of the wellness benefits qigong and feng shui to a variety of organizations, including McDaniel College, University of Maryland Medical School, GBMC, the Tuerk Conference on Addiction, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Anne Arundel County Social Services, Hopewell Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Walter Reed Hospital, Irvine Nature Center, the Association of Nature Center Administrators, and The NOVA Institute. Mrs. Pinkard is married with two adult daughters, and can often be found spending time enjoying the outdoors on their small farm with their menagerie of dogs and cats.