All health service systems are undergoing fundamental changes in order to embrace the diversity of populations in the U.S. today. Many health systems continue to grapple with the numerous challenges of implementing systemic change to respond effectively to the multiple needs of diverse cultural and linguistic groups. Organizations working together as part of a broader system often do not know where to start the work of integrating cultural and linguistic competence. To do this work, organizations first need to come to a common understanding of culture and cultural competence and adopt a systemic framework for its integration into services and supports.

This presentation will provide a conceptual framework for cultural competence in health. Participants will not only define and identify the framework and underlying principles of cultural competence, they will begin to explore how these principles will influence their roles and functions.

Community of Practice: Participants in this session will have the opportunity for continued and deeper learning in a related Community of Practice.    

Applications will be released after the webinar. 

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the components of a conceptual framework for cultural competence.
• Differentiate characteristics of culturally competent organizations and systems.
• Describe the implications for cultural competence in services and support systems.
• Determine steps to provide leadership in becoming more culturally and linguistically competent.

Intended Audience:

• Policy makers
• Mental health leaders
• Service providers
• Human resource officers
• Community partners
• Mental health advocates

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Naomi Ortega Tein is a Change Specialist at Change Matrix and supports resource development for the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. She has over 25 years of experience working on systems change and capacity building at the community, state, and national levels. Particular focus areas include: community health, immigrant and Latino health, maternal and child health, behavioral health, and education. Naomi holds a Master's in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill and is fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Rachele Espiritu is the co-director of SAMHSA's Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, and the Pacific Islands). Dr. Espiritu provides training, technical assistance, and capacity building at the local, territory, tribal, state, and national level in multiple systems, including mental health, substance use, public health, and education. She is a founding partner with Change Matrix LLC, a minority- and women-owned small business that motivates, manages and measures change to support systems that improve lives. She is a former School Board Member of Denver Public Schools (DPS), where she provided direction and leadership for Whole Child efforts and successfully passed aresolution for DPS to become a trauma-informed school district.

The Pacific Southwest MHTTC is focusing on workforce diversity to support improved access to health and health care for communities of color.  The PS MHTTC has developed " Assessing Workforce Diversity: A Tool for Mental Health Organizations on the Path to Health Equity ," a self-assessment instrument designed to help mental health organizations explore their implementation of workforce diversity strategies. It addresses six areas: Leadership and Governance; Recruitment; Orientation, Onboarding, and Ongoing Training; Retention and Professional Development; Communication; and Partnership and Community Goals. The workshop will outline the purpose of these areas in strengthening workforce diversity and explore the different issues that require attention.

 

Community of Practice: Participants in this session will have the opportunity for continued and deeper learning in a related Community of Practice. Applications will be released after the webinar. 

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the importance of a diverse workforce in effectively addressing mental health disparities for the populations in your community.
• Identify the critical components needed to assess the successes and challenges of your mental health organization in building a diverse workforce.
• Identify areas in which your organization excels and also areas in which you may want to focus attention.
• Identify action steps to address areas where your organization is more limited and incorporate these action steps into an existing organizational plan (e.g., strategic, cultural competency, or diversity plan).

Intended Audience:

• Policy makers
• Mental health leaders
• Service providers
• Human resource officers
• Community partners
• Mental health advocates

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Naomi Ortega Tein is a Change Specialist at Change Matrix and supports resource development for the Pacific Southwest MHTTC. She has over 25 years of experience working on systems change and capacity building at the community, state, and national levels. Particular focus areas include: community health, immigrant and Latino health, maternal and child health, behavioral health, and education. Naomi holds a Master's in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill and is fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Suganya Sockalingam is a Founding Partner at Change Matrix, LLC, which supports agencies in addressing diversity, cultural competence, and cross-cultural communication as well as leadership, collaboration, and conflict management. Dr. Sockalingam focuses on supporting individuals, organizations, and systems to motivate, manage, and measure systems change. Currently, she serves as a training and technical assistance provider for several national technical assistance centers, and for other federal, national, state, territorial, and community agencies. She earned her doctorate at Washington State University and has worked in many capacities in public and behavioral health, both nationally and internationally, for over 25 years.

We invite you to join us for this webinar, which will provide foundational knowledge on what are the social determinants of health, why they should be assessed, and how mental health service providers can leverage them for better outcomes. Hear how providers throughout the Pacific Southwest region are addressing the social determinants of health through broad initiatives, service assessments, and strategic partnerships. We will discuss how to identify appropriate partners and collaborate with them on the shared interest of achieving mental health equity. There will be many tools and resources highlighted to support your local efforts, as well as ample opportunity to ask your questions.

   

Coming Soon! The Pacific Southwest MHTTC is developing a supplemental fact sheet on the social determinants of health that will be released shortly.  

   

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the connection between the social determinants of health and improved mental health outcomes.
• Access tools and resources to support appropriate assessment.
• Explore strategic thinking for community mental health partnerships.
• Learn what kinds of questions and data will lead you to these partnerships, and how to evaluate the opportunities that exist within them.
• Establish a framework for incorporating the social determinants of health into your everyday practice.

Intended Audience:

• Policy makers
• Mental health leaders
• Service providers
• Human resource officers
• Community partners
• Mental health advocates

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Dr. Tamu Nolfo is a developmental psychologist and thought leader who brings more than 20 years' expertise and lived experience to her pursuit of social justice through institutional and systems change. By prioritizing planning, research, and evaluation practices that maximize stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and strategic partnerships, Dr. Nolfo has confronted the social determinants of health at the community, state, and national levels. Dr. Nolfo most recently served in the California Department of Public Health's Office of Health Equity, where she was instrumental in developing and implementing the inaugural California Statewide Plan to Promote Health and Mental Health Equity. Dr. Nolfo is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum

This webinar will explore low-barrier services for young adults of transition age experiencing or at risk for behavioral health challenges. Presenters will discuss how low-barrier services can improve engagement and will identify strategies for integrating low-barrier policies and practices into organizational standards. Throughout the discussion, presenters will provide examples of promising approaches that have been adopted by local communities, including the development of drop-in centers and peer-to-peer programs.

Learning Objectives:

• Define low-barrier access in the context of behavioral health services.
• Explore the links between access to services and engagement in behavioral health treatment for young adults of transition age.
• Identify examples of model low-barrier access programs.
• Learn best practices and practical strategies for integrating low-barrier services into agencies serving young adults.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Kristin Thorp, BSW, Youth Engagement Specialist at Youth M.O.V.E. National, has

ten years of experience in advocacy, youth leadership, and program development, with a special focus on the mental health and criminal justice systems. As a Youth Engagement Specialist, she is a national technical assistance provider on the development, implementation, and sustainability of quality youth programming. She supports grantees develop meaningful and mutual partnerships with youth, young adults, and system leaders to advance best practices for youth engagement. In addition, she is an advisor on the System of Care Children's Mental Health Initiative and supports national evaluation efforts by conducting qualitative and quantitative research as well as utilizing data to determine technical assistance needs for grantee communities. Prior to joining Youth M.O.V.E. National, Ms. Thorp was the Continuous Quality Improvement Coordinator for Maine's System of Care. Ms. Thorp has utilized her own lived experience, passion, and expertise in the field of positive youth development to bridge multiple perspectives to promote trauma-informed approaches to recovery.  

 

Guest presenter to be announced at a later date.

Though the practice of civil commitment and involuntary hospitalization has markedly changed since the middle of the 20th century, it remains one of the most controversial procedures in behavioral healthcare. This webinar will explore civil commitment law through the lens of civil liberties for young adults of transition age. We will consider the ethical tensions between a provider or family member's desire to help a young person experiencing serious mental illness and the young person's autonomy. Presenters will discuss the importance of shared decision making and will provide strategies for improving the process of civil commitments for youth and their families. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the history of civil commitment in the United States.
• Consider justifications for civil commitment and involuntary mental health treatment.
• Identify best practices and practical strategies for shared decision making with youth and families throughout a civil commitment process.
• Identify key questions for policy and agency decision makers to consider when establishing processes which may lead to civil commitment.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Kristin Thorp, BSW, Youth Engagement Specialist at Youth M.O.V.E. National, has

ten years of experience in advocacy, youth leadership, and program development, with a special focus on the mental health and criminal justice systems. As a Youth Engagement Specialist, she is a national technical assistance provider on the development, implementation, and sustainability of quality youth programming. She supports grantees develop meaningful and mutual partnerships with youth, young adults, and system leaders to advance best practices for youth engagement. In addition, she is an advisor on the System of Care Children's Mental Health Initiative and supports national evaluation efforts by conducting qualitative and quantitative research as well as utilizing data to determine technical assistance needs for grantee communities. Prior to joining Youth M.O.V.E. National, Ms. Thorp was the Continuous Quality Improvement Coordinator for Maine's System of Care. Ms. Thorp has utilized her own lived experience, passion, and expertise in the field of positive youth development to bridge multiple perspectives to promote trauma-informed approaches to recovery.  

 

Guest presenter to be announced at a later date.

Young adults of transition age have elevated rates of mental health challenges, yet they often do not receive services. Few mental health interventions have been designed with this population in mind, and even fewer have been found to be effective. This puts young adults of transition age at greater risk for homelessness, justice involvement, and education and employment challenges. These challenges are even more acute for youth from vulnerable populations. This webinar will focus on strategic practices that health departments and mental health agencies can take to begin eliminating health disparities by advancing mental health equity.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the link between health disparities and mental health equity.
• Gain knowledge about the unique mental health equity challenges facing young adults of transition age.
• Learn practical strategies for advancing mental health equity for youth and young adults.  

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Kristin Thorp, BSW, Youth Engagement Specialist at Youth M.O.V.E. National, has

ten years of experience in advocacy, youth leadership, and program development, with a special focus on the mental health and criminal justice systems. As a Youth Engagement Specialist, she is a national technical assistance provider on the development, implementation, and sustainability of quality youth programming. She supports grantees develop meaningful and mutual partnerships with youth, young adults, and system leaders to advance best practices for youth engagement. In addition, she is an advisor on the System of Care Children's Mental Health Initiative and supports national evaluation efforts by conducting qualitative and quantitative research as well as utilizing data to determine technical assistance needs for grantee communities. Prior to joining Youth M.O.V.E. National, Ms. Thorp was the Continuous Quality Improvement Coordinator for Maine's System of Care. Ms. Thorp has utilized her own lived experience, passion, and expertise in the field of positive youth development to bridge multiple perspectives to promote trauma-informed approaches to recovery.  

 

Guest presenter to be announced at a later date.

The 2019 School Mental Health Webinar Series is also going on now! Click the button below to learn more about the full lineup, or click the session titles below to register.

 

All webinars held at 6-7 p.m. ET / 3-4 p.m. PT / 1-2 p.m. HT / 9-10 a.m. ChT. 

• Mental Health & Student Learning Outcomes Webinar 1: An Introduction - Thursday, March 21
   
• Trauma-Informed Suicide Prevention for Educators: Stories, Science, and Strategies - Thursday, April 4
   
• Working Together for Wellness: A Mindful Approach to School Site Leader and Teacher Collaboration for Whole School Wellness - Thursday, May 16
   
• When There is One School Counselor: Strategies to Reach All Students Nonetheless - Thursday, June 18

 

Interested in any of these webinars, but unsure if you'll be able to attend? Register now and we'll send you the webinar recording after the event.