Hello children’s mental health champions!

We need to act as a sector against the Coronavirus. Highlight how physical health and mental health are related. Have staff work from home. Cancel events if need be. Remind people to wash their hands. Clean and sanitize surfaces. Take other actions from here.

The Coronavirus is also revealing how we can do better in our policies and practices with people with disabilities. On that note, here are a few upcoming events and opportunities to keep in mind: March 10 th the Community of Practice on Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities is hosting an event on Anxiety and ASD/DD , March 20 th is the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Wisconsin Chapter (AAIDD-WI) 2020 Annual Conference on Trauma and Healing , March 24 th is Disability Advocacy Day (register here ), and lastly the Universal Service Fun Nonprofit Access Program is a grant opportunity for organizations working with customers that are low-income and/or have a disability. 

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CCMH Partner Highlights:

  • The INSPIRED Network is a newly founded organization that addresses the effects of trauma, abuse and neglect in our youth through spiritually centered approaches. Check out their website to learn more and support this INSPIRING new organization! 

  • LGBTQ+? Aged 16-26? You have an opportunity to help start a peer-support group. Contact erica@mhawisconsin.org with questions, to be interviewed on preferences in mental health care, and/or become a peer-specialist to support LGBTQ youth navigate and access mental health services


  • If you or someone you know is between 15 and 25 years of age, pregnant and living in the Westlawn Choice Neighborhood, check out this flyer for one-on-one support, education, and resources during the pregnancy. 
CCMH Strategy Highlights:
  • No Small Matter is a documentary film that highlights the importance of early childhood education and the conversation around it. Attend a screening on March 11th , 8:00-9:30 AM at Next Door (2545 N. 29th St). Please RSVP to gyoung@nextdoormke.org. This is especially important as Greater Milwaukee Foundation just released this report, A Seat at the Table, that found half of all Milwaukee children lack access to quality early childhood education needed to support their future success. This report was built upon parent community conversations that were facilitated by The Parenting Network. They also provide community recommendations which you can check out here. 

  • Check out the 2020 Early Childhood and Family Mental Health report from Vermont that highlights evidence-based strategies, identifies common language and understanding across mental health, and provides policy recommendation. 

  • Are you looking for social-emotional development resources for children? A comprehensive list of children’s books related to this topic has been developed for you to look over and use. 
Make Your Voice Heard:
  • Calling all Super Parents to get involved in Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI) who are interested in improving children’s health by sharing knowledge. If interested, learn more here. 

  • Take a moment to look over this newsletter which has lots of helpful resources and great information, including the Alliance for Strong Families & Communities 2020-2022 policy agenda

  1. Milwaukee Public Library – Washington Park Branch (2121 N. Sherman Blvd) on March 23rd
  2. North Shore Library (6800 N. Port Washington Rd) - March 24th
  3. Milwaukee Public Library – Mitchell Street Branch (906 W. Historic Mitchell St) - March 25th
  4. West Allis Library (7421 W. National Ave) - March 31st

  • Join the Mental Health Task Force on March 10th for a special Community Conversation on the future of mental health and substance use disorder services in Milwaukee County. It will take place at IndependenceFirst (540 S. 1st St) at 3:00 PM. Please register with tristen@kanecommgroup.com

Super Helpful Resources:

  • The Racist Roots of Work Requirements Policies is a new report that traces policies that take away basic assistance from families for not meeting work requirements back to practices that coerced and exploited the labor of Black families. 





Local Opportunities:
  • Join a luncheon with Lori Gottlieb, therapist and author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone on March 16th from Noon to 1:00 PM at the Italian Community Center (631 E. Chicago St). Learn more and register here. 

  • See Something, Say Something: A Discussion on Mental Health and Suicide is a free event for parents and students 6th-12th grade. There will be a resource fair, presentation and panelist discussion. This event will take place March 18th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Homestead High School (5000 W. Mequon Rd). 

  • Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families is hosting a Dinner & Discussion around the black infant mortality rate, its leading causes and how they plan to support African American women and their families. Free childcare and dinner will be provided. It will take place March 11th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Coffee Makes You Black (2803 N. Teutonia Ave). Contact 414-219-3417 to register. 
Trainings & Webinars:
  • Are you interested in learning how to facilitate adult, parent, and teen wellness circles? The Samaritan Family Wellness is offering one-day facilitator trainings. Get more information and register here. 

  • Family First (FFPSA) Implementation Webinar Series:
  1. Understanding the Medicaid IMD Exclusion for Qualified Residential Treatment Programs on March 11th
  2. Implications of Child Welfare Reform on National Foster Care Capacity on April 8th
  3. Funding Family First: Opportunities in Medicaid Value-Based Purchasing and Title IV-E Reimbursement on April 22nd

  • Technology of Participation (ToP) is a participatory consensus-based decision-making process that creates conditions for collective wisdom, decisions and action to emerge. There is a 2-day introduction to ToP training being offered in Milwaukee, March 24-25. Learn more and register for the event here. You can also contact amurphy@nchh.org with any questions.

  • March 11th there will be an online Capacity-Building Training for Community Health Workers. This is an opportunity to use your unique skills to identify and address social and public health issues. It will take place from Noon to 1:30 PM. Register here. 


  • Question, Persuade, Refer Suicide Prevention Training teaches the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. It will be held on March 19th,9:00-11:00 AM at Community Advocates Training Center (6900 W. Brown Deer Rd). Register here

  • On March 25th there will be a free training on Intersectionality of Trauma and Substance Abuse to expose participants to best practices for helping youth and adults recover from trauma and substance abuse. It will be held at Table of the Saints (2821 Vel R. Phillips Ave) from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Register here. 

Job Opportunities:


  • Apply now for the 414 Fellows 2020-2021 Cohort! The 414 Fellows serve in the Early Head Start classrooms, supporting children ages 0-3 with brain development activities and building literacy skills. Learn more about this great opportunity! 

  • Upcoming job fairs:
  1. La Causa Career Fair on March 14th
  2. Milwaukee County Career Fair on March 26th













Newsworthy:

  • When one man's benefits were cut off, he wrote a moving letter to welfare officials before starving to death: Judge me Fairly



  • Congress recently passed FY2020 Funding Bill, which provides money to support access to affordable, high-quality childcare and early childhood programming. You can read more about the impacts in WI specifically here. Part of this will be used to expand the Leading Men Fellowship, which is a program that encourages young men of color to consider careers in early childhood. 
Reminders:
  • Registration for the 10th Annual Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Conference is open! If you are interested in sponsoring opportunities, ad space and/or an exhibit table click here.

  • Table of The Saints event: Let’s Talk About It, March 11th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Welford Sanders Enterprise Center

  • The Parenting Network programs and classes:
  1. Positive Parenting programs
  2. Triple P Parenting on Wednesdays,10:00 to 11:30 AM.
  3. RELAX: Alternatives to Anger on Mondays, 6:00 to 7:30 PM
  4. Strengthening Families 2020 on Thursdays, 5:00 to 7:30 PM.

  • 2020 MPS Student Job Fair will be March 11th ,9:30 AM to 2:30 PM at UWM Student Union. Register your organization today!


  • Power of Hope on March 12 & 13 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Manitowoc. Get more info and register here.

  • Host a Story Circle in your community between March 20th and April 20th as part of the People's State of the Union.

  • NAMI is hosting Family-to-Family Classes starting March 21st through May 9th. Register online or call 414-344-0444



  • 2020 Health Equity Summit on March 31st from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Italian Community Center. Register here.


  1. Advocacy Day – March 25th
  2. Workshop for Survivors of Suicide Loss – March 26th
  3. Clinician Training – March 27th
  4. Stronger Communities Conference – May 15th
600 W Virginia St., Suite #502 | Milwaukee, WI 53204 | www.mkekids.org