South Southwest ATTC

Tuesday December 18, 2024 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm CT Presenter: Catherine Thatcher Brunson Description: The holiday season, often marked by joy and celebration, can also be a period of heightened stress and emotional challenges. This presentation delves into the often-overlooked intersection of substance use and suicide, focusing on the critical importance of self-care during this time. We will explore the complex dynamics that can exacerbate substance use and suicidal ideation during the holidays, including social isolation, financial stress, and strained family relationships. Learning Objectives:  Explore how factors like social isolation, financial stress, and strained family relationships can bring up substance use and suicidal thoughts during the holidays. Discover effective coping strategies and practical self-care techniques. Understand ways to build resilience and promote mental well-being. Create a supportive environment for navigating holiday challenges. Learn the knowledge and tools to prioritize self-care and offer compassionate support to those struggling during the holiday season. Presenter Bio: Catherine Thatcher Brunson has worked in the field of prevention for over 20 years and has served as a consultant and trainer with the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA). She is a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Suicide Prevention Instructor, an evidence-based suicide prevention program. Ms. Brunson was the recipient of the FBI’s Community Director’s Leadership Award and received a Presidential appointment to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug Free Communities Advisory Commission. She has a B.S. in business from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Continuing Education: This webinar is approved by the TCB Standards Committee, Provider Number 2050-20, One and a half (1.5) hours general Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Expires 06/25. TCB is a member of IC&RC, the global leader in the credentialing of prevention, addiction treatment, and recovery professionals. AR, LA, NM, and OK are eligible to submit TCB approved CEUs to their licensing board as long as their state approves IC&RC credits.   This webinar is in response to a need in HHS Region 6 and intended for behavioral health professionals and students in AR, LA, NM, OK, and TX.

The purpose of the listening sessions was to gather information from family members and loved ones of people with substance use challenges to better understand family members’ experiences supporting and seeking support for their loved one who is using substances; to ask what questions family members have about supporting their loved one who is using substances; to ask who or what is providing support for family members; and the unmet needs for support for family members. Version 1 of this report in February 2023, which described the process and findings from the initial round of listening session in 2022. Version 2 of this report describes the process and findings of additional follow up community outreach in 2023 to enhance the first phase of this consultation process: including a new round of listening sessions with family members and loved ones of people who use substances.  This project is in collaboration with the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and National Hispanic and Latino ATTC.

The South Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (SSW ATTC) collaborates with Faith Partners, Inc. a non-profit 501©3, which was founded in 1995 by religious leaders seeking ways to mobilize faith communities’ resources to address alcohol and drug issues in their communities. Faith Partners provides the leadership, training, educational materials and consultation to initiate, develop and sustain a faith communities’ efforts to address drugs and alcohol and its impact on their members. Faith Partners provides an individualized plan to start an effective team effort to address the needs of the whole faith community. As part of the process of building capacity and identifying the unique needs and goals of each faith community around the development of their ministry, Faith Partners utilizes community surveys at several points in time. Following is a practical guide developed by the South Southwest ATTC with best practices for engaging the entire faith community in the survey process.

The purpose of the listening sessions was to gather information from family members and loved ones of people with substance use challenges to better understand family members’ experiences supporting and seeking support for their loved one who is using substances; to ask what questions family members have about supporting their loved one who is using substances; to ask who or what is providing support for family members; and the unmet needs for support for family members. This report describes the process and findings of the first phase of this consultation process: listening sessions with family members and loved ones of people who use substances. This project is in collaboration with the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and National Hispanic and Latino ATTC.