Products and Resources Catalog

  The Take 10! Transforming Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and their Families series discusses current issues and challenges confronted by diverse women presenting with substance use, SUDs, and who are in recovery. Studies show that when women begin treatment for SUDs, they frequently arrive with more severe medical, behavioral, psychological, and social struggles compared to men. For these reasons, there is a need for gender-specific services.   Session 2: Substance Use Disorder in Women - History, Use, and Treatment Women experience SUD in ways that are distinct from men. Historically, access to treatment for women has been limited, a disparity that persists today. This 2-hour workshop will explore the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic factors that uniquely impact women before, during, and after treatment. Attendees will gain insights into women-specific challenges and considerations for clinicians, behavioral health professionals, peers, law enforcement, and family members.   SESSION LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understand the history of women’s treatment and current approaches to women-centered care, with a focus on differences compared to treatment for men Identify up to five key emotional and physical experiences that are unique to women with SUD Recognize two common ways in which women with SUD are stigmatized Explore trauma-informed care strategies to enhance quality of care and increase access for female clients Apply evidence-based practices that are particularly effective in women’s treatment setting   TRAINER: Ashley brings a wealth of experience and education across the nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors. She has held various leadership roles in behavioral health and excels in project management, task execution, and organizational improvement. As primary consultant of Ashley Ryan Consulting LLC (ARC LLC), Ashley is known for her ability to grasp larger organizational strategies while meticulously delving into the details of processes and procedures to ensure programs meet their missions and comply with all regulatory requirements. ARC LLC is a social service-focused consulting to satisfy your CARF accreditation, organizational development and evaluation, and project management needs. Based in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, Ashley was the executive director at the Women’s Recovery Center (WRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she and her team successfully increased revenue by 40% from 2018 to 2022, growing the budget from $700,000 to $1.2 million. Under her leadership, the organization also achieved Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation in 2021. Ashley is a Chemical Dependency Counseling Assistant and plans to achieve her Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Licensure (LCDC) II by the end of 2024. Ashley as substance use disorder couseling experience at Catholic Charities Matt Talbot and May Dugan, both located in the greater Cleveland area. A part of her master’s degree, Ashley’s capstone project focused on women’s substance use disorder treatment in women and has conducted several trainings based on this research. In addition to her work in behavioral health, Ashley has extensive experience in health and welfare benefit plan compliance and human resources consulting. She has managed HIPAA compliance projects for large corporations nationwide and is credentialed as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS). Ashley earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of North Carolina in August 2022, followed by her Project Management Professional (PMP) credential in February 2023. Ashley also holds a bachelor's degree in actuarial science/mathematics from The Ohio State University     The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Check out our October 2024 Newsletter, where we’re excited to announce our funding renewal from SAMHSA and introduce you to our leadership team. Learn more about the work ahead as we continue to strengthen the behavioral health workforce!

The Mid-America ATTC (MATTC) is now accepting applications from SUD treatment facilities located in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska that are motivated to move their organization toward becoming trauma informed. This intensive technical assistance project offers implementation facilitation, a multi-faceted process of enabling and supporting individuals, groups and organizations in their efforts to adopt and incorporate innovations into routine practices. MATTC consultants provide information and resources for organizations seeking to understand the processes of TIC and support for the development of the skills needed to help organizations implement innovations in service delivery.

  The Take 10! Transforming Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and their Families series discusses current issues and challenges confronted by diverse women presenting with substance use, SUDs, and who are in recovery. Studies show that when women begin treatment for SUDs, they frequently arrive with more severe medical, behavioral, psychological, and social struggles compared to men. For these reasons, there is a need for gender-specific services. Introductory Session: Substance Use Disorder in Women - History, Use, and Treatment Substance use disorder (SUD) is a biopsychosocial disease that impacts women differently than men. Understanding and implementing gender-specific treatment approaches are crucial for effective care. Historically, women have had less access to treatment, a disparity that continues today. Stigma remains a significant barrier both for women seeking treatment and for providers offering care. This workshop will illuminate the emotional and physical differences women experience compared to men before, during, and after treatment. Additionally, it will address how socioeconomic factors can significantly affect a woman's ability to achieve long-term sobriety. The presentation will highlight common women-specific treatment issues and considerations for clinicians, behavioral health professionals, peers, law enforcement, family members, and other stakeholders.   SESSION LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understand the history of women’s treatment and current approaches to women-centered care, with a focus on differences compared to treatment for men Identify up to five key emotional and physical experiences that are unique to women with SUD Recognize two common ways in which women with SUD are stigmatized Explore trauma-informed care strategies to enhance quality of care and increase access for female clients Apply evidence-based practices that are particularly effective in women’s treatment settings   TRAINER: Ashley brings a wealth of experience and education across the nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors. She has held various leadership roles in behavioral health and excels in project management, task execution, and organizational improvement. As primary consultant of Ashley Ryan Consulting LLC (ARC LLC), Ashley is known for her ability to grasp larger organizational strategies while meticulously delving into the details of processes and procedures to ensure programs meet their missions and comply with all regulatory requirements. ARC LLC is a social service-focused consulting to satisfy your CARF accreditation, organizational development and evaluation, and project management needs. Based in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, Ashley was the executive director at the Women’s Recovery Center (WRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she and her team successfully increased revenue by 40% from 2018 to 2022, growing the budget from $700,000 to $1.2 million. Under her leadership, the organization also achieved Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation in 2021. Ashley is a Chemical Dependency Counseling Assistant and plans to achieve her Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Licensure (LCDC) II by the end of 2024. Ashley as substance use disorder couseling experience at Catholic Charities Matt Talbot and May Dugan, both located in the greater Cleveland area. A part of her master’s degree, Ashley’s capstone project focused on women’s substance use disorder treatment in women and has conducted several trainings based on this research. In addition to her work in behavioral health, Ashley has extensive experience in health and welfare benefit plan compliance and human resources consulting. She has managed HIPAA compliance projects for large corporations nationwide and is credentialed as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS). Ashley earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of North Carolina in August 2022, followed by her Project Management Professional (PMP) credential in February 2023. Ashley also holds a bachelor's degree in actuarial science/mathematics from The Ohio State University     The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Who are “leaders” in implementation? Implementation leaders may be people in leadership roles, such as administrators, directors, or supervisors, and/or they may be change leaders, also sometimes referred to as “champions” in the implementation field. You don’t need to have an official leadership title or job role to effect change and lead implementation efforts within your organization.

How do you define sustainability? Defining sustainability can be challenging, as it is considered both an outcome (are we delivering and maintaining the intervention/program activities) and a process (are we adapting and continuously monitoring and adjusting so that sustainment is possible) (1). General consensus is that continuing to implement and maintain program activities and adapting to improve performance over time are components of the sustainability definition (1).

“Equitable Implementation occurs when strong equity components—including explicit attention to the culture, history, values, assets, and needs of the community—are integrated into the principles and tools of implementation science. The goal is to facilitate quality implementation of effective programs for a specific community or group of communities” (1).

Designed for organizational leaders, this guidebook provides comprehensive strategies for fostering a supportive and caring workplace environment. The guidebook is intended to serve as both a resource and a reflective journal for leaders to consider how to recognize and respond to the impact of stress and trauma in their organizations, with an emphasis on building a more resilient, trauma-informed workplace culture.

Talking To Change: A Motivational Interviewing Podcast, hosted by Glenn Hinds and Sebastian Kaplan, is a series of conversations exploring Motivational Interviewing (MI) and its influence on supporting individuals and groups as they make positive health and lifestyle changes. Episode 81: MI for Sport & Performance, with Dr. Ben Freakley, CMPC In this episode, Glenn and Sebastian welcome Dr. Ben Freakley, CMPC, to talk about the use of motivational interviewing in sport and performance settings. Dr. Freakely is the founder and CEO of Ready, Set, Resilient, which provides sport and performance psychology services to individuals, teams, and organizations. In the episode, the group talk about autonomy support in sport and military settings; shifting between following, guiding, and directing; MI spirit in sport; “being a warm fire;” progressive sporting institutions, success beyond winning, situations in sport when MI is helpful, and key points for coaches to learn and apply. Download transcript (pdf)

Talking To Change: A Motivational Interviewing Podcast, hosted by Glenn Hinds and Sebastian Kaplan, is a series of conversations exploring Motivational Interviewing (MI) and its influence on supporting individuals and groups as they make positive health and lifestyle changes. Episode 79: MI & Health Coaching, with Amanda Gabarda, EdD, and Susan Butterworth, PhD  In this episode, Glenn and Sebastian talk to Amanda Gabarda, EdD, and Susan Butterworth, PhD, about ways to use motivational interviewing in health coaching. Thy discuss the psychology of lifestyle change, how their clients have responded to MI, coaching as a "vehicle for learning and growing and transforming," coaching as a brief intervention, how health coaches fit into the health care system, and research on MI and health coaching. The session ends with a conversation about artificial intelligence and a role-play with Susan and Sebastian.

This resource helps individuals and organizations navigate the legal landscape in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, ensuring that lifesaving harm reduction services, like naloxone distribution and overdose Good Samaritan laws, are accessible to those who need them most. This document was originally created in 2021 and updated in August of 2024.  

The opioid epidemic has resulted in significant increases in HIV, HCV, and syphilis among people who inject drugs. The intent of this Guide is to build the capacity of Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), with an emphasis on publicly funded OTPs, to integrate infectious disease prevention, screening, and treatment services. Integrating infectious disease services at OTPs has the potential to both (i) enhance prevention, screening, and treatment by addressing key gaps in patient care, and (ii) support patients’ recovery journeys by improving their overall well-being. This Guide provides insights, examples, and strategies to support OTPs in integrating infectious disease services into behavioral health programming.

The Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Mid-America ATTC) Impact Report highlights our contributions to the behavioral and substance use workforce from 2017 to 2024. The report offers an overview of our activities and achievements during this funding cycle.

Research has shown what sexual minority and gender diverse community members have always known: families and caregivers play a critical role in wellbeing and lifelong health for LGBTQ+ young people. Family acceptance and support can be an enormous asset to a youth who is struggling; likewise, family rejection can have devastating effects in physical and emotional health, future orientation, risk behaviors, and resilience. Learn more about the evidence that strong family support in adolescence matters for a happy and healthy LGBTQ adulthood, as well as intervention strategies and tips for working with rejecting families. To download the entire version of the factsheet, use the Fostering Family Acceptance button on the right side of the page.  

In 2019, an estimated 1 in 59 adults in the U.S. was under community supervision. Researchers estimate that 60 to 80% of individuals on probation have a substance use disorder. Many people on community supervision who have an opioid use disorder never get the high-quality care needed to recover. There are many reasons for this - logistical barriers, lack of access to evidence-based treatments, stigma... But as a professional working with people on probation/ parole, you can change that. This learning series is designed specifically for community supervision officers and community treatment providers working with justice-involved individuals. Whether you're supervising someone with an OUD under community supervision or providing their treatment, every interaction is an opportunity to achieve better outcomes. This course consists of six modules. The resources and videos throughout this course: Provide probation officers and community treatment providers with the knowledge, tools, and resources to respond to the treatment needs of individuals under supervision, and Improve access and linkage to evidence-based treatment in the community for individuals with opioid use disorders who are under supervision. It is important for probation officers and community providers to review all modules in order to align role clarity and expectations. Please note that you will see the following acronyms used throughout this course: PO - Probation Officer CP - Community Provider SUD - Substance Use Disorder MOUD - Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Access this course here.  

The New England ATTC, in partnership with the IAMSBIRT Study (Implementing Alcohol Misuse SBIRT), has created a suite of SBIRT training and technical assistance resources for pediatric trauma center staff. Resources include separate webinars about screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment, motivational interviewing in adolescents, and IAMSBIRT oversight. In addition, there are worksheets in English and Spanish about safe administration and disposal of opioids, and materials to monitor SBIRT fidelity. Resources can be found here: https://sites.brown.edu/iamsbirt/previous-cohorts/

This 1.5-hour webinar is intended for mental health professionals who work with individuals who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) comorbidity. According to research, PTSD and SUDs are extremely prevalent co-occurring disorders, with each diagnosis raising the chance of the other. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has established six principles of trauma-informed care that are intended to promote a supportive and healing environment for those who have suffered trauma. The presenters will go over these six principles and how to implement them when assisting clients recover. These principles guide the delivery of trauma-informed care, ensuring that services are compassionate, respectful, and successful in meeting the varied needs of trauma survivors. This webinar aims to provide attendees with evidence-based methods and practical tools for facilitating change and promoting recovery in this dual-diagnosis population.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Discuss the prevalence and impact of co-occurring PTSD and SUD Understand the six principles of trauma-informed care Implement trauma-informed care in clinical practice     TRAINERS: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is an international speaker in behavioral health whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, England, Canada, Spain, Lithuania, West Indies and Guam. He is the recipient of five behavioral health lifetime achievement awards including the prestigious NAADAC Enlightenment Award. He is Founder of The Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery which is the 2023 winner of the Faces and Voices of Recovery Innovations In Recovery Award. He is the author of 5 books on recovery and had had a 30-year career as a university educator.       Isa Vélez Echevarria, PsyD is a Puerto Rican clinical psychologist. She is the Ohio State Project Manager for the Great Lakes Addiction, Mental Health, and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers managed by the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  During her pre-doctoral internship at Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, CA, she obtained a certification as Interpersonal Psychotherapy Clinician. She was trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Therapy. In addition, she provides telehealth services to communities of color in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Her clinical work has focused on culturally tailored and trauma-informed services to Latinx communities.       The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Successful individuals in every profession attribute important aspects of their success to a their participation in a mentoring relationship. World leaders, Noble Prize winners, astronauts, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, artists, non-profit advocates, and many of us in helping professions will attest to having benefited from mentorship. In this interactive webinar, Jamelia R. Hand, CADC, CODP and Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, will share developing research as well as their individual experiences on beneficial impacts of mentoring relationship. Their engaging discussion will delve into the concept of mentorship, focusing on its critical role in enhancing leadership qualities and clinical skills within the behavioral health sector. Attendees will gain a deep understanding of mentorship, its benefits, and practical strategies for nurturing these relationships to foster professional and personal growth.   PRESENTED BY: Jamelia Hand, MHS, CADC, CODP, is a seasoned opioid addiction consultant, speaker, trainer, and author within the SUD/OUD healthcare sector. Ms. Hand maximizes her extensive executive experience to deliver compelling keynote speeches, engaging workshops, and dynamic training sessions that motivate and inspire action in addiction and mental health treatment, service delivery, overdose prevention, and staff motivation. Her expertise is highlighted in national publications, and she has held significant roles such as Deputy Director in Illinois, VP of Reentry, and leadership positions in global addiction medication and technology companies, enhancing access to quality care nationwide. For more information, visit vantageclinicalconsulting.com.     Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is the Illinois State Project Manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. Mark has worked for 40 years as a social worker, educator, and part of the SUD workforce. He is founder of the Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery and co-founder of Serenity Academy of Chicago, the only recovery-oriented high school in Illinois. Mark is also an international speaker, trainer, and consultant in the behavioral health field whose work has reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and the British Islands. Recently, Mark Sanders was named as the 2021 recipient of the NAADAC Enlightenment Award in recognition of his outstanding work and contributions to NAADAC, the field of SUD services, and SUD professionals. He is also the recipient of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health’s 2021 Lawrence Goodman Friend of the Field award in honor of the many years of dedicated service Mark has provided to communities throughout his home state of Illinois.  

The New England ATTC, in partnership with Project MIMIC (Maximizing Implementation of Motivational Incentives in Clinics), has created a suite of contingency management training and technical assistance resources. The resources are broadly applicable, though likely to be especially relevant to opioid treatment programs. Specific resources include an overview of contingency management resources, an example contingency management session, a demonstration of how to track contingency management fidelity, and a discussion of how to design a contingency management protocol. Resources can be found here: https://sites.brown.edu/projectmimic/training-materials/

The New England ATTC Co-Director, Dr. Sara Becker, has a Commentary out in Addiction titled, “Contingency Management Needs Implementation Science.”  Dr. Becker was invited to contribute this commentary in recognition of her – and by extension the New England ATTC’s - reputation as a national leader in efforts to increase access to contingency management in specialty addiction treatment settings. This commentary asserts that efforts to increase access to contingency management must be informed by rigorous methods of implementation science. Click here for access to the full text. 

The JCOIN Steering Committee met June 11th - June 13th. Attached is a poster that was presented to the committee. Objectives: Engage key stakeholders to identify target concepts for education/training for community supervision professionals (CSPs) Develop a brief, digestible, evidence-based toolkit for CSPs focused on OUD and medications to treat OUD (MOUD) Provide a sustainable training and workforce development tool for CSPs to better serve clients with OUD

The New England ATTC, in partnership with AdCare Educational Institute of New England, hosted this session at the New England Summer School of Addiction Studies with subject matter expert Michele Stewart-Copes. This presentation explored the impact of structural racism and  intergenerational trauma on BIPOC and special populations, including  pregnant women with opioid/substance use addiction. A copy of the presentation slides is available for download.

The New England ATTC, in partnership with AdCare Educational Institute of New England hosted this session at the New England Summer School  with subject matter expert Brenda Westberry. Copies of the materials from this session are available for download.

This series consists of three webinars where attendees will learn from existing programs how a joint community/provider-led Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) can empower and positively impact America's growing mental health and substance use challenges.   Session 1: June 6, 2024 Session 1 of this 3-part series will begin by reviewing core definitions, learning key principles, and identifying the "planks" of success when establishing a ROSC as an "organizing construct" to all community health care and wellness services. Other central themes that will be shared are best practices for attaining and sustaining community involvement and lessons learned while building, maintaining, and evaluating the "community up" model of care. Examples of specific lived experiences will also be presented—in particular, the implementation of a recovery-focused care system in Hancock County, Ohio, as highlighted in SAMHSA's TIP 65.   Session 2: July 11, 2024 Finding the workforce to address the needs of the community and build a locally defined ROSC is critical to its success. As a ROSC, new opportunities for an expanded workforce emerge. This webinar will tie this critical element of creating a workforce based on the actual community needs to a regionally assessed and defined system of care. The presenters will share ways of finding professional/peer workers for all segments and levels of the continuum of care, education-informed prevention-intervention-treatment-recovery, methods to locate community resources to develop and retain their ROSC workforce, and some of the lessons learned in the process of building an integrated and effective coalition.   Session 3: August 15, 2024 Within a ROSC, process is as important as outcome. Sustaining a community/provider ROSC will depend on community ownership of the challenges they may face when maintaining a balanced approach to the relevant processes and outcomes. In this third and final webinar of the ROSC series, the presenters will review those ways to keep the community invested in its ROSC and the outcomes of a ROSC in Hancock County and elsewhere. They will also discuss specific recovery programs for high-risk populations (i.e. veterans, harm reduction, pregnant women/infants, overdose prevention, those in recovery, youth).     TRAINERS:   Dr. Flaherty is a clinical psychologist with more than 42 years of practice. In 1999 he founded the Institute for Research, Education and Training in the Addictions (IRETA) in Pittsburgh. Prior, he was the head of Institute for Psychiatry and Addiction at the St. Francis Health System in Pittsburgh. While at St. Francis, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, he co-led these institutions in the creation of what is today Pennsylvania’s largest non-profit behavioral managed care company, Community Care Behavioral Health. He has authored over 26 Federal and Foundational grants and more than 50 published articles, chapters and monographs on topics related to substance use policy, prevention, treatment, and recovery. A pioneering and visionary leader in the science of recovery, he has spoken in 42 states on recovery focused care. A past adviser to the White House Office National Drug Control, he assisted in the development of early brief substance use screening and intervention (2003/Tap 33, SBIRT, 2013), the first White House Overdose Prevention Plan (2015), as co-leader and facilitator of W. Pennsylvania’s initial Overdose Strategy (2017), and in the design of Pennsylvania’s in its Overdose Plan (Commonwealth, 2018). Today he continues to focus on clinical practice, workforce challenges (Annapolis Coalition) and designing recovery focused models of behavioral health. His work is featured in SAMHSA’s recently published TIP 65, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (2023). Dr. Flaherty is a retired Captain (Surface Warfare) in the U.S. Naval Reserve with 27 years’ service. He holds B.A. degrees in Philosophy and Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University; and a M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duquesne University. He is especially proud of his 3 adult children and 5 grandsons. Zach Thomas is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist and the Director of Wellness and Education at the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services. He is responsible for the coordination and management of the Hancock County Community Partnership and Community Coalition on Addiction which are long-standing coalitions focused on substance use prevention and mental health promotion. Zach manages the Board’s prevention interests, public relations, and leads work in cultural humility and health equity. In 2021, he was hired by the University of Findlay to serve as the Lead Strategist for the Center for Civic Engagement which serves as a backbone entity that provides support to seven other community-based coalitions in Hancock County. Precia Stuby is the Executive Director of the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS), a position she has held since 1997. Ms. Stuby holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Ohio State University. Ms. Stuby is a Licensed Independent Social Worker, a graduate of the Hancock Leadership Program and the Mental Health Executive Leadership Program at Case Western Reserve University. She received the Leadership Award from Ohio NAMI, was named Public Health Champion of the Year by the Findlay City Health Department, is the Past Board President for the Ohio Association of County Behavior Health Authorities, has a published interview by William White on Recovery Management and is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Work, the Athena Leadership Award and the Association of Leadership Programs Distinguished Leadership Award. Her current community Involvement includes serving on the governing Boards of the Center for Civic Engagement and Welcome to a New Life. She is also a member of the Opiate and Other Addictions Coalition, and the Findlay Rotary Club. Since 2013, Precia has been leading the ROSC Transformation for Hancock County. She completed ROSC Leadership Training Institute sponsored by the Great Lakes ATTC with Dr. Ijeoma Achara in 2002; participated in the ROSC Thought Leaders Summit in 2016; and completed a ROSC Training of Trainers in 2016. She has presented her work at the state and national level. Mee Lee Kim is a Research Scientist within the Institute for Behavioral Health at Brandeis University.  She has nineteen years of experience conducting research and evaluation using mixed methods. She applies a participatory action approach when working with community-based organizations and other community stakeholders. She is the Brandeis Principal Investigator of multiple federally funded projects to address or prevent substance misuse and improve mental health by building community capacity to address underlying risk factors while fostering protective factors. These projects include an expansion of a Systems of Care Model for Children/Youth with serious emotional disturbance, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic to integrate health and behavioral health services, enhancements to peer recovery support services, and improving access to services for youth and families with traumatic stress. She serves as the Brandeis Principal Investigator of the School-based Telebehavioral Health Pilot Project in partnership with the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She also has ten years of experience working with state administrators to enhance Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) as a public health and clinical decision-making tool. Ginny Williams is a dynamic leader and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor based in Ohio, recognized for her expertise in driving transformative change within organizations. With a diverse background spanning various roles, Ginny brings a wealth of experience to her current position as Chief Culture & Transformation Officer for Family Resource Center, a $17 million community behavioral health organization. Ginny's journey in mental health began as a prevention specialist, evolving into direct service provision encompassing emergency services, individual and group counseling, with a clinical focus on grief and loss. Her commitment to professional development led her to obtain an Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist credential from the Grief Recovery Institute, further enhancing her ability to support individuals navigating challenging life transitions. Prior to her current role, Ginny held positions including Assistant Director of Counseling Services and adjunct faculty member in the Psychology Department at The University of Findlay. Her tenure as Director of Adult Clinical Services and Chief Clinical Officer for Family Resource Center underscored her adeptness in managing clinical operations and driving organizational growth. In her current capacity, Ginny is instrumental in reshaping organizational cultures and driving strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing employee engagement and organizational effectiveness. Her expertise in talent optimization as a Predictive Index Practioner, strategic planning, and collaborative relationship-building has been instrumental in introducing innovative services and programs to address community needs effectively. Her specialties include designing comprehensive leadership development programs, fostering a culture of growth and adaptability, and driving organizational performance through effective leadership and talent management strategies. Nichole Coleman is the County Veterans Service Officer/Executive Director Hancock County Veterans Service Office.  Under her leadership, the office has served more than eight times the number of veterans annually and increased the VA expenditures by more than $16.8 million for county veterans and their family members. Additionally, five innovative veteran resiliency programs were created to provide mental health support, additional recovery tools, and improved quality of life.