Products and Resources Catalog

The January 2021 Dialogue contains articles on: Addiction: New Year. New Hope. Black History Month | Mental Health: Addressing Mental Health in the Black Community | Prevention: Substance Use Prevention and Mentoring | ORN: Mentoring | Region 3 Spotlight: Danya's new ORN hire. Additional sections include upcoming training and webinar events, behavioral health observances, new resources, and Region 3 news. The Dialogue is designed to inform behavioral and mental health professionals of news and upcoming events in the Central East states. This electronic newsletter is disseminated bi-monthly on the first Tuesday. You are encouraged to provide us with any feedback or submit articles and topics for discussion in future issues of the newsletter, [email protected]. Sign up to receive the Dialogue in your mailbox.    

E-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.  January 2021 issue features:  Hall of Fame: Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment, and Recovery Counselor's Corner State Spotlight: Minnesota Complete calendar of upcoming events New products from SAMHSA  

      This skill-building virtual presentation is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will focus on strategies to create an inclusive organization in substance use disorders and mental health treatment settings. Topics covered include the definitions of diversity, cultural competence, and cultural humility; reasons cultural humility is a more realistic goal than cultural competence; how to create a welcoming environment for clients seeking substance use disorders treatment from a diversity of cultural backgrounds; how to have a discussion of differences; how to help your co-workers feel appreciated regardless of differences; microaggressions, micro-insults, and micro-invalidations in the workplace; a 6 step strategy to repair damage if you insult a co-worker; how to be a diversity change agent in the workplace; how to create an inclusive substance use disorders and mental health program in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina. Treatment providers, peer support communities, and community-based organizations in Region 4 are encouraged to register for free.   Repair damage if you inadvertently commit a microaggression or insult in the workplace Help co-workers feel appreciated regardless of differences Be a diversity change agent in substance use disorders and mental health settings. Create an inclusive substance use disorders and mental health organization ..................................................................     Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is 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. Mark has been a certified addictions counselor for 34 years. Mark is co-founder of the Serenity Academy of Chicago, the only recovery high school in Illinois. He is past president of the board of the Illinois Chapter of NAADAC.   

          This virtual dialogue is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will focus on how partnerships between primary care and behavioral health and comprehensive strategy can lead to health equity in underserved communities that are experiencing SUDs in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina.     Dominic Mack is a Professor of Family Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and serves as Director of the National Center for Primary Care (NCPC). Dr. Mack provides oversight of NCPC’s portfolio of big data health equity, health services, and HIT research. He leads the promotion of health equity through research, training, and application of innovative technology solutions that advance primary care systems to improve population health. He is founding director of the Georgia Health Information Technology Center (GA-HITEC) and Georgia Health Connect (GaHC) health information exchange and also directs Health Policy within the NIH Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center at MSM. Dr. Mack spent over 20 years practicing medicine and providing medical leadership in metropolitan Atlanta with many years of service in the Federally Qualified Health Center system. He works to develop national partnerships in rural and urban communities and takes a team-based approach to implement and sustaining community-based interventions for better outcomes. Current programs focus on progressing collaborative partnerships across communities to impact Diabetes and Substance Abuse outcomes. He is the founder and past president of Mack Medical Consultants, a for-profit company dedicated to the improvement of business practices in medical organizations.

          Season 2 Episode 2: Crossing the Prevention Bridge to Treatment and Recovery: The SUD Equity Journey This episode is a product of the Southeast TTC Critical Thought Leaders Collaboration. This podcast episode is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will feature, Nicole Augustine, MPH, MCHES, CSAPC, who has been working in the field of prevention since 2001. She has a Master of Public Health degree from The George Washington University School of Public Health. We focus on health equity/health disparities from the lens of innovation and how to connect substance use prevention to treatment/recovery efforts. We speak with Nicole Augustine on how the environment can pose barriers and challenges for organizations to properly serve in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina. Furthermore, we have a chance to discuss a national discussion (Addiction and Prevention Technology Transfer Center collaboration) surrounding emerging issues around COVID-19 and social determinants of health (SDH) for the substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery workforce. The initial listening session framed the ongoing and emerging issues and subsequent strategic discussions to engage key communities, the intent was to gather strategies and resources to identify emerging best practices that can support underserved and/or communities of color. Nicole also introduces her position and future projects of purpose.        Nicole Augustine, MPH, MCHES, CSAPC has been working in the field of prevention since 2001.  She has a Master of Public Health degree from The George Washington University School of Public Health.  As a prevention consultant, she has several years of experience facilitating prevention education curriculums and providing technical assistance to coalitions in the development of environmental strategies.   Nicole is a passionate prevention provider, committed to supporting initiatives designed to address the complex substance use issues affecting our society.  Additionally, Nicole is committed to seeing an increase in the number of credential prevention professionals, as a means of ensuring the delivery of evidence-informed practices.

    This virtual presentation is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will focus on a strength-based approach to engaging African Americans in substance use disorders treatment; rapport building with African American Clients within the first 10 minutes of contact; reasons African Americans resist substance use disorders treatment and intervention strategies; effective cross-cultural counseling skills with African Americans with substance use disorders; traditional and non-traditional approaches to recovery among African Americans; How to mobilize the entire African American Community to support recovery in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina. Treatment providers, peer support communities, and community-based organizations in Region 4 are encouraged to register for free.     BY THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: Utilize 10 strength-based questions to help engage African American Clients into substance use disorders treatment. Build rapport with African American Clients. Engage African American Clients in the cross-cultural counseling relationship. Engage African Americans into substance use disorders treatment within the first 10 minutes of contact. Articulate non-traditional approaches to substance use disorders treatment with African American clients. Mobilize the entire African American community to support recovery. ..................................................................     Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is 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. Mark has been a certified addictions counselor for 34 years. Mark is co-founder of the Serenity Academy of Chicago, the only recovery high school in Illinois. He is past president of the board of the Illinois Chapter of NAADAC. 

    LISTEN NOW   Season 2 Episode 1: The New Normal: Ethnic Sensitivities and SUDs   This podcast episode is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will feature, Joy Ssebikindu, LPC graduate from Vanderbilt University (BA, Sociology and Child Development) and MEd in Clinical Mental Health counseling. We focus on health disparities in the southeast, the African American substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery experience. As well as, the role of faith-based communities in recovery, and levels of care in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina.     Joy comes with over a decade of professional experience in working with children, adolescents, adults, and their families at all levels of care (ranging from inpatient to outpatient clinical care).  As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she specializes in working with individuals, couples, and families who have issues with communication, family transitions including divorce, trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use, and disordered eating/eating disorders.  Currently, as a Treatment Placement Specialist with Acadia Healthcare, she walks every day in her passion. "I'm not here to keep you from freaking out. I'm here to be with you while you freak out, or grieve or laugh or suffer or sing. It is a ministry of presence. It is showing up with a loving heart."  This mantra sits at the core of all that Joy Ssebikindu does, both personally and professionally.

Engaging African Americans in Substance Use Disorder Treatment by Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC is a multi-part webinar series addressing the treatment of substance use disorder within African American communities. It is also one of the newest culturally competent service delivery products available through the Great Lakes ATTC.  About Our Presenter Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is an international speaker, trainer, and consultant for the behavioral health field. He presents frequently on a range of topics, including culturally competent service delivery, recovery-oriented systems of care, and the treatment of adolescents and emerging adults. Mark is also the CEO of On The Mark Consulting, the founder of the Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment, and Recovery, and the co-founder of Serenity Academy of Chicago, the only recovery high school in Illinois. The author of five books on behavioral health, Mark’s work has reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Caribbean, and British Islands.       Integrating Cultural Competency And Evidence-Based Practices When Treating African Americans With Substance Use Disorder Recorded Webinar   Multiple Pathways Of Recovery For African Americans Recorded Webinar   Cross-Cultural Counseling For African Americans With Substance Use Disorder Recorded Webinar   The Healing Forest: The Entire African American Community As A Recovery Center Recorded Webinar   Partners In Recovery: The Roles Of Addictions Counselors And Recovery Coaches Working Together To Promote Recovery In African American Communities Recorded Webinar   Trauma Informed Care For African Americans With Substance Use Disorder Recorded Webinar   African American Children And Adolescents Of Parents With Substance Use Disorder: Protective Factors And Counseling Recorded Webinar  

Ask the Expert August's Open Dialogue is sponsored by the Southeast ATTC Regional Center and will focus on openly dialoguing about the role you play in impacting access and retention of in substance abuse treatment while shedding light on the racial and LGBTQ+ disparities for GA, AL, FL, MS, SC, NC, KY, and TN. Session Host: Lawrence Bryant, Ph.D., MPH, RRT, BSW, AAS ============================================================================================  Health Equity and Implicit Racial Bias Experiences by the LGBTQ+ Community Seeking Treatment & Recovery   Resource Mentioned:  Georgia Opioid Strategic Planning, Multi-Cultural Needs Assessment   ============================================================================================================ A Little About Dr. Bryant:  As a member of the Georgia Department of Public Health Opioid Strategic Planning Multicultural Workgroup, Dr. Bryant brings a plethora of experiences dealing with substance use disorders through clinical practice, policy, and research. He has been successful in developing and implementing a statewide strategic plan for the state of Georgia in response to the opioid and prescription drug overdose epidemic. As a part-time Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University, Health Promotion Department, Dr. Bryant has received funding from The Georgia Department of Public Health to do a needs assessment in support of the Statewide Strategic Plan for Opioid Abuse. Dr. Bryant just receives certification in contact tracing and plans to utilize this knowledge to train others in this technique Dr. Bryant continues to publish in the field of public health and holds dual positions in both public health and psychology at Capella University. Dr. Bryant is also a registered respiratory therapist, fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of pediatrics

Essential Conversations in Social Services 2020 (previously called 20-Minute Tips) is  intended for behavioral health (BH) and substance use disorder (SUD) providers in Region 7. During each episode, we will interview a subject matter expert on a timely topic and explore tips designed to help the BH and SUD workforce. During this episode we discuss how to have a conversation about race in the workplace. Our guests' Marla Smith, a Behavioral Health Coach at Heartland Family Service in Iowa and Vladimir Sainte, a Team Leader from Truman Medical Centers in MO, share important considerations and tips for behavioral health leaders who are navigating these conversations in the current climate.   Please note the title of the podcast was previously titled 20-Minute Tips: A Podcast for the Behavioral Health Workforce. This episode is longer than 20-minutes. This project is brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction and Mental Health Technology transfer centers and is funded by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The content on this podcast does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA.

The YouTube Channel of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. Features recorded webinars presented by the three Great Lakes projects, organized in playlists specific to each project. Topic-specific webinar are also organized in specific playlists, such as Great Lakes Regional Health Equity & Cultural Competency Resources. 

    Keynote Presentation from the Annual Inter-Faith Institute on Recovery     Nzinga A. Harrison, MD A well-respected physician and educator, Dr. Harrison is the CoFounder and Chief Medical Officer for Eleanor Health, an innovative provider of comprehensive treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology with Spanish and Chemistry minors at Howard University, completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and General Psychiatry Residency at Emory University. She is Board-Certified in both Adult General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine and has spent her career treating individuals with Serious Persistent Mental Illness and Addictive Diseases. Currently, she holds adjunct faculty appointment at the Morehouse School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and provides expert consultant services to the Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center. She is Co-Founder of Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform, Inc. and Campaign Psychiatrist for Let’s Get Mentally Fit, a public education and stigma-reduction campaign.

    SATTC Ask the Expert (July Session: Implicit Racial Bias and Microaggression as they Relate Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery including SUDs) - Dr. Nzinga A. Harrison ....................................................... Resources Mentioned: KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION  - Repository On Health Disparities  PEDQ QUESTIONAIRE Patricia G. Devine, Patrick S. Forscher, Anthony J. Austin, and William T. L. Cox.  J Exp Soc Psychol. 2012 Nov; 48(6): 1267–1278. Long-term reduction in implicit race bias: A prejudice habit-breaking intervention   ..................................................... A well-respected physician and educator, Dr. Harrison is the CoFounder and Chief Medical Officer for Eleanor Health, an innovative provider of comprehensive treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology with Spanish and Chemistry minors at Howard University, completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and General Psychiatry Residency at Emory University. She is Board-Certified in both Adult General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine and has spent her career treating individuals with Serious Persistent Mental Illness and Addictive Diseases. Currently, she holds adjunct faculty appointment at the Morehouse School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and provides expert consultant services to the Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center. She is Co-Founder of Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform, Inc. and Campaign Psychiatrist for Let’s Get Mentally Fit, a public education and stigma-reduction campaign.  

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on June 30, 2020  |  Module 8/8

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on June 23, 2020  |  Module 7/8

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on June 16, 2020  |  Module 6/8

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on June 9, 2020  |  Module 5/8

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on June 2, 2020  |  Module 4/8

Presented By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on May 26, 2020  | Module 3/8  

Present By: Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Recorded on April 1, 2020  |  Module 2/8    

    A little about the product:  The investigator, co-author Dawn Tyus, sought to learn about the realities, needs, strengths, and challenges of African American women in treatment and recovery. And she did it by asking women in long-term recovery about their own experiences and observations in treatment and early recovery, and about the wisdom they had earned through the years. Those interviews yielded a wealth of knowledge, experience, and ideas for treatment and recovery support. They will form the backbone of a collection of guidelines for treatment and peer-based recovery support for African American women, to be published this year (2020) by the Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Southeast ATTC) at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. But first, this article introduces eleven extraordinary women and some of their early treatment and recovery experiences and lessons

While racism and classism are not exclusive to the United States, the American paradigm is unique due to its history of slavery, conquest, and immigration.  Each new wave of immigrants to America has experienced systematic inequality in a system based on ethnic and racial oppression. The pressure of conforming and confronting this system produces stress and mental anguish, which primarily afflicts minority communities.  In the recorded presentation Liberty Humiliation, and Identity: Race and the Suffering of America, Albert Thompson will cover how to engage in a dialogue about physical and mental health that encompasses societal morbidity. We will examine how particular events in our history demonstrate the consequences of racial views and our need to listen and engage. Behavioral health providers must consider race and the impact it has on leadership. Change leaders need to be politically and socially knowledgeable, listen, and understand a broader perspective of historical foreign and domestic policy related to race, ethnicity, and culture. To gain the agility necessary to navigate within an ever-growing diverse population in need of mental health and addiction services in our country, we must consider elevating skills that transcend culture and human-made racial boundaries.

The Region 7 Mid-America Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) recognize that Black communities in our country are hurting as the result of violence, bigotry and racism. Racism and discrimination are associated with dire behavioral and physical health issues, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. We know that disparities in equitable access to services and resources perpetuate these issues. Across the Mid-America region, we commit to collectively increasing our efforts to develop a collaborative plan with our community partners to be part of a solution to promote equity, safety and health for our communities. As a start to our efforts to promote behavioral health equity for all, we have compiled some resources that may support you in your work. Download the document here.

June 2020 issue of the Great Lakes Current, featuring resources and training event focused on building health equity and inclusion in the COVID-19 era.