Friday

Home > Blog > Friday

Tag: Friday

By

How to Increase Sustainability Without Magic in Psychiatric Facilities & Community Settings

Speaker(s):

Rhiannon Evans, M.S., BCBA, LBA

Lucas Evans, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Teresa Rodgers, PhD, BCBA, LBA

Presentation:

Staff working in high-stress environments are often faced with poor staffing ratios, competing job tasks and burnout. This creates a barrier to providing quality social opportunities and leads to environments where only challenging behavior results in meaningful social interactions. There is no magic fix to overcome these barriers; however, a whole-systems approach with active supervision can help sustain implementation of programs. The Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH), Division of Developmental Disabilities calls this approach Tiered Supports.

Presenters will discuss how to use this approach and the results which have demonstrated significant reduction in severe problem behavior and increased quality of life in five separate applied settings in a forensic psychiatric facility serving individuals between the ages of 17-100. Similar results were found when applied to multiple community settings where residential services are provided and similar barriers exist. Furthermore, staff participating in the approach reported increased job satisfaction, including a better relationship with their supervisor, team, and the people they serve. Presenters will share applied examples from each setting.


Objectives:

  1. Discuss common implementation barriers both in institutions and in community settings
  2. Review a universal approach, in Missouri’s Department of Mental Health – Division of Developmental Disabilities, which focuses on active supervision and regular feedback
  3. Examine data regarding the supervisors, DSPs, and people participating in the program across multiple applied settings within DMH
  4. Learn how to implement a whole-systems, Tiered Supports, approach to increase sustainability of programs

Slides and Handouts:

EVANS_RHI_Spring Institute RE.LE.TR. 2021

By

Understanding Cop Culture

Speaker(s):

Ken McManus, M.Ed., LPC

Jason Klaus, B.S.

Presentation: 

In 2018, for the third year in a row, the national total of police officer deaths by suicide exceeded the number of officer deaths in the line of duty. While every such tragedy has its own story, there are patterns of toxicity unique in law enforcement careers that significantly contribute to the risks for relationship implosion, isolation, depression and suicide. Some law enforcement agencies are responding to these trends by providing officer wellness initiatives and supports; others are not. By either path, clinicians may find themselves confronted with law enforcement personnel, or their family members, seeking effective intervention in what may be the later stages of a mental health crisis. And, these individuals can be “treatment reluctant” as a function of their culture. This presentation will provide research-based insights into individual and organizational police culture and specific strategies clinicians can incorporate to increase the efficacy of their treatment efforts.

Objectives:

  1. Identify specific dynamics within police culture that increase risks for crisis
  2. Identify specific dynamics within police officer experience that enable despair and isolation
  3. Describe the neurology that underlies the intensity of officer experience, e.g. the hypervigilance rollercoaster, and increased risk for harm
  4. Identify strategies to enhance clinician effectiveness with this unique population

Slides and Handouts:

MCMANUS – Understanding Cop Culture May3rd

 

By

Finding Hope in Crisis: helping children and adolescents find their smile during grief and loss

Speaker(s):

Steven Sewell, BACEED, CPS

Presentation:

Fears, misconceptions, doubts, and other barriers to healthy communication play a large part of what we do as end of life professionals. Working with children and teenagers who are grieving through the loss of their loved one or as a patient can be even more challenging. In this seminar, Steve will provide encouraging hope to you, in whatever discipline you serve in, to support, provide empathy, and create a high, open relationship with these precious young people. If you have direct contact with family members (especially kids), this session is for you.


Objectives:

  1. Reflect on what we know about grief and loss with children and adolescents
  2. Differentiate age level appropriate grief support for a variety of end of life clinicians
  3. Observe general tips for caregivers who offer care to kids and teens as it relates to grief and loss.
By

Evidence-based Psychotherapies in Competency Restoration Treatment

Speaker(s):

Shawn Anderson, PhD

Aishah Augusta-Parham, MA

Alexis Humenik, MA, MSCP

Kristin Neville, MA

Presentation:

Expanding the role of evidence-based psychotherapy is critical to effective and efficient competency restoration treatment. Although pharmacological treatment is widely accepted as the primary intervention for competency attainment, for some patients, medications alone are not sufficient to achieve this goal. Certain psychotherapeutic treatments have been empirically established to successfully address particular psychiatric symptoms, which underlie the legal deficits and/or contribute to the psycho-legal deficits of many incompetent defendants.  This presentation will: review different manualized psychotherapeutic approaches that can be used to address specific competency deficits; describe the process for identifying patients whose competency deficits would benefit from psychotherapeutic treatments; and provide case examples using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.


Objectives:

  1. Learn how psychotherapy fits into a competency restoration program.
  2. Learn to identify patients with competency-related deficits appropriate for psychotherapy treatment.
  3. Learn how three evidence-based therapies can be applied in competency restoration treatment by addressing specific interfering symptoms and building psycho-legal skills.

Slides and Handouts:

ANDERSON_SHAWN_Spring Training Institute_2021

By

Gourley, Bryan, B.S.

Bryan previously graduated from Rockhurst with a BS in psychology. He has worked in social services with homeless youth in both Kansas City and Colorado providing outreach counseling to at-risk and homeless youth living on the streets. Currently Bryan serves as a member of the Zero Youth Suicide Prevention team providing outreach to youth and young adults. He has held multiple leadership roles during his professional working career. Bryan is currently working towards earning his MBA from Rockhurst in hopes of assisting small non profits as well as social enterprise companies that provide social services and that help communities in powerful ways.
 

 

By

Millar, Kirsti, M.S.


Kirsti Millar is the Suicide Prevention Liaison at ReDiscover where she coordinates the Show Me Zero Youth Suicide Grant which serves clients ages 10-24. She has dynamic experience in crisis work and has utilized her creativity in program expansion and client engagement at ReDiscover for three years. She has five years in the field working with both adults and youth alike in therapeutic, case management and crisis like settings. She completed her master’s degree in counseling from Missouri State University with an emphasis in Play Therapy. Kirsti enjoys working with youth and has a passion for community engagement. Kirsti has extensive training across multiple modalities including: motivational interviewing, positive youth development, harm reduction, assessing and managing suicide risk, trauma informed care, vicarious trauma, EMDR and play therapy.


Presentation(s): 

Preventing Youth Suicide in Missouri: Effectiveness of a Hospital, School and Community Mental Health Center Collaboration in Kansas City




 

 

By

Smith, Ron, Ph.D., J.D.

A.B. – Biology/Philosophy, Drury College 1976 
M.S. – Guidance and Counseling, Southwest Missouri State University 1981 
Ph.D. – Counseling, Kansas State University 1989 
J.D. – University of Missouri School of Law 2001 

Employed as clinician at the Southwest Missouri State University counseling and testing center, and taught developmental and educational psychology courses after completing Ph.D. until entering law school in 1998. Upon graduation from law school, employed as an assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri until retirement in March 2020. Provided general counsel and litigation services to Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Board of Pharmacy, State Committee of Psychologists, State Committee for Social Workers and State Committee for Professional Counselors. From 2006 until retirement, served as manager of Governmental Affairs Division mental health unit.

Presentation(s): 

When Your Consumer Needs A Guardian: Practical, Ethical, and Legal Aspects of Seeking Guardianship









 

 

By

White, Heather, BS


Heather White is a Case Manager with the Zero Youth Suicide Program working with adolescents and young adults ages 10-24. She has been working with the ZYS program since May of 2018. Heather has worked with at-risk youth and young adults in the Kansas City Metro area for over 20 years and is dedicated to building, supporting and encouraging her clients to obtain and maintain skills that allow them to create a healthy outlook on life and the future. Heather holds dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Sociology (with an emphasis in Human Development and Family Studies) from the University of Missouri- Columbia.

Heather is very passionate about helping our society’s youth and young adults and believes as their lives are ever changing, the challenges that her clients face have become one of the most needed areas to provide mental health education and services.  She believes her greatest skill is to be a cheerleader to her clients as they navigate life, grow and develop into healthy adults.


Fun Facts: Heather is also an AFAA certified Group Fitness and Yoga Instructor and holds a CLC in lactation services. She is also an active member of her church as a Deacon and holds positions on multiple committees.

Presentation(s): 

Preventing Youth Suicide in Missouri: Effectiveness of a Hospital, School and Community Mental Health Center Collaboration in Kansas City






 

 

By

Morelan, Rachel, BA, MPA


Rachel Morelan works as the Team Lead for Rediscover’s Youth Suicide Prevention Team. She has over 10 years of experience in law enforcement, probation, victim advocacy and mental health. Rachel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration/Human Resources Management. In addition, she is currently working on a second Master’s degree in Social Work to eventually reach her goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 
Presentation(s): 
Preventing Youth Suicide in Missouri: Effectiveness of a Hospital, School and Community Mental Health Center Collaboration in Kansas City






 

 

By

Alvarado, Michelle, BSW

Michelle works as an Outreach Case Manager for the Suicide Prevention Team. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of Missouri, and additionally holds a minor in Spanish. Michelle is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Michelle has previous experience as an Investigator for the Department for Children and Families, and has volunteered for a domestic violence shelter, the Missouri Crisis Line, and the University of Kansas Medical Center as an interpreter.

Michelle is passionate about advocating for individuals in vulnerable populations. She is constantly learning about local resources to help provide a complete and well-rounded service to her clients. Michelle’s work in mental health has been very rewarding for her, as she has witnessed the positive impact Suicide Prevention has had on the families who need us most.



Presentation(s): 

Preventing Youth Suicide in Missouri: Effectiveness of a Hospital, School and Community Mental Health Center Collaboration in Kansas City