Working from the wisdom of our lived experience as peer-support providers can be one of our strongest assets, operating from a deep vested interest such as this also runs the risk of severely compromising our ability to metabolize stress, create or maintain boundaries and prioritize our own wellness over the needs of our communities.Join us in honest conversation that acknowledges the unique strengths and experience of being a peer care-provider in effort to maximize the ways in which we build relationships with students, families and other stakeholders to navigate the systems our families wade through in service of their children. Together we will Increase our personal and collective capacity to serve families and students in a healing centered manner that meets the full range of families identified needs.Objectives:1. Explore effective tenets of a healing centered school.2. Navigating the systems of care within a school ecosystem.3. Explore perspectives and frameworks that strengthen … [Read more...] about Family Exchange – Family Peer Support in School Mental Health
Systems Collaboration
Native Children and Families in Oklahoma Systems of Care
Oklahoma System of Care focuses on the strengths of the child, youth, young adult, and family. Family and community are essential elements in Oklahoma tribal cultures. Including extended family members and those who are not blood relatives—tribal elders, spiritual leaders, neighbors, or friends, etc. in family team meetings increases the number and availability of supports. Culturally competent and culturally responsive OKSOC providers integrate culture as a resource, inclusive of tribal belief systems, knowledge and expertise, traditions, norms, teachings, strategies, and problem-solving. This use of cultural adaptations to mainstream system of care practices such as wraparound, care coordination, crisis response and intervention, and therapy adds a cultural support system to the family’s treatment team and plan. There is significant evidence to show that many people within culturally diverse communities are likely to utilize avenues other than professional therapists for dealing with … [Read more...] about Native Children and Families in Oklahoma Systems of Care
Building Trauma-Resilient Educational Communities (TREC) in Schools Across the Nation
Join Dana Brown and Craig Beswick as they share best practices in delivering trauma-resilient educational resources and programs in school settings, dedicated to equitable-practices and healing-centered relationships that increase resilience and sustainable overall wellness in individuals and organizations. … [Read more...] about Building Trauma-Resilient Educational Communities (TREC) in Schools Across the Nation
Youth Justice in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons, Strategies, and Pathways Forward
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated that we can drastically reduce the population of incarcerated young people and move towards a Systems of Care approach that improves outcomes by centering families’ voice and choice. In this session, featured panelists from Justice for Families, Justice Policy Institute, National Juvenile Justice Network, and Center for Children’s Law and Policy will share new insights on this topic from their 2022 collaborative study, which brought together participants from justice-impacted families and youth, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates from across the US. The speakers will highlight lessons learned, ongoing challenges, and future pathways for policy and practice changes implemented during the pandemic, diving deep into the following topics: Cross Practitioner Lessons Learned from COVID-19. Panelists will share how youth justice practitioners from 3 jurisdictions across the US moved away from incarceration, created virtual connections, and found … [Read more...] about Youth Justice in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons, Strategies, and Pathways Forward
The Role of Higher Education in Supporting the Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)System of Care
The primary goal of the Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Graduate Certificate through Troy University is to contribute to the improvement of mental health care of children and families in Alabama. The certificate is designed to increase the accessibility of direct service providers specifically trained to work with the birth to 6 year old population and families. The program includes opportunities for professionals across human service disciplines to increase the use of trauma-informed approaches to improve quality care for at risk populations. We will discuss program design, funding, and sustainability as well as barriers around diversity and inclusion faced throughout implementation. … [Read more...] about The Role of Higher Education in Supporting the Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)System of Care