Drop In Family Support Time
2022-07-07 12:00, 2022-06-02 12:00, 2022-05-05 12:00 (America/Chicago)
This hour is open for any family member to drop in for all or some of the time to share any concerns or get feedback from others about handling different situations. We ask anyone who stops by to respect the confidentiality of the group and not share anything discussed in the group outside of the group.
Register here >>

NAMI Basics
2022-07-06 18:30 - 21:00
National Alliance on Mental Illness El Paso
This event covers multiple weeks.
Join NAMI Basics, a 6-session course for adult parents and caregivers of children and adolescents formally or not yet diagnosed with a mental health condition. These may include ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum, depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and other mental health conditions. Caregivers of children and adolescents affected by a mental health condition teach this 2½-hour course.
JULY 6 – AUG 10
6:30 PM – 9 PM (CST)
Register here >>

Independent Living, Here We Come!
2022-07-01 12:00 - 12:30
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
Preparing for independent living is an exciting time in any youth’s journey towards adulthood. For youth with disabilities and their families, this is a time filled with questions and challenges.
Join Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center and explore a skills checklist to help parents and youth know where they are and what they need to work on in their journey to independent living. We will talk about the importance of self-advocacy, and what families/parents can do to help youth and young adults with planning for the future.
Register here >>

Leadership Training for Parents and Caregivers
2022-06-25 09:00 - 16:00
This training is for anyone who is interested in learning to serve on decision-making groups and committees. This 8-hour training was developed by Family Voices National Center for Family Professional Partnerships.
Participants must attend all sessions, Modules 1-8 in order to receive their certificate. The trainer will read the evaluation questions after each module and participants will complete them as they are read. Parents and caregivers who are receiving a stipend for completing this training must also turn in all course evaluations in addition to completing the other requirements. Stipends are paid by check and require that the recipient complete a W-9 form. You can download a W-9 here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

To help us be more responsive, we ask that you answer a few questions about yourself when you register.
Register here >>

Digital Strategies to Foster Family Engagement in Addiction and Mental Health Support
2022-06-22 14:00 - 15:00
The National Family Support Technical Assistance Center
In this increasingly digital age, digital-based services can play a key role in engaging and supporting families with their loved ones’ substance use journeys. This webinar will explore the promises and pitfalls of digital-based and hybrid care services for families, opportunities to intervene with the concerned individual directly and/or the entire family, and how digital tools can be leveraged by practitioners and family members.
The intended audience for the webinar includes community service providers, public health professionals, clinical researchers, healthcare providers, substance use disorder treatment providers, and family members impacted by loved ones’
substance use and mental health difficulties.
Learning Objectives
Participants will develop an understanding of the unique benefits and challenges of family engagement in digital-based services.
Participants will grow their knowledge of specific services available to concerned family members of individuals facing substance use and mental health difficulties.
Participants will learn specific telehealth intervention strategies for the entire family along a continuum of youth substance use and mental health treatment and recovery.
Register here >>

Leadership Coaching and Policy Discussion
2022-06-22 12:00 - 13:00
This group focuses on understanding current policy issues and also opportunities for leadership training graduates to serve on decision-making committees. Leadership training graduates are strongly encouraged to attend, but the meetings are open to anyone who is interested in learning more about policy.
Register here >>

Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) Seminar I
2022-06-21 09:00 - 2022-06-22 16:30
Mental Health Association of South MS
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) is a personalized wellness and recovery system born out of and rooted in the principle of self-determination. WRAP® is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to: 1) decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; 2) increase personal empowerment; 3) improve quality of life; and 4) achieve their own life goals and dreams. Working with a WRAP® can help individuals to monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors and, through planned responses, reduce, modify, or eliminate those feelings. A WRAP® also includes plans for responses from others when an individual cannot make decisions, take care of him/herself, and/or keep him/herself safe.
Register here >>

Social Justice Symposium
2022-06-10 08:00 - 2022-06-11 12:30
Mississippi State University

Day 1 -June 10th
Opening Keynote by Dr. S.K. Butler
Unexpected Spaces for Advocacy: Family Medical Leave Act, Ethics, and the Law by Demarcus Davis, LPC, JD
Trans-Affirming Counseling by Dr. Rafe McCoulough

Day 2- June 11th
Opening Session by Dr. Ebony White
Advocacy in the Era of “Anti-Woke” And “Don’t Say Gay” Legislation by Dr. Lauren Shure
Panel Discussion: Addressing the Challenges of Advocacy all panelists invited
Counselors for Social Justice at Mississippi State University is a vibrant student chapter working to support advocacy and scholarship among counseling students and faculty, the greater student body, and surrounding communities. The chapter is enthusiastically engaged in an array of entirely student-driven advocacy initiatives. The Social Justice Symposium is the chapter’s signature yearly project and is supported by the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Foundations. The event takes place over two days – June 10th and 11th from 9:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Participants can attend any sessions they choose. Free NBCC continuing education credits are offered.
Registration is required to join this event. Register here >>

How are the Children Experiencing SED and Parents Doing, Really? Comparing 2021-2022
2022-06-07 13:00 - 14:30
As 2020 ended, the National Federation of Families surveyed over 1000 families representing every state, to capture authentic family experiences with both the school and mental health systems during the year. This survey produced an infographic which portrayed the extent of the struggles that families had faced with COVID-related challenges and the effect these challenges had created for their children. NFF is repeating this survey to learn more about how families and their children have fared during 2021. This data will again be represented through an infographic. These two data sets will be reviewed by our presenters, and they will share the implications that they anticipate for both the education system and the mental health system for 2022 and the outlying years.
This webinar will be facilitated by Lynda Gargan, Ph. D., Executive Director, National Federation of Families, and will be offered in a “table talk” format. Dr. Reeves will offer a clinical perspective on the data and will share stories and perspectives from her current work with children and youth in a psychiatric setting. Dr. Hoover will update participants regarding “lessons learned” from the pandemic and steps that educators are taking to support families. Both presenters will provide exciting resources for the workforce that supports families during the event.
Register here >>

Motivational Interviewing -Treating Clients with Mental Illness & Substance Use Disorders
2022-06-07 09:00 - 12:00
The MS Department of Mental Health and the Mental Health Association of South MS is pleased to offer this virtual training opportunity to you.
Motivational Interviewing is an empirically based, client-centered counseling approach in which
the counselor uses a non-confrontational & non-judgmental style to resolve ambivalence that
prohibits change (Miller & Rollnick, 2013; Rollnick, Miller, & Butler, 2008). Without addressing
ambivalence in treatment, a client’s progress may be inhibited due to clinical errors that may be
unknown to the counselor. The purpose of this presentation is to assist clinicians with identify-
ing and understanding factors associated with the successful engagement and treatment of”difficult to treat” individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. 3-hour virtual event.
Register here >>

Positive Solutions for Families of Young Children with Challenging Behaviors
2022-06-06 12:00 - 12:30
REACH MS
Presented by: Patty Gautier, Family, Data & Dissemination Coordinator, REACH MS
Has life with your young child become filled with conflict and confusion? Does it seem as if the simplest activity can quickly turn into disaster when your child’s behavior is out of control? You are not alone! Many, if not most, parents find themselves struggling with behavior at some point. The good news is that there are evidence-based, effective strategies (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports -PBIS) that you can use to create POSITIVE and LASTING solutions for your family.
Register here >>

Conversations: Cultivating Cultural Humility and Managing Biases with Families Facing Serious Mental Illnesses and Serious Emotional Disturbances – Session One
2022-06-03 13:00 - 15:00
SAMHSA-Sponsored Webinar
Session One of Three is a 120-Minute learning community with presenters: Selena Webster-Bass, MPH, DMin, Rachel Gaiter, MBA, MS, Ph.D. (c). Participants will explore cultural self-awareness in working effectively across cultural differences with families facing severe mental illnesses, learn practical strategies for working compassionately and authentically with diverse families facing severe emotional disturbances based on the cultural humility core pillars of establishing a commitment to self-evaluation, fixing power imbalances, and committing to institutional accountability, and explore implicit and explicit biases and managing biases in advancing behavioral health equity.
Register here >>

Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: After High School
2022-06-01 11:00 - 11:30
Mississippi Parent Training & Information Center Project

IDEA or 504 services in high school do not guarantee eligibility for accommodations in post-secondary education. Join us and learn how to be prepared for the next phase of education.
Register here >>

Co-Parenting Building Blocks to Prioritize Children’s Mental Health and Development
2022-05-25 13:00 - 14:00
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Families become separated for a variety of reasons. While this is a stressful time for all, it’s extremely stressful for children to adjust to this change while navigating their own feelings.
Marcus Stallworth, LMSW, Director of Training and Implementation at Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) will share how effective co-parenting can aid and assist in the overall growth and healthy development of children.
During this webinar, you’ll learn:

How separation can affect a child’s identity and self-esteem
Strength-based and solution-focused strategies and techniques to create consistency and support when co-parenting
How to assist separating families, community providers, and more in learning how to work together with the common goal of putting the needs of children first

Register here to attend >>

Leadership Coaching and Policy Discussion
2022-05-25 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-04-27 12:00 - 13:00
This group will focus on opportunities for leadership training graduates to serve on decision-making groups, provide coaching guidance for those who are already serving on groups or about to serve on groups and will be a place where graduates can discuss common concerns, problems and successes that will help them be more effective parent/caregiver leaders.
Graduates of leadership training are especially encouraged to attend, but anyone interested in policy is welcome.
Register here >>

Candid Conversations on Youth Mental Wellbeing & Vaping
2022-05-17 13:30
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Join the National Council of Well Being for a candid conversation on youth mental wellbeing and the effects of vaping.
Register here to attend >>

Peer Support Training
2022-05-16 08:30 - 2022-05-20 16:30
Are you a parent or caregiver raising or raising a child aged 0-21 who has mental health or behavioral health challenges? Would you like to use your lived experience to help another parent who is on the same journey?
Then being a parent peer supporter may be for you!
What is Parent Peer Support? Parent peer support is a parent/caregiver or using their lived experience to support another parent/caregiver who is going through similar experiences.
Who Can Be a Parent Peer Supporter? A parent peer supporter is a biological parent, adoptive parent, or caregiver with legal custody who is currently raising or has raised a child with these characteristics:

The child is currently between the ages of 0-21, or was when they first began having challenges.
The child has an emotional, social, behavioral or substance use disability.
The child received services in or navigated the mental health or a related system (for example, a child with an IEP related to behavior issues at school).

How Do I Become a Parent Peer Supporter? The Department of Mental Health certifies parent peer supporters in the mental health system. Families as Allies conducts virtual training for the certification. These are the dates of upcoming trainings:

May 16-20, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: April 18, 2022)
July 18-22, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: June 20, 2022)
September 12-16, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: August 15, 2022)
November 14-18, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: October 17, 2022)

Click here for the application packet.
Who Should Take the Training?
Any parent or caregiver who is raising a child who has challenges and:

Is interested in working for a community mental health center or another agency certified by the Department of Mental Health. Completing the training does not guarantee you a job, but it helps ensure you’ll be ready for one.
Is interested in doing part-time contractual work for Families as Allies. We are building our pool of contractual employees.
Supports parents in any system. This training will strengthen your skills and help you network with other parent peer supporters.
Would like to learn how to support other parents in the same shoes in any child-serving system. We currently have funds to pay training stipends to parents who are—or have been—involved in the youth court system and would like to learn how to support other parents going through the same thing. Contact us at 601-355-0915 or info@faams.org to learn more.

MS Crisis System Community Forum for Individuals and Families with Lived Experience
2022-05-12 10:00
Mississippi Department of Mental Health
As many of you are already aware, the state and nation have been working to implement 988 – a national behavioral health crisis line that will connect individuals and families in crisis with the help and support they need. 988 will replace the current 1-800 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and will be promoted as a suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis line that goes live July 16, 2022. DMH has been working with a Planning Coalition over the past year to prepare for this launch. As part of our planning process, we are seeking input from individuals and families with lived experience to help inform decisions regarding the enhancement of our state’s crisis system.
Recognizing that individuals and families with lived experience are closest to the solutions and have unique perspectives highlights the importance of utilizing these experiences to enhance the crisis system. A virtual community forum for individuals and families with lived experience will be held on May 12, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The forum will be hosted by Health Management Associates, a consulting group assisting DMH with 988 implementation.
Crisis service topics with an emphasis on individuals and families with lived experience needs will include:

Strengths, gaps, and opportunities of the current crisis system
Critical components of a crisis response system for first responders
Critical linkages and practices to other inter-dependent systems

Register here >>

CoE-IHS Webinar: Comprehensive Health Integration Part 1: Introducing a New Framework
2022-04-27 11:00 - 12:00
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Evidence strongly suggests that people of all ages living with co-occurring physical health, mental health and substance use challenges, as well as social determinants of health needs, have higher health costs yet experience poorer health outcomes. Additionally, these individuals and families are faced with significant inequities within physical and behavioral health settings, based on racial, ethnic, and economic challenges.
Integrated care approaches and models are a promising solution to address co-occurring health conditions, improve health outcomes and address health inequities across populations.
In this Comprehensive Health Integration (CHI) Webinar Series, integrated care experts will review the evolving expertise surrounding integrated care models and approaches and explore components of a new and visionary integrated care framework focused on bi-directional and population-based comprehensive healthcare outlined in the new paper titled, Designing, Implementing, and Sustaining Physical Health-Behavioral Health Integration: The Comprehensive Healthcare Integration Framework.
Please join us on Wednesday, April 27th from 12:00-1:00 pm ET for our upcoming webinar: CoE-IHS Webinar: Comprehensive Health Integration Part 1: Introducing a New Framework, to hear from experts in the field as we explore the current state of integration and learn more about the comprehensive health integration framework.
Register here >>

Mark your calendars for all sessions in the series and subscribe for email updates to be the first to know when the next sessions are scheduled.

May 25, 1 p.m. ET – Comprehensive Health Integration Part 2: Domains and Constructs
June 2022 – Comprehensive Health Integration Part 3: Measuring Integration and Choosing Metrics
July 2022 – Comprehensive Health Integration Part 4: Payment Models for Comprehensive Health Integration

This virtual initiative is supported by the Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions (CoE-IHS), funded by a grant award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). If you have any questions about these sessions or any others in this virtual initiative, please contact Integration@TheNationalCouncil.org.
Subscribe for CoE-IHS updates.

Skills for Effective Advocacy
2022-04-25 11:00 - 11:30
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
What is an advocate? What skills do parents and families need to learn to be effective in advocating for their children and youth with disabilities? Join us and learn tips to help navigate the journey.
Register here >>

Breaking the Cycle: Families Supporting Youth and Young Adults in the Justice System
2022-04-20 12:00 - 13:00
National Family Support Technical Assistance Center
The justice system has grown and changed over time. Having a youth or young adult in the justice system can be scary. This webinar will focus on ways to engage families in the justice system, teach parents/caregivers how to advocate for young people and offer lived experiences as examples of successful outcomes.
Learning Objectives:

Learn a 4-pronged approach to family engagement in the justice system
Learn how family engagement can influence positive outcomes for individuals and systems and reduce recidivism rate in the adult system
Learn how caregivers can become advocates for their child involved in the justice system
Learn tips and tools to elevate family voice in services, treatment, and case planning via the justice system

Register here >>
This event is free and open to all families and to the workforce, organizations and communities that support them. Request No-Cost Technical Assistance or Training from NFSTAC at: www.nfstac.org/request-ta.

Family Connections: A Virtual Community for Parents and Caregivers
2022-04-07 12:30 - 13:30
National Family Support Technical Assistance Center
“Family Connections” is a virtual community for parents and caregivers who support loved ones facing substance use and/or mental health challenges. Families tell us they need credible resources, guidance on accessing help, and the opportunity to connect with others facing similar challenges. Monthly gatherings will focus on a specific topic, provide tips and tools, and offer the opportunity to network with other families.
Although every family’s experience is different, it can be reassuring to speak to other parents/caregivers whose children have experienced the same mental health, substance use, or physical health condition as your loved one(s) – no matter what age. Other parents/caregivers are likely to have been through the same emotions and processes, and it’s helpful to hear how others are navigating the complex needs of their loved ones.
This month’s Family Connections will bring parents/caregivers of children of all ages to talk about experiences, best practices initiatives, and how to navigate the system. A Family Leader will share her story, and families will have the opportunity to ask questions of the family leader and of a clinician who serves children with complex needs.
Register here >>
This event is free and open to all families and to the workforce, organizations and communities that support them. Request No-Cost Technical Assistance or Training from NFSTAC at: www.nfstac.org/request-ta.

Drop In Family Support Time
2022-04-07 12:00
This hour is open for any family member to drop in for all or some of the time to share any concerns or get feedback from others about handling different situations. We ask anyone who stops by to respect the confidentiality of the group and not share anything discussed in the group outside of the group.
Join here>>

2022 Parent Peer Support Institute: Advancing Parent Peer Support
2022-04-05 12:00 - 2022-04-07 15:00
Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association
Advancing Parent Peer Support Practice, Program & Policy
A virtual event designed for parent peer support providers, supervisors, administrators or policy-makers
* 9 hours of professional development* ” Conversations” with experts on current issues * Roles specific affinity workshops * Presenters from across the nation

Registration information coming soon! https://www.fredla.org/

What is a System of Care and How Does the Interagency Coordinating Council for Children and Youth Fit Into It?
2022-03-31 14:00
The term “System of Care” is often used to describe mental health approaches and is actually mandated in Mississippi state law. This webinar explains the infrastructure of Mississippi’s system of care and the laws that tell how it is supposed to function. This session is part of a three part series in March and focuses on the Interagency Coordinating Council for Children and Youth – what it is and how it supports families and family-driven practice. This series is meant to familiarize families and those working with them with system of care concepts and relate them back to current proposed laws and policies. All sessions are appropriate for families, those working with them and policymakers.

Register here >>

What is a System of Care and What Does Wraparound Mean?
2022-03-24 14:00
The term “System of Care” is often used to describe mental health approaches and is actually mandated in Mississippi state law. This session is part of a three-part series in March and focuses on Wraparound and what it means for families. We will discuss Wraparound as the care coordination approach in Mississippi state law and what that means as far as the support families should be able to expect and the choices they should be offered. We will also discuss how to tell when wraparound isn’t really wraparound and some of the frustrations this might cause for families. This webinar explains the infrastructure of Mississippi’s system of care and the laws that tell how it is supposed to function. This series is meant to familiarize families and those working with them with system of care concepts and relate them back to current and proposed laws and policies. All sessions are appropriate for families, those working with them and policymakers.

Register here>>

Leadership Training Graduates Coaching and Support Group
2022-03-23 12:00 - 13:00
This group will focus on opportunities for leadership training graduates to serve on decision-making groups, provide coaching guidance for those who are already serving on groups or about to serve on groups and will be a place where graduates can discuss common concerns, problems and successes that will help them be more effective parent/caregiver leaders.
Register here >>
