Positive Solutions for Families of Young Children with Challenging Behaviors
2022-06-06 12:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago)
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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

Leadership Coaching and Policy Discussion
2022-06-22 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-07-27 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-08-24 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-09-28 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 >>

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 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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

Drop In Family Support Time
2022-07-07 12:00, 2022-09-01 12:00, 2022-10-06 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.
Register here >>

The Family Role in Transition Planning
2022-07-11 11:00 - 11:30
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
Let’s talk about the importance of self-advocacy, and what families/parents can do to help youth with planning for the future. The message of the session is simple: Access to information and resources will strengthen families/parents ability to participate in the process and improve the transition into the community for youth and young adults.
Register here >>

988 and What it means for Families of People with Serious Mental Illness
2022-07-11 13:00 - 14:30
A SAMHSA-Sponsored Webinar
988*, the new three-digit number for mental health and suicidal crises, will be available nationwide by July 16, 2022. Once live, 988 is poised to change the way communities respond to people in crisis, connecting individuals to trained crisis counselors that can provide de-escalation and mental health intervention services by phone. This new number holds lots of promise, but what does this change mean for families of people with serious mental illness?
During this webinar, hear from experts about the national rollout of 988, and how families and people with serious mental illness are involved. Learn from advocates working in two different states about what is going right and where efforts are coming up against challenges. Finally, hear how your family can prepare to use 988 when it becomes available, with practical tips for crisis planning.
Following this 90-minute webinar, participants will be able to register for Part Two, taking place on Monday, July 18th from 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET. Part Two will be a 60-minute intimate dialogue with the presenters and a smaller number of registered webinar participants from Part One, who will be able to ask more detailed questions and engage with the presenters more comprehensively.
Learning objectives:
1) Know what is happening nationally with the rollout of 988 and how the peer and family perspective is being represented.
2) Learn from two-state examples of how the peer and family perspective is being brought into discussions
3) Learn how individuals and their families can incorporate 988 in planning a possible mental health crisis
*988 will not be available widely until July 16, 2022. If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat or text “HOME” to 741-741.
Speakers
Stephanie Pasternak, Director of State Affairs for NAMI
Joy Hogge, Ph.D., Executive Director of Families As Allies
Chris Bouneff, Executive Director of the Oregon chapter of NAMI
Teri Brister, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer at NAMI

Register here >>

Parental Consent in Special Education
2022-07-14 10:00 - 10:30
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
What is parental consent? When will a parent be asked to sign documents giving consent? What happens if a parent doesn’t give consent? Join the MSPTI to learn more.
Register here >>

Peer Support Training
2022-07-18 08:30 - 2022-07-22 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:

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.

Navigating the IEP: Part 1
2022-07-19 10:30 - 11:00
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
As a parent, the IEP process can often seem like a maze. There are so many parts to the process it’s often overwhelming. Join the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center for part one in a series that will help you understand how to navigate this journey.
Register here >>

Request, Referral, and Consent
2022-07-21 11:00 - 12:00
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
Request, Referral, and Consent: What do these three words mean to parents? Do you know how to request evaluations, make a referral or what you must give written consent for before evaluations or services can begin? Join the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center and learn what you need to know and how to use the information as you advocate for your child.
Register here >>

Eighth Annual Special Education Law Conference & CLE
2022-07-27 09:00 - 16:45
The Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities Presents
Eighth Annual Special Education Law Conference & CLE
The conference will include an overview of special education-related laws, benefits laws related to children with disabilities, ethics, dispute resolution, and recent rulings and decisions impacting special education.
Ron Morton, LLM and certified elder law attorney will talk about Benefits related to children with disabilities
Judith Gran, a nationally recognized special education attorney, will present our Ethics hour (Who Is The Client In Special Ed Matters) and will give an Update On Important Rulings and Decisions
Pam Dollar, executive director of the Coalition, and Julian Miller, special education attorney and children’s advocate, will present on Dispute Resolution Proceedings and Options
6 CLE hours for attorneys (includes 1 hour of ethics)
Teachers .6 CEU hours (applied for)
Registration Fee
Attorneys (6 CLE hours including 1 ethics hour) – $150
Non-Attorneys – $150
Students (student ID required) – $75
A limited number of stipends/scholarships are available for parents of students with disabilities. Please indicate when you register if you are requesting a parent stipend.
Refund Policy: No refunds will be given. A substitute participant may be designated in place of a registrant who is unable to attend.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
(601) 969-0601
Register here >>

Peer Support Training
2022-09-12 08:30 - 2022-09-16 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:

September 12-16, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: August 15, 2022)
November 14-18, 2022 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: October 17, 2022)
January 9-13, 2023 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: December 5, 2022)
March 20-24, 2023 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: February 17, 2023)
May 15-19, 2023 – Virtual Training (Application Deadline: April 14, 2023)

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.

Food for Thought Presentation - Stress Management - CEU available!
2022-09-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Knight Nonprofit Center, 11975 Seaway Rd, Gulfport, Mississippi, 39503, United States
Gulfport Behavioral Health System
Stress affects everyone at times and learning to deal with stress effectively is essential to our well-being. Speaker: Hope Beaver, Ph.D.
Complementary lunch will be served at 11:30 am, program starts promptly at noon.
This program is approved for one (1) general CEU credit through the MS Board of Examiners for Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapists.
Completion certificate will be available for all participants that attend with completed evaluation.
Register here >>
Contact
Stephen East
Gulfport Behavioral Health System
228-731-2235
stephen.east@uhsinc.com

Independent Living: Here We Come!
2022-09-22 10:00 - 11:00
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 us as we 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 >>

What is LFPP and How Can It Help You?
2022-09-22 14:00 - 15:00
Learn about the work of the Family Voices Leadership in Family and Professional Partnerships (LFPP) program and how to access its resources and offerings! LFPP assists family organizations, Title V agencies, and other partners in the field.
Register here >>

Getting and Keeping the First Job
2022-09-27 10:00 - 11:00
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
Participants will learn the importance of disability self-awareness, how families can help youth with career planning, and strategies to navigate resumes, job interviews, and job accommodations. Particular attention is paid to the role of families in the career exploration and job hunting process. The message of the session is simple: families who understand the world of work and who maintain high expectations of their youth can play a pivotal role in the employment success of youth with disabilities.
Register here >>

Bullying Prevention: How Parents and Families Can Help
2022-09-27 12:00
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and everyone can do something to help prevent bullying; individuals, schools, and communities each have an important role! Bullying is real. It happens every day. Bullying hurts, emotionally and physically. Sometimes bullying even kills. But YOU can help the kids in your life to stop school bullying. We have the power to make a difference. Every adult who is raising a child can help in the effort to eliminate bullying by talking honestly and openly with that child about bullying experiences at school. Join us to learn what you can do as we discuss ways other family members are helping to stop school bullying.

Presented by: Patty Gautier, Family, Data & Dissemination Coordinator, REACH MS

Register here >>

Suicide Prevention & Postvention
2022-10-04 16:00 - 18:00
NFusion Metro Hand and Hand
The purpose of this event is to bring awareness to suicide and ways that the community, professionals and stakeholders can work together in order to help one another.
Location: TBA prior to the event.
For more information or to RSVP, please call (769)233-7429.
