Welcome to the first monthly issue of the MHTTC Pathway Newsletter. Please distribute to your contact list and encourage others to subscribe to the latest news from MHTTC.
Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the MHTTC Network includes 10 Regional Centers, a National American Indian and Alaskan Native Center, a National Hispanic and Latino Center, and a Network Coordinating Office.
The purpose of the MHTTC Network is technology transfer - disseminating and implementing evidence-based practices for mental disorders into the field.
Our collaborative network supports resource development and dissemination, training and technical assistance, and workforce development for the mental health field. We work with systems, organizations, and treatment practitioners involved in the delivery of mental health services to strengthen their capacity to deliver effective evidence-based practices to individuals. Our services cover the full continuum spanning mental illness prevention, treatment, and recovery support. Learn More at www.mhttcnetwork.org
The goals of the MHTTC Network are to:
Accelerate the adoption and implementation of mental health related evidence-based practices across the nation.
Heighten the awareness, knowledge, and skills of the workforce that addresses the needs of individuals living with mental illness.
Foster regional and national alliances among culturally diverse practitioners, researchers, policy makers, family members, and consumers of mental health services.
Ensure the availability and delivery of publicly available, free of charge, training and technical assistance to the mental health field.
With this inaugural issue of the MHTTC Pathways Newsletter, I would like to provide a bit more introduction to our Network and purpose.
In September 2018, Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, presented new data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showing the vast mental health treatment gap in the United States (https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/nsduh-ppt-09-2018.pdf):
57% (44.6 million) of people with mental illness do not receive treatment, including,
33% (11.2 million) of people with serious mental illness do not receive treatment
92% (9.5 million) of people with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders do not receive treatment for both disorders.
In addition to these stark figures, many people receiving treatment do not receive the most effective or evidence-based treatments. This is in part because typical training efforts rely on passive dissemination strategies (treatment manuals, one-time trainings) that do not lead to utilization of EBPs, rather than effective knowledge transfer/implementation strategies tailored to treatment context and bundled together. The MHTTC Network, with grounding in implementation science, can play a critical role providing training and technical assistance services that assist in bringing EBPs to scale in the mental health service system—ultimately improving the lives of patients.
Our activities range from needs assessments, information dissemination, product and resource development, and learning events (trainings), to intensive technical assistance such as learning collaboratives, Project ECHO-like models, and implementation coaching.
Increased prevalence of mental health issues in some groups, identification through screening, and access to services (e.g., parity, ACA, Medicaid), are driving up demand. Moreover, we have a workforce crisis with a projected shortage of 250,000 by 2025. The MHTTC Network will assist in developing the mental health workforce to provide needed services.
Our workforce development activities include disseminating effective recruitment and retention resources, and providing clinical supervision and leadership training.
A multitude of groups are focused on mental health prevention, treatment, and recovery. However, it is essential to leverage resources and work together toward mutual goals. As this new MHTTC Network forms, there is tremendous opportunity to bring stakeholders together to forge new partnerships and facilitate collaboration.
Our Regional Centers are strongly engaged at the local and state levels, with mental health providers, state authorities, and provider associations. Our national focus area centers, the National American Indian & Alaska Native Center, and the National Hispanic & Latino Center work directly with their populations. We also collaborate with other organizations, including SAMHSA-funded technical assistance centers, universities, and national mental health organizations.
We are fortunate to have an amazing group of MHTTC Centers, with great expertise and vision. Please get to know us by visiting our main and individual Center websites at www.mhttcnetwork.org, signing up for our eNewsletters, and joining us on our pathway.
Heather Gotham, Director
MHTTC Network Coordinating Office
Stanford University School of Medicine
The MHTTC Network received supplemental funding to address the need for further implementation of mental health services in school systems. We have planned a variety of school mental health-specific activities that encompass multiple service modes, topic areas, and populations. From disseminating information on school mental health services to holding learning events to build awareness and skills, we are working hard to expand training and technical assistance around the implementation of school-based mental health services. Every month, we will share specific school mental health activities executed by our amazing Centers, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can click here for more information on each individual Center.
The National School Mental Health Learning Collaborative is quickly approaching!
The National School Mental Health Learning Collaborative, which is being co-facilitated by the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office and the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH), kicks off March 14 & 15, 2019 with a 2-day intensive learning session in Maryland. The purpose of the Collaborative is to build state and regional capacity to advance comprehensive school mental health policies and practices, tailored to local strengths and needs, based on shared learning and technical assistance. We have over 100 participants attending from all across the MHTTC Network, including MHTTC Center staff as well as state mental health and education leaders. We can’t wait to see everyone in Columbia!
Wrapping up the National School Mental Health Curriculum
The MHTTC NCO and the NCSMH are working together to finalize the National School Mental Health Curriculum that focuses on the core components of comprehensive school mental health. The curriculum will be released at the National School Mental Health Learning Collaborative 2-day in-person learning session in Maryland. A big thank you to all who contributed helpful resources to be included in the curriculum. The final product will be available on the MHTTC website in April 2019.
The ATTC Network is an international, multidisciplinary resource for professionals in the addictions treatment and recovery services field.
Established in 1993 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the ATTC Network is comprised of 10 Domestic Regional Centers, 6 International HIV Centers (funded by PEPFAR), 2 National Focus Area Centers, and a Network Coordinating Office. Together the Network serves the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Islands of Guam, American Samoa, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the Mariana Islands. The International HIV ATTCs serve Vietnam, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and Ukraine.
The purpose of the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network is to improve implementation and delivery of effective substance abuse prevention interventions, and provide training and technical assistance services to the substance abuse prevention field. It does this by developing and disseminating tools and strategies needed to improve the quality of substance abuse prevention efforts; providing intensive technical assistance and learning resources to prevention professionals in order to improve their understanding of prevention science, epidemiological data, and implementation of evidence-based and promising practices; and, developing tools and resources to engage the next generation of prevention professionals.
Established in 2018 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the PTTC Network is comprised of 10 Domestic Regional Centers, 2 National Focus Area Centers, and a Network Coordinating Office. Together the Network serves the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Islands of Guam, American Samoa, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the Mariana Islands.
Southwest MHTTC
Publication Date: January 31, 2019
Creating compassionate policies is a cornerstone strategy of educational leadership. This guide provides a deep dive into developing, implementing, and evaluating trauma-informed and compassionate school policies. It highlights four "choice points" for education and mental health leadership:
Choice Point 1: Names & Definitions
Choice Point 2: Platforms & Levers
Choice Point 3: Approach
Choice Point 4: Match Process to Product
This guide is designed to be hands-on! Each choice point comes with examples, guiding questions for leadership, and practice suggestions to help policy come alive. Also, see below for the accompanying infographic.
The guide is written especially for Pacific Southwest states and islands, featuring extensive examples of policy and practice from the region.
Date: March 20, 2019 Hosted By: Northeast & Caribbean MHTTC Registration Deadline: March 19, 2019
The population of people living with serious mental illness (SMI) is aging. People with SMI are living longer, despite risks for significant physical health conditions and functional disabilities. People with SMI may also experience accelerated aging demonstrating issues with mobility, cognitive processing, and health conditions at an earlier age. Mental health providers should be aware of the intersectionality of the issues, strengths, challenges and best practice interventions to support this emerging population.
This 2 part series will introduce the audience to:
Issues Faced by Older Adults with SMI: Basic overview of population, including growth of the population, issues faced by older adults living with mental illness, and bi-directionality of health and psychiatric symptoms.
Interventions: Evidence-based and best practice recommendations and considerations.
Need more information?
Contact us at northeastcaribbean@mhttcnetwork.org
