SAMHSA Headlines—Your one-stop source for the latest from SAMHSA.
| SAMHSA is committed to providing regular training and technical assistance (TTA) on matters related to the mental and substance use disorder field as they deal with COVID-19. View the updated available TTA resources to assist with the current situation.  SAMHSA is accepting applications for Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Behavioral Health Disparities (CoE-BH Disparities). The purpose of this program is to establish three Centers of Excellence to develop and disseminate training and technical assistance for healthcare practitioners on issues related to addressing behavioral health disparities. It is expected that the recipients will implement training and technical assistance for practitioners to address the disparities in behavioral healthcare in three key populations: African Americans, LGBTQ, and the aging population.
SAMHSA plans to issue 3 grants of Up to $700,000 per year for up to 5 years.
Application Due Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2020
 Training and events are available for practitioners through SAMHSA Training and Technical Assistance Centers. Visit SAMHSA’s Practitioner Training webpage for a full list of the Centers.
SAMHSA Headlines offers you a biweekly update of selected, upcoming trainings and webinars. However, for a broader range of activities, visit this website, as well as the training sections of individual technical assistance center websites.
Selected events are highlighted below. Note that some of them require advance registration.
Note: If you are unable to access an event or webinar or have questions, please contact the source given at the individual event URL.
Monday, August 10, 2020 2:00 p.m. EDT The goal of the Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS) Clinical Roundtables is to support interactions among addiction experts and health professionals through an informal “roundtable” conversation. More information is available at the PCSS calendar of events at https://pcssnow.org/calendar-of-events/.  This issue brief presents recent data on prevalence of opioid misuse and death rates in the Hispanic/Latino population; contextual factors and challenges to prevention and treatment; innovative outreach and engagement strategies to connect people to evidence-based treatment; and the importance of community voice.
SAMHSA is allowing flexibility for grant recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis. These flexibilities are available during this emergency time period. Flexibility may be reassessed upon issuance of new guidance by the Office of Management and Budget post the emergency time period. Continue to check for updated information and resources to assist grant recipients during the COVID-19 emergency. | These FAQs address general questions associated with award and management of SAMHSA discretionary grants that may arise in relation to COVID-19. This information does not apply to SABG, MHBG, PATH or PAIMI grants. Applicants and grant recipients are strongly encouraged to continue to check for updated information and resources. | Tuesday, August 11, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT This one and half-hour online session will provide an overview of the sociopolitical stressors impacting the psychological wellbeing of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., including recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The training will also include a review of the cultural strengths and resilience exhibited by this immigrant community. Lastly, this training will provide a review of cultural competencies for clinicians to work with this community, including social justice frameworks. | Tuesday, August 11, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT Reviewing and weighing the evidence of effectiveness of proposed strategies gives prevention practitioners scientific support for strategy selection in a comprehensive prevention plan. This webinar will provide an 1) overview of strategic fit and its components, providing a step-by-step process of determining best fit for strategy selection; 2) describe how selecting best fit strategies can be adapted to current conditions with COVID-19; and 3) provide the opportunity to interact with fellow participants to explore the application of these strategic fit components into the work of prevention practitioners. | Tuesday, August 11, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT Are you ready to start using videoconferencing in your practice/agency or Recovery Community Organization or have you already started and have questions about resources and next steps? Join this one-hour forum with knowledgeable providers and subject matter expert(s) who will answer questions and lead discussions around a variety of topics related to successes and challenges of using videoconferencing to offer clinical/peer recovery services via telehealth. | Thursday, August 13, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT This webinar will introduce participants to marijuana and some of the changes around legalizing recreational marijuana. It will include the mechanism of action, some legal implications (federal law vs. state law) and possible uses of medical marijuana. The goals are to increase knowledge about marijuana use and examine policy changes that might affect a client in treatment. | Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT This intensive online workshop focuses on issues around traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mental health that are most prevalent within the addiction and substance use community. It will consist of a presentation, an interactive exercise, and Q & A. This format is designed to facilitate experiential learning and problem solving. Other workshops in the series include – - September 8, 2020: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the Veterans Community;
- September 10, 2020: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Mental/Behavioral Health Community;
- October 6, 2020: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health in the K-12 Education Community; and
- October 27, 2020: Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Health for the Primary Health Care Community
| Wednesday, August 19, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT This one and half-hour online session will discuss the Culturally Modified-Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CM-TFT), an Evidence-Based Therapy proven to be effective for Hispanic and Latino children and adolescents that have experienced traumatic events. The adaptations (CM-TFT) include culture-specific topics like spirituality, gender roles, family, personalism, and respect, among other cultural elements. The therapy's main goals are to identify trauma experiences, provide psychoeducation, increase affect regulation, identify cultural considerations, process adverse experiences in a safe environment, in-vivo exposure, and enhance safety. | Wednesday, August 19, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT Integrated treatment is the buzzword of the day, but what does it really look like? Organizational staffing directly impacts program capacity for integrated treatment, particularly whether an organization’s staff composition includes staff with dual licensure or extensive experience treating individuals with co-occurring disorders. Webinar 3 in this series will address strategies for staffing, supervision, and training that can contribute to an improved infrastructure and ongoing staff development that will enhance integrated care. | Thursday, August 20, 2020 11:00 a.m. EDT The adverse effects of compassion fatigue can decrease the provider’s emotional and physical well-being, and influence the quality of care they provide for their clients, profoundly affecting service delivery and person centered care with communities served. This interactive (90 minute) webinar will identify and define often elusive work-related conditions, self-assessment tools and practical prevention strategies for self-care, building resiliency and wellness for people helping people. | Thursday, August 20, 2020 3:00 p.m. EDT Sex and sexuality are very sensitive and private issues for most people, and even more so for those with mental illnesses. Sexuality is often overlooked in the SMI population and many medications used to treat these disorders impact sexual performance and satisfaction. This presentation will discuss the effects of specific medications in this area and potential solutions, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. | Friday, August 21, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT Professional boundaries set the parameters for effective and appropriate interaction between professionals and the persons they have the opportunity to serve. They protect the client as well as the provider. This conversation will discuss professionalism and ethics, dual relationships, and how to maintain professional boundaries that are essential for achieving client goals. | After a disaster, all resources, including time, are in short supply, and community needs often skyrocket. It is important to assess needs—for specific items, health care, emotional support, and referral to professional mental health services—to manage limited resources effectively. But it’s also hard to find high-quality assessments in a disaster’s aftermath, especially assessments that include mental health and substance use-related needs. This SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin highlights tools you can use to assess post-disaster community needs—and even the readiness of health facilities for an emergency. | |
