Breakout Sessions

Environmental Justice and Youth Mental Health: A Toolkit for the 21st Century

Elisa M. Woodruff, Ph.D., LPC-IL, NCC, Kaitlynn Behr, Tiffany Hull, and Deborah Yocum

The term solastalgia refers to anxiety and existential distress caused by the impacts of climate change, drastic weather, and other environmental events. Scientists agree that physical health effects of environmental changes are compounded by mental health distress and existential fears. This can lead to acute and complex traumatic responses, especially in youth and people in marginalized communities (APA, 2014, 2017). Resulting symptoms may include substance abuse, suicidal ideation/attempts, risky behavior, violence, and interpersonal difficulties. In this workshop, we use a trauma-informed lens to familiarize participants with how environmental events contribute to youth distress, discuss associated physical and mental health symptoms, and offer recommendations to build resiliency and hope. Participants will walk away with simple vocabulary to describe these phenomena to stakeholders; suggestions for intervention in schools and mental health settings; and tools with which to advocate in individual, community, and public arenas.

Elisa Woodruff (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health at Buena Vista University. She has also taught at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Adler University in Chicago. She received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision (2019), a graduate certificate in trauma informed counseling (2018), and a master's in counseling with an emphasis in clinical mental health (2015), all from NIU’s Award-Winning CACREP accredited counselor education program. She has counseled clients ages 8 through 75 in a variety of settings, including private practice, agency, and a university clinic. Her interests include sexual and gender diversity, multicultural issues, trauma-informed care, religion and values in counseling, and working with older adults. She is an active member of state and national counseling associations and frequently presents at regional, state, and local conferences.

Implementing Trauma-Sensitive Practices in Schools

Lisa Epp and Kathie Garabrandt

According to Children’s Health (2016), nearly 46% of children in the United States have been exposed to one or more Adverse Childhood Events (Aces). Adversity in childhood often includes trauma which can include a range of experiences that may lead to toxic stress which can impact the lifelong health and well-being of children (Bethell, C., Davis, M., Gombojav, N., Stumbo, S., Powers, K., 2017). Trauma impacts a child’s ability to be successful in the school setting as often times learning, behavior and social skills necessary for success are impaired (Rossen & Hull, 2014; McInerney & McKlindon, 2014; Hunt, Slack, Berger, 2016). Implementing trauma-sensitive practices within the school setting is imperative if students affected by trauma are to be successful (McInerney & McKlindon, 2017). Frameworks for implementing and sustaining trauma-sensitive practices will be presented as well as research that supports the implementation of trauma-sensitive practices.

Lisa Epp is a full-time instructor at the University of Nebraska Omaha in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, College of Education. Prior to her full-time position in higher education, she taught special education for 19 years in a public school district in Nebraska. She has a bachelor's in elementary education and special education, a master's in special education, special education administration endorsement, and is set to complete her doctorate in educational leadership in May, 2020. She holds a professional teaching certificate in the state of Nebraska. Her research interests include; trauma-sensitive practices in schools, impact of trauma on learning, behavior and social interaction, closing the achievement gap among vulnerable populations, and disproportionality related to students of color and those with disabilities.

Kathie Garabrandt has served as a Spanish teacher for the past 28 years. She holds a master's  in curriculum & instruction from Peru State and is pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership from the College of Saint Mary. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska State Education Association. She has extensive training in the area of trauma-informed/trauma-sensitive practices. Her research is also in the area of trauma-sensitive practices in schools.

Adolescent Attitudes and Alliances

Lynn O’Brien, M.S., NCC

Educators are charged with providing learning opportunities and education to all students, yet working with youth and adolescents can be challenging. Relationships are a key component to helping adolescents succeed. Key strategies will be offered to build alliances in the classroom and to address adolescent attitudes toward school counseling services, including stigma and barriers. Together teachers and school counselors can support student learning and social/emotional needs.

With more than 20 years of experience working in the field of education, Lynn O’Brien holds a professional school counseling license from the state of Minnesota. She is currently working on her Doctorate in Education in counselor education and supervision from Minnesota State University, Mankato. O’Brien’s dissertation is on the development of counselors; it is especially focused on the beginning stages of being a professional counselor. O’Brien is also a member of the Iowa School Counselor Association, the American Counselor Association, and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. O’Brien received her master’s in community counseling, as well as her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in special education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Communication and Advocacy: Mindset, Language Choices, Consequentialism, and Advocacy

Susan Reutter, Ed.D.

The purpose of the presentation is to specifically address communication in relationship with mindfulness, advocacy, mental health, trauma-informed care, and intervention models. Each participant (agent) has specific role expectations and limitations designed for positive outcomes or consequences for the professional and client/student. Agent-based consequentialism focuses on the responses of individual actions and how the players all have expected outcomes (Mastin, 2008). Professionals focus on the safety, stabilization, and strengthening of the those involved (Langberg, 2016). Langberg (2016) advises one can travel from safety, stabilization, and strengthening and return to another throughout the process of tackling/healing the traumatic event or experience. Stages of grief are also non-linear with no time-line or finish-line (Axelrod, 2019). Communication is key to healing and future success; professionals to the client, within ourselves and within the client. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Linehan, 1993; McKay, Wood &Brantley, 2007) all promote growth and healthy communication skills so a person is able serve and to heal.

Children’s Mental Health Needs and the Impact on Schools

Jennifer DeVries and Chantel Thompson

Current statistics show alarming rates of children who have mental health needs. When mental health needs are not made a priority, many areas of their well-being and functioning are impacted. School environments are increasingly feeling the impact of these needs. It is crucial that schools, families, and communities band together to ensure mental health education supports and services are woven into the framework of students’ education. Accessing services in the school setting helps to eliminate barriers and provides opportunities some students would not otherwise have. This session will focus on looking at statistics for children who have mental health needs while building understanding of how unmet mental health needs impact the students, staff, school systems, and our communities as a whole. An overview of what has worked for Orchard Place’s school-based therapy program will be presented along with ongoing barriers that impact meeting children’s mental health needs in Iowa.

Jennifer DeVries is a licensed mental health counselor and currently works as a supervisor for Orchard Place's school-based mental health therapy team. Devries has been practicing in the field of mental health for seven years. Devries has worked at several non-profits, both in Iowa and Minnesota, as a school-based therapist and center-based therapist working primarily with children. Devries received her master's in mental health counseling from the University of Northern Iowa, her bachelor's in psychology and religious studies with a minor in human relations from the University of Iowa, and is a part of the Iowa School Mental Health Alliance.

Chantel Thompson is a licensed independent social worker and currently works as a supervisor for Orchard Place's school-based mental health therapy team while also providing mental health therapy services to children in a school setting. Thompson has been practicing in the field for over 10 years. Thompson has worked in both Nebraska and Iowa and has a variety of experiences that include working with children with developmental and intellectual disabilities, children in foster care, children in need of permanency, children in residential or shelter care, and children with substance use and mental health concerns. Thompson received her master's in social work from the University of Nebraska Omaha and her bachelor's in social work with a minor in psychology and criminal justice from Buena Vista University (2010).

Building MTSS Systems and Leveraging Behavior and Mental Health Stakeholders in Schools

Carrie Novotny-Buss, Ed.D. and Jennifer Pollock, M.A., Ed.S.

Building Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports to meet the increasing behavioral and mental health needs of our students can be challenging in today’s educational landscape. In order to address these challenges, Millard Public Schools has developed a model of Behavior Coaching, levering the knowledge, skills, and dispositions in three key school based supports; School Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers. In this presentation, Millard Public Schools will describe our vision for MTSS Behavior supports in our 36 schools, leveraging a behavior coaching model. This presentation will describe our systems and vision for MTSS-B supports, define our behavior coaching model and the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions in holding this role, and learn about current implementation and next steps in levering a behavior coaching model within our Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports.

Dr. Carrie Novotny-Buss has served Millard Public Schools for the past 25 years in a variety of roles including Classroom Teacher, Special Education Teacher, ACP Teacher, Assistant Principal, Building Principal and most currently serves as Coordinator of Elementary Education for 25 buildings and is the District Lead Administrator for MTSS for all 36 buildings.

Jennifer Pollock, has a master's in educational leadership and an education specialist degree in school psychology. She has served Millard Public Schools for the past seven years as both a School Psychologist and most currently as an Elementary Special Education Program Facilitator, supporting 13 buildings and five Structured Behavioral Skills classrooms.

Blank Space: Tips on Using Music in Mental Health Counseling from a Board Certified Music Therapist

Allie Wirtz, Casey Baker, Ed.D., LMHC, RPT-S

Music is an important part of life; music can help children learn, is a part of every life celebration, and can help process deep emotional experiences. When used as part of mental health counseling, music can be a helpful tool for clients to express emotions, grieve lost loved ones, or even just elevate mood. This presentation will provide mental health professionals and students with tools and tips for using music as part of a mental health counseling session. Tips include interventions such as song writing, appropriate types of music, how to choose music among other musical considerations.

Allie Wirtz is a board certified music therapist and current student in Buena Vista University's mental health counseling program. A northwest Iowa native, Wirtz has lived in Iowa her entire life. She completed her undergraduate degree in music therapy at the University of Iowa, became board certified in May of 2014, and has practiced music therapy with hospice patients for over three years. Wirtz is currently in her third year of the Buena Vista University master’s in mental health counseling program and looks forward to merging her experience as a music therapist with a future career as a licensed mental health counselor.

Dr. Casey Baker is the Program Director for the Mental Health Counseling Program at Buena Vista University. Baker has worked in the mental health field in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health, and on college campuses. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Minnesota, as well as a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa. Additionally, Baker is a registered play therapist supervisor and a nationally certified counselor. Baker is an active member of counseling organizations, including the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the Association for Play Therapy (APT). Baker received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision, her master’s in mental health counseling, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Minnesota State University.

Developing Community Partnerships to Improve School Behavioral and Mental Health Supports

Mindy Chadwell, Ph.D., BCBA, Carrie Novotny-Buss, Ed.D., and Jennifer Pollock, M.A., M.S., Ed.S.

Community partnerships are key to developing and sustaining comprehensive behavioral and mental health systems within schools. While integral for sustainability, partnerships can be challenging to develop and navigate. This presentation will provide background on the benefits of community collaboration, describe strategies for building effective partnerships, and outline facets of a partnership between University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe Meyer Institute and Millard Public Schools, including visionary leadership development, training and technical support through the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, and onsite mental health service delivery. In addition, this presentation will highlight outcomes of pilot work regarding implementation of comprehensive school mental health services within Millard Public Schools and plans for future steps.

Treat Yo’ Self 2020: Are You Engaging in Meaningful Self-care or Mindless Distraction?

Allie Wirtz, Casey Baker, Ed.D., LMHC, RPT-S

Burnout is a serious problem that is rarely addressed in mental health and education settings. Burnout can occur in jobs where there are intense workloads, lack of control, values conflict, and lack of appreciation. Self-awareness and purposeful self-care practices are essential for burn out prevention; however, self-care can easily be confused with mindless distraction. This presentation will focus on how to identify what self-care practices best suit the needs of attendees and how to implement those practices in daily living.

Allie Wirtz is a board certified music therapist and current student in Buena Vista University's mental health counseling program. A northwest Iowa native, Wirtz has lived in Iowa her entire life. She completed her undergraduate degree in music therapy at the University of Iowa, became board certified in May of 2014, and has practiced music therapy with hospice patients for over three years. Wirtz is currently in her third year of the Buena Vista University master’s in mental health counseling program and looks forward to merging her experience as a music therapist with a future career as a licensed mental health counselor.

Dr. Casey Baker is the Program Director for the Mental Health Counseling Program at Buena Vista University. Baker has worked in the mental health field in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health, and on college campuses. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Minnesota, as well as a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa. Additionally, Baker is a registered play therapist supervisor and a nationally certified counselor. Baker is an active member of counseling organizations, including the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the Association for Play Therapy (APT). Baker received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision, her master’s in mental health counseling, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Minnesota State University.

Classroom Environment for Trauma

Taylor Kempers, Ph.D.

In a world of chaos and confusion, your classroom should not be. For students with trauma, classroom time should be a place where they can learn and feel comfortable in the learning process. In this presentation, I will give eight strategies for making a predictable environment to reduce anxiety and show all students that your classroom is a safe zone while still making it a place where everyone can learn and get things done.

Dr. Taylor Kempers received her undergraduate from Buena Vista University for secondary English education with endorsements in 5-12 reading. She earned her master's degree from Morningside College in teaching with endorsements in K-8 reading, ELL, and reading specialist. She received her doctorate from Northcentral University in curriculum and teaching after doing research in co-taught classrooms. In her spare time, she hangs out with her husband and three (soon to be four) children.

ACEs and Toxic Stress: Awareness and Tools for Rural Educators

Pamina Abkowitz , Erica Boettcher, Lucinda Klein-Lombardo, Karin Strohmyer

Repeated exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can lead to toxic stress which includes a physical manifestation of the ongoing toll of excessive emotional stress on a child. Rural communities have limited mental health resources, thus school training on issues like ACEs and toxic stress are often minimal. While school personnel have limited control of ACEs, we do the have the ability to counteract some of the effects of toxic stress. In this session, we will discuss ACEs and the development of toxic stress before delving into strategies in three primary areas including stress reduction, responsive relationships, and strengthening life skills.

Building and Healing Relationships Between Youth and Their Caregivers

Casey Baker, Ed.D., LMHC, RPT-S

Through an interactive and discussion-based lecture, the presenter will explore current research on attachment between youth and their caregivers. This presentation will examine interventions to lead youth and their caregivers from survival-based interactions to attachment-based interactions. Techniques to enhance playfulness in communication and interactions will be discussed.

Dr. Casey Baker is the Program Director for the Mental Health Counseling Program at Buena Vista University. Baker has worked in the mental health field in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health, and on college campuses. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Minnesota, as well as a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa. Additionally, Baker is a registered play therapist supervisor and a nationally certified counselor. Baker is an active member of counseling organizations, including the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the Association for Play Therapy (APT). Baker received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision, her master’s in mental health counseling, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Minnesota State University.

Social/Emotional Lessons for School Counselors K-5th

Michelle Proffer

Second Step is a program that has been successful for many school districts around the country. I use Second Step K-2 to build the social/emotional health of my students. Second Step 3-5 uses a program from Botvin titled Life Skills Training. This program helps students work through issues they will encounter as they grow older, such as self-esteem, decision making, and assertiveness. These programs have been successful for my program and I want to share how they help keep our large group counseling program organized and in sync.

Michelle Proffer has been an elementary school counselor for 11 years at North Andrew R-VI in Rosendale, Missouri. She services students with individual, small group, and large group counseling services. Proffer has her bachelor's in social work from Missouri Western University (2007), her master's in school counseling from Northwest Missouri State University (2009), and her education specialist's degree in special education from Walden University (2015). In 2019, she started her adjunct journey with BVU in the professional school counseling department. She is married to Matthew and they have two fur babies, Edward and Napoleon. Since she was small she knew she wanted to help others. In her job each day she has the chance to make a difference in the lives of her students and their families. School counseling is not for the faint of heart, it is a journey unlike any other.

How Do Trauma Sensitive Schools, ACES, School Based Mental Health Integrate into Your School’s Comprehensive SEBH Program?

Cheryl Garland, M.S., NCC, LMHC

Which children should be referred for school based mental health? Who pays for it? How can we find an agency/professional to serve our students? What is the impact of trauma at different stages of childhood? How can you tell the difference between normal teenage behavior and more serious problems? How can Trauma Sensitive Schools help children feel safe to learn? Young children are referred for play therapy because there has been a disruption in their life and do not have the skills, developmentally, to cope. Children today, have more stress in their lives and need the skills to cope when life challenges become “too big” for them. Often, children have used up their own problem-solving tools, and they misbehave, (Landreth, 2002). For younger children, play therapy is utilized to help children cope with difficult emotions and find solutions to problems (Moustakas, 1997; Reddy, Files-Hall, & Schaefer, 2005). How can we support all children to feel safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically? This training will help you understand the different stages of development of your students and how to work effectively with school based mental health services in your district to support their needs.

Cheryl Garland is the Founder, Owner and Co-Clinical Director of Integrative Counseling Solutions. She is a graduate of Drake University’s community mental health master’s program and a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa since 2007. Garland is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and supervising mental health professionals for Integrative Counseling Solutions and provides supervision towards licensure for many of Integrative Counseling Solutions’ therapists. She is a play therapist and trauma therapist trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. As a leader in school-based mental health in Central Iowa, Integrative Counseling Solutions provides school-based mental health in 49 central Iowa schools and has been providing these services for 11 years. Garland is a member of the Iowa School Mental Health Alliance, Polk County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative and is involved in legislative advocacy to further the cause of Children’s Mental Health in Iowa and provide better benefits to professionals who serve in rural Iowa.

Foundations of School Mental Health: A National Curriculum

Brenda Bassingthwaite, Ph.D., BCBA

This presentation will outline the importance of school mental health and the foundations of a comprehensive school mental health program. This presentation is sponsored by The Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC), which is supported by a SAMHSA funded grant awarded to the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska at the University of Nebraska Medical Center  (UNMC) in partnership with The Munroe-Meyer Institute. In addition to the foundations of school mental health, this presentation will provide information about the Mid-America MHTTC as a resource and outline how to use the MHTTC for training and technical assistance needs.

Brenda Bassingthwaite, Ph.D., BCBA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at UNMC's Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation. Bassingthwaite was trained in school psychology and applied behavior analysis at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. She was a school psychologist for Iowa's Heartland Area Education Agency and a licensed psychologist and behavioral health manager for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. At the children's hospital, she directed behavioral outpatient clinics, supervised graduate-level school psychology and social work students, and led contracts obtained by the Iowa Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and school districts for training and consultation in the area of functional behavior assessment and intervention. She became a member of Iowa's University Center for Excellence in Disabilities leadership team and participated in the 2018 AUCD Leadership Academy. Bassingthwaite joins Munroe-Meyer Institute to support school-based initiatives in behavioral health through the Mid-America MHTTC and contracts with Omaha Public Schools and the Iowa Department of Education. She provides direct service and training to educational teams serving students with persistent challenging behaviors, mental health concerns, and/or developmental disabilities. She consults with educational leadership teams in promoting and implementing a multi-tiered system of support in behavioral health. Her clinical and research interests include functional behavioral assessment and intervention for students with persistent challenging behaviors; evaluation of educator training in functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention; and the use of teleconsultation in school settings.

Collaborator, Advocate, Leader; What is the Role of a Professional School Counselor?

Lynn O’Brien, M.S., NCC

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has a specific definition of who a professional school counselor is and what the roles and responsibilities should and should not be within the educational system. This presentation will outline these roles and responsibilities, along with providing details regarding the ASCA National Model for school counseling programming.

With more than 20 years of experience working in the field of education, Lynn O’Brien holds a professional school counseling license from the state of Minnesota. She is currently working on her Doctorate in Education in counselor education and supervision from Minnesota State University, Mankato. O’Brien’s dissertation is on the development of counselors; it is especially focused on the beginning stages of being a professional counselor. O’Brien is also a member of the Iowa School Counselor Association, the American Counselor Association, and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. O’Brien received her master’s in community counseling, as well as her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in special education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

ALL the Colors of the Rainbow: Considerations When Working with "Q+” Students and Clients

Elisa M. Woodruff, Ph.D., LPC-IL, NCC

In many trainings designed for educators and helping professionals, the vastly different experiences of people under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella are treated as homogenous, and the unique needs of students and clients who identify in lesser known gender and sexually diverse categories are ignored. As a result, well-meaning professionals may inflict unintentional harm through microaggressions, monosexual and sexual normative assumptions, and recapitulation of oppressive systems of power and contribute to the already high rates of mental health distress in these groups. This 3-hour intensive workshop is designed for helping educators and professionals who wish to acquire knowledge, awareness, and skills to address the unique needs of children and adolescents who identify in asexual, non-monosexual (bi-/pan-/poly-), intersex, and gender non-conforming spectrum categories. The presenter will familiarize participants with basic definitions and demographic profiles of these groups, debunk common misconceptions, and make evidence-based suggestions for adapting principles of affirmative engagement to Q+ populations. Implications of intersectional identities (race, disability, religion), offer information on advocacy needs, and offer a robust set of resources for future study will also be addressed.

Elisa Woodruff (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health at Buena Vista University. She has also taught at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Adler University in Chicago. She received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision (2019), a graduate certificate in trauma informed counseling (2018), and a master's in counseling with an emphasis in clinical mental health (2015), all from NIU’s Award-Winning CACREP accredited counselor education program. She has counseled clients ages 8 through 75 in a variety of settings, including private practice, agency, and a university clinic. Her interests include sexual and gender diversity, multicultural issues, trauma-informed care, religion and values in counseling, and working with older adults. She is an active member of state and national counseling associations and frequently presents at regional, state, and local conferences.

Latinx Student Mental Health

Dawn Martinez Oropeza

Al Éxito (AÉ), in partnership with Mid Iowa Health Foundation Fellowship program (2017-2019), focused on the growing mental health needs of Latinx students in Iowa. For the first time in the state, research was conducted on the issues Latinx students are facing in schools and communities. The results were released in October 2018. Since then AÉ has unexpectedly experienced a rise of suicide attempts, mental health crisis, and a spike in racial discrimination actions that are creating significant barriers to our students’ well being and education. The AÉ Youth will share the results of the mental health survey and their response to the results. They will lead the participants in activities that will engage their voice in their recommendations and next steps.

Dawn Martinez Oropeza, is the Executive Director at Al Éxito. Oropeza received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1992) and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego (2000). She was honored as Business Records 2016 Women of Influence and serves as a Mid-Iowa Health Foundation HealthConnect Fellow (2017) to focus on mental illness issues for the Latinx community. She has worked as an administrator for the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose California, Los Angles Children's Museum, and Gallery 37 in Chicago. Her greatest honor was being selected by the Chavez Family to preserve and conserve the private office of United Farm Workers Leader, Cesar E. Chavez, in affiliation with the Smithsonian. She works as Executive Director for Al Éxito, a statewide weekly after school empowerment program for middle and high school Latinos and their parents to ensure that they are prepared for secondary and post high school education and to fully participate in their community as civically engaged leaders. Al Éxito is empowering over 800 students a year to develop their leadership potential while celebrating and preserving their culture. Students' stories can be heard on NPR Story Core and Ames Public Radio or read on Drake University's first community publication "The Ones I Bring With Me", where Opreza's artwork is featured. Oropeza has grown Al Éxito from a monthly 8th grade girls mentorship program to a weekly after school program with culturally specific curriculum that serves grade 5 through college age young men and women . Movimiento Des Moines metro high school program launched their first business in November 2017.│drēm│sēd│ partners with local Spanish speaking businesses to demonstrate Latino's culture of giving while building a diverse skilled workforce for the future. Al Éxito University launched in 2018 as a college preparatory intensive camp for Latinx students. A college scholarship, the Mary E. Campos scholarship, was created to provide for students who are civically engaged to reach their higher education goals. Resilient Identity Community Association, RICA, was formed to serve LGBTQ students and their allies. Oropeza has established an all Latino executive board for the first time in the history of the organization. She has also taken the organization's early income from $25,000 to over $200,000. As a Mid-Iowa Health Fellow, Oropeza has focused on the mental health of Latinx youth. A statewide study was conducted and released identifying the needs for Latinx youth. The Fellowship also allowed Oropeza to advocate for more inclusive policies and practices in school districts to address the mental health needs of Latinx students. The Youth Task Force has presented at National Conferences and to local school districts and statewide key stake holders. The next two years will focus on empowering more students to address the needs uncovered in the study. Policies that impact the disparities due to economic needs will be the focus of Oropeza, as recommended by the students. Oropeza participates in an Aztec dance group with her family. She also has studied traditional Hawaiian Hula dance for three years. Her artwork can be seen in the Iowa Public Radio coloring book and on the town square of Red Oak, Iowa, where she led a community mural.

Implementing Comprehensive School Mental Health Programming Utilizing A National Curriculum: Teaming

Brittany Liebsack, Ph.D., LMHP, PLP, Meghan Coleman, M.S., PLMHP, Hannah West, M.S., PLMHP, and Aria Fiat, M.A., PLMHP

The purpose of this workshop is to gain knowledge about critical components and resources needed to implement comprehensive school mental health programming. Participants will learn about an innovative and resource-rich national curriculum developed through the SAMHSA funded Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network Coordinating Office (NCO) in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health. This workshop will focus on one of the eight modules: Teaming. The core components to building a team that incorporates school mental health, tools and resources for implementing school mental health teams, and a process to access training and technical assistance through the Mid-America MHTTC will be presented. This workshop is sponsored by the Mid-America MHTTC, supported by a SAMHSA funded grant awarded to the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in partnership with the Munroe-Meyer Institute.

Brittany Liebsack is a postdoctoral fellow at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. She earned her doctorate in psychology from West Virginia University, with an emphasis in clinical child psychology (2019) and completed her predoctoral internship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. Liebsack's clinical interests are in integrated primary care, school mental health, trauma/anxiety, and externalizing behavior. Her research interests include implementation science and patient/family engagement in and barriers to treatment.

Meghan Coleman is a predoctoral intern at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. She is a doctoral candidate at Oklahoma State University in the school psychology program. Coleman's clinical interests include severe behavior disorders, teacher consultation, and using applied behavior analysis in schools and school mental health. Her research interests include implementation science within school settings, evaluating teacher consultation, and the use of ABA within MTSS models in schools.

Hannah West has her master's in clinical psychology and is a doctorate candidate in school psychology at Oklahoma State University. She is currently completing her predoctoral internship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. West's research and clinical interests include best practices in school crisis prevention and intervention, increasing access to mental health services via integrated care, intervening with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, utilizing applied behavioral analytic techniques to improve academic, mental health, and behavioral outcomes at systems and individual levels, and the application of multi-tiered service delivery models to school settings.

Aria Fiat is doctoral candidate in school psychology at the University of Minnesota and a predoctoral intern at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. Her current research centers around improving capacity for schools to deliver culturally-responsive mental health prevention and intervention programs. She works to cultivate resilience in children, educators, parents, and systems by integrating various therapeutic modalities and adapting them to fit the school context.

Identification and Assessment of Brain Injury

June Klein-Bacon

This presentation includes a brief overview of brain injury; signs and symptoms someone with brain injury may experience as they return to their home, community and school; brain injury services and supports in Iowa, a review of the Iowa Department of Public Health endorsed brain injury screening tool and projects the Department of Public Health has underway to implement screening in various programs across the state.

Return to School After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

June Klein-Bacon

This presentation includes a brief overview of concussion/mild traumatic brain injury, a review of current Iowa laws that include the process of addressing concussion within school districts and an overview of a statewide endorsed concussion management tool (REAP). We will also present an online subscription program that the Iowa City District recently launched a Teacher Acute Concussion Tool (TACT) that is available to districts across the nation. Utilizing the REAP model we will talk about a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting a student in returning to school, returning to learn and returning to activity.