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October 1, 2021 Resource Bulletin |
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Miss our last email? Past e-bulletins are posted in the left column on both the ABADA and AMHB websites. |
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Virtual Public Meetings of the Alaska Mental Health Board and Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and Opportunity for Public Comment
October 12-13th, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Public Comment will be October 13, 10:45am
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The Alaska Mental Health Board (AMHB) and Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ABADA) will meet virtually on October 12-13 via Zoom. This public meeting offers Alaskans a chance to learn about statewide efforts related to the state-funded behavioral health system.
On October 13th at 10:45 am, there will be an opportunity for public comment for Alaskans to express their concerns related to mental health and substance use disorders and their impact on their communities. All members of the public are welcome to attend via Zoom, by phone, or email. Please email bev.schoonover@alaska.gov for the Zoom link, or call in by phone: 1 (253) 215-8782 Meeting ID: 880 3295 6587 Passcode: 2021 (enter *6 to unmute, *9 to raise your hand).
Click here for the agenda or click here for the meeting flyer. Please feel free to distribute the flyer far and wide to get the word out about public comment.
We look forward to seeing you!
"Super Advocate" Virtual Advocacy Training
Choose a one-day, 9:00am-3:30pm training on Oct 9, 14, or 23 -OR- a two-evening training Oct 25-26 from 5:30-8:00pm
The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and Partner Advisory Boards are hosting these free trainings that offer tools and hands-on practice for advocating on issues you care about. Participants learn how to talk to policymakers and speak at public meetings on decisions that impact people with mental illness, substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, and traumatic brain injuries. The training is for people with lived experience of a disability, family members, service providers, administrators, peers, and others interested in learning. Topics include:
- Tools for successful meetings with policymakers (Legislators, City/Village Councils, School Boards)
- Refining your personal story for the most impact
- Tips for speaking on a public panel or before a public committee
- Tips for advocacy from home
- Updates on current issues
To learn more and to register click here. To register by email or phone contact advocacy.coordinator@mhtrust.org, or call 907-465-4765.
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Substance Misuse Prevention, Treatment & Recovery |
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Pregnancy and MAT
October 14, 12:00-12:30pm AKDT
Project ECHO and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) Behavioral Health partnered to develop a virtual learning network focused on improving delivery of medicine for addiction. If you miss a training, recordings will be posted. For questions email: behavioralhealth@anthc.org
To learn more and register, click here.
Safer/Competent Opioid Prescribing Education (SCOPE) of Pain Alaska - A Webinar for Alaskan Clinicians
October 26, 11:00am-2:00pm AKDT
This training is provided by Boston University School of Medicine and the Alaska Division of Behavioral Health. The training focuses on helping providers to safely and effectively manage patients with acute and/or chornic pain, assessment of opioid misuse risk, recognition of misuse, and treatment of opioid use disorder. Physicians, nurse practioners, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and allied health professionals whose practices manage acute and chronic pain are all invited to attend.
To download a flyer with more information, click here. To register, click here.
Attitudes and Stigma Around Addiction
October 27, 10:00am AKDT
Dr. John Kelly with the National Institute of Drug Abuse will discuss the fundamental causes of stigma and discrimination in relation to substance use disorders, review some of the findings from the latest stigma research, and suggest how stigma and discrimination might be more systematically addressed to enhance the clinical care and outcomes of individuals suffering from substance use disorders.
For more information and to register, click here.
2021 NAADAC Virtual Annual Conference
October 28-30
The National Association for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) annual conference will include six keynote sessions, 54 breakout sessions, Q&A with NAADAC and National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals, poster presentations, an exhibit hall, networking opportunities, and more.
To register, click here.
NIDA-NIAAA Frontiers in Addiction Research Virtual Convention
November 1-2
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) will host this free convention with presentations focused on the neuroscience of addiction.
For more information and to register, please click here.
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Suicide Prevention & Postvention |
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'Shining a Light' on Suicide Awareness
This is an hour-long recorded Alaska Public Radio special with host Prentiss Pemberton, LCSW, and Dustin Morris, Alaska Area Director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. They begin by discussing suicide prevention events that occurred last month, and transition to discussing suicide data and rates in Alaska, and finally, how to support youth and others who are contemplating suicide. Several individuals called in with questions.
To listen to the discussion, click here.
Suicide Prevention During COVID: A Continuing Priority
This a recording of the 90-minute livestream event that was held by the National Institute of Mental Health on September 22. The event focused on suicide prevention during the pandemic, focusing on unemployment, youth, and other population subgroups who may be experiencing elevated risk.
To view the recording, click here.
Firearms, Means Safety, and Suicide Prevention: A Clinical Workshop
October 6, 7:00-10:30am AKDT
This training will address the problem of suicide, the integration of firearm and means safety into clinical practice, and the cultural challenges of conversations about firearms. Participants will practice difficult discussions to improve clinical readiness regarding discussions of firearm safety and safe storage in the context of a public health approach to suicide prevention.
There is a $40 cost to register. To learn more, click here.
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Alaska Careline
For someone to talk to, call anytime:
1-877-266-4357 (HELP) or text 4help to 839863
3-11 p.m. Tue-Sat
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Mental Health
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Increasing Protective Factors for Alaskan Youth
October 6, 10:30am-noon
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) HIV/STD Prevention and Substance Misuse Prevention programs host free virtual gatherings to discuss harm reduction strategies. This session will focus on understanding risk and protective factors, the importance of community involvement and trusted adults in prevention work, culturally relevant strategies to promote health and prevent substance use and misuse with Alaskan youth and will review current youth-based resources available in Alaska and learn how to access them.
To register, click here.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Trainings
The Alaska Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (AK-AIMH), in partnership with the Alaska Training Cooperative, is providing trainings on the topics of infant and early childhood mental health. October training topics include: An Introduction to Disorganized and Disrupted Attachment, Basic Concepts of Care Coordination, Considerations on Racism and Implicit Bias, Reflective Supervision, and Promoting Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy.
To view all the trainings and to register, click here.
Introduction to Motivational Interviewing
October 13, 9:00-11:00am AKDT
The UAA Center for Human Development is offering this free training which will introduce the key techniques of Motivational Interviewing (MI).
For more details and to register click here.
Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults
October 13, 10:00am AKDT
The National Council on Aging is hosting this webinar to identify the purpose and effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults, as well as how to find a class in your area. If you cannot make it, the webinar will be recorded.
For more information and to register, click here.
National Council for Mental Wellbeing- Hill Day at Home 2021
October 19, 9:00am AKDT
Hill Day at Home is an advocacy event focused on federal mental health policy. The event is for Americans with mental health and/or substance misuse disorders to learn more about federal legislation and initiatives. Speakers include leadership from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, SAMHSA and more.
The cost to attend is free and you can see the agenda and register by clicking here.
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Alaska Careline
For someone to talk to, call anytime:
1-877-266-4357 (HELP) or text 4help to 839863
3-11 p.m. Tue-Sat
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Justice Involved |
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Mat-Su Reentry Coalition September Newsletter
The Mat-Su Reentry Coalition is a collaboration of individuals, community stakeholders, public and non-profit agencies, faith-based and business partners committed to reducing recidivism among returning citizens to the Mat-Su community.
To read the September newsletter, click here.
Mat-Su Reentry Virtual Summit - Save the Date!
January 11-13, 2022
The 2022 Mat-Su Virtual Reentry Summit (in Partnership with the Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau Reentry Coalitions) will feature keynote speakers, break-out sessions, and opportunities to network with others on the topic of reentry to the community after incarceration.
For more information, click here.
Reaching In: Planning for Successful Transition Back into the Community
This recorded webinar was sponsored by the GAINS Center on August 31, 2021. It covers the elements of robust in-reach programming and how to ensure continuity of care upon release.
To watch the webinar, click here.
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Neurobehavioral
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8 Magic Keys
This 21-minute animated video offers educators, parents, and others key strategies for understanding and working with people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. To read the brochure, click here.
To see the video click here.
FASD Videos
The Alaska Mental Health Trust has produced several videos addressing FASD, including: Choose Not To Drink While Pregnant, How Alcohol Affects the Baby’s Brain, Healthy Beginnings, How Providers Can Make an Impact, This Could Happen To Any Of Us: Know For Sure You’re Not Pregnant Before You Drink, and Don’t Be Misinformed.
To watch the videos, click here.
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Other Resources/Opportunities
If you know of a great resource or opportunity, send us an email and we'll try our best to include it here or in a section above.
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How to Develop a Competitive Grant Application
October 28, 10:00-11:30am AKDT
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be conducting a webinar on how to develop a competitive grant application. If you would like to receive the slides prior to the webinar, send an email to: GPOtraining@samhsa.hhs.gov.
To view the information for attending the webinar, click here.
7th Annual Disability & Aging Summit
October 5-7
The Alaska Disability and Aging Coalition is hosting this virtual summit which includes a keynote presentation on Positivity & Aging and workshops focused around Mental Health, Aging & COVID Effects, and Building Resiliency. There will also be an elder panel and a legislative panel addressing topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on the aging population, budget assurance and the future of the workforce for aging individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disorders.
For more information and to register, click here.
Expanded Benefits: FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expanded the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which provides financial assistance for broadband access to include households that can demonstrate participation in free and reduced school lunch or school breakfast programs for the 2021-2022 school year.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit program can provide discounts of up to $50 per month ($75/month for households on Tribal lands) and a one-time discount for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers.
For more information, click here.
Medicare in 2022 Webinar
November 4, 10:00-11:30am AKDT
The National Council on Aging is hosting this webinar to explain what clients with Medicare can expect to pay for coverage for the coming year, trends in health and drug plans offered, changes states have made to the Medicare Savings Programs since the pandemic, and special circumstances affecting enrollment.
For more information and to register, click here.
Tribal Food Security Resources Guide
The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Office of the Administration for Children and Families recently released Tribal Food Security Resources: A Guide for Tribal Leaders during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Recovery Period, which contains grant opportunities and food security resources for: childcare and early learning programs, elder care providers, and others in the community.
The guide can be accessed by clicking here. A webinar introducing the guide and additional resources can be accessed by clicking here.
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Questions? Comments? 
