Jun 05

Elevate Montana ACE Study Summit 2015 TRAINING COMPLETED

Fall-Summit-Slider-Oct

Sponsorship Announcement - St. Peter's

 

When: Thursday Oct. 1st & Friday Oct. 2nd, 2015 – Helena
Where: The Gateway Center, 1710 National Ave. Helena 59601
Time: 8:30am – 4:30pm (both days)
Cost: Registration is $175 for both days

Price includes:

  • Exclusive screening of “Paper Tigers” documentary (details at the bottom of this page and in the full course description below) on Friday, Oct. 2nd (*which includes lunch on this day only)
  • Up to 13 CEU’s, OPI Renewal Units, Healthcare Provider Hours, POST Credits & Child Care Provider Hours (pending approval)

James Redford

Course Description:

“Adversity is Not Destiny” – The ACE Study Summit

This conference is designed to accelerate awareness and knowledge of the ACE Study into practical strategies and actions to mitigate toxic stress manifested in children through abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. This summit focuses on the question, “Now that you know about ACEs, what will you do about it?” Participants will better understand proven strategies and best practices surrounding ACEs and trauma-informed approaches utilized by parents, professionals, organizations, schools and communities.

Who should attend?

Corporate and Small Business Executives, HR Directors, Workforce Development Professionals, Educators, Mental Health Professionals, Healthcare Providers, Health Reform Administrators, Juvenile Justice Professionals and Officers of the Court, Chemical Dependency Professionals, Policy Makers, Parents, Foster Parents, Early Care and Education Professionals, Leaders of Philanthropy and the Non-profit sectors.

Speaker Presentations:

Speaker: Dr. Sandra Bloom,
Presentation title: “The Sanctuary Model: Through the lens of Moral Safety”

Dr. Bloom will describe The Sanctuary® Model, a values-based blueprint for clinical and organizational change which, at its core, promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community. A recognition that trauma is pervasive in the experience of human beings forms the basis for the Sanctuary Model’s focus not only on the people who seek treatment, but equally on the people and systems who provide that treatment.

The Sanctuary® Model originated in the Philadelphia area in the late1980s, created by a team of clinicians working in a small inpatient adult hospital unit. This team, led by Dr. Sandra Bloom, combined their clinical knowledge with their own experiences to create a trauma-informed program they called Sanctuary. In 2000, Dr. Bloom began a collaboration with Andrus, a residential program for children based in Yonkers, New York, that culminated with the development of the Sanctuary Institute in 2005. Since then, over 300 programs in the United States, in the United Kingdom and in Australia have trained in the Sanctuary Model.

Today, after over twenty years of adaptation built on its original design, the Sanctuary Model has reached across the human services system. In an effort to create safe and healing environments for children, families and adults who have experienced chronic stress and adversity, the Sanctuary Model is being used across a wide range of settings, including: residential treatment, juvenile justice, drug and alcohol treatment, school and community-based programs, outpatient and partial hospitals, domestic violence and homeless shelters, and recently is being adapted for use as a framework for creating trauma-informed communities.

Speaker: Pamela Hunthausen-Ponich, MS, LCPC
Psychotherapist, Private Practice – Helena, MT
Presentation title: “Trauma-Informed Parenting”

Over 50 years of research shows us that early care and prevention strategies that build protective factors for young children are pivotal to their overall health, well-being and success later in life. A healthy attachment with a primary caregiver who has the awareness and skills to attune to a young child’s emotional needs for closeness and connection is the primary essential ingredient in the healthy social-emotional development for children. This course will provide a review of the essentials of healthy attunement and attachment including how to facilitate positive attachment and the devastating developmental trauma created when children are not adequately cared for.

Speaker: Dana Eisenberg, LCSW
School Counselor, Arlee School on the Flathead Reservation
Presentation title: “Hope and Healing: An Introduction to the Community Resiliency Model”

An overview of The Trauma and Community Resiliency Models (CRM and TRM), designed to teach skills to professionals and others who work with children and adults struggling with symptoms from traumatic experiences. The models are body-centered and focus on the biological basis of trauma and automatic, defensive ways the human body responds when faced with perceived threats to self and others. The Community Resilience Model has been used internationally and there is growing research that supports its effectiveness.

Speaker: Eric Arzubi, MD
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Billings Clinic
Presentation title: “The Power of Collaborations”

Dr. Arzubi, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Billings Clinic will give an overview of The Alliance, a collaborative that joins Billings Clinic, St. Vincent’s Hospital, and RiverStone Health. The alliance was recently awarded a 3-year, $1.5 million federal grant to enhance community awareness of the impact of ACEs on health and mental health across the lifespan. The Alliance is engaging additional partners to boost the community’s capacity to mitigate the effects of toxic stress on children. Dr. Arzubi will discuss the initiative, which was launched in August 2014, and his role as its Physician Champion.

Speaker: James Redford
Director, Writer, Producer
Presentation title: “Paper Tigers” – Documentary

Paper Tigers is a documentary by James Redford and Karen Pritzker that follows four teens attending Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA. Principal Jim Sprorleder decided to ask the question “What happened to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?” By implementing trauma-informed practices and resilience techniques Lincoln High School saw an 85% decline in suspensions and a 40% decline in expulsions and an increase in graduation rates five-fold. Paper Tigers covers how children are being exposed to a toxicity that dooms them to become obese, drug, and sex addicts, risk-takers and criminals. Adverse Childhood Experiences alter lives and this documentary examines the latest understanding of ACEs and what we can do to overcome them. It captures the pain, the danger, the beauty, and the hopes of struggling teens—and the teachers armed with new science and fresh approaches that are changing their lives for the better.

Speaker: Jim Sporleder
Principal Lincoln High School (retired), Walla, Walla, WA
Presentation title: “Catching Kids Before the Fall”

Why do we need a new approach to school discipline? What does a “Trauma-informed” model look like in a school setting, and how does a trauma-informed approach impact school culture, student achievement, and graduation rates?

Agenda

Thursday Oct. 1st

  • 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration
  • 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Dr. Sandra Bloom – Keynote Address “The Sanctuary Model”
  • 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break
  • 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Dr. Sandra Bloom – Small Group Discussion/Activity
  • 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
  • 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Pam Ponich – Trauma-informed approaches from a parent perspective
  • 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Break
  • 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Dana Eisenberg – Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)

Friday Oct 2nd

  • 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration
  • 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Dr. Arzubi (Billings Alliance)
  • 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Break
  • 9:45 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. Screening of “Paper Tigers
  • 11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. James Redford (Recap of “Paper Tigers”)
  • 12:00 p.m. –1:00 p.m. Lunch (included)
  • 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Q & A Session – James Redford and Jim Sporleder
  • 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Jim Sporleder – Keynote Address (LHS, Trauma Informed Approach – Schools) – Intro to Small Group Discussion/Activity
  • 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Break
  • 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Small Group Discussion/Activity

Paper Tigers

Paper TigersPaper Tigers is a documentary by James Redford and Karen Pritzker that follows four teens attending Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA. Principal Jim Sprorleder decided to ask the question “What happened to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?” By implementing trauma-informed practices and resilience techniques Lincoln High School saw an 85% decline in suspensions and a 40% decline in expulsions and an increase in graduation rates five-fold. Paper Tigers covers how children are being exposed to a toxicity that dooms them to become obese, drug, and sex addicts, risk-takers and criminals. Adverse Childhood Experiences alter lives and this documentary examines the latest understanding of ACEs and what we can do to overcome them. It captures the pain, the danger, the beauty, and the hopes of struggling teens—and the teachers armed with new science and fresh approaches that are changing their lives for the better.

James RedfordJames “Jamie” Redford is an award winning writer, director, and producer. His works include documentaries: The Kindness of Strangers, The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia, and Toxic Hot Seat. James, along with his father Robert, is the co-founder and chair of The Redford Center, a non-profit organization committed to transforming social and environmental issues into films that inspire positive changes. Projects include The Raise the River campaign and Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West. Redford has recently directed and produced “Paper Tigers” a documentary about toxic stress and ACEs that children are exposed to, and how communities and individuals can overcome them.
Filming-Paper-Tigers

Feb 10

Why They Do What They Do – Helena & Bozeman 2015 TRAINING COMPLETED

HELENA, MONTANA
When: Tuesday, April 21st 2015
Time: 9:00am – 4:30pm
Where: Red Lion Colonial Inn, 2301 Colonial Drive (Click for Directions)

BOZEMAN, MONTANA
When: Saturday, May 16th, 2015
Time: 9:00am – 4:30pm
Where: The Commons at Baxter & Love (Journey Church), 1794 East Baxter Lane (Click for Directions)

Course Description

Emotionally troubled youth present a powerful repertoire of emotional and behavioral difficulties. They are often misunderstood. This training will address the early formation of unhealthy patterns in social-emotional development and provide principles for the education, parenting, and treatment these children.

Course Objective

Participants will understand the interface of attachment and developmental processes. They will also learn the origin and assessment of emotional and behavior difficulties and central issues that must be addressed to foster change and growth.

Who should attend?

Foster/Adoptive parents, educators, youth-workers, healthcare providers, mental health professionals, probation officers, church leaders, community leaders and individuals interested in understanding how to help children realize their full potential.

Continuing Education

Up to 6 CEU credits and OPI renewals are available for Mental Health Professionals, Healthcare Providers, Educators, Child Care Providers, and Law Enforcement.

Course Outline

Difficulties associated with failure to master significant developmental stages and domains are often associated with insecure attachment and are compounded through childhood and adolescence. Attachment disruptions compromise normal childhood development and give rise to complex emotional and behavioral difficulties in many special needs youth. These special needs youth are often misunderstood, leading to poor assessments, misguided interventions and multiple academic and out-of-home placements that fail. Caregivers, educators and clinicians are frequently frustrated and repelled by the powerful repertoire of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with some special needs youth. The complexity of emotional and behavioral difficulties is compounded over time and is increasingly resistant to intervention and change. Across time, these high-risk youth fail and are failed by academic and social systems that focus on symptoms and don’t understand their central issues.

This presentation will focus on attachment and developmental theory and will address:

  • The developmental origins of emotional and behavioral difficulties in children.
  • The interface between attachment and developmental processes which give rise to emotional and behavioral difficulties in personality formation.
  • How skewed developmental processes compound and exacerbate emotional and behavioral difficulties across time.
  • A way of seeing children that determines who we can be for them.

About the Speakers

Jim FitzGerald, M.P.A., MSW, is the Chief Executive Officer of Intermountain, a nationally recognized, multi-service agency specializing in the treatment of attachment-disturbed youth since 1982. For more than 35 years, he has worked in the areas of leadership, training, program development and implementation and has played a key role in developing the nationally recognized children’s mental health agency. Jim received a Bachelor degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and Masters in Public Administration and Social Work from The University of Montana.

Elizabeth Kohlstaedt, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and has been the Chief Clinical Officer of Intermountain since 1990. Dr. Kohlstaedt received a B.A. in German from Purdue University, an M.S. in linguistics from Indiana University, an M.A. in physiological psychology from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from University of Montana. She has served as adjunct faculty at Syracuse University, and has trained medical, psychology, social work and counseling interns from around Montana and around the country. Dr. Kohlstaedt has appeared on Prime Time Live, National Public Radio and in the Los Angeles Times to discuss attachment disorders and has provided seminars for a variety of professionals, including judges, physicians, nurses, foster parents, case workers, clinicians and direct care staff on issues of attachment, child development and trauma.

Agenda

  • 8:30a.m.-9:00 a.m. Registration
  • 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Brain Development, Elizabeth Kohlstaedt, Ph.D.
  • 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch – On your own
  • 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sustaining Empathy, Jim FitzGerald, M.P.A.
  • 2 – 15 Minute breaks scheduled for morning and afternoon

Sponsors

Sponsors

Dec 18

An ACE Study Primer

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)  can harm a child’s developing brain and the development of their organs so profoundly that the effects show up decades later in adulthood. The ACE Study, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego, determined that they are the origin of many of our nations chronic diseases, most mental illnesses, and are at the root of most violence.

The 10 ACEs the researchers measured are defined as:

— Physical, sexual and verbal abuse

— Physical and emotional neglect

— A family member who is:

  • depressed or diagnosed with other mental illness;
  • addicted to alcohol or another substance;
  • in prison.

— Witnessing a mother being abused

— Losing a parent to separation, divorce or other reason.

People have an ACE score of 0 to 10. Each type of trauma counts as one ACE. Each ACE counts as one, no matter how many times it occurs. According to Dr. Robert Anda, one of the Co-Principal Investigators, these 10 ACEs were chosen because there were existing national programs to address them. For example, the death of a parent is an ACE, but wasn’t chosen because there was no national program to address it. Also, all ACE scores are not created equal. The ACE score is an aggregate score, so the severity is not demonstrated. For example, a person with an ACE score of 1 — but it was a horrific adverse experience — could have more significant outcomes than someone with a score of 2 whose adversity was’t as horrific, or at all.

Please understand this — the ACE score is NOT: a diagnostic tool; not a screening tool; not a predictor at the individual level; and not a fun quiz. It is a predictor of public health risk factors. Why is the ACE score a powerful predictor?

  • ACEs are common
  • They are highly interrelated
  • They are cumulative across the lifespan — generating high risk for many problems
  • If left unchecked, they tend to be progressive
  • They are inter-generationally related — the are often passed on from one generation to another
  • Statistically — by research in Washington State — ACE scores will increase generation to generation unless we change something

So, what do we change? We start first by learning about the ACE Study. This simple primer is not the whole story. In fact, please do not draw conclusions about yourself or others from this brief article. You can go here to learn more about the history, the science, the data, and the outcomes of the ACE Study.

The second thing we can do is change the way we think about ourselves and others. Once you understand the origins of social behaviors and physical health issues (childhood adversity), it will change the conversation you have about others in your mind from “What’s wrong with you?” to “I wonder what happened to you?”

Why are ACEs significant?

There are two main reasons:

1. The ACE Study revealed four main discoveries:

  •  ACEs are common…nearly two-thirds (64%) of adults have at least one.
  •  They cause adult onset of chronic disease, such as cancer and heart disease, as well as mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence
  • ACEs don’t occur alone….if you have one, there’s an 87% chance that you have two or more.
  • The more ACEs you have, the greater the risk for chronic disease, mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence. For example, people with an ACE score of 4 are twice as likely to be smokers and seven times more likely to be alcoholic. Having an ACE score of 4 increases the risk of emphysema or chronic bronchitis by nearly 400 percent, and suicide by 1200 percent. People with high ACE scores are more likely to be violent, to have more marriages, more broken bones, more drug prescriptions, more depression, more autoimmune diseases, and more work absences. People with an ACE score of 6 or higher are at risk of their lifespan being shortened by 20 years.

2. The 17,000 ACE Study participants were mostly white, middle- and upper-middle class, college-educated, and all had jobs and great health care (they were all members of Kaiser Permanente).

If you’d like a presentation on the ACE Study for your organization, group or community please click on Request An ACE Study Presentation. You can also call ChildWise at 406-513-1177

Oct 14

Elevating the well-being of children across the entire state!

ChildWise Institute Presents “The ACE Master Trainer Program”

According to Kids Count, a national data collection agency, Montana ranks 50th in the nation for child health…last place for 3 years in a row! Montana has also consistently ranked top 4 in the nation for teen suicide. What is being done about this? ChildWise Institute has taken on the mission to address this concern by educating the public on how they can elevate the well-being of Montana’s children.

To advance awareness and knowledge of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, ChildWise Institute will present the “ACE Master Trainer Program”, an in-depth training class on The ACE Study Oct. 23rd & 24th in Helena. This program is designed to provide extensive education about The ACE Study, a proven research linking health, social, and economic risks resulting from childhood adversity. Master Trainers will give presentations on the ACE study across Montana to professional and community audiences with the purpose of informing, inspiring, and motivating actions to avoid and reduce childhood adversity.

Master Trainer participants in this ChildWise program were hand-selected based on an application process and qualifying criteria. Leading the training will be: Dr. Robert Anda, Co-principal Investigator of The ACE Study; Laura Porter a Co-Founder with Dr. Anda of ACE Interface, LLC; and Karina A. Forrest-Perkins the President and Chief Executive Officer for Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota and Minnesota Communities Caring for Children.

IF YOU’D LIKE TO SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION ON THE ACE STUDY TO YOUR ORGANIZATION, GROUP OR COMMUNITY, PLEASE CONTACT OLIVIA MANCHA:    olivia@childwise.org   406-513-1177

Sep 17

This is great! But what do we do now?

I hear that question a lot… “But what do we do now?” In fact, every time ChildWise Institute presents the ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study), it is always a question buzzing around the audience.

And it’s not an easy one to answer… especially if you want a 10-point plan on how to avoid and reduce childhood adversity. There really is no 10-point plan, and if there were one, I’d be skeptical. Why? Because it’s always a local issue. My community is different than yours, and yours is different than another. We all have different cultures, history, and populations. However, there are basic facts about childhood adversity the ACE Study gives us as reference and motivation to start somewhere… and start start now!

So, you may think to yourself, “This doesn’t have anything to do with me or my work. I’m not a healthcare worker. I’m not a teacher. I’m not a parent.” Oh, but wait! This does involve you. It involves everyone!

Check out this story from the State of Maine…

Sue Mackey Andrews will talk to anyone about ACEs: Pediatricians. Early childcare workers. Parent advocacy groups. And those on the front lines who work with kids, like the longtime school bus driver from rural Maine, a gruff and taciturn man who insisted, during a half-day school district in-service, that trauma and resilience had nothing to do with his work.

The driver also told Andrews that he would not start the bus each day until he had made eye contact with every single child and greeted him or her by name. And that, Andrews responded, was exactly the relevance of his work to build resilience.

You see? We all have a piece of the puzzle when it comes to mitigating toxic stress in children and magnifying healthy relationships!

ChildWise has been advancing the news about the ACE Study in Montana for the last few years,and we’re kicking it up a few notches in October. We’ll be training more than 20 people from all across the state to become Certified ACE Master Trainers. Then, we’ll “set them free” to blanket the state with awareness and knowledge about ACEs, and to facilitate conversations within those communities to answer that question, “But what do we do now?”

There are potentially great answers to that question, and we want you to be part of that conversation! If you’d like a presentation about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study to your group, organization, business, or community, get in touch with Olivia Mancha at ChildWise at 406-457-4812 or olivia@childwise.org

 

Sep 02

Autism Spectrum Disorders In Children – Kalispell 2014 TRAINING COMPLETED

 

When:       Saturday, Oct 4th 2014
Time:         9:00am – 4:30pm
Where:      Red Lion Hotel (20 N Main St), Kalispell MT (Click for Directions)
Cost: $50 for parents / $75 for professionals (includes CEUs)

Course Description

This conference is designed to expand understanding and awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders in children and develop competencies for parents, mental health professionals, teachers and healthcare providers. Participants will be able to better understand and treat children diagnosed with symptoms on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Social, emotional, behavioral and medical factors affecting children with ASD will be discussed. In addition, this learning seminar will identify ways to collaborate and integrate services from multiple agencies.

Course Objectives

  • Identifying treatments barriers and successful strategies to work around inhibiting factors.
  • Discuss social, emotional, behavioral and medical factors affecting children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
  •  Identify ways to collaborate and integrate services from multiple agencies.
  •  Identifying therapeutic strategies and interventions for treating youth and supporting their families.
  •  Identify ways in which nutrition impacts learning cognition and behavior.

Who should attend?

Parents, Educators, Psychologists, Therapists, Mental Health Professionals, Healthcare Providers, Medical Professionals.

Continuing Education

Up to 6 CEU credits and OPI renewals are available for social workers, therapists, psychologists, educators, and healthcare providers.

Speakers

Speaker: Shawna Heiser, M.S. BCBA
Behavioral/Autism Consultant
Bozeman, MT

Presentation title: “Positive Behavioral Support for Children with Autism”

Course Description:
This workshop is designed to provide participants an overview of positive behavioral supports and strategies for children with Autism. We will look at the common causes of behavioral difficulties and successes. An explanation of the link between behaviors, motivation and cognition will also be discussed.

Course Objectives:

  • Identify potential causes of non-productive behaviors for children will Autism.
  • Explain the potential replacement behaviors that children with Autism can engage in to assist them in exhibiting more adaptive behaviors in their social, emotional and behavioral development.
  • Identify steps to helping individuals with Autism better self-regulate and be in control of their own behavioral and emotional growth.
  • Identify steps to healing through nutrition intervention.

Speaker Biography:
Shawna is a board certified behavioral therapist who works in a private practice in Bozeman MT. She teaches juniors and seniors at Montana State University-Bozeman as an adjunct professor of Psychology. She also consults with school districts across the state of Montana helping students with Autism.

Speaker: Julia Turner, MMSc, RD, LN
Brain Health Nutrition Expert
McLeod, MT

Presentation title: ”Nutrition for Cognition”

Course Description:
This workshop will provide participants with an overview of causes and contributing factors in the development of autism from a biochemical perspective, an explanation of the relationship between digestive health and brain function, and an outline of steps to healing through nutrition assessment and intervention.

Course Objectives:

  • Identify potential causes and contributing factors in the development of ASD.
  • Explain the potential negative effects of poor digestive/gut health on brain function.
  • Identify steps to healing through nutrition intervention.
  • Identify autism diets, indications for use, and potential benefits/concerns.

Speaker Biography:
Julia Turner is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist with a private practice based in Montana. She consults with clients nationally and internationally to address various health issues affecting all ages through nutrition intervention. She specializes in brain health nutrition, autism, ADHD and related disorders, food allergies/sensitivities and digestive disorders.

Speakers:
Abigail Hood, P.L.A.Y. Consultant/Autism Specialist – Easter Seals Goodwill – Missoula, MT
Kelly Melius, P.L.A.Y. Consultant/Autism Specialist – Easter Seals Goodwill – Missoula, MT

Presentation title: “Intensive Developmental Intervention/P.L.A.Y. Project/Kids Connect Social Skills Sessions”

Course Description:
Intensive Developmental Intervention/P.L.A.Y. (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters) project is based on the DIR/Floortime approach that has remarkable success in drawing children with ASD out of their solitary worlds and into a shared one. Kids Connect social skills groups support children to gain more confidence and positive self-esteem while improving their communication, listening skills and ability to respond to social cues.

Course Objectives:

  • Explain and discuss purposeful two-way communication.
  • Identify ways to share attention, problem solve, engage and relate with others.
  • Discuss communication strategies using logical thinking.
  • Discuss strategies for improving self-confidence and building self-esteem.

Speaker Biographies:
Abbey received her B.A. and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Montana. She completed intensive training in the developmental intervention P.L.A.Y. Project with its creator, Dr. Richard Solomon, and his staff and is a certified P.L.A.Y Project Home Consultant. Abbey is a certified SibShop Facilitator with the Sibling Support Network and is trained to implement the “Social Thinking” curriculum for Social Skills groups to school aged children with Social Cognitive Learning Challenges. She provides support and intervention services to families in western Montana. Before joining ESGW, Abbey worked at Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago’s Autism Therapeutic School, where she participated in extensive training with Structured Teaching. She also worked for many years with families and children affected by autism as a Direct Support Provider. She will be graduating in Spring 2014 with her Master’s in Social Work.

Kelly is an Easter Seals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain PLAY® Consultant offering services in the Billings community and surrounding areas. Kelly is a graduate of Montana State University-Billings with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary and Special Education. She received a Certification as a Family support Specialist in January 0f 2009 and completed intensive training in The P.L.A.Y. ® Project with its creator, Dr. Richard Solomon and his staff in April 2009. She has also received a certificate of mastery in the Basic Course on the DIR/Floortime Model that the PLAY Project intervention is based on. Kelly is also trained in the Michelle Garcia Winner, Thinking Social curriculum. Prior to joining Easter Seals-Goodwill as an Autism Specialist Kelly worked for Billings Public Schools Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) as a Family Support Specialist and at STEP, Inc. as Group Home Coordinator and also as a Habilitative Aide.

Agenda

Saturday, October 5th, 2014

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Registration
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Shawna Heiser – Keynote Address
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Kelly Melius & Abigail Hood – Keynote Address
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Julia Turner – Keynote Address
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Panel discussion and Q & A session on: Nutrition; Positive Behavioral Support; Intensive Developmental Intervention/P.L.A.Y. Project – Kids Connect Social Skills Sessions; Community Resources & Support Systems – Speakers: Kelly Melius, Abigail Hood, Shawna Heiser & Julia Turner.

 

Aug 20

ACE Study Summit Results, Billings 2014

Hello Everyone!

Many thanks for attending Elevate Montana’s ACE Study Summit on May 29th & 30th, 2014 in Billings!

Below is link to view results of our recent ACE Study Summit which is posted on our Elevate Montana website.

http://www.elevatemontana.org/may-2014-ace-study-summit-report/

This includes:

  • Summary of the Summit
  • Speaker Presentations
  • Table Host Notes & Café Questions
  • Attendee ACE Score Survey Results
  • Map of Summit Attendees
  • Summit Photos

 

Thank you – Your dedication and support will help us to elevate the wellbeing and future of Montana’s children!

ChildWise is presenting LONGSCAN (Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse & Neglect) on September 5th, 2014 in Bozeman, MT

Click here for more information

Jul 22

Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect – Bozeman MT 2014 TRAINING COMPLETED

When:       Friday, Sept 5th 2014
Time:         9:00am – 4:30pm
Where:      The Commons, 1794 Baxter Ln. East (Click for Directions)

Course Description

This conference will focus on and utilize data from a 24 year longitudinal study of child abuse and neglect. It will provide an overview of the nature and characteristics of maltreatment experienced by an at-risk sample of 1459 children from five sites across the United States from birth to age 18. It will also focus on recent research findings from the study that focus on the characteristics and consequences of emotional maltreatment, exposure to domestic violence and the contribution of various adverse life events on child/youth emotional and behavioral functioning across time. Breakout sessions will also be provided on Secondary Traumatic Stress and Grief and Loss.

Course Objectives

  • Increase understanding of the role that emotional abuse/neglect has on trauma symptoms and risk behaviors for children/adolescents. Even more so than other types of maltreatment including sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect.
  • Increase awareness of the nature and consequences of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) from a life-course perspective from childhood through adolescence to young adulthood.
  • Understand the basic elements of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS).
  • Explore and understand the connection between LONGSCAN and The ACE Study relative to the
    impact of STS.
  • Understand the relationship between loss, change and grief, and identify sources of each for both clients and professionals in the child welfare system.
  • Identify multidemensional symptoms of grief in both adults and children/adolescents.

Who should attend?

Educators, Mental Health Professionals, Social Workers, Psychologists, Childcare Providers, Foster/Adoptive Parents, CASA Volunteers, County Health Department, Healthcare Providers and School Counselors.

Continuing Education

6 CEU credits, OPI Renewal Units and Childcare Provider Hours are available for Social Workers, Therapists, Psychologists, Educators, Childcare and Healthcare Providers.

Speakers

Diana English, Ph.D., Senior Director of Strategic Consulting at the Casey Family Programs, and a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Washington, School of Social Work.

  • Presentation Title: The Longitudinal Nature, Characteristics and Consequences of Child Maltreatment: A Specific Focus on Emotional Maltreatment, Intimate Partner Aggression/Violence and the Context in Which Maltreating Families Live.

James Caringi, Ph.D., Associate Professor & Director of the Master of Social Work Program, University of Montana, Coordinator of Qualitative Research of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center (NNCTC) of the Institute for Educational Research and Services (IERS).

  • Presentation Title: Secondary Traumatic Stress: Mapping the Course to Create Change Personally, Professionally and Organizationally.

Mary-Ann Sontag Bowman, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, University of Montana.

  • Presentation Title: So Many Losses: Grief of Birth & Foster Famiies – and the Professionals Who Serve Them.

Agenda

Monday, August 25th, 2014

8:00a.m.-9:00 a.m. Registration

9:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. Diana English, Ph.D. – Keynote Address

12:15 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. Lunch (On your own)

1:30 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.

Breakout Session 1
Jim Caringi, Ph.D. – Secondary Traumatic Stress
Breakout Session 2
Mary-Ann Sontag Bowman – Grief & Loss

3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

Breakout Session 1 (Repeated)
Jim Caringi, Ph.D. – Secondary Traumatic Stress
Breakout Session 2 (Repeated)
Mary-Ann Sontag Bowman – Grief & Loss

Jul 09

Why They Do What They Do – Glendive MT 2014 – TRAINING COMPLETED

When:       Monday, August 25th 2014
Time:         9:00am – 4:30pm
Where:      Moose Lodge, 415 Merrill Ave. (Click for Directions)

Course Description

Emotionally troubled youth present a powerful repertoire of emotional and behavioral difficulties. They are often misunderstood. This training will address the early formation of unhealthy patterns in social-emotional development and provide principles for the education, parenting, and treatment these children.

Course Objective

Participants will understand the interface of attachment and developmental processes. They will also learn the origin and assessment of emotional and behavior difficulties and central issues that must be addressed to foster change and growth.

Who should attend?

Foster/Adoptive parents, educators, youth-workers, healthcare providers, mental health professionals, probation officers, church leaders, community leaders and individuals interested in understanding how to help children realize their full potential.

Continuing Education

Up to 6 CEU credits and OPI renewals are available for social workers, therapists, psychologists and educators.

Course Outline

Difficulties associated with failure to master significant developmental stages and domains are often associated with insecure attachment and are compounded through childhood and adolescence. Attachment disruptions compromise normal childhood development and give rise to complex emotional and behavioral difficulties in many special needs youth. These special needs youth are often misunderstood, leading to poor assessments, misguided interventions and multiple academic and out-of-home placements that fail. Caregivers, educators and clinicians are frequently frustrated and repelled by the powerful repertoire of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with some special needs youth. The complexity of emotional and behavioral difficulties is compounded over time and is increasingly resistant to intervention and change. Across time, these high-risk youth fail and are failed by academic and social systems that focus on symptoms and don’t understand their central issues.

This presentation will focus on attachment and developmental theory and will address:

  • The developmental origins of emotional and behavioral difficulties in children.
  • The interface between attachment and developmental processes which give rise to emotional and behavioral difficulties in personality formation.
  • How skewed developmental processes compound and exacerbate emotional and behavioral difficulties across time.
  • A way of seeing children that determines who we can be for them.

About the Speakers

Jim FitzGerald, M.P.A., MSW, is the Chief Executive Officer of Intermountain, a nationally recognized, multi-service agency specializing in the treatment of attachment-disturbed youth since 1982. For more than 35 years, he has worked in the areas of leadership, training, program development and implementation and has played a key role in developing the nationally recognized children’s mental health agency. Jim received a Bachelor degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and Masters in Public Administration and Social Work from The University of Montana.

Elizabeth Kohlstaedt, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and has been the Chief Clinical Officer of Intermountain since 1990. Dr. Kohlstaedt received a B.A. in German from Purdue University, an M.S. in linguistics from Indiana University, an M.A. in physiological psychology from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from University of Montana. She has served as adjunct faculty at Syracuse University, and has trained medical, psychology, social work and counseling interns from around Montana and around the country. Dr. Kohlstaedt has appeared on Prime Time Live, National Public Radio and in the Los Angeles Times to discuss attachment disorders and has provided seminars for a variety of professionals, including judges, physicians, nurses, foster parents, case workers, clinicians and direct care staff on issues of attachment, child development and trauma.

Agenda

Monday, August 25th, 2014

8:30a.m.-9:00 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Brain Development

Elizabeth Kohlstaedt, Ph.D.

12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch – On your own

1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sustaining Empathy

Jim FitzGerald, M.P.A.

 

 

Jul 01

Thanks to local help

ChildWise Institute is working hard to elevate the well-being of our children, but not alone. We are joined by many people and organizations that believe in this mission to Elevate Montana!

One such person is a man in orange. His name is Brian Wagner, and he works at Home Depot in Helena. ChildWise presented the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study Summit in Billings last month. As part of the Summit we challenged the 200 people in attendance to think differently about solving the problems Montana faces in regards to children, like being 50th in the nation for child health, and in the top states in the nation for teen suicide.

We challenged our audience to put a square peg in a round hole. Home Depot donated the materials for 35 sets of yellow square pegs and red round holes. Brian Wagner at Home Depot put in two all-nighters to cut and paint these 35 sets, and even recruited his sister to help! This selfless act of kindness helped make our Summit a terrific success and helped generate very creative thinking by our audience.

Brian Wagner and Home Depot are part of the solutions we need to truly elevate the well-being of Montana’s children and families. Thank you for being part of the Elevate Montana team!

Todd Garrison

Helena

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