Workshops - Session G
Thursday, October 7, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

W54 - Critical “Mission: Possible” Issues for  Drug and Alcohol
Stacy Mitchell, Department of Health (invited)
Robin Rothermel, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Department of Health
Determining “possibles” in the ongoing work and oversight of government agencies is just as challenging as making those determinations as providers. Striving, transforming, and thriving in complex policy and economic environments involves the same focus on mission and strategy. PCPA has asked Deputy Secretary Stacy Mitchell and Director Robin Rothermel to share and clarify top “mission possible” activities for the state to achieve in drug and alcohol treatment and supports during the remaining time of the current administration and to discuss what efforts they hopes will continue following the transition to a new administration. Time for questions specific to this information will be available.

W55 - Trauma Informed Care for Children and Youth
Gordon R. Hodas, MD, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Programs
This workshop addresses the need for trauma informed care (TIC) in human services and in the community. TIC involves more than restraint reduction. It is an organizing principle that can promote both resilience and recovery for youth. Unlike the provision of manualized, clinical treatment requiring highly specialized expertise, TIC can be offered by all individuals within an agency or care setting.  Prerequisites involve a commitment to a core set of beliefs about youth and caregiving in conjunction with competence in implementing trauma informed practices.  For agencies, this entails reviewing policies, procedures, and practices; creating common expectations; and providing training and supervision for staff.  For individuals, it involves recognizing that problematic youth behavior is multiply-determined and is often an outcome of a youth’s response to past trauma.  Implications for behavioral health providers, other child-serving systems, and the community are considered.

W56 - Personal and Professional Succession Planning in Tough Financial Times:  Designing the Next Phase of Your Organization and Your Life
Jeri Davis, MBA, Jeri Davis International Healthcare Consultants & Recruiters
Matthew Weinstein, PhD, CBHNP
It is estimated that 25-40 percent of senior executives in community behavioral healthcare will be of retirement age in the next five years, but will they be able to retire?  The current economy has resulted in many rethinking their succession plans. This situation creates new challenges and opportunities for both organizations and individuals to “redesign their future.” This workshop is about planning your future and preparing your organization for your departure, whenever that may be.  Through an interactive format, we’ll look at the critical decisions around succession planning and the personal steps for planning the next stage of your life.

W57 - Fostering Self-Advocacy
William Stillman
Additional Material
Adults with autism have been historically marginalized as incapable of contributing to our communities. This session will explore opportunities to value the gifts and talents of those on the autism spectrum by developing allies, recognizing sensory needs, and valuing individual passions, so often pathologized as obsessions. Behaviors that are often attributed to autism and may preclude employment or avocation opportunities, will be demystified for participants in terms of clear communications. Misinterpretations and misunderstandings in spoken language will be explored, as will information relevant to meeting the needs of individuals’ sensory sensitivities. Finally, specific and empowering coping strategies will be shared and discussed in order to poise individuals for future success as self-advocates.

W58 - Climbing the Mountain to Veterans Sanctuary: The Path Taken to Opening a Community-based Veterans Treatment Center
Robert Csandl, MHS, CAC, LPC, Treatment Trends, Inc.
This workshop discusses the key elements and progress of opening Veterans Sanctuary, a 60-bed residential veterans treatment center specializing in substance abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, and family treatment, intervention, and support.  The financial risk of purchasing a building, grassroots organizing, finding volunteers, creating allies, and good collaborations all are discussed as we share the progress and remaining challenges in the effort to better serve veterans, especially those recently returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The presentation will include discussion from the many  experiences during this incredible journey.

W59 - Traumatic Brain Injury: Impact on Rights and Treatment in the Forensic Setting
Cameron L. McGavin, MD, UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Sue R. Beers, PhD, UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
William S. Musser, MD, PC, UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Each year approximately 1.4 million people in the US experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and at least 5.3 million Americans are living with TBI-related disabilities. Traumatic brain injury is underestimated both in incidence and significance in forensic settings. This presentation focuses on all aspects of TBI in these settings. We examine the occurrence, neurobiological mechanisms, neuropsychological evaluation, and legal implications of traumatic brain injury in the forensic population.

W60 - Stress Relief and Relaxation: Connecting With Your Inner Child
Michaela Kennedy, MA, LPC, HHP, Family Services of Western Pennsylvania
As children, most stress relief strategies come naturally; as adults, however, we often find ourselves consumed by stress and worries. Getting reconnected with our inner child can help access creative ways of dealing with life’s challenges and help in calming stress. This experiential workshop is designed for participants to explore and identify creative ways of dealing with stress and how to interject some lightheartedness into hectic and busy lives. Participants will use self-reflection and small group discussion to explore their favorite childhood activities, stories, and characters and how those shaped their adult life and vision. This workshop teaches creative ways of dealing with stress, explores how to make time for stress relief, and provides an opportunity to relax.

W61 - Billing System and Electronic Health Record Preparation
Steve Kohler, McBee Associates, Inc.
Designed to improve operations, new billing and electronic health record software often creates new problems due to planning and communication issues with the software vendor. During this session attendees will be presented with recommendations to reduce the risk of long-term problems with a new electronic health record or patient billing system through learning strategies to assess their clinical documentation, reporting, and billing process needs prior to selecting a system.  The process will include recommendations for converting the internal assessment into a system evaluation template when shopping for software.

W62 - The Impact of Outcome Measurement on Grant Applications and Marketing Material
Jennifer Martin, Starboard Communications and Grants
Julie Kresge, Starboard Communications and Grants
Successful communication of program measurement and outcomes provide evidence that an organization’s resources have improved the lives of clients through program effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and/or quality.  These outcomes give an organization tangible documentation for grant applications as well as having a positive impact/story to communicate with the community. Learn to choose what and how to measure, examine and report data findings, and  summarize the information to improve services and report findings to stakeholders, the community, legislative bodies, grant funders and others.

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