Suicide claims the lives of almost 50,000 Americans per year, with suicide rates climbing steadily over the past 25 years. Existing prevention programs have focused primarily on improving knowledge and attitudes about suicide and improving treatment access for at-risk individuals (Brent & Brown, 2015). Those efforts, while important, may be relatively ineffective in preventing deaths resulting from suicidal risk that develops very rapidly. Additionally, most existing suicide prevention programs do not consider the use of highly lethal methods such as firearms as a factor in the fatality of suicide attempts. Firearms account for 55% of suicides in the United States, and evidence suggests that ready access firearms is associated with higher rates of suicide fatalities. Given the ready access to firearms that is common in American homes, the more widespread use of means safety interventions may be a necessary tool to reverse the accelerating rates of suicide.

In response to these concerns, the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) clinical workshop is a 3.5-hour training that aims to those in mental health, medical, and human service professions to counsel individuals and their families to temporarily reduce access to firearms and dangerous medications during times of heightened suicide risk. CALM clinical workshops feature four components. In part one, participants will be introduced to the means safety prevention framework, providing a rationale based on a large body of empirical evidence and demonstrating how it strengthens broader suicide prevention strategies. Participants will also explore how characteristics of suicidal processes often can be disrupted by reducing immediate access to lethal means. In part two, participants will learn how to incorporate means safety steps into existing risk assessment and crisis response protocols as well as the range of options for increasing means safety. Additionally, participants will learn how to utilize means safety approaches flexibly and creatively to reduce access to means other than firearms and medications that are related to a suicide plan. Part three focuses on effective communication around means safety. Participants will practice utilizing motivational interviewing techniques to have collaborative discussions around means safety planning, with an emphasis on temporariness and increasing the safety of the at-risk individual. Participants will also learn to employ culturally sensitive and technically accurate language around discussions of firearms. Finally, part four gives participants the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and skills discussed in the first three parts in a series of role plays based on actual cases seen clinical settings.

Student behavior and academic success go hand-in-hand. Knowing this strong correlation, we must be intentional in creating environments that are consistent, predictable, positive, and safe. We must also focus on working proactively and preventively to set up our students for success. In this session, we will discuss the impact of student behavior on the overall culture and climate of a school and classroom and how their behavior influences their own success.
Participants will explore each of the five social and emotional learning skills and why these skills are important for both students and adults. We will review the importance of systematizing our efforts into a three-tiered model of support. With a focus on preventing problem behaviors, participants will explore the importance of building relationships, establishing clear behavioral expectations, and acknowledging positive student behavior.
As educators, we know inappropriate behavior is inevitable. We want to shift from the stance of reacting to problem behavior to responding to problem behavior. Our goal in responding to problem behavior is to help students find more appropriate ways to have their needs met. In this session, we will explore different types of problem behaviors (i.e., junk, minor, and major behaviors), the functions of these behaviors, and effectively responding with consistent and predictable consequences.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Define the five SEL Competencies and why they are important to the success of both kids and adults,

2. Explore the elements of preventing problem behavior: building relationships, establishing clear behavioral expectations, and acknowledging positive behavior,

3. Explore types of problem behavior, the functions of behavior and the importance of consistent and predictable consequences in relation to effectively responding to problem behavior.

Schools and mental health supports, what’s the connection? In the U.S., millions of children, adolescents, and teenagers go to school with mental health concerns that threaten their wellbeing and educational performance. It’s undeniable that positive mental health allows children to think clearly, develop socially, and learn new skills. We also know that access to school-based mental health supports directly improves students’ physical and psychological safety, academic performance, and social and emotional learning. In this session, we will explore the six elements of a comprehensive school mental health system and the frameworks, tools, and evidence-based strategies to integrate these elements into your organization. These elements include: 1) Creating District-Wide Common Language, 2) Utilizing Sustainable and Scalable Systems (MTSS, PBIS, and ISF), 3) Developing Positive Relationships (Staff to Students, Staff to Staff, Staff to Families, Student to Students), 4) Creating Safe Environments, 5) Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices, and 6) Modeling Staff Self-Care.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Review the outcomes of comprehensive school mental health systems,

2. Explore the six elements of a comprehensive school mental health system,

3. Review the current challenges and explore current projects that are making a positive impact on educator and student wellbeing.

During his over 40 years as a helping professional, Ryan Hulbert, Ph.D. has developed a metatheory and related practical techniques for assisting individuals, families, and whole communities for healing and building resilience to emotional problems, substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. He has produced an online resource library entitled "The Community Enhancement Institute,'' which contains books, videos, self-assessments, and mini-courses. The institute is currently being used in counties, prisons, schools, and other institutions in Idaho, and Dr. Hulbert is working to make it available to all Idahoans. One of the resources on the Institute is the book Drivers’ Ed for the Brain, which has been translated so far in 18 languages, and also several English versions for Native Americans and African Americans.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Experience learning of concepts and therapeutic techniques through the methods of hearing, seeing, feeling, and hands-on doing for maximum deep understanding.

2. Become familiar with the metatheory guiding the practitioner and client toward holistic healing and growth.

3. See demonstrated 12 specific engaging object lessons for use in therapy and presentations.

4. Learn how these holistic lessons have been used in a continuum of settings from individual therapy to impacting whole communities.

5. Become familiar with resources including an on-line resource library to begin using and sharing the lessons.

This hands-on seminar is to introduce participants to the Restorative Approach in Schools. Edwin Weaver has run a non-profit that has done in-school mediation for the last 10 years. The mediators work in the local Jr. High & High Schools as well as Juvenile Hall. Edwin will walk participants through the history of the Restorative Approach and introduce his models that are used every day to reduce violence, disruptions, and suspensions in school.

Participants will also discuss the importance of helping activated students use the Community Resiliency Model to self-regulate before participating in the restorative conference. The impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) as well as environmental factors. Participants will experience restorative circles and will practice mediation skills in role-play with the other participants using scenarios.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Participants will learn and be able to articulate the history and current application of Restorative Practices in the community and schools.

2. Participants will get an introduction to the Community Resiliency Model and learn how to assist in nervous system stabilization while practicing Restorative Approach.

3. Participants will learn best practices for starting Restorative Practices at their school sites.

4. Participants will practice Restrative Appraoch Mediation with their peers using real life scenarios found in schools.

In this 1-day workshop participants will learn how to establish and sustain comprehensive school safety efforts that attend to both physical and psychological safety. The workshop addresses critical components needed to develop, exercise, and evaluate safety and crisis teams and plans and conduct building vulnerability assessments. The model also integrates school personnel and community provider roles in providing school-based crisis preparedness and response activities. Additional topics addressed also include media/social media, communication, reunification, students with special needs, culture, and memorials. After this workshop, participants will be better prepared to improve their school’s climate, student resilience, and crisis response capabilities of school personnel. With updated research and strategies, this workshop makes a clear connection between ongoing crisis prevention, mitigation, protection, response, and recovery.

As is written on the Idaho Resilience Project website, “Idaho ranks 5th Highest for States with children experiencing three or more adverse childhood experiences. [And as we know,] Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) have wide ranging health and social consequences AND, Resilience can be the antidote to ACE’s. Through positive relationships and appropriate support, adversity can be conquered, crucial coping skills can be developed and healing can take place.” Teaching common language around the biology of stress and trauma can destigmatize those biological reactions that occur. Through intentional skill building and education, based on neuroscience, individuals, organizations, businesses and communities can share a common language and support one another in healing and building the inherent human resilience.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand that the impact of stress and trauma on the nervous system is universal and common. These reactions are about biology, not mental weakness.

2. Learn and practice the sensory awareness wellness skills of the Community Resiliency Model® to improve emotional balance and nervous system regulation. You will learn ways you can also share this with your students.

3. Understand the autonomic nervous system and its role in stress/trauma and healing. Identify ways to integrate the skills into our personal and professional life.

4. Learn how to better identify and connect with resilience and well-being in yourself to be able to share it with your students, and community.