Caring Across Communities
Collaborative
Funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
CACC Main Page | 2009-10 Workshops | Structured Dialogues | Community Conversations
Culturally Responsive Practice: Past Training Series
A series of cultural competency trainings to school-based social workers, counselors, clinicians, and other community service providers who work with children and adolescents and their families so that they can provide services that incorporate respect, cultural sensitivity, and cultural empowerment.
2008-2009 Culturally Responsive Practice Workshops
View current 2009-10 series
View 2007-08 series
From Displacement to Resettlement
November 12, 2008; 8:30–10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Winfred Kiunga, Learning Associate, Bates College
This workshop will provide educational staff a contextual background on Somali students and their families. It will focus on their experiences as victims of civil war, their escape from a conflict-packed country, their lives as refugees, and their hopes and struggles in the land of resettlement. This framework will help teachers understand essential elements in pre-resettlement that impact students ’ academic and socio-cultural adjustment post-resettlement.
Children Experiencing Trauma …
What can School Personnel do to Help?
December 4, 2008; 8:30 –10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Staff from The Children ’s Initiative, a federally funded project through the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Schools serve as a critical system of support for children who have experienced trauma. Administrators, teachers, and staff can help reduce the impact of trauma on children by recognizing trauma symptoms, accommodating and responding to traumatized students within the classroom setting, and referring children to outside professionals when necessary. This interactive session will discuss methods for identifying and working with children and youth who have experienced trauma in their lives and will be relevant to all school personnel at all grade levels.
Empowering Children Through Art and Expression:
Culturally Sensitive Ways of Healing Trauma and Grief
December 8, 2008; 8:30–10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenters: Paul Johnson, DSW, LCSW, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of Southern Maine
Bruce St. Thomas, Ed.D. ATR, Westbrook Street Psychotherapy Associates
Most trauma victims find it impossible to describe or put into words their most personal pain and anguish. The presenters will demonstrate that by using child-centered activities the ineffable can both be expressed and integrated. This workshop will explore the power of play and creativity, the importance of mythic structure, and the insight available in child-centered communities for healing trauma and grief.
Elements of Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
January 13, 2009; 8:30–10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Staff from The Children ’s Initiative, a federally funded project through the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a short-term evidence-based intervention designed to help children, youth and their parents or caregivers overcome the negative effects of traumatic life events and war trauma. This training session will briefly describe this clinical mental health treatment and will offer strategies for implementing elements of this treatment model in a school-based setting that is relevant to all school personnel. The intervention also addresses issues commonly experienced by traumatized children, such as poor self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, mood instability, and self-injurious behaviors, including substance abuse.
Moving the Frontal Lobe to the Front of the Class:
An Introductory Guide to Executive Functions
February 10, 2009; 8:30–10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Christopher Kauffman, Ph.D., Licensed Lead Psychologist, Portland Public Schools
This workshop examines the neuropsychology of a broad range of executive functioning skills, with emphasis given to the academic and behavioral implications of EF/self-regulation deficits in school settings among students from diverse cultural backgrounds. The primary purpose of the training is to build participants ’ understanding of the scope/nature of frontal lobe processing difficulties, while providing practical strategies for intervention across academic and social contexts.
Voice and Empowerment Among Refugee and Immigrant Clients
March 31, 2009; 8:30–10:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Jane Hubley, LCSW, Social Worker, East End Community School and a per diem clinician at Community Counseling Center
Encouraging clients to voice their own stories and witnessing their suffering and resiliency through listening can lead to empowerment and healing. Through lessons learned as a social worker and clinician, the presenter will share successes, challenges and strategies in working with refugee and immigrant clients. Humility, vulnerability, and willingness to open one ’s mind, heart, and ears are prerequisites.
Clinical Considerations: Caring for Refugee and Immigrant Youth Within a Social Context
April 14, 2009; 10:30–12:00 or 3:30–5:00
Presenter: Heidi Ellis, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and instructor of psychiatry at the Boston Children ’s Hospital/Medical School
This presentation will review specific clinical issues and approaches related to mental health care for refugee and immigrant youth. The importance of integrating care into the service system and developing cultural expertise/partnerships will be discussed. Specific models of care will be highlighted, including Trauma Systems Therapy for refugees.
Culturally Responsive Practice: Meeting the Challenge in Greater Portland
May 5, 2009; 3:00–5:00
Moderator: Lisa Belanger, MSN, FNP, PMHNP, Program Manager,
Family Health Program, City of Portland
What is culturally responsive practice? What are the essential elements of personal and systemic cultural competency? How can we reach the NASW standards for cultural competence in social work practice? These questions will be discussed and explored by a panel of mental health providers from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
2007-2008 Workshops