In this Issue:

• News
• Events & Webinars
• Community Resources
• Los Recursos Familial en Español
• Family Resources in English
• Job Opportunities

Spotlight On:

Milwaukee County’s Better Ways to Cope Convenes Community Partners on Opioid Misuse

Last week, Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Services convened its newest Better Ways to Cope grantees, all of whom will tackle opioid misuse in their communities. The grantees cover a wide spectrum of opioid misuse prevention and harm reduction services and programming. The 18-month awards were provided by opioid settlement dollars and represents a significant investment in Milwaukee County’s community-serving organizations.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is grateful to receive our second round of Better Ways to Cope prevention funding to expand the Escucha Tus Emociones initiative. In 2022, CA-PPI partnered with this bilingual Spanish/English multimedia initiative, led by trainer and therapist Ana Paula Soares, to add culturally affirming substance misuse prevention and mental wellness community workshops that prioritize our county’s Latinx residents. More than 40 trained facilitators have reached 1,500 community members with prevention education opportunities and resources.

With this new round of funding, Escucha Tus Emociones facilitators will deepen their understanding of the opioid crisis as experienced by Latinx individuals and communities and learn how to integrate this knowledge into the Escucha Tus Emociones workshops. Mentoring, peer support, and alternative and ancestral healing modalities will also be explored.

Additional 2024-2025 funded agencies are Benedict Center, Changing Hands Mentoring Inc., City of Cudahy Health Department, Great Lakes Dry Hootch, Hmong American Friendship Association, INPOWER Solutions LLC, Manna Behavioral Health, Mental Health America of Wisconsin-Community Mental Health and Wellness Alliance, Milwaukee Turners Inc., Outreach Community Health Centers, Safe and Sound, Samad’s House, Serenity Inns, and Vivent Health.

News

VitalCog Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

Schedule Your Organization's Session to Support Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September 

VitalCog trains organizations to proactively address the early warning signs of suicide in the workplace. This two-hour training gives participants the skills and tools to appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about workplace mental health challenges, and by promoting help-seeking and help-giving.

VitalCog workshops are best conducted in the workplace for groups of 7 to 25, with human resources staff present to discuss available services for employees.

To learn more and schedule a training, email Community Advocates Public Policy Institute Trainer Rita Liesiefsky.

Severe Illness Potentially Associated with Consuming Diamond Shruumz™ Brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, and Gummies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), America’s Poison Centers, and state and local partners are investigating reports of severe acute illnesses potentially associated with consuming Diamond Shruumz™ brand chocolate bars, cones, and gummies marketed as containing a proprietary blend of mushroom. As of June 11, 2024, 12 total illnesses and 10 hospitalizations have been reported in eight U.S. states with ongoing efforts to identify other potential cases.

The cause of the reported illnesses is not known at this time. Individuals should not eat, sell, or serve any flavors of Diamond ShruumzTM brand chocolate bars, cones, or gummies, and should discard products that have been purchased. CDC and FDA are working to determine whether other products from this company are associated with adverse health effects.

Apply Now for a Data Dream: Due July 19

Have you ever wished your organization had more information or data about your work or the people you serve? A Data Dream is an opportunity for an organization to move beyond limitations created by a lack of information or limited capacity to interpret data already collected - with the support of the Data You Can Use team. Data Dream finalists will present at Data Day and winners will be announced. Applications are due by July 19. 

Survey Request: Environmental Scan from the Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence

The environmental scan, from the Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, will gather your feedback to inform the development of culturally informed behavioral health information pertinent to Hispanic and Latino communities. The information you provide will enhance and improve future training events. The expected time to complete the survey is 10 minutes and it is available in both English and Spanish. 

Solicitud de encuesta: Análisis ambiental del Centro de Excelencia en Salud Conductual Hispana/Latina

Esta encuesta tiene como objetivo informar el desarrollo de información de salud conductual culturalmente informada pertinente a las comunidades hispanas y latinas. La información que proporcione se utilizará para mejorar futuros eventos de capacitación. El tiempo estimado para completar la encuesta es de 10 minutos. Si desea completar la encuesta en inglés, pulse en el icono de traducción. Para aumentar o disminuir el tamaño de la letra, pulse el icono de tamaño de letra. 

¿Te interesa cuidar tu salud mental y no sabes por dónde empezar? ¡Únete a un círculo de charlas comunitarias dirigido por uno de nuestros facilitadores de Escucha tus Emociones el 16 de julio!

Plática Tema 2: ¿Cómo Controlar los Pensamientos Negativos?

¡No creas todo lo que piensas! Tenemos hasta 60,000 pensamientos en un día. Nuestros pensamientos pueden convertirse fácilmente en emociones. El 80 por ciento de los pensamientos, además de ser repetitivos, son negativos. Los pensamientos negativos crean estrés y alteran sustancias químicas esenciales para el bienestar emocional hasta el punto de que el cerebro comienza a encogerse. En esta plática cubrimos 3 estrategias para navegar más efectivamente los pensamientos negativo.



Dónde: Biblioteca Pública de Mitchell Street

Sala: 205

Costo: GRATIS

Idioma: Esta plática se presentará en español con un facilitador bilingüe ENG/ESP.

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Are you interested in taking care of your mental health and don't know where to begin? Join a small talk community talk circle lead by one of our Escucha tus Emociones facilitators on July 16!

Plática (Community chat) Topic 2: How to Control Negative Thoughts?

Don’t believe everything you think! We have up to 60,000 thoughts in a day. Our thoughts can easily turn into emotions. 80 percent of thoughts, in addition to being repetitive, are negative. Negative thoughts create stress and alter essential chemicals for emotional well-being to the point that the brain begins to shrink. In this plática we cover 3 strategies to effectively navigate through negative thinking.

Where: Mitchell Street Public Library

Room: 205

Cost: FREE

Language: This talk will be presented in Spanish with a bilingual ENG/ESP facilitator.

This one-hour course provides foundational knowledge for those working in addiction treatment settings on best practices for creating welcoming spaces in addiction care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals. This session from the Greykin Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on July 17. 

This webinar will review some of the historical and cultural factors that are associated with stigma among Blacks about mental illnesses and treatment. Health care disparities in this population will be discussed along with how to ensure that assessments are culturally relevant and appropriate. Examples of best practices for reducing stigma and increasing engagement of Black communities will be explored. The Central East MHTTC is hosting this webinar from 11 a.m. to 12 noon on July 18 in recognition of July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which is also known as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Mental Health Month. 

In her new book, Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net, sociologist Jessica Calarco argues that instead of investing in a robust safety net of government programs and supports, the United States relies on the unpaid and undervalued of women to hold together families, communities, and society as a whole. In this webinar from the UW Institute for Research on Poverty, education journalist Alia Wong joins Calarco to explore the many challenges that parents—and in particular women—face each day, and what policy and practice solutions have the potential to lighten the load. This session will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on July 18. 

This workshop will explore the intersection of DEI, Cultural Reverence, trauma-responsive, and behavioral health programming. The workshop leader, Jojopahmaria Nsoroma, will facilitate exploration of identity-based trauma and its effects on the nervous system. Racial injustice will be explored as a chronic, systemic, collective, and personal form of trauma. This Zoom session from the Behavioral Health Training Partnership will be held from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on July 19. It’s $10 for full members, $25 for partial members and nonmembers.

Policymakers and those in public health and health care can work together to create conditions for everyone to be healthy. In this webinar, we will explore when and how to engage local policymakers about decisions that impact health. Participants will learn about how to engage policymakers effectively while increasing their understanding of the opportunities and constraints associated with lobbying rules. This webinar from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps will begin at 2 p.m. on July 23; at 3 p.m., immediately following the webinar, there will be an interactive discussion. 

ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences, which may create potentially traumatic events that impact kids’ long-term health and wellbeing. This introductory training can help you understand and recognize ACEs. We will also discuss some recent data on its prevalence and prevention.

This session is brought to you by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on July 24.

The Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee (ECOM) is a monthly gathering of social services professionals and advocates organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute. ECOM meets monthly and explores topics that are vital to Milwaukee’s human services professionals.

This month's topic is Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Abuse and Neglect. Fee is $5 for light refreshments and materials and can be paid via credit card. Registrations are not refundable. Kindly make sure to RSVP by the Friday prior to the meeting. This session will be held in person from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on July 24. Location TBD.

This session from the Central East MHTTC will center on how Black and Latinx mothers are doubly stigmatized by their race and their substance use disorder/opioid use disorder (SUD/OUD). Participants will gain knowledge and skills to support and provide culturally sensitive care to Black and Latinx mothers experiencing perinatal PTSD. It will be held virtually from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on July 24. 

Get help removing past evictions from online CCAP searches. Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee and the Rental Housing Resource Center (located inside of the Community Advocates building at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee) will help individuals currently looking to remove past evictions from their CCAP Search. This free clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is currently open to individuals with dismissed evictions and completed payment plans only. Only open to Milwaukee County. Walk-ins welcome. Appointments preferred. 

This one-day free virtual conference will cover the health, happiness, and security of women at work. Experts will present data and trends while a panel of female leaders across industries react, respond, and discuss the practical strategies that have helped them personally, as well as the programs, policies and benefits that industry leaders use to keep women’s health at the forefront. This event is co-hosted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, National Wellness Institute (NWI), and Wellness Council of America (WELCOA). This virtual conference will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 14. 

Hey, there,

-- do you have:



• Job openings?
• Upcoming events?
• News to share?
• Suggestions?

Forward the information to Prevention@CommunityAdvocates.net.

Thank you for your service to Milwaukee!

MHA BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit

Mental Health America's 2024 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit provides free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations, especially during July, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Download the toolkit here.

Implicit Bias, Understanding the Impact of What We Don't See

This interactive two-hour training from the Northeast & Caribbean PTTC discusses how cognitive bias develops, contributes to inequitable outcomes for Persons of Color, and informs on bias-reducing techniques for enhancing the provider-client interactions and outcomes for marginalized communities. Watch the webinar here.

Cobertura de noticias negativas y salud mental

En el acelerado clima mediático actual, el ciclo de noticias de 24 horas puede parecer imposible de evitar. Nos bombardean con noticias dramáticas y un sinfín de "malas noticias", que tienen un impacto en la salud mental mayor de lo que creemos. Aprenda a afrontar la cobertura de noticias negativas.

Healthy MKE

De Milwaukee Health Care Partnership y Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services, el sitio web Healthy MKE ofrece una única fuente de información para los servicios públicos y privados en el condado de Milwaukee, donde los proveedores y los miembros de la comunidad pueden obtener la información que necesitan para ayudarse a sí mismos o a otros. Accede a ellos aquí.

Programa de intervención familiar (FIP)

Objetivo del programa de intervención familiar es eliminar importantes barreras que impiden latinos y afroamericanos individuos y familias de buscar servicios de asesoría tradicional. Este programa de manejo de caso intensivo, basado en el hogar, enfoque familiar ofrece servicios de apoyo a las familias que luchan con el impacto de la adicción a la sustancia y la violencia doméstica. Servicios son proporcionados sin costo a la familia. Para obtener más información sobre el programa de intervención familiar, por favor llame a 414-270-4600. Aprende más.

Negative News Coverage and Mental Health

In today's fast-paced media climate, the 24-hour news cycle can seem impossible to avoid. We are bombarded with dramatic news and endless "bad news," which has more of an impact on mental health than we realize. Learn how to cope with negative news coverage.

Positive Options for Women Entering Recovery

Are you worried about your drinking or drug use? You aren’t alone. The Positive Options for Women Entering Recovery (POWER) is here to help. The Milwaukee Women’s Center’s POWER provides FREE day treatment for women struggling with alcohol and other drug issues. Click here to learn more or call 414-270-4600 to get help.

Family Intervention Program (FIP)

Struggling with drug and alcohol use can make you feel alone. Not being able to find a counselor who understands your unique treatment needs can make things even harder. The Family Intervention Program is a no-cost, bilingual English and Spanish drug and alcohol treatment program specifically designed for Black and Latinx individuals and families in Milwaukee. To learn more about the Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Family Intervention Program, please call 414-270-4600 or click this link.

Job Opportunities

• Cathedral Center: Program Director, Emergency Housing
• Community Advocates Public Policy Institute: MFIS Intake Specialist (Bilingual English/Spanish) (Email resume to lfaulds@communityadvocates.net if interested)
• Community Advocates Public Policy Institute: MFIS Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (Email resume to lfaulds@communityadvocates.net if interested)
• NourishMKE Community Food Centers: Food Center Community Coordinator (AmeriCorps)
• Outreach Community Health Centers: Associate Medical Director, Physician
• Outreach Community Health Centers: CCS Care Coordinator
• Outreach Community Health Centers: Director of Compliance / Government Regulation
• Playworks Wisconsin: Site Coordinator, Milwaukee
• Playworks Wisconsin: Site Coordinator, Mukwonago
• Playworks Wisconsin: Site Coordinator, Waukesha
• Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin: Center Coordinator
• Sirona Recovery: CCS Therapist
• Vision Forward: Music Therapist (Part Time)

This newsletter was created and delivered to you thanks to the financial support of Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Services and other funders.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute | 414-270-2950 

ppi.communityadvocates.net