Mental Health America of Wisconsin is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for elementary, middle, and high schools in Wisconsin. With a focus on training Wisconsin students to recognize the signs of suicide shown by fellow students, peer-to-peer programs use messages of hope, health, and strength to develop peer leaders and resources for students who may be struggling. Get details at this link.

Over the last year, the Public Health Training Centers (PHTC, in partnership with the National Network of Public Health Institutes), began developing a Racial Competencies for Public Health Professionals that can be used in developing racial justice education training. This is consistent with agencies across the country declaring racism a public health issue, and expressing interest in ongoing health equity and racial justice training. Learn more here.

This six-part program from Region V Public Health Training Center covers basic health equity and racial justice principles for public health professionals. The program consists of six separate components including a podcast, one self-paced training with free CE, and four On Demand-No CE trainings, each covering different aspects of either health equity or racial justice in public health. This program is helpful for public health professionals looking to increase their understanding of health equity and racial justice and gain tools to engage in antiracist practices. Get details and enroll at this link.

Homelessness Awareness Week runs October 17 – October 21 across greater Milwaukee and Waukesha counties to increase public education on the current state of homelessness in our local communities. It’s kicking off on Monday, October 17, with a press conference of government officials discussing work being done in our communities to address homelessness; speakers will include Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly, and representatives from the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County Housing Services, and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.

The United Way will be hosting events throughout the week online and at the United Way JCI Volunteer Center, 200 W. Pleasant St., Milwaukee. (Proof of vaccination is required to enter.) Virtual events will be held on street outreach, landlord appreciation, and homelessness advocacy. Please follow this link to learn more about the events hosted throughout the week and to register.

Much of the current clinical and scholarly information around autism is deficit-based and limited. In fact, some of it is now known to be completely inaccurate. The result is a disconnect from the actual experience of being autistic. Misinformation, misguided support, and oppression creates and contributes to mental health difficulties, stress, and unintentional harm. Bring your knowledge up-to-date based on the past 15 years of the neurodiversity movement, which is largely informed by autistic scholars and the autistic experience. This informational, experiential, and reflective experience will help you understand autistic thinking and thriving in ways that might be unrecognizable to non-autistic people. Begin to explore how to adapt your current practices to foster genuine autistic happiness, health, and healing across the lifespan. This session from the Great Lakes MHTTC will be held on October 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register here.

It can often be difficult to know how much personal information to share in a professional setting with the people we support and what crosses the line as being too personal. Finding this balance is becoming more complicated as communication is increasingly digital, text based, and being conducted on various social media platforms. This class from Great Lakes MHTTC explores best practices in this difficult area. It will be held from 12:45 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18. RSVP here.

Sign up for one or all sessions at this link.

The meetings are open to anyone who lives, works, or plays in Milwaukee. Each meeting will include a brief informational presentation, a photo display from the recent Photovoice contest, and small group discussions to prioritize top health issues. Participants will gain a better understanding of community health data, help set the agenda for community health improvement in Milwaukee, and learn how to stay engaged by joining a steering committee or action team. The meetings are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. Interested participants can register at Milwaukee.gov/MKEelevate.

To register, click on our online calendar.

Community Advocates is offering a virtual De-Escalation Techniques training to teach participants how to defuse a situation and increase safety using verbal de-escalation techniques. This workshop is aimed toward individuals who encounter conflict in the workplace, at home, or in the community, whether you are a parent or educator, work in the helping professions, or otherwise work with the public in potentially tense situations. This training will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on November 16. Details and RSVP here.

This training will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on November 16. Get details and RSVP here.