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Technical Assistance and Training Experience

Train-the-Trainers Curriculum on Organizational Cultural Competency

NAMBHA currently has a contract with HumRRO (lead contractor for the CMHS Eliminating Disparities Initiative) to develop a train-the-trainers curriculum for behavioral health trainers in helping states, local government agencies and community organizations implement more effective cultural and linguistic competency strategies with the goal of increasing access, availability, quality of care and outcomes for diverse racial, ethnic and cultural populations.

Pre-Institute on Cultural and Linguistic Competency, Bi-annual Training Institutes in Children’s Mental Health, Georgetown University

For the last two Training Institutes, NAMBHA has worked with the National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health, Georgetown University and the Technical Assistance Partnership at the American Institutes of Research (AIR) to conduct a two-day pre-institute for 180-200 participants. In July, 2008, the Pre-Institute in Nashville, TN., will feature and be based on the Cultural and Linguistic Competency Primer (CLC Primer) for which NAMBHA has had the lead development role for the last two years.

Arkansas System of Care Cultural Competence Training, Little Rock, AR

In April 2008, NAMBHA Master Trainers, Mareasa Isaacs and Oscar Morgan, conducted a three-day training in cultural competence for 45 participants from the Arkansas Office of Mental Health, other state offices, family members, and community system of care cultural brokers.

National Facilitation Center, National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED)

As the National Facilitation Center for the NNED, NAMBHA has responsibility for developing and maintaining its infrastructure; identifying and linking entities to participate in the network; planning and staffing all meetings of the various NNED entities; sharing information and disseminating knowledge through websites and the monthly NNED Note; coordinating, tracking and monitoring NNED projects; developing and implementing a NNED communication strategy; and, developing and implementing a funding plan. NAMBHA works in close collaboration with the SAMHSA Project Officer (Larke N. Huang, Ph.D. and the NNED Steering Committee). Thus far, have drafted the NNED Blueprint for Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities, developed power point presentations about the NNED, and hosted meetings.

Technical Assistance Consultation on Underutilization

Technical Assistance and Consultation to Magellan Public Sector Division, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and the Shelby County Mental Health Summit on the underutilization of mental health services by African Americans in Region 3 (Shelby County) in the state. Consultation included review of reports and documents, conducting 10 key informant interviews with key decision-makers, and facilitation of 11 focus groups with 120 participants, and a one-day presentation of the report’s findings and recommendations, September-November, 2006. Mareasa R. Isaacs, Ph.D. and Tiffney Teasdel, MSW. represented NAMBHA. Resulted in an action agenda and state-level legislative policy and program initiatives.

Mental Health Interpreters Training

Under the auspices of NAMBHA, two affiliates – the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) and the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA) have developed a three-day training for mental health interpreters that has been delivered in five counties in California, with two other scheduled to have their county staff and programs receive the training.

Louisiana Spirit Hurricane Recovery Training for Crisis Workers

In 2006, NAMBHA developed a 2-day training curriculum, Culturally Competent Practices within the Context of a Disaster Behavioral Health Response, for crisis workers and other staff working with the families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. NAMBHA trainers (four per session) conducted the initial two training sessions in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Upon completion of the curriculum, Louisiana Spirit has been able to continue to use the curriculum to train new workers as they come into their system.

Workforce Development Experience

National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health

In its current contract with the SAMHSA Office of the Administrator, NAMBHA, in its role as the National Facilitation Center for the NNED, will develop three functioning Learning Clusters: Community Engagement, Community-Based Depression and Effective Education and Training Strategies to Increase Workforce Diversity. As a part of developing Learning Clusters, the NFC is responsible for several tasks, including: identifying current activities in the field (reports, research, programs and projects), convening a consultative session of participants representing those conducting research, developing reports, developing programs or administering projects, and those who have participated in projects. These groups, with diverse perspectives, will provide the NNED with a state-of-the practice, identify gaps in current efforts, and work in partnership to address some of the gaps identified through the consultative process.

Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce

In 2007, NAMBHA received a small contract to assist in identifying nominees for the Registry of Innovative Practices in Workforce Development and to establish a review process for selecting outstanding workforce achievements in cultural competence and workforce diversity. A NAMBHA team reviewed the submissions and site-visited the top two recommendations, submitting a report on each to the Coalition. The agency recommended for honors in this area was the Center for Multicultural Human Services in Falls Church, VA. NAMBHA members also participated on the Annapolis Coalition subcommittees for the Action Plan report to SAMHSA, serving as members of the Children’s Mental Health group and leading the development of the chapter on Cultural Competence included in the report (Oscar Morgan and DJ Ida).

Experience in Coordinating Advisory Committees

NNED Steward Group

In her role as Project Director for the NNED, Dr. Isaacs has the lead in convening the 21-member Steward Group that has responsibility for the further development of the NNED. The group has also established three working committees, which Dr. Isaacs and NAMBHA staff facilitate. In this role, NAMBHA establishes the agenda for the monthly (now bi-monthly) calls, provides logistical information to the group about the calls and workgroup meetings, facilitates the call and provides minutes and follow-up tasks for the group. NAMBHA also has responsibility for at least one face-to-face meeting of the Steward Group annually. This includes working with the group to develop an agenda; provide travel and other logistical support, as needed; conduct room set-up; prepare materials; provide refreshments and meals as appropriate; ensure that those who are not present can join the group via teleconferencing; prepare minutes of the meeting.

Other NAMBHA Projects

Almost all NAMBHA projects function with a multicultural advisory group, since one of the major tenets of NAMBHA is to ensure collaboration across all its affiliates and ensure representation and voice for all groups. In addition, all NAMBHA advisory groups include behavioral health professionals, as well as consumers, families and youth representation. Many of the tasks outlined for the NNED Steward Group are similar for the other advisory group. Currently, NAMBHA coordinates a 15-member Advisory Group for its Telling Our Stories Project under subcontract with Westat, Inc. for the SAMHSA Task Order on DSSI Knowledge Synthesis, Documentation, and Marketing. We have a 35-member Expert Advisory Group for the CLC Primer project. In addition to the tasks outlined above, members of this group also review drafts of our products.

Other NAMBHA Projects

Communication and Web-Site Development

2007: HumRRO subcontract (CMHS) to design and launch a mental health disparities website, www.endmentalhealthdisparities.com/net/org. Website includes a community forum and Wiki Knowledge section for EMHD Advisory groups and the general public.

2008: Developed a website to support communication and members of the NNED (www.nned.net). Website includes a virtual office for NNED members.

2007: NNED Collaboration with SAMHSA’s Office of Communications and the SAMHSA
CCED Matrix Workgroup to identify participants to assist in the development of public education campaigns in mental health and substance abuse to reach diverse communities. NAMBHA and affiliates have identified 20 participants for the Underage Drinking Campaign and 20 participants for the Mental Health Anti-Stigma Campaign.

2006 to present: Grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to work with a learning collaborative of 10 community health care providers in racial, ethnic and immigrant communities to address screening and interventions for women (mothers) of color suffering from depression. Have implemented community-based screening and intervention programs. Currently conducting focus groups in these sites on depression in fathers of color.