Fall 2023 Executive Director Mental Health Academy

Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 10/03/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

Join your CAC Executive Director (ED) colleagues for this exciting training opportunity. CAC EDs lead the charge for positioning CACs to meet NCA’s Mental Health Accreditation Standards. Many ED’s do not have a mental health background which can create challenges. NCA is excited to announce this training opportunity for EDs to learn about developing and sustaining high quality mental health programs at your CACs. 

About The Project

A total of 50 Executive Directors from CACs will be accepted into this training. Not only will you learn about mental health, but you will also be able to help shape future iterations of the training through feedback to the trainers. In 2021, NCA convened a Mental Health Standard Revision Committee of 20 individuals from Regional CACs, CACs, and subject-matter experts to make recommendations for the new Mental Health standard that went into effect in January 2023 to support the expanded NCA mission of healing for all children seen at CACs. This training will support CAC Executive Directors in the successful implementation of the 2023 NCA Mental Health standard.

The training will be delivered in five – 2 hour live interactive webinars delivered every other week over a 10- week period. During the weeks in between webinars, there will be outside work to prepare for the next webinar. It is anticipated that there will be 1-2 hours of work in between each webinar. It is important that you complete the work between webinars to be an effective participant with your colleagues during the interactive portion of the webinars. 

Training dates:

Five – 2 hour live interactive webinars to be held the following dates from 1:00-3:00PM EST.

  • October 3, 2023
  • October 17, 2023
  • October 31, 2023
  • November 14, 2023
  • December 5, 2023

By December 31, 2023, complete overall Course Evaluation.

1:1 post-training call with trainers to discuss questions/implementation plan is optional. 

What You’ll Learn
Through this training, EDs will learn:

• NCA’s 2023 Mental Health Accreditation Standard and strategies for successful implementation at your CAC.

• Mental Health Roadmap to meeting the Accreditation Standard and providing quality mental health services for children and families served.

• Evidence-Based Treatments (EBTs) recognized by NCA and training requirements.

• Conducting a community-based mental health gap analysis to determine areas of concern in your CAC’s mental health response and what EBT is needed to add to your community/CAC’s menu of services.

• The importance of collecting and documenting of accurate data and how that data can be used to inform service delivery and to seek funding for mental health services.

• The MDT’s role in mental health service delivery.

• The role of the Victim Advocate in engaging children and families in care.

• Mental health collaborations to increase the number of linkage agreements.

• The importance of collaboration between VAs and MH providers in the delivery of mental health services.

• Opportunities to collaborate with other EDs from CACs across the country and to learn about strategies that other CACs are using to successfully meet the NCA MH Accreditation Standard 


Executive Director Project Requirements

This project is designed for Executive Directors at CAC who are interested in furthering their knowledge about the NCA Mental Health Accreditation Standard, evidence-based practices and planning and sustaining high quality mental health programs. Executive Directors are defined as having a leadership role including responsibility for the outcome of services to children and families served by the CAC. This professional possesses the administrative responsibility within the organization with authority to make systematic changes (policies, procedures, budgeting). NOTE: Senior Leaders will be considered when they possess the administrative responsibility within the CAC with authority to make system changes (policies, procedures, budgeting).  

Complete Pre-Work:

• The CAC Directors Mental Health Guide as pre-workhttps://www.nctsn.org/resource...  The information in this guide will provide a foundation for this training and can serve as a resource to reinforce learning and the implementation of learning.

• There will be additional resources provided to support learning as well as the implementation of that learning within your CAC and MDT.

Additional Training Requirements:

•  Attend five 2-hour live interactive webinars from October – December 2023.

• Complete tasks between webinars to prepare yourself for the next training.

• Complete training surveys to contribute to strengthening future ED training.

Attendance and interactive participation are necessary to the success of your learning and to support other participants as they seek to learn from each other.

The trainers will be available to answer any questions you might have via email both before and during the training.



Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
Pre-Knowledge Test
25 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/25 points to pass
25 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/25 points to pass Participants will complete a Pre- and Post-Knowledge test on topics relevant to this training. The Post-Knowledge test will only be available to you once the Pre-Knowledge Test and webinars are all completed.
Live Webinar 1: Executive Director Mental Health Academy
10/03/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
10/03/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
Live Webinar 2: Executive Director Mental Health Academy
10/17/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
10/17/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
Live Webinar 3: Executive Director Mental Health Academy
10/31/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
10/31/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
Live Webinar 4: Executive Director Mental Health Academy
11/14/2023 at 1:00 PM (EST)  |  120 minutes
11/14/2023 at 1:00 PM (EST)  |  120 minutes
Live Webinar 5: Executive Director Mental Health Academy
12/05/2023 at 1:00 PM (EST)  |  120 minutes
12/05/2023 at 1:00 PM (EST)  |  120 minutes
Post-Knowledge Test
25 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/25 points to pass
25 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/25 points to pass Participants will complete a Pre- and Post-Knowledge test on topics relevant to this training. The Post-Knowledge Test is only available once the Pre-Knowledge Test and webinars are all completed.
CAC Executive Director Mental Health Academy Evaluation
9 Questions

Geoff Sidoli, MSW, LCSW

Coordinator for Mental Health Programs

National Children’s Alliance

Geoff Sidoli, LCSW, is the current Coordinator for NCA’s Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes.  He assists CACs around the country developing, implementing, and sustaining mental health services.  Prior to coming to NCA, Geoff was the executive director of a CAC in Asheville, NC where he supervised a clinical department that assessed and treated trauma and problematic sexual behavior (PSB) utilizing multiple evidence-based/supported models, including a PSB model that he developed.  Geoff has a broad history of work with trauma and sexual violence for over 30 years including the assessment and treatment of individuals that have caused sexual harm.  He speaks regionally and nationally on the topic of sexual abuse, assessment and treatment.  He served on several state/national boards and work groups that focus on intervention and prevention of sexual harm and trauma. Geoff co-chairs NCA’s youth with problematic sexual behaviors work group and sits on ATSA’s child and adolescent committee as well as the ethic’s committee.  

Libby Ralston, PhD

Founding Director of the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, Inc (DNLCC)

Libby Ralston, PhD was the founding director of the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, Inc (DNLCC) an accredited Children’s Advocacy Center located in Charleston, SC and now serves as the Director Emeritus. Dr. Ralston is on the clinical faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the Medical University of South Carolina. She served on the NCA Board of Directors, on the NCA mental health standard revision committee and participated in the partnership between NCA and NCTSN to develop the CAC Director’s Guide to Mental Health services. Since 2007 Dr. Ralston has served as the co-director of Project BEST, a Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy dissemination and since 2013 has served as Co-Director of the South Carolina Trauma Practice Initiative, a collaboration between the South Carolina Department of Social Services, the SC Department of Mental Health and Project BEST. Both initiative have been funded by The Duke Endowment.