Spring 2010 Newsletter

1. Contact/MHA offer groundbreaking Mental Health First Aid training
2. Contact/MHA partner with WCNY-TV and Excellus to bring attention to veterans’ challenges
3. Contact focuses on social and emotional learning (SEL) with summer training institute
4. Contact offers 24/7 coverage for HelpLine and MHA info and referral services
5. Children 1st receives state grant

Contact focuses on social and emotional learning (SEL) with summer training institute

Contact will hold its first Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Institute in July and August and its second annual SEL Summit in November. SEDL is a process for helping children—and adults—develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. These skills include: recognizing and managing emotions; developing caring and concern for others; establishing positive relationships; making responsible decisions; and handling challenging situations constructively and ethically.

The SEDL Summer Institute will feature workshops in Aggression Replacement Training (ART); Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS). All trainings are evidence-based.

Aggression Replacement Training improves social skills, anger control and moral reasoning skills of chronically aggressive young people by teaching them how to react in constructive, nonaggressive ways in school, at home and in the community.

Functional Behavioral Assessment helps counselors and instructional staff identify the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students, according to Susan VanCamp, Contact's director of school services The workshop teaches school staff how environment influences behavior, assess student needs and develop action plans to manage student behavior.

Finally, Contact is training counselors, social workers and teachers in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS). PBIS builds and sustain healthy school environments by developing school-wide systems to support staff and create consistent expectations and discipline for students.

Summer classes will also include Mental Health First Aid Training.

Last year, nearly 300 people attended the first SEDL Summit for educators, parents, mental health providers and youth workers. More information on the summer classes and the 2010 summit will be available soon. For information about these events or other school trainings, write to: svancamp@contactsyracuse.org .