Trainings
Understanding ACES, Toxic Stress, and Trauma Informed Care - March 18, 2025
This training is designed for professionals working with communities affected by adversity. Participants will explore the long-term impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and toxic stress on mental health, brain development, and physical well-being, including their connection to chronic disease and health disparities. The training emphasizes the importance of identifying both trauma and resiliency factors and implementing trauma-informed practices within systems of care to promote healing and reduce barriers.
Key Objectives: (1) Increasing knowledge of ACES and their influence on social determinants of health, (2) Enhancing understanding of how ACES impact mental health, brain development, and their links to chronic illness and early mortality, and (3) Building awareness and skills in trauma-informed care to ensure patient-centered, relationship-focused services that foster resilience and healing.
Building a Trauma Informed Campus: Policies & Best Practices in Community Colleges - March 13, 2025
The learning objectives of this training, presented by Jeanie Tietjen, PhD., include (1) Define trauma-informed higher education by identifying key principles, common misconceptions, and the ways trauma impacts learning, teaching, and academic resilience in community colleges, (2) Analyze the neurobiological impact of trauma on student engagement and academic performance, exploring how concepts like threat response, procrastination, and co-regulation influence learning environments, (3) Apply trauma-informed strategies in pedagogy and campus practices by examining practical tools, including syllabus design, faculty training, campus resources, and institutional policies that support student and faculty well-being, and (4) Develop effective responses to stakeholder pushback and real-world scenarios, recognizing the challenges faced by faculty—particularly minoritized faculty—and implementing strategies to maintain boundaries, equity, and professional sustainability.
Click below to access all slides and event resources.
Supporting Neurodivergent Students on Campus - Feb. 7, 2025
This training provides the basic skills for participants to: (1) Describe what a neurodiverse-friendly college campus should include, (2) Describe what effective collaboration with disability services, academic advisors, other support staff, and other campus resources for working with neurodivergent students should look like, (3) Understand and implement reasonable accommodations for neurodivergent students, (4) Understand and implement current inclusive language when working with neurodivergent students, and (5) Increase faculty and staff comfort levels to conduct open communication with neurodivergent students to better understand their needs and preferences.
Understanding 504 & Americans with Disabilities Act: Proactive Strategies for Supporting Students with Mental Health Conditions - January 30, 2025
This training equips direct providers and administrative staff in higher education with tools and resources to proactively support students with mental health conditions in navigating their rights under Section 504 and the ADA. Led by experts from Illinois Doc Assist and the Great Lakes ADA Center, the program covers key areas: utilizing consultation services for mental health accommodations, strengthening referral and linkage processes, and applying evidence-based case consultations to enhance student support.
Participants will gain an understanding of legal protections, including the definition of disability and eligibility under 504 and ADA, while learning to navigate the accommodation process, address denied accommodations, and implement institutional best practices to improve compliance and support for students with mental health conditions.
Click below to access all slides and event resources.
Safe, Fun Sober Events at Colleges: Can Prevention Norming Campaigns be Effective? - November 13, 2024
The ECHO program Safe, Fun Sober Events at Colleges: Can Prevention Norming Campaigns be Effective? was presented by Dr. Stephanie Rose, Associate Professor & Addiction Studies Program Coordinator, and Millie Goins, Assistant Director of Student Wellness & Programs, from the University of Central Arkansas. Their presentation shared their experiences developing campus prevention programs that heavily involve students in the planning, developing and implementation process. They also explained sources of funding and current outcomes.
Grow Your Own Peer Mentoring/Support Program – August 5, 2024
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) ability to explain the importance of having a peer mentoring/support program on their campus, (2) ability to identify at least three ways to measure success of a “Grow Your Own Peer Mentoring/Support Program”, and (3) ability to explain at least three barriers to implementing their own peer mentoring/support program on their campus.
Mental Health Access on Campus Learning Collaborative - April 23, 2024
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) furthering your understanding of peer support groups on college and university campuses as directed in the MHEAC Act, and (2) obtaining insights and actionable recommendations on peer support program implementation through a Q&A with subject matter expects and engaging conversations with peers from across the state.
Intramural Partnerships & Mental Health Training - April 18, 2023
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) Explore current partnerships and mental health training initiatives at public colleges and universities, (2) Identify new strategies for intramural and campus-wide partnerships while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) Make commitments for implementing practices to form and enrich partnerships and mental health integration initiatives through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.
Understanding Legal Compliance Concerning Mental Health - February 28, 2023
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) Explore current regulations regarding mental health services for public colleges and universities, (2) Identify new strategies for compliance with state and federal regulations while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) Make commitments for implementing practices to ensure compliance with mental health state and federal regulations through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.
Peer-to-Peer Program Implementation - January 24, 2023
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) explore current successes and challenges of Peer-to-Peer programs being implemented by public colleges and universities, (2) identify new strategies for implementing Peer-to-Peer programs while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) make commitments for implementing Peer-to-Peer programs through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.
Campus Mental Health Funding - A Conversation with Legislatures and Students - November 1, 2022
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) working towards understanding the MHEAC Act and funding that is allocated to Community Colleges and Universities in Illinois, and (2) open discussion with State Senator Celina Villanueva, State Representative La Shawn K. Ford, and Illinois students attending higher education institutions.
Leveraging Community Resources & Partnerships to Increase Access to Services for Students - June 14, 2022
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) explore lessons learned, successes, challenges, and best practices in leveraging community resources and partnerships to increase access to services for students on their campuses, (2) learn about both external and internal mechanisms for developing, integrating, and sustaining student focused, community based partnerships and resources to increase access to services for students, and (3) identify new strategies for elevating community resources and
partnerships, while taking into consideration the needs of students, faculty, and other stakeholders within the capacity of public colleges and universities.
Preparing a Mental Health Response for a Campus-Wide Tragedy - April 26, 2022
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) explore lessons learned, successes, and challenges in preparing a mental health response for a campus-wide tragedy, (2) identify new strategies for preparing a mental health response for a campus-wide tragedy, taking into consideration the needs of students, faculty, and other stakeholders, within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) share resources for developing mental health responses, including communications plans, for responding to a campus-wide tragedy.
Cultural Competence in MH Services & Addressing Stigma in a Culturally Competent Way - February 22, 2022
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) explore current successes and challenges in building cultural competence and addressing stigma in a culturally competent manner by public colleges and universities, (2) identify new strategies for building cultural competence and addressing stigma in a culturally competent way, while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) make commitments for building cultural competence and addressing stigma through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.
Peer-to-Peer Programs: How They Work, Best Practices, Lessons Learned, Costs & More - January 25, 2022
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) explore current successes and challenges of Peer-to-Peer programs being implemented by public colleges and universities, (2) identify new strategies for implementing Peer-to-Peer programs while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) make commitments for implementing Peer-to-Peer programs through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.
Integrating Mental Health Awareness into Campus Culture - November 30, 2021
The goals of this learning collaborative include (1) Explore current successes and challenges of the implementation of relevant goals of the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act and practices of public colleges and universities, (2) Identify new strategies for integrating mental health awareness while responding to current needs of students, and within the capacity of public colleges and universities, and (3) Make commitments for integrating mental health awareness through exploration of innovative strategies identified by Learning Collaborative institutions.