Supervisory Training Completion

Over the past year I have completed a series of monthly trainings, and monthly training reflections.

East Santa Clara Street: San Jose

For a local training I went past the bus stop for the Learning Center, and took a few pictures along the way back.  My goal was to score some pancakes at McDonalds.

Five Wounds Catholic Parish: Serves Portuguese Community

local beautification

Lunch restaurant:  Very good but also very expensive.  Recommended by co-worker

Corner 24th and Santa Clara

Training at Campbell Community Center

I am intrigued byt he Campbell Community Center.  I attended a two-day training on facilitating reflection, and realized I am not very good at reflecting.  However I am also intrigued with this old high school turned community center with gym, pool, tennis center, track, skate park and theater, and like six or more private or charter schools.  I attend the EMQ training through West Valley College which also has a presence in the building.  I like to walk the track at lunch, but also to try out the assorted exercise equipment next to the track.

Consequences of Illicit Drug Use in America

As part of completing my CEUs for licensure I did some online courses.  One of these was on the consequences of illicit drug usage.  This training explored many different types of drugs, where the drug supply was coming from, the prevalence of the drug, and the consequences of drug use on people's lives.
Consequences of drug use include: Child neglect; over 8 million children live in households where a parent is abusing drugs or alcohol. 
School performance; children using marijuana perform poorly in school, college students using prescription stimulants nonmedically also perform poorly in school.
Economic costs; the cost of drug use in the United States is close to $200 billion annually which includes both resources used to address criminal and health costs, as well as lost production.
Addiction and treatment needs; Over nine percent of those twelve and older needed treatment for a substance abuse problem.  Just over ten percent of those needing treatment received treatment.
Acute health effects; two million emergency department visits in 2008 were the result of drug usage.
Criminal justice involvement; well over half of all those arrested in the United States test positive for illicit substances, the most common being marijuana.  Of inmates in federal and state prisons, over a third admit to using drugs at the time of the offense.
Environmental impact and dangers; the most worrisome effect of drugs is the toxic methamphetamine labs around the country, in an apartment, trunk of a car or wherever.  Also of growing concern is the marijuana growing on public lands, often sponsored by Mexican drug cartels.
The training including specific effects of different drugs, including cocaine, club drugs, methamphetamine, marijuana, misuse of prescription drugs etc.  It is all nasty.  The bottom line is don't start.  If you are using drugs get help.  This is an illness for which there are effective treatment strategies.  There is a better life available.
May I recommend my son's song dealing with addiction available through this blog:
http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/addictions-what-is-cost.html

Book Review: Youth Mental Health First Aid USA for Adults Assisting Young People

C 2012 Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Missouri Department of Mental Health and National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare.
This book was given to me as part of a training presentation by the same name.  This training is geared towards nonprofessional people, and provides assistance so they can offer help to their family members, friends, community members or others.  It compares this program to first Aid for a physical problem.  First Aid aims to preserve life, prevent further harm, promote recovery and resiliency and provide comfort.  Mental Health First Aid is geared to promote life when a person may be a danger to themselves or others, prevent the problem from becoming worse, promote recovery, provide comfort and support and help to identify or guide a person to appropriate resources and supports.  It does this through the “Youth Mental Health first Aid Action Plan.”  This plan includes five steps which spell out ALGEE.  1) Assess for risk of suicide or harm; 2) Listen nonjudgmentally; 3) Give reassurance and information; 4) Encourage appropriate professional help; 5) Encourage self-help and other support strategies. 
It includes a section on adolescence and young adulthood, and distinguishing these transitional steps which are part of normal development from mental health issues.  It then has a very large section on different mental health issues, and how to apply this model.  These include: depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis, substance use and attention and disruptive behavior problems. 
It concludes with a how-to handle certain situations.  This includes suicidal thoughts, self injury, panic attacks, trauma, acute psychosis, aggressive behavior and emergencies from alcohol or drug abuse.
This workbook is a tremendous resource.  However, I would advise taking the course so as to have some practice in the techniques before trying them.