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The Training Spot: December 2019

A NOTE From the CASA Training Department

Ann Marie Ronsman, CASA Training Manager
Ann Marie Ronsman, CASA Training Manager

As I count my blessings from this year, I count all the Advocates with which I have had the privilege of working among them. 2019 has been a great year in the training department. In addition to training our new Advocates, we have had a successful fall conference and a successful training on “The Impact of a Trauma Informed Court.” This year has included a continuation of our continuing education through text message, which we fondly call “drip learning”. In addition, many trainings were held to focus on some of our CASA specialty areas such as teens, sex Trafficking, TBRI and our GIFT program. I greatly appreciate the time that each of you have devoted to improving your Advocacy through learning more about the issues that face our CASA children.

New TBRI Curriculum

2020 will be another exciting year for the training department. We will have a new TBRI curriculum, which will include monthly TBRI trainings. They will be titled TBRI 101, 102 & 103. One training will be offered each month. You can attend the trainings in any order and you can attend one or all three.

TBRI 101

TBRI 101 will help Advocates gain an understanding of complex developmental trauma including ACES, risk factors for trauma, as well as trauma’s impact on the brain. Participants will get an over view of Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and the principles of Connecting, Empowering and Correcting. Attendees will leave the training with knowledge and skills that they can use with their CASA children and that can be also shared with their children’s placements. REGISTER HERE.

TBRI 102

TBRI 102 will help Advocates gain an understanding of the TBRI principles of Connecting & Empowering. Participants will learn about mindfulness, and why it is essential to create healing connections. We will discuss ways to build engagement as well as nurturing activities that can be used with our CASA children. We will learn nurturing activities and also how we can set up the environment, through the use of ecologic & physiological strategies, to empower our children to be successful. Attendees will leave the training with knowledge and skills that they can use with their CASA children and that can be also shared with their children’s placements. REGISTER HERE.

TBRI 103

TBRI 103 will help Advocates will gain an understanding of the two models of discipline and why traditional discipline techniques are not always effective for children who have experienced complex developmental trauma. Participants will learn life value terms which are essential to building a trauma informed culture. Participants will learn the IDEAL Response (Immediate, Direct, Efficient, Action-based and Leveled). Attendees will leave the training with knowledge and skills that they can use with their CASA children and that can be also shared with their children’s placements. REGISTER HERE.

Understanding Psychological and Substance Abuse Assessments Training with Victor Love

In addition to our TBRI trainings, Victor Love, who is one of the therapists who works with our parents will be training in January 22nd and March 4th from 9-10 am on understanding the psychological and substance abuse assessments. He will talk about various qualifications of individuals who administer the testing and how that may impact the results. He will also speak to confidentiality laws and regulations that impact therapists.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Our Youth Mental Health First Aid training was cancelled in fall due to the flooding from Tropical Storm Imelda. It has been rescheduled for January 24th and March 27th from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This 8 hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them with appropriate care.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season! I am looking forward to great things in the training department in 2020. If you have questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact me at AnnMarie@CASASpeaks4Kids.com.

Sincerely,

Ann Marie Ronsman, Training Manager

CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County