June 2024 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Breaking down Stigma Barriers”

with Angela Clements and Amy Polsin

Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Angela Clements
    Angela Clements, a parent peer specialist, has worked with various agencies since 2018, including Family Strong, Wisconsin Community Services, Peer Specialist Limited, and Fresh Start Learning Inc. In her role, she not only supports families involved with Reach/Wraparound Services and the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), Professional Foster Parents, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, and Trauma information Care but also serves as a trainer, group co-facilitator, advocate, and a connection to resources in the community. Angela’s commitment to healing and healthy choices, stemming from her own experiences as a parent of a loving son with mental health challenges and as a former foster parent, offers hope and encouragement to other parents and caregivers. Angela has become the caregiver to her beautiful granddaughter, who experiences trauma, and is now able to be the role model on the journey of healing and healthy choices. She loves traveling and spending time with her Princess.
  • Amy Polsin
    Amy Polsin has been a parent peer specialist with Wisconsin Family Ties (WFT) since 2008. In her role, she supports families involved with Coordinated Service Teams (CST) and the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) and the Children Long Term Support waiver (CLTS). Amy has used her lived experience to provide support and hope to parents. Amy is a parent of two children, she shares her experience raising children with mental health needs with the parents she supports to promote and advocate for better outcomes for families.
Description:

In “Breaking Down Stigma Barriers”, you will learn how to: address and recognize stigma barriers, recognize what stigma looks like, how to use compassion, support, and understanding to address stigma and change outcomes.

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, July 4th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on July 11th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

May 2024 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Meet Me Where I’m At”
with Michelle Uetz and Amy Polsin

Thursday, May 16th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Michelle Uetz
    Michelle Uetz is a Certified Parent Peer Specialist (CPPS). Michelle is the Owner/Director of Rocky Hill Parent Peer Specialists LLC and contracts with counties to support parents and families receiving mental health and substance use support. Michelle currently has eight team members who work with her to support parents and families in 20 counties. Prior to supporting families Michelle used her Master of Education degree to teach high school Special Education, Biology, and Health for 17 years. She was in the first group of CPPS Trainers and continues to be a CPPS trainer. Michelle served as Co-Chair of the WI Certified Peer Specialist Advisory Committee for two years and served on the committee for five years. Michelle lost her sister to suicide. She and her husband had guardianship of her cousin’s girls who had experienced significant trauma and mental health challenges for three years. Additionally, she manages her own depression and anxiety. Michelle and her husband live in River Falls, WI. They have three boys who are young adults.
  • Amy Polsin
    Amy Polsin has been a parent peer specialist with Wisconsin Family Ties (WFT) since 2008. In her role, she supports families involved with Coordinated Service Teams (CST) and the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) and the Children Long Term Support waiver (CLTS). Amy has used her lived experience to provide support and hope to parents. Amy is a parent of two children, she shares her experience raising children with mental health needs with the parents she supports to promote and advocate for better outcomes for families.
Description:

Meeting parents where they are includes spatially, emotionally, socially, financially, physically, culturally, and more. We will walk through our experiences as parents and as certified parent peer specialists to provide insight, strategies and perspectives when supporting parent and families by meeting them where they are at during all phases of recovery.

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 30th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on June 6th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

April 2024 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Healing Connection: Addressing Compassion Fatigue & Burnout”
with Karen Iverson Riggers & Lynn McLaughlin

Thursday, April 18th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Karen Iverson Rigger
    Karen Iverson Riggers is a writer, entrepreneur, activist, advocate, trainer, and Mom. She is a trainer of Emotional CPR and Emotions Education 101 and co-creator of “The Missing Piece: Emotions & Wellness” and “Listening to Trauma” curricula. She is a founding worker/owner of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative, a Wisconsin based worker owned cooperative that provides training, consultation, and listening spaces related to emotional health and wellness. Along with Lynn McLaughlin, she launched the Real Vibes Only podcast in 2022 which talks about real life and emotions. She utilizes her own lived experience in the mental health system to advocate for change and create community spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, just as they are. Karen lives in Appleton with her partner Eric and their three children Nick, Quinn, and Ari.
  • Lynn McLaughlin
    Lynn McLaughlin is an entrepreneur, peer, trainer, advocate, and Mom. Her lived experience, education and training has created a deep empathy for human challenges and a commitment to provide hope to others at every opportunity. Lynn is a trainer of Emotional CPR and Emotions Education 101 and co-creator of “The Missing Piece: Emotions & Wellness” and “Listening to Trauma” curricula. She is passionate about creating non-clinical community spaces that enhance social connection and combat social isolation and loneliness in communities. Lynn is a founding worker/owner of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative, a Wisconsin based worker owned cooperative that provides training, consultation, and listening spaces related to emotional health and wellness. Along with Karen Iverson Riggers, Lynn launched a weekly podcast in 2022 called “Real Vibes Only” which shares authentically on real life and emotions. Lynn received her BA in Communications from Marian University. She is mom to her adult daughter Emma who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Lynn lives in Neenah with her two pups—Lennon and Esther.
Description:

For folks who work with their hearts and support others, compassion fatigue and burnout are very real and very common side effects of witnessing trauma and holding space for grief and loss. There’s often not a lot of support for those who are supporting others. Often, we are told to engage in self-care or “go away and come back when you are ‘better.”

We will explore the power of healing in relationship and community care vs. self-care (individual). Becoming aware of the emotional component of compassion fatigue and burnout will also be presented to allow participants time for self-reflection and a deepened relationship with one’s own emotional wellness. Join us to explore practices and ideas for better connecting with ourselves to deepen our connections with others.

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 2nd. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on May 9th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

March 2024 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Navigating Best Practices and the Effects of Immigration in the Latine Community”
with Norma Gallegos Valles & Monica G. Caldwell

Thursday, March 21st, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Norma Gallegos Valles
    Norma Gallegos Valles is a Workforce and Career Pathways manager and a certified Peer Specialist Trainer at Centro. Norma leads the growth and development of workforce trainings that are strength-based, holistic, and promote self-advocacy at work and in the community.
  • Monica Caldwell
    Monica G. Caldwell is currently serving as a Peer and Career Support Lead at Centro Hispano of Dane County. Monica’s work focuses on working closely with the Latinx community to help them enhance their employability skills through various workforce programs. Recently, Monica initiated a bilingual (Spanish/English) and culturally competent CPS training program at Centro. This program is specifically designed to explore paths to recovery and healing through their participants’ lived experiences. and help them to express their feelings while they integrate values and work ethic into their professional growth as Peer Specialists. Additionally, she is also working with Latinx individuals who are facing challenges with the court system in Dane County.
Description:

Join us in this gathering as we explore culturally relevant practices through the HEART (Healing Ethno and Racial Trauma) framework and enhance your awareness about the effects of immigration in the Latine community!

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 4th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on April 11th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

February 2024 Supervisor’s Community of Practice

“Grief is a Backpack: Carrying What Can’t Be Fixed”
with Lisa Marie Auter

Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Lisa Marie Auter
    Lisa Marie Auter is a Peer Support Team Lead and Peer Support Group Coordinator at SOAR Case Management in Madison, WI. Lisa Marie is also a Poetry Therapy Practitioner interested in combining creative writing with mental health support. Her poetry and non-fiction have been widely published and she is currently working on a book that combines peer support ethics and values with training in expressive arts. Lisa Marie is passionate about grief work and offering space to normalize this human experience.
Description:

Let’s get real about grief support. In this Community of Practice, we will look at how society has trained us to approach grief as opposed to the enormous possibilities and potential in normalizing grief as part of the human experience. We will explore how our peer support values align with this alternate perspective on grief: one of resiliency, empowerment, and community.

Participants will be offered a chance to examine their own grief experiences and consider a more inclusive way to provide support to themselves and others. Presenter Lisa Marie Auter will be taking many thoughts and quotes from Megan Devine’s groundbreaking book, “It’s Ok to Not Be Ok.” Lisa Marie also offers a wellness group of the same name, “Grief is a Backpack” for Dane County CCS participants in search of skills and support in managing their grief.

 

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, March 7th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on March 14th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.