Cultural Issues Related To Homelessness: Benefits of Trauma-Informed Response & Faith-Based Support

Description of Event: Homelessness is a persisting and possibly growing issue in this country and our region. Individuals experiencing homelessness often share common precipitating factors and subsequent challenges as they navigate available resources in their struggles to survive. Mental health professionals working with those experiencing homelessness may improve their competence by better understanding risk and protective factors for homelessness, how to maintain a trauma-informed approach, and how to engage with community groups attempting to fill the gaps in services. Dr. Andi Clements is a psychologist at ETSU who has been learning about and addressing homelessness in our region for years through her academic endeavors and involvement in church programming. In this three-hour training, she will provide attendees current theories for better understanding how homelessness impacts people and practical information for mental health professionals engaged in service delivery to homeless individuals. Guidance on trauma-informed care will be emphasized.

Meet the Presenter: As a full professor in a PhD granting Experimental Psychology program, I specialize in research methodology, evaluation design, instrument selection, and I love mentoring students in research. I spend much of my professional and personal time trying mobilize the faith community to address addiction through my work with the Holy Friendship Collaborative, and a colleague and I have taught about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma informed care to over 3000 individuals in more than 50 trainings over the past 3 years. Much of my research has been in the area of religion/health connections, and I have published in the areas of religiosity, health, and substance abuse. I'm active in the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the Conference on Medicine and Religion.

Learning Objectives. Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Describe cultural and societal predictors of homelessness.

2. Explain how physiological and psychological changes resulting from experiencing traumatic events may predispose someone to substance misuse, incarceration, and homelessness.

3. Express a shared understanding of homeless individuals as no different from non-homeless individuals or from themselves.

4. List the tenets of trauma-informed responding, particularly as related to working in a mental health context with individuals experiencing homelessness 5. Explain how community groups, including faith-based groups, may be recruited to serve as a support system for homeless individuals or those who are at risk for homelessness.

Participant Skill Level: Beginner To Intermediate Level

Fee:

IMPA Member: No Cost (Membership through 12/31/19 Payable at Door for $35!)

Non-IMPA Members: $45 (for those not eligible for IMPA membership)

Students: No Cost (please have valid Student ID)

Registration:

For those wishing to be IMPA members and Students: Please register for the event by going to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cultural-issues-related-to-homelessness-tickets-50448693400

For non-students who do not plan become IMPA members, please register by emailing pvisser@frontierhealth.org

On-site registration starting at 8:30 a.m.

We will be happy to accommodate special needs requests. We ask that you contact us at the IMPA email (impa.email@gmail.com) at least 1 week prior to the training event to ensure sufficient time to make any necessary arrangements.

Continuing Education:

Frontier Health is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Frontier Health maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will receive 3.0 hours of credit for attending. Variable credit may not be given per APA guidelines. Full attendance is required.

Note that this program is designed to meet Tennessee continuing education requirements in the area of cultural diversity for licensure renewal in psychology.