Montgomery, Ala.– The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) is pleased to announce the addition of 19 new Nationally Certified Trauma Trainers in the state of Alabama, which includes seven ADMH staff members. ADMH was one of 10 communities chosen nationally to participate in the trauma-informed care experience.

The certification was provided by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration’s (SAMHSA) GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation. The training, “How Being Trauma Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses,” helps educate criminal justice professionals about the impact of trauma and how to develop trauma-informed responses.

The four-hour highly interactive training is tailored to community-based criminal justice professionals including, community correction (probation, parole, and pretrial services officers), court personnel, police, behavioral health care providers and other human service providers. During the training, professionals increase their understanding of trauma, create an awareness of the impact of trauma on behavior and develop trauma-informed responses.

“Trauma informed responses can help to avoid re-traumatizing individuals, and thereby increase safety for all, decrease recidivism, and promote support recovery of justice-involved individuals with serious mental illness and substance use issues,” says Nicole Walden, ADMH Director of Substance Abuse Treatment. “Partnerships across the systems can also help to link individuals to trauma-informed services and treatment for trauma,” she continued.

SAMHSA recognizes the majority of people who have behavioral health issues and are involved with the justice system have significant histories of trauma and exposure to personal and community violence. Involvement with the justice system can further exacerbate trauma for these individuals.

Traumatic events can include physical and sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, community-based violence, disaster, terrorism, and war. Such experiences can challenge a person’s capacity for recovery, pose significant barriers to accessing services, and result in an increased risk of interacting with the criminal justice system.

For more information about receiving training for your agency or your community, please reach out directly to one of these individuals below.

Jill Bates

AIDS Alabama

Phone: 205-427-9104

Email: jill.bates@aidsalabama.org

Camille Jones

Social Worker

Birmingham Municipal Court

801 17th Street N, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-254-2447

Email: cdjones890@yahoo.com

Yakima Burch

Treatment Services Coordinator

Aletheia House

201 Finley Avenue W, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-324-6502

Email: yburch@specialkindofcaring.org

 

Stacey Lee

Program Coordinator

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-451-6788

Email: Stacey.lee@mh.alabama.gov

Pamela Butler

Coordinator of Peer Services

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 205-383-8467

Email:pamela.butler@mh.alabmama.gov

Dana McCreless

Q/A Program Administrator

Community Justice Programs

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology

401 Beacon Parkway W, Homewood, AL

Phone: 205-917-3780 ext. 248

Email: danamccreless@uabmc.edu

 

Luciana Coleman

Program Manager

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-242-1709

Email:luciana.coleman@mh.alabma.gov

Debbi Sims Metzger

Program Manager

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-322-0160

Email: debbi.sims@mh.alabama.gov

Keisha Kennedy

Director of Behavioral Health

Aletheia House

2100 16th Avenue S, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-229-7534

Email:kkennedy@specialkindofcaring.com

Denice Morris

Program Manager

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-242-1707

Email: denice.morris@mh.alabama.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Bailey Davis

Director of Community Justice Programs

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology

530 Beacon Parkway W, St. 300 Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-427-9870
Email:stephen.davis@uabm.edu

 

 

 

Madalyn Roberts

Social Worker

Birmingham Municipal Court

801 17th Street North, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-254-2447

Email: Madalyn.Roberts@birminghamal.gov

Meta Eatman

Alabama Pardons and Parole

Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-305-1426

Email: Meta.Eatman@paroles.alabama.gov

Yvonne Thomas

Director

Connecting Creative Communities

7753 1st Avenue S, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 317-501-7209

Email: yk1qt@yahoo.com

 

Gloria Howard

Chief Operating Officer

Aletheia House

2100 16th Avenue S, Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-533-6014

Email: ghoward@specialkindofcaring.org

 

Tunja Tolbert

Outreach Specialist

R.O.S.S.

716 37th Street S. Birmingham, AL

Phone: 334-207-0061

Email: ross4us.trtolbert@gmail.com

 

Brooke Whitfield

Program Manager

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-399-5215

Email: brooke.whitfield@mh.alabama.gov

Bethany Tyree

Clinical Director

CED Fellowship House, Inc.

4209 Brooke Avenue, Gadsden, AL

Phone: 256-458-4463

Email: bethanyttyree@yahoo.com

 Nicole Walden

Director, Substance Abuse Treatment Services

Alabama Department of Mental Health

100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL

Phone: 334-353-7248

Email: nicole.walden@mh.alabama.gov

ADMH Offering Trauma Response Training Statewide