CBS 42 –
The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) announced the addition of 19 new Nationally Certified Trauma Trainers in the state of Alabama to offer trauma-informed response training throughout the state.
The certification is provided by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration’s (SAMHSA) GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation. ADMH was one of 10 communities chosen nationally to participate in the trauma-informed care experience and this training includes seven ADMH staff members.
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.
During the four-hour highly interactive training, professionals increase their understanding of trauma, create an awareness of the impact of trauma on behavior, and develop trauma-informed responses.
This is tailored to community-based criminal justice professionals including:
- community correction (probation, parole, and pretrial services officers)
- court personnel
- police
- behavioral health care providers
- other human service providers
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. Partnerships across the systems can also help to link individuals to trauma-informed services and treatment for trauma.
NICOLE WALDEN, ADMH DIRECTOR OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
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.
Traumatic events can include:
- physical and sexual abuse
- neglect
- bullying
- community-based violence
- disaster
- terrorism
- war
According to the SAMHSA, such experiences can challenge a person’s capacity for recovery, pose 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, you can reach out to one of the following contacts below:
| Jill Bates AIDS Alabama Phone: 205-427-9104 Email: jill.bates@aidsalabama.org | Camille Jones Social Worker, Birmingham Municipal Court Phone: 205-254-2447 Email: cdjones890@yahoo.com |
| Yakima Burch Treatment Services Coordinator Aletheia House Phone: 205-324-6502 Email: yburch@specialkindofcaring.org | Stacey Lee Program Coordinator, Alabama Department of Mental Health Phone: 334-451-6788 Email: Stacey.lee@mh.alabama.gov |
| Pamela Butler Coordinator of Peer Services, Alabama Department of Mental Health 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 Phone: 205-917-3780 ext. 248 Email: danamccreless@uabmc.edu |
| Luciana Coleman Program Manager, Alabama Department of Mental Health Phone: 334-242-1709 Email:luciana.coleman@mh.alabma.gov | Debbi Sims Metzger Program Manager, Alabama Department of Mental Health Phone: 334-322-0160 Email: debbi.sims@mh.alabama.gov |
| Keisha Kennedy Director of Behavioral Health, Aletheia House Phone: 205-229-7534 Email:kkennedy@specialkindofcaring.com | Denice Morris Program Manager, Alabama Department of Mental Health 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 Phone: 205-427-9870 Email:stephen.davis@uabm.edu | Madalyn Roberts Social Worker, Birmingham Municipal Court Phone: 205-254-2447 Email: Madalyn.Roberts@birminghamal.gov |
| Meta Eatman Alabama Pardons and Parole Phone: 205-305-1426 Email: Meta.Eatman@paroles.alabama.gov | Yvonne Thomas Director, Connecting Creative Communities Phone: 317-501-7209 Email: yk1qt@yahoo.com |
| Gloria Howard Chief Operating Officer, Aletheia House Phone: 205-533-6014 Email: ghoward@specialkindofcaring.org | Tunja Tolbert Outreach Specialist, R.O.S.S. Phone: 334-207-0061 Email: ross4us.trtolbert@gmail.com |
| Brooke Whitfield Program Manager, Alabama Department of Mental Health Phone: 334-399-5215 Email: brooke.whitfield@mh.alabama.gov | Bethany Tyree Clinical Director, CED Fellowship House, Inc. Phone: 256-458-4463 Email: bethanyttyree@yahoo.com |
| Nicole Walden Director, Substance Abuse Treatment Services Alabama Department of Mental Health Phone: 334-353-7248 Email: nicole.walden@mh.alabama.gov |
Trauma response training now offered in the state by Alabama Department of Mental Health