Family Webinar Series

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Tuesday, Sept. 3: Signs of Suicide 
This session will inform parents and caregivers about the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program utilized by middle and high schools for suicide awareness and prevention. Our presenter is Taylor Cline, youth suicide prevention specialist, Tri-County Mental Health Services. 

Tuesday, Oct. 22:  Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention
Tweens and teenagers face a lot of pressure as they spend more and more time with their peers not as closely supervised by adults. Parents, guardians and family members of Park Hill students who attend this webinar will learn about the presentations offered to all middle and high school students in Park Hill given by the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) that pertain to sexual harassment and what consent means. Brandy Williams, director of education for MOCSA, will give an overview of these presentations, plus provide tips for parents and guardians about how to talk about these issues with their tweens and teenagers. In addition, Brandy will give suggestions about how to support victims of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence. Please join us for this webinar on these important topics! 

Monday, Nov. 18: Mental Wellness is a Muscle
We all have mental health, like we all have physical health – and just like there are things we can do to improve our physical health, there are things we can do to improve our mental health. When we think of mental wellness as a “muscle” we can “workout,” we open the door to a world of possibilities for becoming a healthier and happier you!

Join Taylor Cline,  youth suicide prevention specialist with Beacon Mental Health Services, to learn about the importance of mental health and mental wellness, and the valuable tools we can use to exercise for positive mental well-being.

Tuesday, Dec. 10: A Potentially Deadly Intersection: Social Media, Substance Use and Mental Health
Social media is a permanent fixture in our world and while there are positive aspects to it, there are also negative and potentially deadly effects related to the connection with substance use and mental health. Parents, caregivers, teachers and trusted adults need to be aware of those effects and work to address risk and protective factors around the intersection. This session will discuss emerging data related to the intersection of the three topics, as well as delve into strategies and solutions to help build positive relationships, have healthy conversations, and protect our young people.

Join Rikki Barton, founder/lead consultant of Onward Consulting, for this important session. Barton holds Missouri Advanced Prevention Specialist certification as well as international IC&RC certification. She has over 15 years of prevention field experience and currently serves as a consultant to assist organizations, coalitions and state/federal agencies in the areas of substance use prevention, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion. 

Monday, Jan. 27, 2025: Beyond the Game: Supporting Young Athletes in a Competitive World  
This  webinar will focus on the unique psychological challenges young athletes face and the critical role parents play in fostering a supportive environment. We’ll take a deep dive into the psychology of young athletes, with a special focus on bridging generational perspectives on relationship building, emotion regulation and competition. We will also discuss the pressures of competition over the years, the impact of self-esteem on performance and how to help teens handle setbacks. 

Our presenter is Devin Utz, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Trauma and Resilience Practitioner with a focus on the effects of trauma in teens and young adults. 

Tuesday, Feb. 11: Social Media and Online Safety
Social media encompasses all aspects of one’s life, it seems. Today, the time and energy consumed using social media seems higher than ever. Parents, teenagers and tweens alike face confusion and pressure while navigating the online world. Parents, guardians and family members who attend this webinar will learn about how to handle the “what if’s” of the online space that occupies their child’s life.

Deputy Hannah Blacklock, a School Resource Officer for the Park Hill School District and Deputy for the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, will give some online safety tips for parents to feel empowered with the knowledge and basic understanding of social media and online safety. 

Tuesday, March 4: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Youth Substance Use
Parenting is hard, and there is no one-size-fits-all handbook. As rising mental health concerns among tweens and teens increase their likelihood to seek substances to self-medicate, and social media increases access to them, parents and caregivers often feel like they are fighting a losing battle. 

Join Ashley Halter, program director of the Park Hill Community Alliance for Youth (CAFY), who will equip with you with knowledge and skills to help youth cope with stress and seek healthier alternatives to substance use.  

Tuesday, April 8: Warn Youth About Dangers of Fentanyl 
Deaths from fentanyl – many of which are accidental – are significantly rising right here in the Northland, increasing 33% for our region in the last three years. Join us for a vital workshop designed to empower parents and guardians with the knowledge and tools to protect your children from the dangers of Fentanyl. 

Join Ashley Halter, program director of the Park Hill Community Alliance for Youth (CAFY), to explore what Fentanyl is, how our youth may be exposed to it and, most importantly, actionable steps to keep your kids safe and informed. 

Click on any title in blue to view the recording.

Signs of Suicide
This webinar gives an overview of the suicide awareness and prevention program Park Hill uses to teach students how to recognize signs and symptoms in themselves and others to reduce the risk of suicide. Signs of Suicide (SOS) is a universal screening program that includes a student training on what to look for in themselves and in their peers, as well as an opportunity for them to request to speak to a counselor or social worker about themselves or others. Taylor Cline, Youth Suicide Prevention Specialist at Tri-County Mental Health Services, shared information about suicide and the Signs of Suicide program. 

Tuesday, Nov. 28: Adolescents and Anxiety
Anxiety….we hear this word a lot these days.  In this month’s webinar, learn quick, effective strategies to combat anxiety in your child, teen or even yourself. Join Sara McGinnis, a Park Hill parent, licensed professional counselor and former school counselor, as she teaches us research-based cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that will help us recognize how our thoughts impact how we feel, and ultimately how we respond. 

Tuesday, Dec. 19: Healthy Digital Habits and Boundaries 
Are you concerned that your tween/teenager is spending too much time on a device? Participants in this webinar will learn how to cut down screen time/social media and spend more quality time with your kiddos/teens. We'll talk about how to get your kids' faces out of the screen/off social media and into family time or more engaging activities with others. Our presenter if Laci Roberts, a pre-licensed professional counselor with Loom LLC in Liberty where she works with individuals, families, and couples. She was previously a counselor at Plaza Middle School. R

Tuesday, Jan. 23: Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention for Middle School Students 
Tweens and teenagers face a lot of pressure as they spend more and more time with their peers not as closely supervised by adults. Parents, guardians, and family members of Park Hill students who attend this webinar will learn about the presentations offered to all middle school students in Park Hill given by the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) that pertain to sexual harassment and what consent means. Brandy Williams, Director of Education for MOCSA, will give an overview of these presentations, plus provide tips for parents and guardians about how to talk about these issues with their tweens and teenagers. In addition, Brandy will give suggestions about how to support victims of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence. 

Tuesday, Feb. 27: Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention for High School Students
Tweens and teenagers face a lot of pressure as they spend more and more time with their peers not as closely supervised by adults. Parents, guardians, and family members of Park Hill students who attend this webinar will learn about the presentations offered to all high school students in Park Hill given by the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) that pertain to sexual harassment, sexual assault and what consent means.

Brandy Williams, Director of Education for MOCSA, will give an overview of these presentations, plus provide tips for parents and guardians about how to talk about these issues with their tweens and teenagers. In addition, Brandy will give suggestions about how to support victims of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence. View Brandy's presentation slides here.

Wednesday, March 13: "Screenagers Under the Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age" (This was an in-person event.)

Tuesday, April 23: Building Resilience While Parenting Challenging Behaviors*
As a parent, have you ever said to yourself, "I just don't understand why my child is so emotional." OR "Why can't my child just get over it? I had to when I was a kid." Using principles from Dr. Becky Kennedy's book, Good Inside, this episode will help you begin to understand your child's behavior with a "connection first" approach. 

Dana Combs, licensed professional counselor and former school counselor, will talk about how adults can better understand children's behavior and how to use a "connection first" approach to help them manage it. 

Click on any title to view the recording.

Signs of Suicide Program Overview
This webinar gives an overview of the suicide awareness and prevention program Park Hill uses to teach students how to recognize signs and symptoms in themselves and others to reduce the risk of suicide. Signs of Suicide (SOS) is a universal screening program that includes a student training on what to look for in themselves and in their peers, as well as an opportunity for them to request to speak to a counselor or social worker about themselves or others. Taylor Cline, Youth Suicide Prevention Specialist at Tri-County Mental Health Services, shared information about suicide and the Signs of Suicide program. 

Oct. 25: Attending to Adult Grief and Loss to Better Support Children
Adults are often expected to have all the answers. And while we are often better equipped to find them than children and youth, managing our own strong emotions after the loss of a loved one, the departure of a close friend who moved away, or the loss of a beloved professional opportunity, can be very challenging. How adults manage their own grief and loss is so important both for our own mental health and resilience, but also for that of children in our lives for whom we are role models and caretakers. Join Jamie Wehmeyer, Coordinator of Kansas City Northland Strong and Co-Founder and Executive Director of MJM Consulting, as she shares her own story about navigating the grief after losing her son and insights into how to healthfully manage one’s own grief and loss to build resilience in themselves and in their children. 

Nov. 29: Mental Wellness is a Muscle
We all have mental health, like we all have physical health – and just like there are things we can do to improve our physical health, there are things we can do to improve our mental health. When we think of mental wellness as a “muscle” we can “workout,” we open the door to a world of possibilities for becoming a healthier and happier you! Participants will learn about the importance of mental health and mental wellness, and the valuable tools we can use to exercise for positive mental well-being.

December 6: Supporting Children Through Grief and Loss 
There are few things tougher than seeing your child struggle emotionally and doing so while you may share that grief as you both navigate the loss of a loved one is even tougher. Join Becky Franklin, Behavioral Health Therapist and Educator with Tri-County Mental Health Services, as she shares information about how to healthfully support children and youth through the grieving process while also managing your own as an adult caretaker.

January 24: Dangers of Fentanyl 
There has been a significant rise in national opioid deaths related to fentanyl-laced pills, including a number of tragic deaths among youth in the Northland. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.  Just traces of the drug fentanyl can be fatal.  Drugs dealers are mixing fentanyl into counterfeit pills, such as oxycodone, Adderall and Xanax and it is impossible to tell which are fake. These pills are being sold on the black market and there is no regulation of any kind. 
 
Join us for this webinar as the program director of the Park Hill Community Alliance for Youth (CAFY), Ashley Halter, talks about this dangerous trend. Another featured guest at this webinar is Amy Owens, whose daughter lost a close friend who died after unknowingly taking a fentanyl-laced pill she thought would help her sleep. Annika will also be giving a pre-recorded account of her horrific experience of finding her friend dead, a sweet girl whose full life was ended way too soon. 

February 21: Brain Explained: Understanding What Promotes and Protects Young Minds
We don’t need to become neuroscientists to parent or raise children, but a basic understanding of what’s going on in your child’s brain can be incredibly helpful.

In this workshop, Laura Bruce, program development specialist at Tri-County Mental Health Services, Inc., will use pictures, analogies, and simple models to teach us information about what’s going on in your child’s brain as they develop. You’ll leave with new skills, knowledge and language to help you promote and protect your child today and in the future.

More about our presenter: Laura Bruce is an expert in prevention and has spent the past 13 years working in coalitions to reduce youth substance use, promote mental health, and build resilience in youth. Laura is passionate about protecting the health and safety of the next generation and is excited to bring this message about how we can use what we know about the teenage brain to help promote and protect your child today and in the future. 

March 29: Prepped and Ready: Parenting into the Teen Years and Learn Practical Strategies for Parenting Teenagers
Developed by Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Shayla Sullivant, Prepped and Ready is a presentation to help equip parents for the transition into parenting teenagers. The transition is a time of tremendous change for teens and it can be overwhelming as a parent to know how to help. Prepped and Ready aims to help parents learn what steps they can take before a crisis develops. The presentation was held in person.

April 9: Marijuana is Legal in Missouri, Now What? 
Amendment 3 passed in Missouri in November 2022 making marijuana use legal for adults. Are you wondering about the implications for your family and others? Learn what the amendment changed and what stays the same. Explore some strategies for youth use prevention.

Our presenter is Jennifer Rhoad, the drug-free communities program director of Smithville Community in Action, a youth prevention coalition. She also facilitates a Missouri-wide coalition for youth marijuana prevention called Keeping Missouri Kids Safe.