Next Provider Education Series:
5 consecutive Fridays
May 21st - Jun 18th
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Please fill out interest form on the right to be notified of next steps for enrollment. We will contact you by email within 2 weeks.


​NAMI Provider Education Series

The NAMI Provider Education series provides a fresh, innovative approach to mental health treatment using a dynamic interactive format specially developed for providers. Taught by a team of volunteers, including mental health professionals, consumers, and family members, the series has received an overwhelmingly positive response from professionals at public mental health agencies and hospitals across the country.

NAMI Provider Education seeks to introduce mental health professionals to the bio-psycho-social model of collaborative treatment through a better understanding of:
  • The lived experiences of mental illness.
  • Stages of adaptation to psychiatric medications and treatment.
  • Adjustments and coping strategies made by consumers and family members.
  • Positive outcomes of collaborative treatment where consumers, family members, and professionals work together as a team.

Presented by:
Ellen Adams, MS, MFT is both a mental health professional and a family member. She has degrees from SJSC and UCSC and currently practices Psychotherapy in her Santa Cruz and Soquel Offices. Her formal education includes extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Systems approaches, with certifications in Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction. She has been a NAMI volunteer for 20 years, and has led the NAMI Provider Education series nine times.

Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the three components of the bio-psycho-social model of collaborative treatment
  • Understand the three stages of emotional recovery from trauma of mental illness
  • Understand strength-based collaboration, and supporting recovery
  • Be able to relate at least three accounts of lived experience of mental illness. 
​
Who Should Attend: 
Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Case Managers, Therapists, Social Workers, Psychiatric Technicians, Drug and Alcohol Counselors, Residential Caregivers, RNs, Outreach Workers, Vocational/Job Counselors, and all others serving individuals with serious mental illnesses and their families in Santa Cruz County.

Participant Perspectives:
“I can’t say enough about the Provider Education Program.  When I went through the course, I kept thinking ‘what a wonderful learning experience that all our staff need to have.’  The five members of the teaching team were great.  I have been working at the hospital for 20 years, and this is one of the best programs I have been through for staff.  We have worked hard over the years to create a more humanistic and compassionate culture.  This program will definitely help us in that direction.”

-– Assistant Clinical Director, Utah State Hospital

CEU Information:
Course meets the qualifications for 15 hours of continuing education for LCSW’s, LMFT’s and LPCC’s as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Santa Cruz Behavioral Health is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (71620) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, and/or LPCCs. Santa Cruz Behavioral Health maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. You must attend the entire series; no partial credit given. Continuing Education Certificates will be emailed to qualifying participants within 4 weeks of the training. Course does not offer CME or CCAPP. 
 
Accommodations:
We are happy to accommodate ADA needs.

    Provider Education Interest List Sign-Up
Contact:
Please call our office line at (831)-824-0406 to learn more.