My Brother in Montana July 10, 2019 | PRA Work | Guest Post This story was shared with the SAMHSA SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance Center by an anonymous individual who learned about the SOAR model when it was used to support their estranged brother. An edited version of the story is below and underscores the power of the SOAR model and its reach in… Read More
APHA’s Annual Meeting: A Marathon, Not a Sprint June 26, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Crystal Brandow I am a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA), active in the Mental Health Section. As a new member and early career professional, I went to the APHA Annual Meeting in November 2017 for my Professional Development offered to staff at PRA. Traveling down to Atlanta, I was eager to join the nearly… Read More
When Worlds Collide June 19, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Karli Keator Horses have been the central part of my life for as long as I can remember. Inside, I am forever that little girl. You know the one. The girl that points out every horse on a road trip; that has horse-themed wall calendars and mugs; that watches every horse movie unless it doesn’t end well… Read More
May is Mental Health Month–#4Mind4Body May 22, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Terri Hay I agreed to do a blog for May is Mental Health Month in early 2019. At the time I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about, but I knew I could count on inspiration from the work we, here at PRA, are doing every day to strengthen the services and systems that support… Read More
Mental Health Month: Why it Matters May 8, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Amelia Allen Mental health awareness matters because we are all affected by it. It is at the center of so many issues affecting our country. Along with issues of poverty and trauma, mental health is woven right into the fabric of our society. Through mental health awareness campaigns and by being an advocate, a voice, for people… Read More
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day — Suicide Prevention: Strategies that Work May 2, 2019 | PRA Work | Karli Keator Once a year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shines a national spotlight on the importance of caring for every child’s mental health and reinforces that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development. The 2019 theme for National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is “Suicide Prevention: Strategies that Work.” Learn… Read More
SOAR 2019 CJ TA Awards April 17, 2019 | PRA Work | Dazara Ware It is often said that the preparation for individuals to be released from prison and jail begins at the time of incarceration. Although the maxim is ideal, it is not uncommon for people with serious mental illness to return to communities without the support they need to ensure successful community integration. When faced with housing… Read More
Acknowledgement of Principles of Brain Development Codified in Alaska April 10, 2019 | PRA Work | Maureen McLeod On Friday, January 11, I tuned into a 1-hour webinar entitled “New Alaska Statute Directs State Policy to Incorporate Principles of Brain Development.” As an educator and trauma trainer with a long-established interest in research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), I was interested in learning how, in this political environment, scientific knowledge on trauma and… Read More
Writing for Wellness: Walking for Spiritual Wellness March 6, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Erika Ihara At PRA we don’t just have lunch, we “strategically renew” at midday. Sometimes that means using lunchtime for typical stuff like eating or running errands, but we are also encouraged to use the time to mindfully take a short break away from our work. Like many of us, sometimes I will use this time to… Read More
MeRT: A Primer February 27, 2019 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Amanda Starkey In October 2018, I had the opportunity to attend the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Annual Conference as my professional development for the year. One class I attended was particularly interesting, especially given the population we often advocate for here at Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA). Judi Kosterman, Ph.D., from the… Read More
Writing the Medical Summary Report: How Hard Can It Be? February 20, 2019 | PRA Work | Suzy Sodergren As a member of the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance (TA) Center team for 9 years, my role has primarily been behind the scenes. Give me a website page to create, an issue brief to edit, or a SOAR Online Course trainee who needs technical assistance, and I am perfectly happy! However,… Read More
Share the Success of SOAR with a SOAR Infographic! January 23, 2019 | PRA Work | Holley Davis There’s a new page we’re excited to share with SOAR providers and agencies across the country: the SOAR Infographics page! This page houses key infographics to help your agency communicate the success and reach of SOAR. Here are just a few of the available infographics you can download today: SOAR Overview This one-page infographic provides… Read More
