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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.
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Jill Bates
AIDS Alabama
Phone: 205-427-9104
Email: jill.bates@aidsalabama.org
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Camille Jones
Social Worker
Birmingham Municipal Court
801 17th Street N, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-254-2447
Email: cdjones890@yahoo.com
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Yakima Burch
Treatment Services Coordinator
Aletheia House
201 Finley Avenue W, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-324-6502
Email: yburch@specialkindofcaring.org
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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
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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
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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
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Luciana Coleman
Program Manager
Alabama Department of Mental Health
100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL
Phone: 334-517-5903
Email:luciana.coleman@mh.alabma.gov
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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
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Keisha Kennedy
Director of Behavioral Health
Aletheia House
2100 16th Avenue S, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-229-7534
Email:kkennedy@specialkindofcaring.com
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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
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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
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Madalyn Roberts
Social Worker
Birmingham Municipal Court
801 17th Street North, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-254-2447
Email: Madalyn.Roberts@birminghamal.gov
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Meta Eatman
Alabama Pardons and Parole
Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-305-1426
Email: Meta.Eatman@paroles.alabama.gov
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Yvonne Thomas
Director
Connecting Creative Communities
7753 1st Avenue S, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 317-501-7209
Email: yk1qt@yahoo.com
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Gloria Howard
Chief Operating Officer
Aletheia House
2100 16th Avenue S, Birmingham, AL
Phone: 205-533-6014
Email: ghoward@specialkindofcaring.org
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Tunja Tolbert
Outreach Specialist
R.O.S.S.
716 37th Street S. Birmingham, AL
Phone: 334-207-0061
Email: ross4us.trtolbert@gmail.com
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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
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Bethany Tyree
Clinical Director
CED Fellowship House, Inc.
4209 Brooke Avenue, Gadsden, AL
Phone: 256-458-4463
Email: bethanyttyree@yahoo.com
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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
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