One in three U.S. Service Members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan experiences signs of combat stress, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Only 50% receive their health care through the VA. Other vets and their families will seek care in community settings. Primary care, community mental health clinicians and other providers want to be prepared.

The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, in collaboration with the VA’s National Center for PTSD, is providing this free, CME/CE-certified educational series of 14 one-hour sessions to help you prepare. It’s our turn to serve those who served us.

Listen and interact with clinical experts who share research, knowledge and experience to help you:

•  Diagnose and treat PTSD and TBI with traditional and complimentary evidence-based therapy
• Recognize and address emotional stresses in spouses, parents, and children of veterans with PTSD or TBI
• Support the needs of military families

Event Details 
Dates: Every Thursday at 11:30 AM ET beginning February 23, 2012
Location: Online; participate in any or all of the 14 sessions, which are also available for on-demand viewing after the live event
Tuition: Free Credits: Up to 1 CME/CE credit per session

                                                                                          Click below to register: 

We have elected to participate in a National Dissemination and Implementation grant for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. Support for this project is pending with the federal government (NIH/NHLBI). As part of the bid for funding we need to have therapists in our association complete a brief 9 item survey. If you have an interest in Insomnia and acquiring CBT skills to treat this disorder, please complete the questionnaire located at www.cbt‐i.com (Login). The Username and Password are Therapist and Survey, respectively. Please note that the survey is for research purposes and is voluntary. Additional information may be found at the above web site or by Contacting the study PI, Michael Perlis (mperlis@upenn.edu).

I have been in talks with Dr. Perlis re: this study and if we have enough therapists complete the survey and express an interest in participating, there is an opportunity to receive free supervised training as well as free manuals associated with CBT-I.  I know that in my practice insomnia is very prevalent and a recent article from the American Journal of Public Health entitled "The medicalization of sleeplessness: a public health concern" discussed how the diagnosis of insomnia has increased from 1993-2007 and how people are being overtreated with "marginally effective, expensive medications with nontrivial side effects".  Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21680913

PLEASE NOTE THAT INVOLVEMENT IN THIS STUDY IS ONLY OPEN TO MOPA MEMBERS.

The Mental Health in Corrections Conference, sponsored by Forest Institute will take place on March 8-10, 2012 in St. Louis, MO. 
For more information: http://forest.edu/mhcc.aspx 

The 2012 MOPA Annual Convention is scheduled for March 23-24 at the
 St. Louis Regional Arts Commission.  

Mark your calendars. We'll see you there!  

The Brain Injury Association of Missouri 7th Annual Statewide Conference is fast approaching – October 20 – 22, 2011.  In one short month you have the opportunity for exceptional education regarding brain injury.  

Learn more about the BIA-MO 7th Annual Statewide Conference or Register online now.  

Christine Cox, the Army OneSource Community Support Coordinator-Missouri contracted me to disseminate information on some free CEUs being offered  by Army OneSource.  She was unclear if the CEUs were APA-accredited, but she was sure that these course offerings were free.  If interested you can contact her with any questions: Christine.Cox@serco-na.com (573) 855-0693 

Army OneSource is offering a free online course titled Treating the Invisible Wounds of War.  Your participation would be a great stride in the Army OneSource effort to increase awareness in civilian communities about the unique and devastating effects of war on our Veterans—who are an essential part of our community! 

In addition, it would be an even greater benefit to Veterans and their Families if all your peers, employees, and staff were able to take the course as well. At Army OneSource, we feel that Awareness is the stepping stone to comprehensive support towards healing our Soldiers.

In addition to supporting our GREAT Soldiers and their Families you will also receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for your participation.  Once you complete the course, your CEU will be recorded, and you will have access to download and print a Certificate of Completion.

This course consists of three parts.
Part 1:  Treating the Invisible Wounds of War Series: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (3 hours)
Part 2:  Treating the Invisible Wounds of War Series: Traumatic Brain Injury (4 hours)
Part 3:  Treating the Invisible Wounds of War Series: Issues of Women Returning from Combat (2 hours)

To access the course follow these instructions:
From your browser, go to http://www.aheconnect.com/citizensoldier/
Step 1: Click on New Users tab at the top of the screen
Step 2: Create a personal user account following the instructions on the screen*NOTE: Be sure to enter your Army OneSource referral code: AOSMOCC005
Step 3: Login to the system using your new ID and password
Step 4: Click on Courses tab at the top of the screen
Step 5: Select a course you wish to complete
Step 6: Click on Register

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and I will be glad to speak with you. If you’d like to find out more about Army OneSource, please follow the link below to our website.http://www.myarmyonesource.com/  

On behalf of the Soldiers and Families in Missouri, thank you for your time in this matter!

Very Respectfully,
Christine Christine A. Cox
Army OneSource Community Support Coordinator-Missouri
Ft. Leonard Wood, MO
Christine.Cox@serco-na.com
(573) 855-0693

What Has MOPA Been Doing Lately?
MOPA Co-Sponsored CE Events 2011:

Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.  
Autism Intervention Conference 2011.April 15-16, 2011 - Columbia, MOClick here for details

ABPsy Continuing Education Workshop. 
"The Therapeutic GPS:  Developing a Working Alliance with Urban Adolescents"
April 15, 2011 St. Louis, MOClick here for details

Southwest Psychological Association Annual Convention.  
April 12-14, 2011, San Antonio, TXClick here for details

Ozarks Area Psychological Association Annual Workshop and Ceremony Honoring Psychologists. May 21, 2011 Springfield, MOClick here for details