Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals (PASAP) Southwest Regional Workshop

October 4, 2018
7:30 am - 4:00 pm
                        Westmoreland Case Management and Supports, Inc. (WCSI)
                   770 E Pittsburgh St, Greensburg, PA 15601

 "Addressing Mental Health in Schools: What to Look for and What Can I Do?"

7:30 -8:00 am: Arrival and Check In

8:00 - 8:15 am: Welcome, Agenda Setting and Introductions: Carolyn Welshonce & Terry Kerr

8:15 - 9:45 am: "Teen Technology Usage Trends and Mental Health Sharing Through Social Media" with Ryan Klingensmith (Part 1)

Program Description: Kids today have unlimited access to information, apps and websites that can be wonderfully helpful, but also lead to concerning behaviors if adults don’t have the knowledge to teach young people how to behave responsible in this new cyber-playground. Kids have the knowledge to use technology, but sometimes lack the wisdom to use it responsibly. Adults have the wisdom to be responsible users, but sometimes lack the knowledge to use technology. My goal is to connect knowledge with wisdom.

9:45 - 10:00 am: Break

10:00 - 11:30 pm: "Teen Technology Usage Trends and Mental Health Sharing Through Social Media" with Ryan Klingensmith (Part 2)

11:30 - 12:45 pm: Lunch (on your own)  

12:45 - 1:45 pm: "Dating Violence" with Dr. Gary Cuccia

Program Description:   The program is presented during 1-hour school assemblies to middle and high school students. Students hear Dr. Cuccia tell Demi’s story and learn the warning signs of dating violence/abuse, what can happen when dating behavior crosses the line from healthy to unhealthy, strategies to keep safe, and informational resources to access immediate help and support.

1:45 - 2:00 pm: Break

2:00 - 4:00 pm:  "Mental Health Red Flags and School Based Therapy" with Sherri Klingensmith

Program Description: With all of the mental health concerns today school and mental health agencies must work together to provide the best treatment and education to the children and adolescents of today. Attend a workshop on understanding the role of school based outpatient. You will find what a school based therapist can provide to your school and lean how school based outpatient therapists can help in crisis situations such as suicidality training and in school suicide assessments.

4:00 pm: Closing Remarks: Carolyn Welshonce & Terry Kerr

PASAP Member Rate: $25.00
Non-Member Rate: $75.00  

To become a member of PASAP and receive the membership registration rate click here www.pasap.org/join.  Membership must be paid prior to registering for the workshop.

Register Here

Continuing Education Credits

PASAP is an Act 48 Approved Provider. Participants can earn up to 6 hours of Act 48 credit (full workshop attendance). (Morning Session Only: 3 hours, Afternoon Session Only: 2 hours)Participants must provide their Professional Personnel ID (PPID) number when registering and must be present at each session in its entirety to receive credit. Additionally, 6 hours of social work credits will be offered through the University of Pittsburgh. A $10 fee for the social work credits will be added at the time of pre-registration.

Speaker Bio's:

Ryan Klingensmith, MA, NCC, LPC, is from a small town east of Pittsburgh. He has worked extensively with teens and families experiencing behavioral and mental health issues since 1994. He attended Penn State University for his undergraduate degree in Psychology and Indiana University of Pennsylvania for his master’s degree in Community Counseling. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Counselor.

Mr. Klingensmith has functioned such as Program Coordinator, Program Supervisor and Clinical Director within youth psychiatric residential settings. He received recognition as “Leader of the Pack” while working as Program Coordinator in a Residential Treatment Facility.

Currently, Mr. Klingensmith works with at-risk youth in elementary, middle and high schools identifying mental health issues and connecting them to services through Student Assistance Programs within Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh Area). He sits on the board of directors for Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals (PASAP) which helps provided education, support and guidance for Student Assistance Programs in the state of Pennsylvania.  During the evenings, he provides outpatient therapy in Armstrong County.

Mr.  Klingensmith’s  passion for the last four years has been researching and presenting workshops for parents/guardians, teachers and mental health professionals about the current trends in social media and teen mental health education. He has spoken at numerous conferences across Pennsylvania, the National School Based Mental Health Conference in 2014 and presented at a Keynote speaker for Please Pass The Love, a mental health conference in Des Moines Iowa.  As a follow up to his research, in 2015 Mr. Klingensmith founded Shape The Sky which is a company dedicated to progressing adult education related to youth culture, social media and mental health.  He hopes to close the gap between youth knowledge of technology and adult wisdom to teach youth to be responsible digital citizens. 

Dr. Gary Cuccia – Founder & Executive Director, Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization Dr. Cuccia serves as the founder and Executive Director of the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization. Following the tragic murder of his 16 year old daughter, Demi Brae Cuccia, who was killed in August 2007 as a result of Teen Dating Violence/Abuse, Dr. Cuccia founded the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization (www.demibrae.com).

Dr. Cuccia’s passion and activism surrounding TDV has gained national recognition. In recognition of his efforts to advocate for teen dating violence prevention programs, through the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization, Dr. Cuccia received a Community Impact Award from the Ladies Hospital Aid Society on September 22, 2012, a Special Award of Distinction from the Women And Girls Foundation on December 1, 2012, and a Small Business Community Hero Honorable Mention from Direct Energy on June 28, 2013.

Dr. Cuccia believes that had he and Demi been educated about how to recognize the signs of Teen Dating Violence/Abuse then she would be alive today, and if her story and his advocacy saves one life, it is well worth the effort. That one life saved could have been Demi’s. Demi’s death and the mission of the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization have gained national recognition.

Dr. Cuccia has had the opportunity to share Demi’s story with Matt Lauer of the Today Show, Mike Huckabee of the Mike Huckabee show, Talk Radio with Laura Ingraham, and WQED who produced the documentary entitled Teen Dating Violence: The Murder of Demi Cuccia which won a Mid-Atlantic Emmy on September 24, 2011 along with a Golden Quill Award on May 14, 2012. In addition, Investigation Discovery- Scene of the Crime with Tony Harris aired an episode May 2017 Deadly Breakup which was dedicated to telling Demi’s story.

Dr. Cuccia also received two personal invitations to Washington, D.C. – first on September 13, 2011 to Vice President Joe Biden’s residence to honor the 17th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, and again on February 28, 2013 for a program to mark Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month at the White House. During Dr. Cuccia’s visit to Washington. D.C. in February 2013, the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized and signed into law.

Dr. Cuccia is a 1993 graduate of Life Chiropractic College and has been practicing as an independent chiropractor in New Alexandria, PA for the past 25 years.

Sherri Klingensmith, LPC is a Nationally Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor in PA, with 18 years of professional experience working in the mental health field. I have worked at Pressley Ridge since 2001. I have experience with children, adolescents and families within a partial hospital setting, residential program, and through outpatient counseling. I have provided individual, group and family counseling for individuals who have struggled with grief/loss, abuse, post-traumatic stress, self-injury, anxiety, depression, anger, social awareness, attention deficits, self-esteem regulation, parenting and many other life stressors. I have extensive experience treating individuals with autism disorders as well as those dually diagnosed with a mental health disorder and development disorder. I enjoy helping people find strength to cope with stressful life situations.

As a supervisor and director I enjoy providing supervision and consultation to my staff to help them develop there clinical and professional skills. I aim to lead my group of outpatient therapists and psychiatrists as a team working towards equal efforts. I also have a passion to teach through different trainings some of which are on suicide, secondary trauma, and collaborative documentation. I also believe that professional development is never over and I seek to continue to develop my own skills regularly so that I can not only be a good clinical therapist, but also so I can provide solid clinical supervision and direction to my team.