MONDAY MEMO #44
- Resilient Georgia
- Aug 25
- 6 min read
Happy Monday, partners! Welcome to your weekly Monday Memo. This week we have compiled a variety of resources including assessment and evaluation support, training opportunities, and resources to support men’s mental health, foster care and substance use prevention. As a reminder, next Monday is Labor Day, so the Memo will be on pause until Sept 8th. Before we dive in, here are some reminders and highlights from the RG Team:
RG UPDATES
Calling all early-career mental health and substance use clinicians! The National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative is now recruiting. Powered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and Kaiser Permanente in partnership with Resilient Georgia, this program supports post-master’s clinicians on their path to licensure with up to $10,000 in stipends and professional development, live and on-demand trainings, peer support groups, mentorship, and access to experts and networking opportunities.
Who should apply? (click here for more details)
Recent or soon-to-be master’s grads in counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, or addiction counseling, clinicians with less than 20% of hours completed towards licensure, those employed at eligible community-based mental health organizations or candidates with demonstrated financial need. Apply here by September 3rd or contact NMHWAC@TheNationalCouncil.org with questions.
New Resources Available! Sector-Specific Resource Guides: RG has finalized three new Trauma-Informed Guides for folks working in Juvenile Justice, Nonprofits, and Early Learning. Please check them out, download them from our website and share widely!
Thank you to everyone who joined our August Lunch and Learn! We were thrilled to host Matt Smith, Director of Policy & Research, and Kathleen Da Silva, Regional Engagement Manager with the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE). They provided an engaging overview of GPEE’s work supporting state and community leaders including the EdQuest Georgia Coalition and the Rural Learning Network. For those who missed it, you can explore the recording, slides, and additional resources including the Top Ten Issues Podcast and the Thomasville’s Project Workforce. Please feel free to reach out to Matt Smith at msmith@gpee.org or Kathleen Da Silva at kdasilva@gpee.org if you would like to connect to learn more about GPEE and how to get involved! If you wouldn't mind taking one minute to fill out our August Lunch and Learn Survey, we greatly appreciate your feedback!
The 2025 CSRA Regional School-Based Behavioral Health (SBBH) Forum is September 12, 2025, from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM at Augusta University and will bring together schools and community members for a day of learning, networking, and collaboration. Sessions will spotlight innovative approaches to student mental health, including prevention strategies, peer-led programs, family engagement, and sustainable funding solutions. Register here by Sept 5th! Please share widely!
Coalition Highlights
Resilient Clayton: The GCAPP Changemakers Network brings together young professionals, entrepreneurs, influencers, and community leaders to empower youth and drive lasting change. Members connect through monthly virtual meetings, quarterly in-person events, leadership opportunities, and volunteer roles such as mentoring, youth summit support, and event assistance. Next virtual meeting: Wednesday, August 27 at 5:00 PM. Sign up to make an impact!
General Civil Mediation Training – Oct. 14–17, 2025: This 28-hour virtual entry-level course (9:00 AM–5:00 PM ET daily) covers the fundamentals of facilitative mediation, including conflict theory, ADR history, and mediation’s role in the community. Participants will engage in role-plays, hear from mediators, attorneys, and volunteers, and learn best practices. Completing this training and practicum is the first step toward registering with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR) to mediate court-ordered cases. Cost: $250 for volunteers, $1,250 for private mediators.
Resilient Teens comes to Coastal GA! Additionally, RCG and CGIC are excited to share that registration is now open for Resilient Teens: Building Strength Through Connection! This 9-week virtual mentorship program, beginning September 8th, is designed for middle and high school students to build resilience, emotional wellness, and leadership skills. Led by medical students and rooted in trauma- and evidence-informed practices, the program prioritizes youth who have experienced adversity, offering a safe and supportive space to thrive. Sessions are held weekly, and registration can be found here. Please help spread the word and support this important pilot!
Assessment and Evaluation
Free Community Assessment Opportunity: Emory University Professor Kimberley Hagen (kbs.hagen@emory.edu) is seeking partner organizations for her graduate Community Assessment course at the Rollins School of Public Health, running August 28–December 11, 2025. In this one-semester project, a team of MPH students will conduct a tailored, no-cost community assessment to help answer a specific question about your organization’s geographic or affiliative community—information you can use to guide new programs, services, or initiatives. Past partners have included the Atlanta Beltline, Atlanta Sickle Cell Foundation, and the Center for Black Health and Equity, with projects ranging from identifying program gaps to exploring community health needs. This could be a great opportunity for regional coalitions, as well as other local agencies that would benefit from fresh data and analysis. Six projects must be confirmed within the next 2 weeks. Please email Kimberley to inquire ASAP!
Become a Foster Parent
Call for Foster Parents: Region 10 DFCS recently shared the urgent need for more foster families. Many foster parents close their homes after adopting or as they age, leaving gaps in available placements. For example, in Thomas County, there are 54 children in care but only 15 active foster homes. Georgia especially needs caregivers for older youth, sibling groups, and children with complex needs. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, call 1-877-210-KIDS (5437) or complete the inquiry form. Additional resources are also available through the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia. Please share widely!
Men's Mental Health
Boy Crisis of 2025, Meet the ‘Boy Problem’ of the 1900s - The New York Times: In the early 1900s, America faced a “boy problem” — high truancy, delinquency, and social disconnection — met with sweeping civic action that birthed organizations like Big Brothers, Boy Scouts, and 4-H. Today, many young men face a similar crisis amid technological disruption, economic inequality, and rising loneliness. Suicide rates among young men have surged, college completion lags, and social ties are fraying. Authors Robert D. Putnam and Richard V. Reeves argue that public policy and civic institutions must again step up — through mentorship, male role models, and spaces designed to foster connection — to help boys and men find purpose, dignity, and belonging.
Training and Events
CRM Teacher Training Impact: A recent Trauma Resource Institute survey shows the powerful ripple effect of CRM Teacher Training. On average, CRM Teachers train about 100 people annually, with some reaching over 1,000. Nearly all (99%) continue using CRM skills, and every respondent using them reported improved stress management, self-control, and resilience. Over 94% practice weekly, 87% use them at work, and 90% go on to teach formal workshops—while 64% share skills conversationally each week. Thank you to all of our CRM GA facilitators for helping spread wellness in communities statewide!
FREE SCERTS Framework Training: Georgia Mental Health Access in Pediatrics ECHO is offering free training for healthcare professionals on the evidence-based SCERTS framework to support emotional well-being in autistic and neurodivergent children. Choose from two Level 1 series (fall or spring) and one Level 2 series (spring).
Investing in Housing to Build Healthy Communities Join the Georgia Health Policy Center’s 30th anniversary speaker series on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, at 4:00 PM at Centennial Hall, Georgia State University (reception to follow). David Zuckerman, president and founder of the Healthcare Anchor Network, will be in conversation with Kathryn Lawler, CEO of Saint Joseph's Health System/Mercy Care, exploring how health systems can invest in housing and other place-based solutions to improve health, economic, and social outcomes. Register here!
Substance Abuse
Community Conversation on Opioid Use Disorder : Join the University of Rochester’s Recovery School of Excellence this week throughout South Georgia for an open discussion on the stigma surrounding substance misuse, opioid use disorder, and its impact on recovery. This event offers insight, challenges assumptions, and fosters hope, understanding, and connection. Look for a session to attend between August 25th-27th in various locations across Georgia. Register for the sessions here!
Addiction Prevention Conference | Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center: Attend the Prescription for Prevention Conference. This is a free conference at Mercer University School of Medicine on Thursday September 18, 2025 from 9 AM to 4:30 PM at Mercer University in Macon. The conference will cover numerous topics centered on opioid misuse. Attendees will be provided breakfast and lunch and are invited to attend the Recovery Bus Tour at the end of the conference. Additionally, vendors are encouraged to attend, the cost for a vendor table is $75, apply here. Continuing Education credits (CME, CNE, & CEUs) will be available to all attendees. Register here.