Training Manager
Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs
Salem, Oregon
Maria Gdontakis Pos has served as the Training Manager at the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs for 9 years and was the first statewide MHFA Coordinator in Oregon beginning in 2015. Maria expanded the numbers and reach of not only the array MHFA trainings, but many others, including Motivational Interviewing, CONNECT, Sources of Strength, and several advanced clinical skills training programs. Maria led a multi-stakeholder effort to create a Mobile Crisis Training Academy to align mobile crisis response in Oregon with the Crisis Now model and training requirements in Oregon Administrative Rules. The Mobile Crisis Training Academy was successfully piloted virtually and held in person the first time for over 100 new mobile crisis workers. Maria has adapted the curriculum to a virtual format, which has been delivered twice, and is scheduled for more sessions this year. Together with a group of subject matter experts, she added many training modules to help responders develop skills in meeting needs of specific populations in crisis and customized for provider types, like peer support specialists. Before Maria's extensive training portfolio, she worked at a crisis stabilization center and as an MFT, providing therapy to individual clients.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM ET