Clockwise from top left: Chantel Mathson, Joan Steinman, and Patricia Durham-Taylor.
Joan Steinman Participates on SAMHSA Panel
Director of Retention and Support Services Joan Steinman, EdD, traveled to Washington, D.C. in August to represent Truckee Meadows Community College on a national expert panel for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
SAMHSA is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency that addresses behavioral health of the nation, and works to reduce substance abuse.
SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services invited Dr. Steinman and 15 additional respected professionals from across the U.S. to participate on the Expert Panel, “Collegiate Mental Health.” The panel discussed current challenges and concerns of college counselors, and shared best practices in student mental and behavioral health.
The experts reviewed the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) passed into law on Dec. 13, 2016, and brainstormed ways the Cures Act can advance resources and programs to meet needs of college students. The Cures Act is aimed toward prevention and treatment of opioid addiction, alcoholism, and crisis mental health issues such as suicide.
“When TMCC was fortunate enough to be the recipient of a GLS Campus Suicide Prevention Grant in 2014, we knew we needed to take a broad approach to serve not just our campus community, but to the Washoe County community as a whole,” Dr. Steinman said.
The TMCC Counseling Center’s approach treats students holistically, as well—from financial stress, to anxiety-reduction activities on campus, to referrals for additional mental health care.
“We also collaborate with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and our campus community to help address the financial stress and burden many of our students face by establishing a food pantry and emergency scholarships,” she said. “We have also been able to implement agreements with local counseling agencies and the University of Nevada School of Medicine to provide additional assessment and treatment options for our students who are in need for more extensive treatment than we can provide in a community college counseling center.”
Pat Durham-Taylor Achieves Post-Master’s Certificate
Nursing Professor Patricia Durham-Taylor, PhD, has been teaching at TMCC for more than 30 years. She is also a Registered Nurse (RN) and has worked as a practicing nurse. Professor Durham-Taylor has recently been awarded an additional credential.
This summer, Dr. Durham-Taylor received a Post-Master’s Certificate for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
For more information about TMCC’s Maxine S. Jacobs Nursing Program, please contact 775-850-4054.
Chantel Mathson Wins Speaker Award
International speaker and author Chantel Mathson is an instructor in TMCC’s Business Department; teaching management, marketing, business English, communication, and speech.
During the summer, she was a featured speaker on the main stage for a national conference, “Speak Like a Champion,” sponsored by T. Allen Hanes, a private company that produces workshops and training programs for business people and entrepreneurs.
The conference took place at the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana on July 31–Aug. 3.
“The theme of the event was being a champion in your own life,” Mathson said. “I’ve been speaking since I was a little girl, and am a speaking and business coach because I love to help others be their own champion. I’ve written a couple of workbooks, as well.”
Mathson won an Outstanding Speaker Award for her presentation on the main stage.
“My speech was encouraging business people to soar, uplift yourself, and to help others rise higher,” she said. “It’s about finding your purpose, overcoming obstacles and helping others along the way."
Her breakout session tackled the difficult subject of failure.
“You can embrace failure and use it to launch yourself to a new level,” she said. “Eagles watch a brewing storm; they let the storm take them to a higher level they couldn’t have gotten to before.”
Mathson advises career-seekers to persist, and to use failure as a springboard from lessons learned by the experience.
“Know your purpose,” she said. “Don’t let obstacles stop you, but use them to project you farther.”
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