Training, Education and Consultation Services (TECS)
In El Futuro’s years of experience providing community-based mental health services to Latine families in North Carolina, a few things have become clear to us: The needs of the Latine community are not unique to the Triangle, and there is a wider community of providers across North Carolina and beyond who need support in doing this difficult and important work.
That’s why we created the La Mesita and ALMA programs in El Futuro’s Training, Education, and Consultation Services (TECS) Department!
La Mesita Latine Mental Health Provider Network is a place where those serving the Latine community in North Carolina and beyond can come together to share resources, referrals, and continuing education opportunities. La Mesita hosts continuing education programs relevant to Latine Mental Health every month including monthly webinars, biennial conferences, a self-directed course, and more! You can learn more about our upcoming programming below.
Advancing Latine Mental Health Access (ALMA) serves as a resource center for organizations and programs seeking to improve their culturally responsive mental health practices. Is your organization seeing more Latine clients, would you like a staff-wide training opportunity, or would you like technical assistance in developing culturally responsive policies? ALMA is here for you!
Upcoming Programming
“Más allá de la Prohibición (Beyond Prohibition): Strengthening Latine Families with Harm Reduction”
July 18th, 2025 from 12:00-1:30 PM ET
Presented by Karla Castro-Soto, MS & Jill Plevan, LCSW
Webinar Description:
In the face of rising substance use crisis, Latine communities often hear advice such as “let them hit rock bottom” or “kick them out.” This advice often feels inhumane and counterintuitive to these family members. The Partnership to End Addiction utilizes a harm reduction framework, focusing on the critical role families play in the lives of loved ones struggling with substance use. This workshop aims to explain how the harm reduction concept is a pragmatic approach to addressing substance-related harms prioritizing health and well-being.
The presentation will focus on barriers and stigma faced by Latine families when supporting a loved one who is struggling with addiction and what strategies families can use to reduce harm when loved ones are not able or ready to engage in treatment. Presenters will share the real-life experiences of how families have adopted ways to reduce risks, prioritize health and navigate the stigma of “enabling” while honoring the person’s stage of change.
*This webinar is eligible for 1.5 NBCC and 1.5 APA continuing education (CE) credits. Please see below for more information.
Meet Our July Presenters:
Karla Castro-Soto, MS & Jill Plevan, LCSW are the Associate Vice President of Helpline Services and a Helpline Supervisor for the Partnership to End Addiction, respectively. You can learn more about their organization’s work here: Partnership to End Addiction – Partnership to End Addiction.
Ready to Register?
Click the button below and we’ll see you on July 18th!
*Please see below for both NBCC and APA continuing education (CE) details.*
Continuing Education
El Futuro has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Sessions approved for NBCC credit are clearly identified. El Futuro is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. 6947.
For participants that register for continuing education, this webinar will provide 1.5 NBCC Hours.
El Futuro is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. El Futuro maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Sessions approved for APA credit are clearly identified. Our July 18th webinar is eligible for 1.5 CE credits.
Participants should confirm continuing education credit information for licensure requirements with their state licensing board(s). If you need any additional information about a program for your licensure, please reach out to us at lamesita@elfuturo-nc.org.
Cancellation Policy
In the event of a cancellation, we will provide notification as soon as possible so participants can adjust their schedule accordingly. Participants who need to cancel may choose to do so at any time but will not receive a Certificate of Completion.
Accommodations
Please contact lamesita@elfuturo-nc.org to let us know if you need accommodations at least 1 week before an event. We will work to the best of our abilities to fulfill all accommodation requests.
Concern Response and Grievance Policy
We have carefully modeled the environment around our learning activities to be one characterized by mutual collegiality, kindness, and a commitment to constant learning. This environment allows for providers of all disciplines, regardless of their level of experience, to feel comfortable in taking part in and benefiting from our programming. It is our hope that all La Mesita members will join us in preserving this environment we have cultivated over the years through your participation across our programming.
You can request our full grievance policy or submit a concern by reaching out to us at lamesita@elfuturo-nc.org.
Alvely Alcántara, LCSW
Rossy C. Garcia, MEd 
Katy Sims, MD 
Everardo Aviles, LCSW, LCAS (Eve)
As a medical anthropologist and social work researcher, Dr. Gulbas’ research embodies interdisciplinarity through the integration of applied theories of health and human development with qualitative and ethnographic methodologies. Her work seeks to understand how people—children, families, and providers—navigate complex sociocultural landscapes in the pursuit of mental health. Most of her work, to date, focuses attention on developing more robust interpretations of suicide risk. With funding from the National Institutes of Mental Health, this body of research has contributed to advancements in theoretical and empirical knowledge of the broader contexts within which youth suicide risk is situated. 
R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez is a developmental psychologist and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the principal investigator of a study that examines the impact of immigration-related threat and stress on school communities. She earned a PhD in developmental psychology from Columbia University and hold a BA in human biology from Stanford University. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first gen college student.
Dr. Parra-Cardona is an Associate Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work (SHSSW) at the University of Texas at Austin. At the SHSSW, he serves as Coordinator for Mexico and Latin American initiatives. He also serves as Area Director for Research at the UT Austin Latino Research Institute. Dr. Parra-Cardona’s program of research is focused on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based parenting interventions for low-income Latinx populations in the US and Latin America.
Bianka Reese, PhD, MSPH is a research scientist and program evaluator specializing in adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her previous research in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her work as the Research and Evaluation Manager at SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led largescale evaluations of multilevel, community-based sexual health promotion initiatives and research projects aimed at elevating the voices of diverse youth in North Carolina. Dr. Reese is currently the Senior Research Strategist at Creative Research Solutions, LLC, an award-winning national evaluation, research, and assessment firm.
Tania Connaughton-Espino, MPH is an independent researcher focused on adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her interest in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her previous work with SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led the training and evaluation department, conducted capacity-building workshops for youth serving professionals including on the topic of how to be more affirming of LGBTQ youth, and from her extensive experience working with the Latinx population in NC.
Maru Gonzalez, EdD is an Assistant Professor and Youth Development Specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her areas of inquiry include youth development with a focus on activism, social justice, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people across familial, school, and community contexts. 
Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, PhD
Hector Y. Adames, PsyD