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March 2026 | Trainings, Events, & Updates
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March Momentum at MACC
March is bringing new opportunities for connection, learning, and community engagement at MACC. From upcoming trainings and shared resources to timely conversations taking place across our network, this month reflects the continued value of creating space for education, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.
As communities and professionals continue to navigate complex challenges, MACC remains committed to offering relevant programming, practical tools, and opportunities that support both personal and professional growth. We know the need for thoughtful, responsive, and accessible spaces has not slowed down, and this month’s newsletter highlights several ways we are continuing to meet that need.
In this issue, you will find updates on recent programs, upcoming learning opportunities, important dates and observances, and ways to stay engaged with the work happening across MACC. We are especially excited to highlight Let’s Talk: Communities & Conversation, taking place on March 18, as part of our continued effort to foster honest dialogue, connection, and shared learning around issues that matter to our communities.
As always, we are grateful for the support, participation, and feedback that continue to shape this work. Thank you for being part of MACC’s growing network and for helping us build stronger, more informed, and more connected communities.
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Training & Event Spotlight
Recent & Expanding Trainings
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Foundational Immigrant & Refugee Training – IMPACT
Held privately in person in February 2026 and presented by Guadalupe Velasquez and Anissa Liban, this training sparked meaningful engagement, thoughtful reflection, and respectful dialogue. Trainers used a mix of lecture, small-group discussion, sharing circles, and brainstorming activities to help maintain engagement throughout the day. Participants were open to sharing personal stories, asking mindful questions, and learning from differing perspectives, and feedback was strongly positive. Participant feedback showcased a thankful response to providing new thoughts and approaches that could directly impact their professional work.
We thank IMPACT for having MACC and for being open to learning together.
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Glow from Within: Redefining Beauty, Power, and Purpose – Women’s Workshop
MACC was pleased to host this virtual training last week in recognition of National Women’s History Month. Presented by Rachael DuBose, M.S.Ed., LPCC-S, CCTP, the session received an overwhelmingly positive response, with nearly all post-event survey participants encouraging us to offer it again—and with even more time for discussion and reflection.
Participants shared that Rachael helped create a space that felt safe, welcoming, and supportive, allowing for meaningful vulnerability, personal reflection, and authentic conversation. Many expressed appreciation for hearing experiences and perspectives that felt both deeply relatable and thoughtfully eye-opening.
We are grateful for the strong response and are already exploring plans to bring this workshop back in an expanded format.
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**Reminder: MACC offers customizable private and public trainings on behavioral health, mental health, cultural health, and substance use topics, with sessions available in both virtual and in-person formats. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to our Program Director, Jon Moorehead II at jmoorehead@maccinc.net
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Upcoming Trainings You Won’t Want to Miss!
Click on the linked titles to register, or you can register on our website!
Compassion Without Collapse: Preventing Burnout in Behavioral Health
March 17, 2026 • 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
This session is a practical, interactive training designed to help social workers, counselors, and helping professionals recognize early warning signs of burnout and secondary trauma while building sustainable habits for long-term practice. 2 CEUs awarded.
Adolescents and Substance Use and Prevention
March 24, 2026 • 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Training exploring trends, neuroscience, and the impact of substances on youth — from gateway concerns to overdose risk. 2 CEUs awarded.
Effective Communication & Connection: The C.A.R.E. Method
April 1, 2026 • 9:30 am–12:30 pm
Skill-building workshop grounded in curiosity, accountability, respect, and empathy to strengthen communication and trust in professional settings. 3 CEUs awarded.
FASD 101: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, The Basics
April 28, 2026 • 10:00 am–12:00 pm
An introductory session on prevalence, neurodevelopmental impacts, and health equity considerations related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. 2 CEUs awarded.
Before the Crisis: Prevention that Actually Works
May 12, 2026 • 1:00 pm–3:30 pm
A prevention-focused training emphasizing early relational support as a proactive approach to stress and behavior escalation. 2.5 CEUs awarded.
Because of your strong feedback, these trainings are returning:
How to Navigate Cultural Awareness/Competency Work in the Current Political Climate using the Shared Human Experience Lens
May 19, 2026 • 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Participants will explore practical strategies to strengthen therapeutic relationships and trust across diverse populations, followed by a brief roundtable discussion on current challenges and resources. 2 CEUs awarded.
Adult Mental Health First Aid – Part 1
June 16, 2026 • 9:00 am–12:00 pm
A nationally recognized, evidence-based training that builds early-intervention skills for supporting adults facing mental health or substance use challenges. 3 CEUs awarded.
**Both Part 1 and Part 2 are required.
Adult Mental Health First Aid – Part 2
June 23, 2026 • 9:00 am–12:00 pm
Continues MHFA training focusing on supportive responses, use of the ALGEE Action Plan, and connection to resources. 2.5 CEUs awarded.
**Both Part 1 and Part 2 are required.
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MACC’s Let’s Talk event is next week!
Let’s Talk: Communities & Conversation
March 18, 2026 | 10:00–12:00 PM
Shine Bright Community Center – Whitehall
We are excited to invite you to Let’s Talk: Communities & Conversation, a community-centered event designed to bring together behavioral health professionals and community members for meaningful dialogue, shared learning, and connection around substance use, addiction, and mental health. Attendees will have the opportunity to access valuable resources, practical information, and local support while engaging in important conversations that strengthen understanding and community awareness.
We are also excited to announce our panel of speakers, led by moderator “The Amazing” Tei Street, international motivational speaker, trainer, and education consultant.
Panelists include:
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Ezekiel Peebles, LPCC-S, NCC, Founder and Clinical Director of Key Counseling & Consultation LLC
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Brandy Wells, MSW, LISW-S, Behavioral Health Director at Integrated Services for Behavioral Health
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Julie Wagar, LPCC-S, LSW, clinical consultant for the YWCA Women’s Residency Program and adjunct faculty member at Columbus State Community College
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Susie Shipley-Norwood, MSW, Senior Director of Prevention Services at CND Columbus and part-time Director of the Franklin County Youth Council.
Registration and additional details are available on the event page:
https://MACCLetsTalk.eventbrite.com
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Last week, Executive Director Erica C. Crawley and Program Director Jon Moorehead II stopped by NBC4i’s Columbus Living to discuss Let’s Talk and the kickoff of the Start the Right Conversation campaign. Check it out to learn more about the event and the conversation behind this important initiative.
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Kevin L. Dixon, Ph.D.
Board Member
This month we are highlighting Dr. Kevin L. Dixon, a MACC board member whose career has been dedicated to strengthening communities, advancing cultural understanding, and expanding access to behavioral health resources across Ohio.
Dr. Dixon recently retired after 34 years with the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH), where he served as Vice President of Community and Cultural Engagement. During his tenure, he helped develop a wide range of initiatives designed to strengthen community well-being, including school-based programs, faith leader partnerships, immigrant and refugee supports, community mini-grant initiatives, arts and engagement programs, and expanded access to Mental Health First Aid and other behavioral health resources.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Dixon directed ADAMH’s Cultural Training Project, an innovative effort that brought nationally recognized scholars, physicians, artists, and community leaders together for local trainings and national conferences focused on cultural understanding and equity in systems of care. These gatherings helped expand conversations about culturally responsive behavioral health services and community engagement.
Dr. Dixon’s connection to MACC spans many years. Prior to joining the board, he served as a Loan Executive to MACC under former Executive Director Charleta B. Tavares, helping support the organization’s statewide growth. During that time, he contributed to planning statewide conferences, helped design the MACC Statewide Advisory Planning Team (M-SAPT), developed training policies and procedures, assisted with grant submissions, and helped identify national speakers for conferences and faith-leader trainings. He also coordinated conferences focused on Somali and Latinx communities, collaborated with state leaders working on cultural competence initiatives, and supported research partnerships examining disparities in behavioral health systems.
Beyond his work with MACC and ADAMH, Dr. Dixon continues to support community engagement and education. He teaches a graduate course at The Ohio State University College of Social Work and has served on numerous boards and advisory committees focused on youth development, health equity, and community collaboration.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Dixon also hosted community-focused talk radio programs in Philadelphia that explored social, cultural, and political issues and featured interviews with influential leaders and artists. His career has included collaborations and conversations with scholars, cultural leaders, and public figures across many fields, reflecting a lifelong commitment to dialogue, culture, and community engagement.
Through decades of leadership and collaboration, Dr. Dixon’s work has helped strengthen partnerships, elevate important conversations, and advance culturally responsive behavioral health efforts across communities. His continued involvement with MACC reflects that same commitment to learning and community-centered leadership.
**Find out more about our Board and Staff on our website!
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Rest to Restore: Sleep, Brain Health, and Everyday Wellness
March includes both National Sleep Awareness Week (March 8–14) and Brain Awareness Week (March 16–22), offering an important reminder that rest is essential to wellness. In busy, service-centered roles, sleep is often one of the first things pushed aside, yet rest plays a major role in focus, mood, memory, stress management, and overall well-being.
When sleep is limited, even routine responsibilities can feel heavier. Over time, lack of rest can affect patience, decision-making, and emotional balance. The good news is that small, consistent habits can make a meaningful difference.
A Few Facts and Tips to Keep in Mind This Month:
1. Sleep supports emotional regulation
Rest helps the brain recover, process stress, and stay better balanced throughout the day.
2. Brain health is shaped by daily habits
Sleep, hydration, movement, breaks, and nutrition all influence focus and mental clarity.
3. Rest is productive
Taking time to pause and reset can improve concentration, reduce irritability, and support resilience.
Try These Actions This Month:
1. Adjust one evening habit
Try going to bed a little earlier, limiting screen time before sleep, or creating a more calming nighttime routine.
2. Take one short reset break each day
Even five minutes to stretch, breathe, or step away can help reduce mental fatigue.
3. Give yourself permission to rest
Rest is not a reward for burnout. It is part of maintaining your health and sustaining your work.
Protecting your well-being is not just about making it through the week. It is about creating space to think clearly, stay grounded, and continue showing up with purpose and care.
Click the Links to Learn More:
National Institute of Health – Sleep Health: resources on sleep to help patients, their families, and health professionals.
National Sleep Foundation: sleep health and practical sleep tips
American Academy of Neurology: brain health initiatives and resources
BrainFacts.org: brain and nervous system information presented by the Society for Neuroscience
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DATES TO KNOW – March
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Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
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National Women’s History Month
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National Sleep Awareness Week (March 8-14)
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National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (March 15-21)
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Brain Awareness Week (March 16-22)
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March 7: Employee Appreciation Day
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March 8: International Women’s Day
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March 13: World Sleep Day
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March 17: World Social Work Day
DATES TO KNOW – April
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A monthly space for reflections, updates, and important news from MACC Executive Director, Erica C. Crawley. Stay connected with her latest insights and the work happening across our organization.
March reminds us that caring for ourselves is also part of how we care for our communities.
As we recognize National Women’s History Month, we celebrate the leadership, courage, and contributions of women whose work has strengthened families, organizations, and communities across generations. Their example reminds us that meaningful progress is often rooted in persistence, compassion, and the willingness to keep showing up for one another.
This month also invites us to reflect on wellness in a fuller way. During National Sleep Awareness Week and Brain Awareness Week, we are reminded that rest is not a luxury and well-being is not something we earn only after exhaustion. In helping professions and community-centered work, it can become easy to operate in survival mode, moving from one responsibility to the next without enough time to reset. But we all deserve more than simply getting through the day. We deserve opportunities to restore, to heal, and to thrive.
Sleep, rest, and moments of pause play an important role in how we think, respond, cope with stress, and remain present for the people and communities we serve. When we are depleted, even the work we care most deeply about can begin to feel heavier. Making room for restoration is not stepping away from the mission. It is part of sustaining it.
As we continue this month through learning, connection, and conversations like Let’s Talk: Communities & Conversation on March 18, I encourage you to reflect on what support, rest, or balance may look like for you right now. Even small steps toward renewal can make a meaningful difference.
Thank you for the care, leadership, and compassion you continue to bring to this work. MACC is grateful for all that you do, and I hope this month offers reminders that your well-being matters, too.
With appreciation,
Erica C. Crawley, JD, MPA
Executive Director, MACC
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