Professional Status & Experience

For more than a decade, I worked part-time in youth ministry for 3 different churches in the greater Seattle area.  As a Youth Pastor, I enjoyed having the opportunity to motivate and inspire young people to use their talents and time in service for others.  I also had the privilege of traveling to Mexico, Honduras, Poland, Germany, Russia, Taiwan, Philippines, and Canada to support various churches and religious organizations with their work.  Those years were instrumental in shaping my attitude about the importance of being involved in something bigger than myself and I have continued to support nonprofit organizations that have found ways to alleviate suffering and bring hope to others.

My clinical background began in Washington in 1980 when I worked as a counselor at a residential treatment program for teens.  That followed with a private practice setting where I provided counseling to families, couples, and individuals.  During that time I also contracted with the state’s Family Reconciliation Services program as a crisis outreach counselor to families in the greater Seattle area.  In 1991, I took a job as a mental health professional at the Snohomish County Jail in Everett, WA, and, for more than 23 years up until my retirement in 2014, had extensive experience working with varied and diverse populations.  Those populations not only included rich multi-ethnic, racial, & cultural backgrounds, but also a broad spectrum of socio-economic, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical & mental disability factors.  On the behavioral health side, I was able to work with hundreds of people who had thought disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma disorders, personality disorders, substance use disorders, self-harm/suicidal dynamics, and domestic violence factors.

At the jail I routinely worked with detainees who were riddled with distressing situations, often complicated by mental health and/or substance use disorders. I found ways to assist them and keep them safe, even though many of them experienced suicidal ideation or made attempts to either hurt or kill themselves. I became very passionate about educating jail staff regarding risk factors and managing detainees in crisis. Over time, I was invited to provide instructor services for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) where I taught over 100 classes at their Correctional Academies on the subjects of mental illness and suicide risk. In 2013, I developed a training entitled, “Identifying, Assessing, & Responding to Suicide Risk”, which is NBCC-approved for 6 CEs in affiliation with Northwest Family Life Learning & Counseling Center in Seattle, WA (where I am also the Director of Affiliate Agreements for Northwest Family Life’s counselors) .  By 2022, I had completed 46 seminars with 589 participants.

As a full-time consultant, I have provided subject matter expertise and/or instructor services for the National Institute of Corrections (Technical Resource Provider & Crisis Intervention Team instructor), the WSCJTC, OmniSure Consulting Group, LLC (webinar presenter & Suicide-Reduction-Risk-Tip videos), Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. (editorial and accreditation assistance for counselor CEs), Winning Focus, Inc. (webinar presenter & suicide prevention flyer), The Norcal Group (webinar presenter), the National Commission on Correctional Health Care national conferences (break-out session presenter), and the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Startzel, P.S. (jail mental health consultant).

Please let me know if my areas of expertise can be of service to you.  You can contact me at gregwhite.trainings@gmail.com.

Professional Endorsements & Recognition

2022: “His expertise and experience working with individuals who are suicidal will contribute to the knowledge others will gain when participating in his trainings. Mr. White will keep you engaged from real life stories of those in crisis to the techniques he shares that have shown to be successful. We completed his training feeling more confident in our clinical practice when working with our patient population.” Dawn Menchen, MSW, LSWAIC, Chair of the Pacific Northwest Counsel of Nephrology Social Workers

2020: “He is an engaging speaker that is willing and able to adapt to his audience. Greg provided current information and answered questions appropriately and with great insight. He promoted a positive learning environment…Everyone in attendance was impressed with his presentation of this challenging topic. I would encourage all professional therapists, first responders and non-profit personnel to participate in at least one of his trainings.” Joel Wright, MA, LMHC, Founder of Wrightway Counseling Services, Arlington, WA

2019: “Greg was extremely helpful to our staff in providing accessible, useful, comprehensive clinical information about suicide prevention in a style and manner which was encouraging, hopeful, and skill-sharpening…The team was grateful for his leadership, his flexibility, his deep knowledge of this field and his skillful service to our team in this area. We could not have wished for a more comprehensive or useful training on this topic and highly recommend Greg for training, collaboration, and consultation”  Laura Benton, Clinical Training Director, Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, Seattle, WA

2019: “On behalf of the CoHear/BCS staff, I want to thank you for your training…Your wisdom, years of experience and understanding of the scope of this issue made the training interesting and challenging for us. You encouraged us as mental health providers to sharpen our awareness and strengthen our courage to openly address this issue with our clients. Your self-disclosure, empathy and sincerity modeled to us how to genuinely and appropriately relate to our at-risk clients. I can highly recommend you and your training to other health professionals dealing with suicide risk.” Brian L. Whitney MA, LMFT, LMHC, S-PSB, Clinical Director, CoHear/BCS

2018: “I would like to extend my highest appreciation to Gregory White from the people who attended his training in the Neah Bay community”…“He was extremely knowledgeable and his sense of humor was a great asset to a very hard topic”…“I would highly recommend him to any organization or team that needs to be fully informed on all aspects of this topic.”  Betty Poffenbarger, Behavioral Health Manager, Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center, Neah Bay, WA

2015: “We recently utilized Mr. White’s expertise for our clinical team for suicide prevention.  We have been providing clinical treatment for 31 years and we have experienced many trainers.  Greg White is in the upper 1% of professional presentation, knowledge, and communication skills.  Our entire team really enjoyed and benefited.  I highly recommend him to your organization. You will be very pleased.”  Gregory L. Jantz, PhD, C.E.D.S., Founder, The Center, Edmonds, WA

2015:  “We are thankful for two recent presentations Greg White led at our church on the topic of suicide…Both trainings were highly valuable for our staff and met our specific needs.  We found Greg to be engaging and knowledgeable, as well as flexible.  He was willing to tailor his presentation to fit the needs of our team leaving us better equipped.”  Lupe Maple, Community Support Director, Northshore Community Church, Kirkland, WA   

2014: “In my role as a judge, I appreciated Greg’s honest discussion of the issues and problems we needed to tackle…He not only offered a multi-layered analysis of the issues, but also offered out-of-the-box suggested solutions that were very helpful to the decision-makers.”   Tam T. Bui, Everett District Court Judge, Snohomish County, Everett, WA

2014: “Greg…has been instrumental in providing the courts with timely and practical knowledge…  He is well regarded by many in our county’s criminal justice network…Mr. White would make an excellent educator or consultant for any criminal justice organization in need of mental health expertise.” Marybeth Dingledy, Superior Court Judge, Snohomish County, Everett, WA

2014: “Over the years working with Greg, I have developed nothing short of admiration and respect for him.  He is a dedicated professional, extremely knowledgeable…holds integrity highly in his personal and professional life…and is certainly an inspiration and leader in my estimation.”  Elizabeth Bellmer, Mental Health Professional, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Everett, WA 

2014: “Greg is an excellent supervisor…because he is highly organized, possesses excellent communication skills, and develops clear and concise protocols for his employees to follow…Greg has an exceptional work ethic and holds himself to the highest professional standard.”  Julie Rountree, Mental Health Professional, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Everett, WA 

2014: “During your years at the jail you have developed quite a repertoire of stories that can serve as examples on virtually any mental health topic…I’m sure others would benefit from your depth of knowledge and your ability to describe pertinent information in a compelling and useful way.”  Ed Stemler, Senior Deputy Prosecutor, Snohomish County, Everett, WA

2014: “Due to Greg’s ability to communicate well with the target audience, I have continued to ask him back year after year to present this section of the curriculum.  Greg…has always presented material that was beneficial and educational to each class.”  Detective Jeff Ross, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (Crisis Intervention Training Coordinator), Everett, WA

 2014: “Greg…has given many classes to our staff to assist us in dealing with our mentally ill offenders…The information in his classes has proven to be a very valuable tool for our staff in helping both them and the inmates entrusted to our care safe.”  Randy Harrison, Corrections Bureau Lieutenant, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Everett, WA

 2014: “Mr. White possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience and a deep concern for those in his care.  He will make an excellent educator and consultant for any criminal justice organization in need of mental health expertise.”  Bill Jaquette, Director, Snohomish County Public Defender Association, Everett, WA

 2013: “Greg has been a proponent…in assisting with the mentally ill inmates to ensure that they receive safe and humane treatment…I very much appreciate Greg’s professionalism…he sets the example of performing and conducting himself to the highest standards of conduct.”  Mark Baird, Corrections Bureau Chief, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Everett, WA

2009: “Dear Greg…you have provided excellent one-on-one precepting/mentoring for our students.  You are an excellent role model and the knowledge and experience you have shared are invaluable…We value your involvement in the clinical component of our students’ educations…”  Susan Woods, Associate Dean, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2005: “Thanks to your efforts, the WSCJTC has delivered hundreds of hours of training throughout the state of Washington…On behalf of the WSCJTC please find the enclosed Certificate of Appreciation and Instructor Pin acknowledging your contribution to our training efforts.”  Michael Parsons, Executive Director, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Burien, WA

2005: “Dear Mr. Greg White…we want to recognize your contribution as a Transition Training Team member…I would like to convey my sincere appreciation to you for your dedication and outstanding contributions to our department.”  Steve Thompson, Director, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

2004: “Greg works hard to help clients manage their own symptoms and take responsibility for changing their lives…He provides good suggestions and counseling… He is committed to providing the best possible treatment and is a loyal, dedicated professional.”  Joanne Sprunger, Psychiatric ARNP, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

2004: “Greg White…Your colleagues at SCC nominated you for the Collaborative Project Certificate…You and your family have every reason to be proud of this nomination from your peers.  It demonstrates the respect they have for you personally and for your work.”  Steve Thompson, Director, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

2001: “Mr. White …instructs the course, “Mental Health/Suicide Issues”…He is knowledgeable in subject matter and extremely effective in his presentation methods.  Mr. White continually receives high ratings from student evaluations.”  Brandon Rogel, Program Manager, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Burien, WA

2001: “Dear Greg…I commend you for your personal contribution to the collaborative efforts and success of this team…It is only through the creative and innovative efforts of staff like you that we are able to make improvements in state government operations.”  Joseph Lehman, Secretary, Washington State Department of Corrections, Olympia, WA

2000: “Dear Greg: I want to tell you how much I appreciate the work you did as a member of the Community Action Team…I am very proud of the efforts that you and others have made to better serve the citizens of our state…Thanks again for all the great work!”  Gary Locke, Governor, Olympia, WA

2000: “Your classes are always presented in a clear, concise manner and are always well received.  Evaluations completed by students in attendance always include high praise for organization, motivation and student involvement.”  Sheila Knapp, Program Supervisor, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Burien, WA

1998: “…I have observed Greg in both individual sessions with inmates, custody staff and in group settings with jail staff and community groups.  He is clear and organized in his presentation …He uses humor and examples very well to make his points and keep his audience interested…”   Nancy Gibson, Medical Supervisor, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

1998: “Greg…brings a sense of balance as well as a sense of humor to any activity he is involved in and works well with a wide variety of individuals.  He appears at ease when making presentations to large groups and easily engages the participants to the subject at hand.”  Karen Adams, Supervisor, Washington State Department of Corrections, Everett, WA

1998: “Greg is an articulate individual, and the coalition has relied on…his great wealth of knowledge and practical experience in dealing with and understanding suicide prevention.  I feel Greg would be a great asset to any organization that deals in the area of mental health treatment and prevention.”   Chuck Wright, Supervisor, Washington State Department of Corrections

1998: “Greg has…acted as the department representative in…developing mental health services for Snohomish County…He is very hard working, has mastery in “people skills”, and the leadership abilities to enhance any program with which he is entrusted.”   Marilyn J. Finsen, Program Administrative Assistant, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

1998: “Greg…has an incredible ability to learn new information and process it…His presentations to me and our consultations together have always been excellent and far superior to any other mental health professional I have worked with…I could not recommend him more highly…”   Robert I. Fink, Jail Psychiatrist, Snohomish County Corrections, Everett, WA

1993: “Greg, it has been brought to my attention that you provide outstanding service to the citizens of Snohomish County through your caring and concern for incarcerated individuals and their families.  Please accept my appreciation for your extra efforts.”  Bob Drewel, Executive, Snohomish County, Everett, WA

Professional Contributions

2021: Provided consultation for OmniSure Consulting Group’s Blog post entitled “Suicide Prevention Week: What Can Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Be Doing to Address the Needs of Staff?” (https://www.omnisure.com/suicide-prevention-week/)

2016-2018: Served as a mentor for King’s High School senior class projects that addressed mental health issues

2015-2017: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training curriculum development workgroup

2014: Referenced in Healthcare Risk Management Review’s December 18 Digital Newsletter: “Reducing the risk of suicide” (http://www.hrmronline.com/article/reducing-the-risk-of-suicide)

2014:  Developed 5 suicide risk reduction tips videos for OmniSure Consulting Group, LLC (http://www.omnisure.com/suicide-risk-reduction-tips)

2011-2014: Member of the Snohomish County Superior Court Mental Health Workgroup: Everett, WA

2007-2010: Advisory Board member for Compass Health’s Program for Assertive Treatment (PACT), Everett, WA

2005-2010: Member of the North Sound Mental Health Administration & Department of Social and Health Service “Jail Services Plan” workgroup, Everett, WA

2004-2008: Member of the Snohomish County Human Services & Corrections Collaboration workgroup, Everett, WA

1998-2005: Member of the Snohomish County “Community Action Team for Adults” (A Team) workgroup, Everett, WA

2002: Member of the North Sound Regional Support Network “Mentally Ill Persons in Criminal Justice” workgroup, Mt. Vernon, WA

2000: Member of the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs “Mentally Ill in Jails” Senate Bill 6214 Subcommittee, Olympia, WA

1995-1998: Member of the Snohomish County Mental Health/Criminal Justice Coalition workgroup, Everett, WA

Instructor/Speaker Experience

2013-Current: In affiliation with Northwest Family Life Learning & Counseling Center, NBCC-approved “Identifying, Assessing, & Responding to Suicide Risk” 6 CE training for licensed counselors & health professionals, Seattle, WA (46 seminars completed with 589 participants).  It is included in the Model List for Suicide Prevention programs in Washington State for health professionals (Model List Approval #TRNG.TG.60715084-SUIC). A recording of this training can be found on ConstantEdu’s website https://constantedu.com/ (70 participants in 2022).

2015-Current: CIT Instructor for the National Institute of Corrections (NIC)

2014-2017: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) Certified Instructor: Corrections Officer Academies “Communication Model/Mentally Ill” class; Crisis Intervention Team class

2019: OmniSure Consulting Group webinar: Presenter to healthcare workers: “Identifying Suicide Risk in Healthcare Settings”.  Seattle, WA

2018: NORCAL Group webinars: Co-presenter for physicians and healthcare workers: “What We’ve Learned About Physician Suicide and Responsive Measures” & “Boosting Your Immunity to Burnout: Strategies to Enhance Resilience”. Seattle, WA

2018: Winning Focus, Inc. webinars: Co-presenter for insurance claims consultants: “Physician Burnout and Suicide Risk Awareness”. Seattle, WA

2017: NIC presenter at the North Carolina Jail Administrator Association annual conference: Breakout session “Mental Health Disorders & Suicide Risk in Jails”, Greensboro, NC

2015: National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) National Conference: Breakout Session “Jail Suicide Prevention: A Risk Management & Clinical Response”, Dallas, TX

2014: Provided a CLE class for Snohomish County Prosecutor’s entitled “What Prosecutors Need to Know About Mental Health”, Everett, WA

2013: National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) National Conference: Breakout Session “How To Identify Critical Self-Harm/Suicide Risk Factors In Your Jail”, Denver, CO

2010-2014: Annual Crisis Intervention Training class for local law enforcement, Everett, WA

2010: Suicide risk training for jail mental health and corrections professionals from King County Jail, Lynnwood City Jail, Marysville City Jail, Pierce County Jail, Skagit County Jail, & Snohomish County Jail, Everett, WA

2010: Panel speaker for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) sponsored community forum, “Mental Health Services at the Snohomish County Jail”, Everett, WA

2007: National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) National Conference: Breakout Session “Continuity of Care”, Nashville, TN

1999-2007: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) Certified Instructor: Taught over 100 mental health/suicide risk/drug & alcohol classes (over 500 hours of instruction) in the Corrections/Probation/Juvenile Academies. Burien, Chehalis, Omak, Spokane, Wenatchee. & Yakima, WA

2006: Northwest Law Enforcement & Public Safety Training Conference: Breakout Session “Recognizing Suicidal Behavior”, Tacoma, WA

2001: Panel speaker for American Correctional Health Care Services Association (ACHCSA) Conference: “Programs that Work”, Wenatchee, WA

2001: Panel speaker for The Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training (WIMIRT) Conference on Mentally Ill Offenders: Breakout Session “The ‘A’ Team – Community Team for Adults”, Monroe, WA

1992: Guest speaker for Overseas Radio and Television’s annual spiritual emphasis week, Taipei, Taiwan

1982-1990: Retreat speaker for various church youth and men’s groups, Mountlake Terrace, WA

Supervision Experience

While working at the Snohomish County Jail in Everett, WA, I had the pleasure of supervising 7 undergraduate and 7 graduate student interns from various universities such as Antioch University, Seattle University, City University, Western Washington University, Ohio Wesleyan, and the University of Washington. I received a letter of appreciation from one of those interns who very graciously affirmed my supervision style when she wrote, “You have been the only field instructor I have had in these two years at (university) who has been so in tune with what my learning objectives and goals are…I would be blessed if I am supervised by someone like you in my career to come.”

From 2006-2014, I was also the clinical supervisor for 13 mental health professionals at the Snohomish County Jail in Everett, WA. In that role, I was involved in the interview and hiring process and provided supervision for their initial orientation and probation periods. I also supervised their schedules and timesheets, weekly workload statistics, charting and documentation, treatment plans, medication referrals, correspondence with courts and attorneys, duty-to-warn referrals, discharge plans, rotating off-duty coverage, and their weekly team consultation meetings.

For the most part, I had very positive experiences with those I supervised. However, as someone once aptly said, when you’re a leader you’re also a target. There was a very rough period for me when one of my staff became very upset with a decision that I had initially approved, but was later reversed by the department head (unbeknownst to me, certain rules had changed that impacted my authority to sign off on decisions I had been able to make). So, over a matter of the next few weeks, this person stirred up other people in the office, initiated a petition for changes, and eventually filed a complaint against me for creating a hostile work environment. I responded with meticulous documentation to the contrary and let the powers-that-be do their investigation. Though nothing was substantiated against me, so much turmoil had ensued, that some staff made the decision to leave. Once the dust settled, I did my best to avoid and work around my colleague so as not to create any further issues. Having my own office down the hall was my safe harbor during that time. Well, apparently, just because things had grown quiet did not mean I was off the radar. A few months later I was contacted by the Washington State Department of Health about a complaint against my license (sigh). I initally had to wait in the dark for 5 months before being asked to provide appropriate documentation and another four months before receiving a letter stating “We have closed this case without disciplinary action because the evidence does not support a violation.” Enough said.

After retiring from the jail in 2014, I received two letters of endorsement from mental health professionals that I had supervised. Here are excerpts from their letters regarding their experiences in working with me: “Over the years working with Greg, I have developed nothing short of admiration and respect for him. He is…extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of being a clinician..He has always been encouraging to those he has supervised to do our best and learn new things – not by pushing, but by example so we can forge our own path”; and, “Greg is an excellent supervisor…he is highly organized, possesses excellent communication skills, and develops clear and concise protocols for his employees to follow. Greg has an enthusiastic, energetic, and optimistic personality…Greg has an exceptional work ethic and holds himself to the highest professional standard.”

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