Jerry Blackburn, M.Ed., SUDP

06/15/2026

Please share with your community.

Young people thrive when their parents, guardians and caregivers are involved in their health care. We want to understand what parents, guardians and caregivers need to support their teens and young adults with navigating medical and behavioral health systems. That’s why the Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) Adolescent and Young Adult Health (AYAH) team is establishing the Parent, Guardian, and Caregiver Advisory Board (PCAB).

Adolescent and Young Adult Health Parent, Guardian, and Caregiver Advisory Board Working together to help youth thrive. Young people thrive when their parents

06/09/2026

Awesome new podcast episode from Parentingupstreamhub.
We had such a great experience chatting with Dali Rivera at DaliTalks about helping students become Bullyproof.

06/07/2026

Please join us and don't forget to share with your friends and colleagues! 🌲🌲🌲

We are so excited to announce that registration for Counselor Camp 2026 is now open.

Counselor Camp is an inspiring weekend of seminars and activities designed for professionals working with adolescents or young adults within the broad scope of behavioral health, education, prevention and more.

13 CEUs (SUDP, MHP) for your general conference attendance are available, plus 4 Ethics CEUs for participation in the preconference.

We are grateful to welcome back the Director of Programs from Sundown M Ranch, Alicia Egan, MHA, SUDP, to provide our 4-hour ethics preconference.

In addition to the amazing workshops, Camp includes opportunities to enjoy nature hikes, practice yoga, experience singing bowls attend recovery meetings, visits with a Massage Therapist, arts & crafts as well as a Saturday night campfire with s’mores!

The beautiful camp setting at the Cispus Learning Center and relaxed camaraderie provides a wonderful opportunity for rest, renewal and healing for those doing this important work.

General registration is just $150.00, Preconference an extra $30.00.

NEW THIS YEAR: Student/intern package, just $100.00. Please be advised that no CEUs are available for student tickets. The spirit for this opportunity is to give noncredentialled clinicians/interns more affordable access to the conference.

🌲🌲Please pass along to your friends and colleagues! 🌲🌲

Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/counselor-camp-2026-tickets-1990361383477?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more information about camp visit: https://empoweryouthnetwork.org/counselor-camp-2026/

Thank you to our host Empower Youth Network.

Thank you to the Waadac- Washington State Addiction Professionals for their years of support and NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals for providing our CEU accreditation over the years.

06/06/2026

Donations needed!

06/05/2026

Sign up today!
Jerry Blackburn, M.Ed., SUDP

Please join us for the 6th Annual King County Substance Use Recovery Conference on Thursday, July 23 at Renton Technical College in Renton, WA.

Keynote speaker Regina LaBelle, Georgetown University Professor of Addiction Policy and former Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, will be there along with a full day of panels and intriguing presentations and discussions.

This event brings together policy makers, recovery experts, advocates, providers, and community members for meaningful conversations about recovery, support, and collaboration across King County.
Complimentary lunch and refreshments will be provided for registered attendees.

Register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-king-county-substance-use-recovery-conference-keynote-regina-labelle-tickets-1988421972647

05/20/2026

Good luck Voyager.

Voyager 1 is so far away from Earth that a single message now takes almost an entire day to reach it.

Launched by NASA in 1977, the spacecraft has traveled farther than any human-made object ever created. After nearly five decades in space, Voyager 1 is now drifting through interstellar space — the mysterious region beyond our solar system where no spacecraft had ever gone before.

The probe is currently more than 24 billion kilometers from Earth, silently moving through the darkness between the stars while continuing to send scientific data back to humanity.

But time is running out.

Voyager’s power supply has been slowly fading for years, leaving only two science instruments still operating. To keep the legendary spacecraft alive, NASA engineers are preparing an extremely risky procedure known as the “Big Bang.”

The operation aims to conserve the probe’s remaining energy and possibly extend its mission into the 2030s. But because Voyager is so incredibly distant, engineers must wait nearly 46 hours just to know whether a single command worked.

If the attempt fails, humanity could permanently lose contact with the most distant explorer ever built.

Yet even after almost 50 years, Voyager 1 continues its lonely journey beyond the planets — carrying humanity’s presence farther into the universe than anything else in history.

05/06/2026

Please help us spread the word!

✨We are going LIVE✨

Join us for Lunch Bunch 🍽️ LIVE with Parenting Upstream co-founders
Marcelle Waldman & Jerry Blackburn

Raising Resilient Kids: Rethinking Youth Development

🗓 June 1st ⏰ 12:00–1:00pm PST
For parents, caregivers, and educators alike! 🤍

Resilience isn’t built in perfect conditions, it’s shaped through challenge. In a world where many kids are unintentionally shielded from discomfort, we have an opportunity to shift that.

In this conversation, we will explore how allowing kids to stumble, try again, and keep going helps build confidence, independence, and the ability to navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs.

Growth doesn’t come from avoiding hard things… it comes from moving through them.

Come learn, connect, and grow with us.
🔗 Visit parentingupstream.com to register today!

✨ Zoom details will be sent after registration

04/09/2026

So grateful for the opportunity to spend the day with the amazing staff at Encompass NW.

Last Friday, Encompass staff gathered at beautiful North Fork Farm Events for our spring All-Staff Meeting. In addition to our stunning backdrop, we enjoyed a time of thoughtful discussion as Jerry Blackburn, M.Ed., SUDP, led us through part two of his Rooted and Wings staff development series, Relationship-centered connection for nonprofit teams. As always, we are so grateful for this intentional time of reflection, learning, and collaboration that fuels our work with children and families. ❤

03/19/2026

Join us and please share with your community.

Let's fill the room!

💙 🩵 Help us fill the room! 🩵 💙

Please share with your community!

Helping Kids Shine in a World Full of Challenges —

A FREE event for parents and caregivers to children of all ages. Connect, learn, and gather practical strategies for supporting youth.

Drop in for:

Mini‑workshops

Meet local partners

Explore community resources

Tuesday, March 31 • 6–8 p.m. at the Together Center in Redmond (Doors open at 5:30 for connection and light refreshments)

Help us plan by registering at: https://www.parentingupstream.com/events

This is a FREE community event.

Childcare is available with registration.

Visit with a variety of community resource providers. LightHeart Mental Health, Friends of Youth, Changes Parent Support Network - public, EvergreenHealth, and more!

Brought to you by your friends at NAMI Eastside, PEPS for Parents and Parenting Upstream!