Policy Activities

NCCTS policy activities are guided by Ellen Gerrity, PhD, NCCTS Associate Director and Senior Policy Advisor, Diane Elmore Borbon, PhD, MPH, Policy Program Director, and Lauren Absher, MSW, Program Coordinator for Policy and Partnerships, in collaboration with the NCTSN Policy Task Force.

NCCTS Policy Activities

The NCCTS policy activities include the following:

  • Education and Awareness Raising. Sharing information about child trauma and the NCTSN with federal and state representatives and other policymakers through individual communications or by participating in congressional briefings and other events.
  • Policy Capacity Building. Providing policy leadership, education/training, consultation and mentorship for NCTSN members, Affiliates, and partners on issues related to policy, advocacy, and strategies for effectively working with policymakers. Trainings are offered at conferences, through NCTSN webinars, and through individual and group technical assistance. The NCCTS Policy Program also maintains and provides leadership for the NCTSN Policy Task Force.
  • Policy Product and Resource Development. Collaborating with the NCCTS Product Development Coordinator, the NCTSN Policy Task Force, and individual NCCTS programs to develop and disseminate a range of policy resources for professionals, the public, and policymakers about child traumatic stress and the NCTSN.
  • Maintain and Expand Policy Partnerships. Supporting information and resource exchange with key partners, including NCTSN Advisory Board members, through participation in national coalitions and collaborative briefings and events for policymakers and key stakeholders.

NCTSN Policy Task Force

The NCTSN Policy Task Force is a policy leadership and advisory group composed of NCTSN members and Affiliates, as well as key partners. The Policy Task Force is led by Diane Elmore Borbon, PhD, MPH, with support from Lauren Absher, MSW, Program Coordinator for Policy and Partnerships.

2018 Policy Task Force Members

  • Gwendolyn Downing, LPC, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
  • Heidi Ellis, PhD, Children’s Hospital Boston
  • Sarah Ferriss, LCSW, Spurwink Services
  • Alisa Miller, PhD, Children’s Hospital Boston
  • Joanne Peterson, Learn to Cope
  • Debra Ruisard, DSW, LCSW, LCADC, Center for Great Expectations
  • Liza Suarez, PhD, University of Illinois, Chicago
  • Carole Swiecicki, PhD, Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center

2017 Policy Task Force Members

  • Patricia Barron, BSN, MS, Association of United States Army
  • Laura Danna, LCSW-BACS, Mercy Family Center
  • Heather Forkey, MD, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Betsy McAlister Groves, LCSW, LICSW, Harvard University Graduate School of Education
  • Mandy Habib, PsyD, Adelphi University
  • Kelly Kinnish, PhD, Georgia Center for Child Advocacy
  • Sarah Ostrowski-Delahanty, PhD, Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron
  • Carole Swiecicki, PhD, Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center
  • Marilyn Zimmerman, PhD, University of Montana

2015-2016 Policy Task Force Members

  • Jerry Dunn, PhD, Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis
  • Betsy McAlister Groves, LICSW, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • Al Killen-Harvey, LCSW, Chadwick Center for Children and Families
  • Teresa Huizar, MA, National Children’s Alliance
  • Kelly Kinnish, PhD, Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, Inc.
  • Tony Mannarino, PhD, Allegheny General Hospital-Singer Research Institute
  • Sandra Spencer, Mediation Center for Eastern North Carolina
  • Elizabeth Thompson, PhD, Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress at Kennedy Krieger Institute
  • Pamela Vona, MA, University of Southern California