I am trained as a developmental psychologist and have been involved with issues and programs directly addressing the complexities of trauma exposure and its impact on children and families. I have been deeply involved with state and local operations following major disaster incidents, most notably Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, over 20 plus events, including school shootings, natural disasters of all types, including the Gulf Oil Spill (2010). Currently I am the Senior Advisor to the NCTSN/SAMHSA CAT II knowledge transfer grant known as the Terrorism and Disaster Coalition (TDC4) for Child and Family Resilience. This project reaches across many states and local trauma informed initiatives using a low cost coalition model designed to provide knowledge access to NCTSN coalition members, affiliates and other child and family service groups. Currently, over 300 professionals and advocacy involved persons participate in TDC4 activities.
SPARC Foundation, Inc
Speier, Anthony (Tony), PhD
Spurwink Services
Spurwink's mission is to provide behavioral health and education services for children, adults, and families in Maine. The agency's vision is that people affected by behavioral health challenges including the impact of trauma and developmental disabilities live healthy, engaged lives in their communities. Spurwink recognizes the impact of traumatic events on youth, families and adults and in 2011 developed and implemented a trauma-informed clinical model and a Trauma-Informed System of Care. The agency's Trauma-Informed System of Care is comprehensive in its approach and includes: a definition of trauma, trauma as a co-occurring condition, a commitment and process to stay current with research and best practices, COA standards, staff training and supervision, physical and emotional safety, consumer choice, clear boundaries, empowerment and skill building, prevention of re-traumatization, and understanding difficult/challenging behaviors as a response to trauma. Trauma treatment models include Attachment, Regulation and Competence (ARC), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) and Trauma Systems Therapy adapted for Refugees (TST-R). Spurwink's services include a large array outpatient treatment programs serving children and families, evaluation services, foster care services and supports as well as educational and residential settings for youth. Spurwink is also part of a number of community collaborations to enhance services to children and families impacted by trauma.
SSG-OTTP BRIGHT Program
Special Service for Groups - Occupational Therapy Training Program (SSG-OTTP) has been providing community based mental health services to youth and families in Los Angeles County since 1975. Evidence based practice models provided to address child trauma include PCIT, TFCBT, Loving Intervention for Family Enrichment, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and Seeking Safety. Under the SAMHSA grant called the BRIGHT Program (Build Resiliency, Inspire Growth, & Heal Trauma), staff will be providing trauma informed mental health groups utilizing the Seeking Safety model to help youth age 13-25 learn about the effects of trauma and substance use on mental well-being, and to learn and practice coping strategies. The goals are to help clients learn to decrease trauma responses and risk for future trauma exposure and to increase their ability to function as well as increase their overall life satisfaction. The multidisciplinary team includes an MFT, Occupational Therapist, Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist, and an Outreach Specialist of various backgrounds and lived experiences to ensure holistic, culturally sensitive, trauma informed services. The team will also be training professionals and parents in the community in Mental Health First Aid in order to increase awareness of risk factors of self-harm and suicide among youth so they may engage in prevention and intervention in their communities. SSG-OTTP was founded on the principals of Occupational Therapy which include the value of an individual's use of meaningful daily activities (occupations) to create an enjoyable life. The therapeutic approach to use the transformational power of occupation is one of the many qualities that makes OTTP so unique.
St. John's University: Child HELP Partnership
Child HELP Partnership, develops and operates trauma-specific mental health programs with its innovative, scientifically supported protocols: 1) On the local level, to provide culturally adapted therapy and prevention services free-of-charge to underserved children and families in the surrounding communities. 2) On the national level, to develop and provide trainings, consultation, and oversight on these therapy methods and prevention programs to mental health professionals as well as the general public. These outreach strategies, evaluation tools, therapies, and prevention trainings are improving care across the country.
To ensure remaining on the scientific cutting edge, the programs incorporate evaluation systems for correcting, refining, and enhancing treatment so that the methodology can be continually modified and improved. The goal is to replicate the Child HELP Partnership Center’s well-documented results across the United States and abroad. The Partnership subscribes to the belief that all children deserve safe and happy childhoods, so each and every one can grow up to be a strong and healthy adult.
The name Child HELP Partnership reflects an integrated approach in four areas of focus:
- Healing children after trauma using evidence-based therapies.
- Empowering multicultural communities with access to the finest culturally sensitive mental health programs
- Learning programs—both live and virtual—to educate professionals in the most innovative and effective methodologies
- Public education for parents and others who interact with children on a regular basis, including educators, coaches, and people within their sphere of influence
Partnerships are formed with children with trauma histories, their families, the community as a whole, colleagues in the mental health field, and caregivers, parents, and others who interact with children regularly. These partnerships unite across cultures with all programs created to be language-accessible and culturally informed.
Steinberg, Alan, PhD
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
Stephen Hydon
Stephen Hydon (he/his), EdD, MSW, is a Clinical Professor at the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. He directs the School Social Work Program, one of the largest in the country, with over 200 students each year earning credentials to practice school social work in public school settings. Recently, Stephen was funded to co-lead a team of experts in the fields of education and secondary trauma to create a one-of-a-kind online learning platform for educators experiencing secondary traumatic stress called STAT: www.statprogram.org. Hydon also serves as a liaison to the TDNC Committee of the NCTSN, as part of his role on the CAT II Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Hope, Wellness and Resiliency in Schools. Lastly, he is President of the American Council for School Social Work, a national association dedicated solely to the profession of school social work.
Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone offers high quality clinical care. The clinic specializes in targeted, evidenced based care for post 9/11 veterans, active duty military, Reservists, those serving in our National Guard and their family members. Military cultural competence is an essential component of our work. We serve the entire military family, including children and adolescents. We provide trauma treatment for military children and adolescents from birth to seventeen years old. We offer a range of evidenced based treatments including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy and Parent Child Interaction Therapy.
Strickler, Heidi, PhD, LCSW-S, CEDS-S, CART, CTLS
Dr. Heidi Strickler, PhD, LCSW-S, CEDS-S, CART, CTLS works within the product team of United Healthcare's Medicaid line of business. Her areas of expertise are trauma, particularly human trafficking and dissociation, child welfare, and eating disorders. She has presented on topics nationally and internationally, as well as published on topics of human trafficking, trauma, eating disorders, child welfare, behavior management in children and adolescents, substance use in adolescents, and resilience. In addition, she has expertise in direct clinical practice as well as training, supervision, and implementation of multiple evidence-based programs and products, and is level one trained in the neurosequental model of therapeutics (NMT), cognitive processing therapy, and is a trainer of the Child Adolescent Strengths and Needs Assessment. Dr. Strickler serves as a consultant for eating disorders and trauma for a variety of groups in the state of Missouri and piloted a screening process to increase stability for children and youth in foster care.