The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), a program of
Starr Institute for Training, is now offering webinars so professionals can
view live one-hour presentations from their computer. Currently, three webinars
are scheduled and listed below. We hope you will be able to register for
one or two of them, or all three!

MAY 19, 2011

What is TLC? Sensory (SITCAP®) or Cognitive (CBT) Interventions. Why cognitive interventions may not be the first choice with traumatized children.

Presented by Caelan Kuban, TLC Director

Although Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is widely used when one understands the neurology of trauma it becomes clear that outcomes with CBT may be limited with traumatized children. Structured Sensory Interventions for Traumatized Children, Adolescents and Parents (SITCAP®) approaches traumatized children where they live, not in the cognitive brain but in the survival brain. This webinar provides the evidence-based research supporting the use of sensory-based interventions with children only after followed by CBT. Click here to register for this webinar.

JUNE 22, 2011

What do parents/guardians really need to know about childhood trauma?

Presented by William Steele, TLC Founder

Children are growing up in a terror filled world. The fact is since 2000 we have been raising a generation of anxiety ridden children. The ongoing catastrophic situations the country is facing – homelessness, war, economic impoverishment and increased violence is not likely to cease anytime soon. How is it that some children do better than others when faced with the same terrifying fears? Does talking really help? What can parents do to ease their child’s fears while building their resilience in a world that is frightening for adults as well. Click here to register for this webinar.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Experience Private Logic Behavior. Why attempts to control or change trauma driven behavior often fails.

Presented by William Steele, TLC Founder

What is private logic and why is it so critical that we appreciate its related directives when attempting to help traumatized children? This presentation focuses on the origins of private logic, how it drives behaviors and what is needed to ultimately diminish the behavior. The fact is what often does not make sense to us, usually makes sense in the traumatized child’s world. If we have to ask ourselves why is this child continuing to act “badly” then we really do not understand the dynamics of private logic and matching behavior. This presentation makes sense of what does not make sense allowing us to be far more appropriate in our responses to the child. Click here to register for this webinar.

Register for one of the TLC webinars listed above. Live webinars will take
place on the dates listed from 1-2 pm EST. Afterwards, the recorded webinars
will be accessible at any time.

Cost is $25 per webinar. Each webinar provides 1 CE. To register, call TLC at
877.306.5256 or go to the TLC Online Bookstore. Click here to see all of the upcoming TLC events.

A little sandtray therapy at the Assembly

It’s time to make your plans to attend TLC’s Childhood Trauma Practitioner’s Assembly from July 12 to 16th!

The Assembly will be held at the Macomb County Intermediate School District’s (MISD) new Educational Service Center. MISD is located at 44001 Garfield Road, Clinton Township, Michigan 48038-1100.

This year’s program is about practices that are both trauma-informed and resilience-focused; some are evidence-based, others evidence-supported, as not all evidence-based interventions are appropriate for all traumatized children. Some of the leading edge presentations this year include:

Relationship & Neurobiological Integration Part 1
Many children of trauma experience changes in brain structure and brain chemistry. This workshop is focused on providing strategies through the caregiver’s relationship to create new pathways for the healing of a child’s body and mind system. We will look at how behavioral approaches discriminate against children with neurodiversity issues. A relational paradigm will then be introduced, and you will be provided with several strategies including: co-regulation, time in, the three A’s (attunement, affection and attention), self exploration, playfulness and humor, acceptance, presence, containment, being a sensory detective, physical affection, entering pain pathways, limbic resonance, the neurophysiological feedback loop, transitional time in, multi-sensory feedback, rupture and repair, collaborative communication, non-verbal communication and many more. Here are just a few of the offerings at this summer’s Assembly:

Group Strategies and Interventions with Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence
Participants will learn practical tools and important themes to consider when working with youth exposed to domestic violence. In addition, content presented will help participants gain a trauma-informed understanding about how these strategies and interventions promote safety, emotional expression, coping, validation, and normalizing related to working with youth from violent homes. Participants will also engage in activities and experientials to enhance their awareness and insight about the benefits of using hands-on and creative interventions in group work with traumatized youth.

What Really Gets Worked Out in the Sandtray?
Sand, images and the sandtray help create a “safe and protected space” for the builder. This psychodynamic process can be part of a nondirective or directive experience. Participants will see video clips including “Sandtray Storytelling” and a clip of how sandtray was utilized in schools with children whose parents worked in the Twin Towers as shown on the New York cable show, Frontiers in Psychotherapy.

No Bullies-No Victims: Trauma-Informed Bullying Prevention for K-12
This presentation will explore the bullying happening in schools and on the internet and explore specific, effective strategies at the organizational and student levels. Participants will be provided with a workbook outlining those strategies that can then be transferred to their organization or counseling practice. Emphasis will be on building students’ strengths by giving them the skills and strategies they need to prevent the bullying from happening and to deal with it when it does. Participants will also be given strategies for managing the environment and working with school staff and parents in order to help this transformation.

And of course, we hope you will join us for the keynote and full-day courses to become certified in the use of TLC’s school and agency-based SITCAP® programs or, if already certified, to learn additional strategies presented by practitioners in a variety of 3-hour workshops. To learn more about the courses and workshops click here. You can register for the Assembly in the TLC online bookstore or by calling TLC toll-free at 877-306-5256.

Be well,

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT

Starr Commonwealth Proudly Presents

Founder’s Day 2010

Sunday October 3rd

with guest speaker Erin Gruwell

In Room 203 at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, students, who were at one time deemed “unteachable,” were encouraged and promoted to rethink rigid beliefs about themselves and others and to give themselves a chance to restart their future. These students were the kids no teacher wanted and the ones that weren’t expected to succeed. Many lived in racially divided urban communities and were hardened by first-hand exposure to gang violence, juvenile detention, and drugs. Erin Gruwell inspired, motivated and, consequently, gave her students a second chance on life.

From the foreword to The Freedom Writers Diary, Zlata Filipovic, author of Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo, a book the Freedom Writer’s read in Gruwell’s class, wrote “writing about the things that happen to us allows us to look objectively at what’s going on around us and turn a negative experience into something positive and useful.” In agreement, Gruwell assigned each student a diary in which they wrote about their daily battles and experiences. These diaries for some were the only place where they felt anyone wanted to hear their stories, and for others it was the first safe place to share their stories. They dubbed themselves the “Freedom Writers” in homage to civil rights activists “the freedom riders.”

Even though a lot of people have given up on them, I refuse to believe they’re a lost cause. Although I’m no longer their teacher in the traditional sense, I am still their cheerleader, their mentor, and their close confidante. I learn from them every day, and in this way I have also become their student.”

- Erin Gruwell

As a graduate from University of California, Irvine, where she was awarded the Lauds and Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award, Gruwell currently serves as President of the Freedom Writers Foundation. She raises awareness by traveling nationwide to speak inside large corporations, government institutions, community associations, school and juvenile halls. She earned her Master’s Degree and teaching credentials from California State University, Long Beach, where she was honored as Distinguished Alumna by the School of Education.

Founder’s Day is held the first Sunday of every October at Starr Commonwealth’s Albion campus. It marks the anniversary of Floyd Starr, his family and 13 boys moving into Gladsome Cottage on Oct. 3, 1913.

Founded in 1913, Starr Commonwealth is a private, nonprofit organization licensed by the States of Michigan and Ohio and accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children. Starr Commonwealth provides a comprehensive continuum of care for at-risk youth and their families including community-based early intervention and prevention services and specialized residential alternatives. The full spectrum of services is offered through Starr’s five locations in Michigan and Ohio and training for professionals who work with youth is conducted nationwide. Starr Commonwealth is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity.

Visit the website www.starr.org for more information.

Please join us Sunday October 3^rd

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Chapel Service

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Lunch

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Campus Tours

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Program featuring Erin Gruwell begins, scholarships and awards

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Book signing

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Childhood Trauma Practitioner’s Assembly

July 13-16, 2010

Question: which child of a military family is more at risk for trauma– the one whose parent is being deployed for the very first time or the one whose parent has been through several of them? The answer might surprise you. It’s the second child—the one you might expect to be used to the experience and better able to adapt. Even more surprising, the trauma the child might experience—and the trauma-related behavior it can engender—may have very little to do with fear and anxiety over the deployment itself but with something else entirely.

Trauma in children is complicated. In fact, it wasn’t until 1990 that psychologist and childcare pioneer William Steele made the link between childhood trauma and the same PTSD commonly associated with soldiers in battle. As emerging research in neuroscience confirms, trauma-related behaviors don’t respond to traditional cognitive therapies because they’re not rooted in the cognitive part of the brain. The only way “in” is to learn to see the child’s experience the same way the child does and, armed with proven sensory interventions, finally get to the heart of it.

Rigorous, evidence-based research of TLC intervention programs has shown remarkable, statistically significant reduction of not only PTSD symptoms but also related mental health symptoms.” 

- William Steele

Senior Vice President of the Starr Institute for Training and founder of The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children.

This July, Starr’s National Institute for Trauma & Loss in Children (TLC) will continue its role as the national leader in the treatment of childhood trauma at the annual Childhood Trauma Practitioners Assembly in Clinton Township, Michigan. The theme for this year’s event is “Supporting Children of Deployed Parents: Lessons Learned—Helpful Strategies.” Panel discussions, workshops and featured speakers will focus on issues related to this very topical subject and offer practical, hands-on training and guidance in TLC’s sensory intervention practices.

Caelan Kuban is program director and clinical consultant for TLC. Kuban says that while this year’s theme focuses on the trauma experienced by military families, the lessons of TLC apply across the board. “Fear, hurt, worry, guilt, anger—TLC practices work on a sensory level to deal with issues that are common to all trauma-related experiences.”

More than 300 participants are expected to attend the four-day assembly and can choose from more than 20 workshops on a wide range of topics, from early intervention techniques to school-based intervention programs to the use of music, art and even therapy dogs in reaching traumatized children. Participants can also choose to pursue Level-1 or Level-2 TLC certification in a comprehensive series of classes. “There is something for everyone at the Assembly,” says Kuban, adding that CEU credits and even graduate credits can be awarded to those who qualify.

Trauma: The Startling Facts

• More than 40% of children and teens have endured at least one traumatic event, resulting in the development of PTSD in up to 15% of girls and 6% of boys
• Some 800,000 children are maltreated each year through neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and intimate partner violence
• On average, 3%-6% of high school students in the United States and as many as 30%-60% of children who have survived specific disasters have PTSD
• Up to 100% of children who have seen a parent killed or endured sexual assault or abuse tend to develop PTSD, and more than one-third of youths who are exposed to community violence will suffer from PTSD
• 25% of survivors of car accidents where there was a fatality develop PTSD
• 34% of children with a deployed parent develop PTSD

Click HERE for more information or to register

Dr. Jim Longhurst

A few years ago, Starr’s residential programs began the implementation of a true strength-based assessment tool – the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale: Second Edition. Completed by the youth, parents, and a teacher or clinician, results of this widely accepted tool enable us to better understand a youth’s strengths along important dimensions:  interpersonal; family; intrapersonal; school; and affective.  This instrument has many applications including:

• Measurement of gain in strengths:  Administered on a pre- and post-treatment basis, we can scientifically determine the effects of treatment on a youth’s behavioral and emotional strengths as experienced by the youth, parents, and clinicians.
• Clinical applications:  the pre-treatment results serve as a guide for treatment planning that draws upon the strengths of the youth.  Having a comprehensive understanding of the strengths provides clinicians with ideas on how to provide sufficient experiences, instruction, and opportunities for continued growth and achievement of goals.

A real “strength” of this assessment tool is that it incorporates the experiences of three parties – the youth, parents, and clinicians.  As often happens, youth exhibit strengths in some situations and not others.  As well, it is helpful to see how the three assessments compare in consistency.  A youth may see strength in a particular dimension that is not experienced by the parent, or vice versa.  This is very important to know from a clinical standpoint because a strength not recognized, developed, and/or reinforced may be subject to “strength atrophy”, “strength extinction,” or the negative redeployment of the strength into destructive activities.

A good example of the importance of gathering observations from all three is “Brandon.”  Brandon came to our program having lived basically homeless and “on the streets” for most of his life.  He was later adopted but became such a handful that his parents and social services worker turned to Starr for help.  You can imagine the issues of trust and safety Brandon experienced on a continuous basis.

Brandon’s pre-treatment BERS 2 scores indicated that both his self assessment and his parents’ assessment ranked him at less than 1 percentile – meaning that more than 99% of youth assessed on this instrument scored higher, exhibiting more behavioral and emotional strengths.  His clinician’s rating was somewhat higher – 5 percentile – but still very low.  It was quite apparent that much work was needed to bolster Brandon’s ability to interact effectively with others.

After nine months of residential treatment, including group therapy, individual counseling, educational instruction, and structured recreational and service learning activities, Brandon was re-tested using the BERS2.  Both Brandon and his clinician saw significant improvement in his strengths – Brandon’s scores jumped to the 20^th percentile and his clinician’s up to 23^rd percentile.  BUT, Brandon’s parents’ scores remained exactly the same – less than 1^st percentile!  They had not observed any progress at all.

This was significant clinical information for the treatment team.  They were able to set up a series of clinical parent conferences to help Brandon’s parents see that he was indeed making progress in many areas.  They were helped to communicate this awareness to Brandon which served to reinforce the gains made and to encourage further growth.  In this way the BERS2 served not only as a measurement of grow th but as an applied clinical tool.

Dr. James Longhurst is a licensed psychologist for Starr Commonwealth. In addition to his role as director for Montcalm Schools, Jim is involved in all case planning and clinical services for the organization.  He is a member of the American Psychological Association and is a charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association. Jim is a certified lead facilitator and trainer for Starr’s Healing of Racism and Glasswing facilitator training initiative.

Lobbying the federal government involves tremendous efforts on the part of our staff and volunteers in advocating for our work with children and families. This year, President & CEO Marty Mitchell, Chief Development Officer Simon Bisson and Director of Public Policy Bryan Brown visited with members of Congress and the Senate for Michigan and Ohio to request additional funding.

Congress has approved the Fiscal 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which will result in a total of $2,426,600 in federal funding for Starr Commonwealth programs and facilities.

The new funding, outlined below, will not be available until fall of 2010 and can only be used to support the specific programs listed. 

• $300,000 for Battle Creek’s parent-referred day treatment program
• $876,600 for Battle Creek’s facilities renovations
• $350,000 for Detroit’s renovation and expansion of transitional facilities for youth
• $200,000 for Detroit’s pilot of Bridges to Responsible Adulthood program
• $200,00 for Columbus’ STL program
• $500,000 for Van Wert’s expansion of the adolescent delinquency program

During a period when our agency is faced with financial challenges and deficits as a result of shrinking resources, this level of support from our legislative champions is a true testament to our work and will provide crucial funding to support programs and much-needed renovations next year.

It should be noted, however, that we will continue to look for efficiencies in our work while staying committed to the high-quality care we currently provide children and families. While we greatly appreciate this funding, we still require the generous support of private individuals, corporations and organizations to partner in carrying out our mission.

Thank you to all who, like us, see something good in every child and have made investments in us to prove it.

Dr. Jim Longhurst

Using Technology in treatment of youth

The Detroit Free Press recently published a story (Video Psychiatry takes hold in state, Nov. 15, 2009) that estimates about half-a-million children across the state of Michigan are in need of help but there are only about 200 child psychiatrists available.

With that said, more psychologists and psychiatrists are turning to technology to meet the growing demand. Telepsychiatry services, according to the article by Free Press Staff Writer Megha Satyanarayana, are efficient ways to see large numbers of young patients where distance and availability are issues.

For this same reason, Starr Commonwealth has begun using telepsychiatry services with the youth in our care. For example, a young man in the residential program in Van Wert, Ohio, will meet face-to-face for the first initial assessment with Starr’s psychologist in Columbus, Ohio. Subsequent sessions, however, are then conducted by way of telepsychiatry, where the youth and doctor connect through videoconferencing.

Starr is currently looking at ways to expand its use of technology in meeting the needs of youth in our care, specifically with the students of Montcalm Schools, many of which come to us with mental health diagnoses. We currently are in talks with faculty and staff of Michigan State University’s telepyschiatry program to create a strategy for utilizing the university’s service in our program.

To read the entire Free Press article, please follow this link: http://freep.com/article/20091115/NEWS05/911150525/1007/NEWS05/No-psychiatrist-nearby?-Turn-on-the-screen

The events drew over 150 participants, including: a Member of Congress and Congressional staff members, state legislators, county commissioners, a city mayor, directors and senior staff from county children services, mental health and alcohol and drug board, and family and children first council agencies, and directors and senior staff from private OACCA member agencies. We would like to thank the following organizations for hosting the events with us: The Children’s Home of Cincinnati, Starr Commonwealth, Voices for Ohio’s Children, The Village Network, and Beech Brook.

The purposes of the events were to 1) inform stakeholders of important developments to the child and family service system, particularly occurring from the state budget, and 2) discuss methods and strategies to public and private agencies and policymakers can follow to protect vital social services for communities. While the attendance and format of each event varied, the messages heard are very consistent:

County children service, mental health, and alcohol and drug addiction agencies are starting to experience the consequences of reduced state funding. While many state funding line items were eliminated or significantly reduced in the FY10-11 state budget, county agencies are doing their best to prioritize and streamline services to meet the growing needs of their constituencies. Long term effects of prioritization and streamlining efforts include layoffs of crucial staff members, termination of optional community programs, termination or “slimming” of contracts with private agencies, and most important, many successful systems of care that have been built over the past decades are beginning to come apart. While child protection investigations have spiked recently, some counties are responding by increasing family preservation efforts.

Policy makers should focus further funding cuts away from social service programs that serve children. If  further cuts are needed during FY10-11, policymakers should carefully consider the consequences of cutting additional mental and behavioral health, child protection, foster and kinship care, adoption, and independent living services for Ohio children. Particularly for programs that have proven to be cost effective, further cuts will dig our budget into a deeper hole for years to come. Some participants urged the state to focus cuts on overhead of state and county agencies instead of direct services to Ohioans. HB65 was discussed, which would require performance budgeting and audits by most state agencies.

Tough times call for creative solutions. Policymakers should not only search for areas to cut excess state funding, they should work with their community partners and statewide advocates to propose new and creative ideas to manage programs and services already in place. The organization and structure of state and county agencies, computer information systems, and relieving mandates and lessening regulations on private agencies should be considered. Some participants supported the merger of the Ohio Departments of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.

Increasing public-private partnerships was also discussed as a strategy to pursue.A good example is the Ohio Department of Youth Services’ decision to bid out their Community Based Treatment Center program to private agencies. Lastly, the General Assembly should consider pursuing statewide child welfare financing reform. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, funding for the Ohio child welfare system is supported primarily by the federal government (43%) and county governments (43%), with only 13% provided by the state government, which is one of the lowest shares in the country.

Increasing revenues is essential. Our state cannot cut its way out of the recession. Traditional and alternative revenue enhancement measures should be considered by the Governor and General Assembly, such as tax increases, postponing tax reductions, or the establishment of casinos.

Collaboration is needed to develop a unified voice on children service funding. Instead of competing against each other, associations, advocacy organizations, and other statewide groups should develop a unified voice on state funding for children and family service programs. There are shared priorities that can be the basis of a unified policy platform. One participant urged ODJFS to employ a consultant in Washington, D.C. to lobby for human services dollars for Ohio.

We understand that a unified voice is needed to ensure that the state supports child and family service programs at the required levels. OACCA will partner with local and state agencies, the General Assembly, Governor, and other statewide associations and coalitions to advocate for our positions on these crucial issues.

While there is a long road ahead to restore many funding and program cuts, we are excited that Governor Strickland has recently announced his support for increased revenues by postponing an income tax reduction. The State of Ohio cannot sustain another round of cuts. We support the idea that a balanced approach is needed to effectively manage state programs. We look forward to working with our partners, including the Campaign to Protect Ohio’s Future, to continue delivering this important message.

Posted with approval from Mark Mecum, Associate Director for Government Relations, Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA). 614-461-0014 or mmecum@oacca.org.

OACCA is a statewide association of private and public agencies that provide a wide array of services to children and families across the state. Association members provide services to thousands of children and families annually, allowing them to achieve and maintain independence and productivity. For more information, visit www.oacca.org

The Michigan Federation for Children and Families is working hard on behalf of its member agencies to advocate for the populations they serve in the middle of the budget discussions taking place at the State Capitol. With just a week until the end of the fiscal year, the Federation continues to pursue every option available in its advocacy toward resources for its member agencies serving so many vulnerable children and families in Michigan.

In order that children’s services issues are at the table for all budget discussions, we are in regular communication with:

• Legislative Leaders,
•  Top DHS Administrators
• The State Budget Office
• Children’s Rights
• and the State’s Monitoring Team

Legislative leaders are currently working to negotiate and find a solution to the state’s budget deficit. At this time reports mention that $1.2 billion in cuts may be agreed upon between the House and Senate, with the hope that the legislature could restore some of these funds through supplemental budget bills.

The Federation’s greatest strength is our membership. As these efforts continue forward, the Federation also recognizes the membership’s specialized ability to communicate to legislative leaders the needs of children and families. You are positioned within your communities to be able to carry the voices forward of the vulnerable populations you serve within your agencies, serving as an asset to their futures.

The Federation can help by providing tools for your ongoing advocacy efforts. This is a critical time within the legislature as there is a lot of work going on to complete the 2010 fiscal year budget before September 30. This means the time to act is now, and your elected representatives need to be hearing from you!

You can contact the Federation at 517-485-8552 for information and materials and visit http://www,michfed.orgfor more details. We also hope that you will follow-up to communicate the results of your advocacy efforts. Feel free to email me at janet@michfed.org.

Respectfully,

Janet Reynolds Snyder

Executive Director

Michigan Federation for Children and Families

Meeting the needs of local youth and families despite budget cuts

A community roundtable on children and family services was held Friday, Aug. 21 at the Starr Van Wert campus with the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA) facilitating the event. Executives from public and private child and family service and mental health agencies and local politicians met at the Beckmann Family Center on the Starr Commonwealth campus along Lincoln Highway.

The goal was to learn more about the state of child and family agencies in Ohio, including the challenges and opportunities for service providers during the current economic recession.

“It’s important that policy makers understand that they are under funding the child welfare and child safety net in the state of Ohio,” said Bryan Brown, Director of Public Policy and Business Development for Starr Commonwealth. “We need the federal and state governments to fund the services we know work and achieve positive outcomes for children and their families.”

Mark Mecum, Associate Director for Government Relations with OACCA, facilitated the conversation among attendees, which included State Representative Lynn Wachtmann; Kim Mullins, Executive Director of The Marsh Foundation; Scott Ferris, Director of Allen County Children Services; and Dru Whittaker, Chief Executive Officer of Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY), as well as other local and state leaders concerned about the future or children services.

OACCA is hosting roundtable discussions like this throughout the state and working toward a shared priority list and unified recommendations for reform as public and private agencies advocate for what’s in the best interest of Ohio’s youth and families.

“The time is now for public and private agencies that serve children to work with policy makers to figure out how to weather this economic storm,” Mecum said. “Several ideas have been identified at the roundtable events that aim to cut costs for agencies without lessening the quality of services to children. We look forward to working with Starr and other organizations to pursue these opportunities.”

OACCA is a statewide association of private and public agencies that provide a wide array of services to children and families across the state. Learn more at http://www.oacca.org.

Starr Commonwealth is internationally recognized as a leader in transformational programs for children, families, schools and communities. Founded in 1913, Starr’s treatment philosophy is rooted in seeing something good in every child, which serves as the guiding principle in its strength-based approach. Starr offers a full spectrum of community-based early intervention and prevention services along with specialized residential programs. Through the Starr Institute of Training, parents, clinicians, educators and childcare professionals now have access to Starr’s highly successful and innovative techniques aimed at bringing out the best in every child. For more information about Starr Commonwealth, please call 800-837-5591 or visit http://www.starr.org