Goal:

Our goal is to help children and families affected by adverse experiences related to trauma & developmental disabilities recover and heal obtaining the support and tools necessary to reach their full potential. Through our range of trauma-informed services, we aim to provide the best possible outcomes for the families we work with. We are committed to developing and sustaining the following:

  • Early intervention services
  • Specialized clinical services
  • Specialized foster care
  • Community outreach and advocacy services
  • Prevention and family support programs
  • Implementation of best practices, education and training programs
  • Research that informs best practices

Outpatient Programs:

Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress

The Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress (CCFTS) is affiliated to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). CCFTS provides evidence-based/evidence supported clinical treatment services for traumatized children and their families, training in trauma-informed intervention approaches, and research on the causes, consequences and treatment of child and family trauma.

Community Program:

Therapeutic Foster Care Program

Therapeutic Foster Care provides a range of family-based services for children with special needs who are at risk for institutional placement. The program trains foster and adoptive parents to provide good homes for children in their care.

Professional Training:

The Department of Family and Community Interventions provides supervised training for practicum and internship students for a number of colleges and universities in the region.

We also provide postdoctoral training at the Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress (CCFTS). The CCFTS postdoctoral program provides advanced specialty education in the evaluation and treatment of traumatized children and families. The postdoctoral fellow gains knowledge and skills through a combination of supervised assessment and treatment, didactic seminars, group supervision and case conferences. Training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and other evidence-based treatments is a focal aspect of the postdoctoral program. Other key training activities include diagnostic interviewing, trauma-informed psychological evaluations, and providing supervision to psychology externs.

The postdoctoral training program at CCFTS is approved by the Association for Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Successful applicants will have completed a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in clinical, counseling, or school psychology and pre-doctoral internship that are accredited by American Psychological Association (APA). Formal proof of matriculation or completion of all graduation requirements, from the degree granting institution, is required. Postdoctoral fellows receive an appointment through the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Application for the program is made through the APPA CAS electronic application section on the APPIC.org website.

The Department of Family and Community Interventions participates in the Kennedy Krieger/Johns Hopkins Maternal and Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) Program.

In cooperation with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), the Department of Family and Community Interventions has developed a graduate course in Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatment of Children and Adolescents and provides faculty for the course.

Research:

Our recent work focuses on the effects of various types of trauma on children and adolescents, and proposing treatments and support systems for children and families.

Researchers at the CCFTS are attempting to understand how trauma increases the likelihood of psychiatric and other health problems.

Visit the CCFTS Research page for more information about the center’s research efforts.

Publications:

The CCFTS has published several articles on various topics related to trauma.

Visit the center’s Publications and Products page for more information.

Products:

The CCFTS has developed the Yoga-Based Psychotherapy Group Manual, a 14-week protocol for mental health and healthcare professionals, yoga teachers and educators for facilitating yoga-based psychotherapy groups.

Click here for more information on the Yoga-Based Psychotherapy Group Manual.

Community Training/Technical Assistance:

The CCFTS educates and trains mental health and helping professionals on the developmental and behavioral consequences of trauma and their treatments.

Visit the CCFTS Training page for more information.

Staffing (Licensure):

All staff are licensed in the state of Maryland as Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), Licensed Certified Professional Counselors, Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor, or Licensed Psychologist. All staff have graduate or doctoral degrees from schools accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or the American Psychological Association (APA).