BIPOC-focused initiative to train 65 RI clinicians in evidence-based trauma therapy, treat 1,100 RI kids
Gateway Healthcare announced that it has received a two-year $796,757 National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement a project called, “Scaling Up Access to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for Children in Rhode Island.”
The intent of the new project, which will focus on providing care for children and their families who are black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), is to increase the number of children in Rhode Island who have access to a specific evidence-based trauma treatment, or TF-CBT, by increasing the number of trained providers.
“Gateway is a known local provider of trauma services for children and families in need. This newest community effort is particularly exciting because we will be training more providers in a well-researched trauma treatment model,” said psychologist Deidre Donaldson, PhD, ABPP, project manager for the grant award. “Our goal is to provide Rhode Island children, and particularly those who are BIPOC, with better access to effective trauma treatment.”
The work will focus on RI children ages five to 18 who have experienced significant trauma and are exhibiting symptoms such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, disruptions in eating and sleeping, physical ailments and/or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders.
In addition to providing evidence-based trauma treatment and services to children in RI, project strategies and interventions include growing the trauma resources in RI by bringing together organizations that support specific target populations and expanding the number of clinicians in the state with both child expertise and training in TF-CBT by no less than 65 over a two-year period.