Transformational Therapy for Children Experiencing Trauma

At a Glance

This project led by Anesis, a Black-owned therapy center in Madison, aimed to address the high rates of violence and trauma experienced by children, particularly in the Black community. All Anesis staff were successfully trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Brainspotting, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to help children and their caregivers work through trauma and prevent cycles of intergenerational trauma. While the original goal was to include training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), it was not feasible due to cost constraints. Instead, over 200 families were treated with TF-CBT, BrainSpotting and EMDR during the two-year grant cycle. The success of the project led to securing a substantial contract with Dane County Human Services to expand Anesis’ In-Home Mental Health Program for youth ages 0 to 17 years old.

The Challenge

The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence indicates that more than 60 percent of children experience victimization and 38 percent witness violence during childhood. Black youth are three times more likely to be victims of reported child abuse or neglect, three times more likely to be victims of robbery and five times more likely to be victims of homicide than white youth. Youth exposure to violence has been linked to negative outcomes for young people including increased risk for depression, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, homelessness and poor school performance. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Black individuals are 20 percent more likely to experience mental health disorders such as major depression due to homelessness and exposure to violence. Early identification of children exposed to victimization is crucial for successful intervention, though it is estimated that only between two and 15 percent of victims receive assistance.

Project Goals

This project led by Anesis, a Black-owned and operated therapy center in Madison, aimed to train its therapists in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and serve 40 families who have experienced trauma in order to help children and their caregivers work through trauma and prevent cycles of intergenerational trauma.

Results

This project exceeded the goals set forth at the beginning of the grant period. All Anesis staff were trained in TF-CBT, Brainspotting and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). While the original goal was to complete training in CPP, the pricing of the training would allow only three staff members to be trained. The project team felt the community reach would be most impactful if all staff were trained in the same trauma modality, and this proved true as over 200 families were treated with TF-CBT, Brainspotting and EMDR during the two year grant cycle.

In addition to training current staff, TF-CBT and EMDR training has been implemented for all new staff. These treatment modalities will also be administered in Anesis’ community based programming at Goodman and Lussier Community Centers and in Anesis’ In-Home Mental health Program.

Looking to the Future

The project team secured a five million dollar contract with Dane County Human Services for their In-Home Mental Health Program to serve youth ages 0 to 17 years old for the next five years.