CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS INITIATIVE

The National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI)

AHP conducted an evaluation of The Parsons Center, a NCTSI community practice site in upstate New York. The site focused on improving the quality of services and support for traumatized children by working in five ways: 1) creative discovery with the national and local NCTSI networks; 2) dissemination of client centered information; 3) dissemination of staff centered information; 4) provision of direct services; and 5) continued evaluation and refinement of training and service materials and methods. Key AHP activities included the following:

• Needs assessment interviews were conducted with key managers and staff of Parsons Center programs. The interviews were semi-structured and focused in part on program description, clarification of roles and staffing, services provided, and the types of traumatic experiences clients present with for treatment.
• Seventeen clinicians from the Parsons departments of Prevention, Therapeutic Foster Care, Residential Services (Group Care) and Outpatient Treatment (Child Guidance) were selected and trained in the Real Life Heroes trauma treatment approach, including use of the Real Life Heroes Practitioner Manual, structured session outlines, and fidelity checklists. Data was collected from children, their primary caregivers, and clinicians at four time points over 12 months.

In addition, AHP evaluated the effectiveness of the Systematic Training to Assist in the Recovery of Trauma (START) curriculum to determine if the training was effective in increasing participants’ knowledge of trauma, trauma related disorders within children, and appropriate interventions.

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