Department of Mental Health Showcases Evidence-Based Programs for DC Children, Youth and Families
Washington, DC (PRWEB) August 09, 2013 -- On Friday, September 27, the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health (DMH), in partnership with Evidence-Based Associates (EBA), will host the third annual DC Summit on Evidence-Based Programs for children, youth and families. The one-day event will take place at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The programs featured during the event are part of DMH’s plan to improve the quality of mental health services for DC’s children, youth and families. Attendees will meet national leaders, learn about current evidence-based programs in the District, discover which new programs are being rolled out and will learn how to utilize the new programs in their communities.
Dr. Gary Blau, chief of the Child, Adolescent and Family branch of the Center for Mental Health Services, Dr. Glenn Saxe, director of New York University’s Child Study Center and health educator Anne Holmes will be the event’s keynote speakers. Dr. Blau provides national leadership for children's mental health and for creating "systems of care" across the country. Dr. Saxe and his team have developed Trauma Systems Therapy (TST), a community-based intervention for traumatized children. Ms. Holmes has been a health educator for more than 25 years and focuses on the scientific side of the effects of laughter on health. Additional speakers include Barbara Bazron, senior deputy director of programs and policy for DC Department of Mental Health, Steve Baron, director of Department of Mental Health and Rusty Clark, director of the National Network on Youth Transition for Behavioral Health, as well as representatives from several evidence-based programs.
"Each year is a new opportunity for us to share the success of these evidence-based programs with the professional community," says Marie Morilus-Black, children and youth services director of DMH. "With more than 200 attendees last year, we look forward to building on the 2012 conference and continuing to help attendees implement evidence-based programs throughout their communities."
The featured evidence-based programs include:
• Child-Parent Psychotherapy for Family Violence (CPP-FV) – A relationship-based treatment for parents and young children that helps restore normal developmental functioning in the wake of violence and trauma.
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• Functional Family Therapy (FFT) – A short-term, high quality intervention program with an average of 12 sessions over a three to four month period. Services are conducted in both clinic and home settings, and can also be provided in a variety of settings including schools, child welfare facilities, probation and parole offices/aftercare systems, and mental health facilities.
• Multisystemic Therapy for Youth with Problem Sexual Behavior (MST-PSB) – Built on the foundation of standard MST, an intensive family- and community-based treatment program that focuses on the entire world of the offenders – their homes and families, schools and teachers, neighborhoods and friends, MST-PSB works with chronic and violent juvenile offenders who engage in criminal sexual behavior.
• Multisystemic Therapy for Emerging Adults (MST-EA) – Focusing on reducing recidivism and concurrently treating mental illness and any substance use disorder, MST-EA increases positive functioning in the critical areas of emerging adulthood.
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) – An empirically supported treatment for conduct-disordered young children that places emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing parent-child interaction patterns.
• Transition to Independence Process (TIP) – An evidence-supported practice based on six published studies that demonstrate improvement in real-life outcomes for youth and young adults with emotional/behavioral difficulties.
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) – A components-based model of psychotherapy that addresses the unique needs of children with PTSD symptoms, depression, behavior problems, and other difficulties related to traumatic life experiences.
• Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) – A model of care for traumatized children that addresses both the individual child’s emotional needs as well as the social environment in which he or she lives.
The cost to attend the event is $25 per person and $45 per person with continuing education credits. Registration includes lunch and the event is open to the public. To learn more or to register, visit dcebpsummit.com.
About DC Department of Mental Health
The DC Department of Mental Health (DMH) develops, supports, and oversees the district’s public mental health system for district residents. DMH’s goal is to ensure that residents of all ages have easy access to a range of mental health services from emergency help to ongoing care. The district's mental health system includes a network of community-based, private mental health service agencies, the Mental Health Authority and Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital. Visit dmh.dc.gov to learn more.
About Evidence-Based Associates
Evidence-Based Associates (EBA) is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of juvenile justice systems through the use of performance-based contracts. EBA works directly with policy-makers and professionals that serve high-risk youth by implementing new ways to reduce costs and improve outcomes for youth, their families and the communities in which they live.
Jessica Munday, Trio Solutions, Inc., http://trio-solutions.com, +1 (843) 216-0442, [email protected]
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