Current Studies

1)  PARTNERS (Preventing Adverse Reactions To Negative Events and Related Stress)

At the PARTNERS trauma clinic, we provide empirically-supported therapies for trauma to children and their caregivers.  Therapies include Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Alternatives for Families – A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT).  Our research aim is to understand the mediators and moderators of treatment outcomes with a multicultural, urban sample.  Using an open trial design, we are examining child, caregiver, and family characteristics at baseline as moderators and treatment process variables as mediators with approximately 250 traumatized children and their caregivers.

2)  Keeping Every Youth Safe (KEYS)

Child Safe for Parents, the first workshop in Keeping Every Youth Safe (KEYS), has been shown to increase caregiver knowledge and protective behavior in a pilot randomized trial.  We are currently evaluating the incremental value of adding the Parents and Children Together workshop in an open trial.  Our next step is to compare a prevention program delivered directly to children in schools, as mandated by Erin’s Law, to Keeping Every Youth Safe (KEYS).

3)  National Child HELP Partnership

NCHP is a SAMHSA-funded project in which the CHP team under the leadership of Dr. Brown, is bringing CHP services and interventions to communities across the United States through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).  We are working with communities in Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Maryland, and South Carolina.  We are conducting research with both the professionals and families they will serve.  For the professionals, we are examining the change in knowledge and behavior before and after receiving training on the interventions.  For the families, we are examining changes in children’s mental disorders, caregiver’ stress and parenting skills, and family conflict after receiving the interventions.