About Us  |  Contact Us  |  Events  |  Members and Advisors   Funding Priorities   |   Applying for a Grant   |   Initiatives   |   Public Policy   |   Grant Recipients   |   News   |   Resources Return to Home                   Crittenton Children’s Center Crittenton Children’s Center therapists working with children in Kansas City, Kansas, Head Start centers were struck by the trauma and violence that permeated many of the children’s daily lives. Over a period of months, the therapists attended several funerals of family members connected to some of the Head Start children. In addition, many of the program’s children were experiencing complex trauma, including domestic and neighborhood violence, homelessness and other traumas that one therapist described at “almost unbelievable” rates. In an effort to respond to the trauma endemic in the community, Crittenton Children’s Center applied for a program grant from the REACH Foundation to develop the Head Start Resiliency Project – an organized effort to educate staff at 14 Head Start programs in Wyandotte County, Kansas, about the signs and impact of trauma in young children, and to expand mental health services for children needing therapy. Crittenton staff trained more than 100 teachers, administrators and family advocates in Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competency (ARC), a framework for working with children exposed to complex trauma. Caregivers learn to recognize trauma and promote attachment and self-regulation skills in children. They also learn to modulate their own emotional responses to children’s behavior and establish consistent responses that enable children to problem-solve when they feel anxious, angry or fearful. A licensed clinical social worker and social work interns from the University of Kansas also provided weekly, on-site mental health therapy using Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based approach that helps children problem-solve in situations that trigger feelings of anger or distress. The ARC training resulted in a dramatic increase in referrals for mental health services – 84 children were referred for therapy in 2008, compared with 49 referrals in the prior year. Teachers and center directors have noted the improvements in the children’s behavior, and have observed more positive, supportive interactions between staff and children. Copyright © 2010 REACH Healthcare Foundation. All Rights Reserved   Acceptable Use Site by Digital Evolution Group, LLC