Monday, May 6, 2024
5/6/2024
Arbor Circle’s EACH (Expanding Access to Childhood Healing) project will increase access to effective trauma and grief focused treatment and strengthen systems for children, adolescents and their families who experience traumatic events and are historically underserved. AC’s EACH project will be aimed at children, youth and families that are experiencing housing instability, living at/below the poverty level, are involved in the child welfare system, identify as LGBTQ+ and/or have witnessed violence. Currently across the state of Michigan, access to behavioral health is limited/low while traumatic experiences continue to increase and compound. Access to quality care is particularly challenging for families on Medicaid and/or living in under-resourced communities. Arbor Circle’s EACH project will address this gap by providing robust and targeted outreach and services to the target population, increased trauma screening to children/youth and evidenced based interventions to any child/youth that screens positive for trauma. Additionally, the project will embed services into existing systems and organizations to increase awareness of trauma and trauma services while also breaking down current barriers to access. The following goals and objectives have been identified for the project: Goal 1: Expand availability of staff trained in evidence-based practices of TF-CBT, Play Therapy, & Youth Thrive Framework. Objectives 1. Hire 2 additional therapists within 3 months to provide expanded trauma treatment services for new partner referrals and self-referrals. 2. Hire a therapist within 3 months to provide services within Ottawa and Muskegon foster care service areas. 3. Expand trainings in EBPs to at least 2 trainings offered per year for all child mental health programs beginning in YR2. 4. 100% of staff will be trained in EBPs of TF-CBT, Play Therapy, & Youth Thrive Framework. 5. Conduct an organization-wide self-assessment in Year 1, 3 and 5 of the project to identify gaps in services, improve trauma-informed care practices, and expand training access as necessary. Goal 2: Establish a formal referral network to increase availability of screenings/referrals throughout the service area and establish new partnerships to provide coordinated services for children needing services for trauma. Objectives 1. Form the Child Referral Network of community partners in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties within 3 months to share referral criteria/streamline protocols. 2. Provide annual training on trauma screening, available treatment groups, and expanded referral criteria for the Child Referral Network. 3. Update marketing materials with specific language around newly available services and expanded referral criteria within 3 months. 4. Formalize agreements with AYA and Urban League within 3 months to provide coordinated, trauma-informed care for youth that screen positive for trauma. 5. Support and train community partners AYA and Urban League to conduct an organization-wide self-assessment in Year 1, 3, and 5 of the project. Goal 3: Provide and expand trauma treatment services both within Arbor Circle and through partner organizations, with a focus on historically underserved populations. Objectives 1. Conduct 200 trauma screenings per year either through Arbor Circle programs or the Child Referral Network 2. Serve 60 children in Year 1 and 120 per year thereafter throughout all of Arbor Circle’s programs. (540 total) 3. Establish a therapy group for children who have experienced Sexual or Gender Identify (SOGI) Change Efforts within 12 months. 4. Establish a therapy group for children who have experienced homelessness as a trauma within 3 months. 5. Provide trauma therapy for 45 children involved in child welfare that screen positive for trauma per year.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
