Saturday, June 7, 2025
6/7/2025
Childhood Trauma and Resiliency (CTR) Program - Through Horizon Health Services' (HHS') proposed Childhood Trauma and Resiliency (CTR) Program, HHS will increase access to effective, evidence-based trauma- and grief-focused treatment for children, adolescents, and their families who experience traumatic events. Our target population is children and adolescents ages 8-17 in Erie and Niagara Counties, NY who screen positively for trauma using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, along with their caregivers. To reduce disparities in treatment access/outcomes, we will actively seek to engage children and adolescents who are living in underserved and/or under-resourced communities within the two counties, and LGBTQI+ adolescents. A recent survey of Buffalo Public School (Erie County) students revealed that 1/3 have witnessed a violent catastrophic event. Through our CTR program, HHS will expand our licensed Clinician and Psychiatry capacity, while providing staff extensive advanced trainings to support the delivery of high quality, effective services to meet our communities' growing trauma-related needs. We will offer 465 children and their families a comprehensive array of evidence-based practices, providing direct mental health and trauma-related treatment and support services, over the 5-year grant program. This includes 65 children and adolescents in Year 1, along with 100 unduplicated children and adolescents in Years 2-5. Our goals and objectives include: (1) Improve access to evidence-based trauma treatment for children and adolescents in Erie and Niagara Counties via the following objectives: 1.1: By the end of Month 4, hire 3 Clinician FTEs and a part time (0.6 FTE) Child Psychiatrist; 1.2: 100% of children and adolescents served at our three CTR clinic sites will be offered a trauma screening using the ACE Questionnaire within three visits; 1.3: Reduce the wait time for a child/adolescent's first visit with a clinician at each CTR service site by 30% by the end of Year 1, by 50% by the end of Year 2, and by 75% by the end of Year 3; and 1.4: 100% of children, adolescents, and families served will be offered a connection to HHS' Family Peer Advocate within 30 days to address their wraparound service needs. (2) Raise the standard of care for children and adolescents experiencing trauma in Erie and Niagara Counties via the following: 2.1: 100% of clinical staff working at our three CTR site locations will receive advanced training to deliver two or more of our selected EBPs by the end of the five-year grant period; 2.2: At the end of each year of the grant, the Project Director will implement an assessment of fidelity for each of our selected EBPs; 2.3: 100% of children, adolescents, and families enrolled in CTR will be served using one or more of our selected EBPs; and 2.4: Provide four educational sessions to external partners during each year of the grant program on the impact of trauma and how to identify/refer children and adolescents in need of support. (3) Reduce the impact of trauma on the wellbeing of children and adolescents served by our CTR program by accomplishing the following objectives: 3.1: After 6 months of CTR engagement, 60% of children and adolescents who screen positively on the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders will have a decrease in their anxiety-based symptoms and behaviors associated with trauma; 3.2: 60% of children and adolescents served (ages 11+) who screen positively on the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents will have a decrease in their depression-related symptoms after 6 months of engagement with CTR; 3.3: 100% of the families of children and adolescents who we serve through CTR will be offered family therapy using one of our EBPs within one month; and 3.4: 80% of children/adolescents enrolled with CTR will return to stable/baseline risk by the time of their planned discharge. Data collection and measurement procedures will be delineated in a comprehensive CQI Plan, including the use of standardized tools.
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).