Summer may be a time for fun and relaxation, but it's shaping up to be a busy season here at CHDI as we prepare to launch several new initiatives this summer and fall.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find updates on our substance use, school mental health, and evidence-based treatment initiatives, a review of organizational equity assessments, and resources to support children's behavioral health over the summer break.
We also share recent media coverage of CHDI-led initiatives and introduce new staff.
Thanks for reading!
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CHDI Awarded $2.7 Million SAMHSA Grant to Expand Substance Use Services for Transitional-Aged Youth |
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CHDI was recently awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to fund the Connecticut Treatment Expansion and Enhancement (CT-TREE) initiative.
CT-TREE is a partnership between CHDI and United Community and Family Services (UCFS) to improve the comprehensive treatment of substance use disorders for transitional-aged youth (ages 16-25) in the eastern Connecticut region, where UCFS operates five federally qualified health centers. The CT-TREE initiative will expand two well-established, evidence-based substance use disorder treatment models at UCFS: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and Multidimensional Family Therapy for Transitional Aged Youth (MDFT-TAY).
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Assessing Organizational Progress on Anti-Racism & Equity |
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The article highlights the impact of racism on organizations and provides an overview of 21 organizational assessments. It also highlights the utility of organizational assessments in aiding an organization’s progress in becoming more equitable and anti-racist and identifies possible ways to improve such assessments in the future.
CHDI administered an organizational assessment in 2021 and 2022 to assess our own progress towards becoming a more anti-racist and equitable organization and identify action steps.
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Learn more about CHDI's commitment to advancing health equity and anti-racism.
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MATCH-ADTC Demonstrates Strong Outcomes |
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The Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Conduct Problems (MATCH-ADTC) is an evidence-based treatment (EBT) for four of the most common behavioral health concerns among children.
MATCH-ADTC providers continued to demonstrate strong outcomes, despite seeing fewer children due to workforce shortages and high staff turnover in the behavioral health field:
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Children who completed MATCH-ADTC experienced high levels of symptom improvement across racial and ethnic groups. Lower rates of Hispanic children completing the treatment observed in previous years were not seen in FY22 - an important and positive trend.
However, Black youth accounted for a smaller percentage of children receiving MATCH-ADTC than overall outpatient services. CHDI is working to understand the potential causes of this disparity in access and advance additional strategies and improved data monitoring. MATCH-ADTC continues to demonstrate strong results, with quality and outcome metrics comparable across groups.
In our role as the state's Evidence-Based Treatment Coordinating Center, CHDI supports a network of 23 MATCH-ADTC providers, providing training, credentialing, implementation support, consultation, data collection and reporting, and quality improvement.
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WFSB Story Highlights Mobile Crisis, Connecting to Care |
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As part of an ongoing series on children's mental health in Connecticut, WFSB-TV recently highlighted several resources for connecting children and teens in Connecticut to behavioral health care, including Mobile Crisis, the Connecting to Care initiative, the recently updated Kids Mental Health Info website, and the Evidence-Based Treatment finder. CHDI provides quality improvement and implementation support for many of these services. We appreciate WFSB for covering children's mental health issues.
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CT Insider: West Hartford Reducing School Suspensions & Arrests Through Partnership with SBDI |
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The article, “How West Hartford educators are curbing suspensions, arrests at town’s middle schools,” covered the town’s response to concerns raised by the Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate regarding the number of school-based arrests at a district middle school. District leaders chose SBDI as a key strategy to reduce exclusionary discipline practices across the town’s three public middle schools. West Hartford plans to continue the initiative next year and expand it to the town’s high schools in the future.
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SBDI engages school staff and administration through consultation, training, and capacity-building activities to reduce the rate of in-school arrests, expulsions, and out-of-school suspensions. These practices tend to disproportionately impact students of color and those with behavioral health and/or special education needs. |
Between 2009 and 2022, 65 schools in 23 districts across Connecticut participated in SBDI and, on average, saw a 29% reduction in court referrals and a 55% increase in the number of students connected to behavioral health services.
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Children's Behavioral Health Resources |
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Summertime Mental Health Resources |
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Summer is here! Did you know that a majority of children and youth who receive behavioral health services do so through their schools? This means some kids and families may need other services and supports during the summer break.
If you (or the families you work with) are looking for ways to support your child's mental health this summer, check out the recently updated KidsMentalHealthInfo.com to find local, state, and national resources, answers to FAQs, and evidence-based treatment providers.
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Staff News and Job Opportunities |
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Christine Hauser, LCSW, LADC, Promoted to Senior Associate
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Congratulations to Christine Hauser, LCSW, LADC, on her recent promotion to Senior Associate. In her new role, she will enhance CHDI’s substance use disorder (SUD) evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in youth outpatient and in-home services. She will also help manage two DCF-licensed Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics for Children (OPCC) contracts and a SAMHSA-funded initiative to expand in-home SUD services for transitional-aged youth.
Christine joined CHDI in 2021 as a Senior Project Coordinator and has made significant advancements to our implementation of trauma-informed EBPs (specifically TF-CBT and MATCH) and OPCC quality improvement consultation.
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CHDI Welcomes Several New Staff |
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This spring and summer, the CHDI team once again welcomed new staff and interns to support the organization's continued growth: |
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Marlene Gomez, Project Coordinator for Youth & Family Engagement |
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Marlene Gomez joined CHDI in May as a Project Coordinator, working on both the Connecting to Care (CONNECT) initiative and the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) with the goal of implementing youth and family voice into systems. Previously, Marlene worked as a Parent Counselor and Advocate at Klingberg’s Child and Adolescent Trauma Services Program and Child Advocacy Center. She holds a BA in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University. |
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Shannon Houston, MSW; Communications Manager |
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Shannon Houston joined CHDI in June as Communications Manager, managing the organization's social media presence and supporting overall communications strategy and planning. Prior to CHDI, she worked as a communications consultant for nonprofits and mental health providers and previously managed communications and fundraising for the CT Fair Housing Center. Shannon holds an MSW from the UConn School of Social Work and a BA in Writing from Ithaca College. |
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Arielle Wagoner, MS; Senior Project Coordinator |
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Arielle Wagoner joined CHDI in May as a Senior Project Coordinator working on the Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems (MATCH-ADTC) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) initiatives.
A certified School Psychologist, Arielle previously worked in the public school system for seven years. Arielle holds an MS in Applied Educational Psychology and CAGS in School Psychology from Northeastern University.
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Nik Warkowski, Administrative Assistant |
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Nik Warkoski joined CHDI in May 2023 as Administrative Assistant. Nik provides administrative support to CHDI staff and partners on a range of children’s behavioral health initiatives and supports the Finance/Administrative team. Nik has several years of experience working as an administrative assistant and graduated with a BA in English at the University of Lynchburg. |
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Carly Thureson, Summer Intern |
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Carly Thureson joined CHDI as a summer project coordination intern. She supports CHDI's evidence-based practice initiatives, including the DCF Substance Use Disorder Project, TF-CBT, and MATCH. Carly graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2021 with a BS in Human Development & Family Sciences/Communications and is a Master of Public Health (MPH) candidate at the University of Saint Joseph. |
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CHDI is hiring for the following position:
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Child Health and Development Institute
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