News

A child’s exposure to traumatic events can cause a lifelong impact. Research shows that four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can lead to a higher risk of developing health and behavioral challenges when the child becomes an adult. These include mental illness, chronic disease, and high-risk behaviors.

The topic of ACEs and brain development has been thoroughly studied. The brain is an ever-changing structure. Its development can thrive or deteriorate depending on the environment a child lives in. Chronically unstable environments can lead to lifelong effects from early childhood adversity and toxic stress.

Fortunately, there is a powerful way to counteract the effects of ACEs on kids. Children exposed to positive childhood experiences (PCEs) enjoy healthier outcomes. Stable, supportive adults are the key to these positive experiences.…

By the age of 16, more than two-thirds of children report having experienced a traumatic event. You can’t prevent these experiences from occurring for the children that you work with. But there are things you can do to support them in meaningful ways.

Learning how to avoid retraumatization is critical. It benefits the child and the other children and providers interacting with them. Being observant of particular behaviors may help you identify when you’re working with a child who is dealing with the effects of traumatic experiences. However,  there will also be children who don’t show obvious signs of trauma. Using trauma-informed practices will help you avoid triggering these children. Retraumatizing a child may cause them emotional turmoil. In this state, it can be difficult for them to self-regulate.…

As summer winds down, families are starting to get their kids ready for back-to-school preparations. Unfortunately, part of that preparation includes having some difficult conversations. The last few years have been packed with challenges that have directly impacted children and the schools they will return to. 

Topics like gun violence, racial inequality, and global pandemics are immense. In today’s world, families have  to learn how to discuss them with school-age children. It’s difficult for adults to navigate these emotionally charged and traumatic subjects. Expecting a child to be able to do so is additionally challenging.

Organizations that work with children and families can start by being aware of, and sensitive to, the effects that going back to school has on kids during these trying times. …

As an organization that supports children who have experienced trauma, it’s important to remember that every child’s experience is different. Those in the LGBTQ community need your help more than ever to overcome LGBTQ trauma.

June is a time when we celebrate the LGBTQ community. But Pride Month doesn’t end on July 1st. We need to support our children all year. Rainbow flags and pride shirts are a great way to send a message to LGBTQ children that they are supported. But the issues facing LGBTQ youth are staggering. Homelessness, being disowned by their families, substance use, bullying, religious groups trying to “pray the gay away,” and a general feeling that they don’t belong.

There are programs out there for LGBTQ youth.…

The Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma has been re-funded in the Massachusetts state budget for FY2023

It is with deep gratitude and appreciation that we share that the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma has been re-funded in the Massachusetts state budget at $3.5 million for the coming fiscal year. This means we will be able to continue our work supporting child-serving organizations in Massachusetts in becoming more trauma-informed and responsive with training, coaching, and technical assistance, and significantly expand the number of organizations we can partner with this year.

This fall, we also plan to launch a coaching and training academy on trauma and resilience — more information on that will be forthcoming!

A huge THANK YOU to those who have made this possible, including:
• Our partner, the Office of the Child Advocate
• The Baker-Polito Administration
• The Massachusetts Legislature
• And all our partners and supporters

We also greatly appreciate our partners in this work, including:
• Department of Children and Families
• Family Resource Centers that participated in our Assessment & Coaching Pilot
• Wayside Youth & Family Support Network
• Congregate Care Spring Cohort
• Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs
• Department of Transitional Assistance
• Department of Housing and Community Development
• Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester
• Rennie Center, the Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium, and BRYT (Thriving Minds)
• Marlborough Public Schools
• Worcester Public Schools
• And many others

We are truly grateful for all your support.…

The Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma (CCWT) Executive Director Audrey Smolkin and Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate Director Maria Mossaides recently joined Massachusetts State Senator Harriette Chandler on her WCCA TV show “Beacon Hill Chat” to discuss the center and how a trauma-responsive approach can make a positive difference in children’s lives. Smolkin and Mossaides discuss how the CCWT provides organizations and professionals with trauma-informed and responsive (TIR) resources – available virtually on this website and through in-the-field trainings – to help children thrive and grow into healthy adults. They also talked about the initial successes and positive outcomes the program has seen since its official launch in 2021 and how the center can be a model for addressing childhood trauma in states across the country.…

The Center has launched its first Congregate Care Providers Cohort to help organizations become more trauma-informed and responsive. Five organizations have been assigned to the Spring 2022 cohort. The participating programs have worked with the Center to conduct a Trauma Informed Organizational Assessment and have begun to receive coaching. The Center will be launching a Summer 2022 cohort with a total of eight organizations, as well as a Fall 2022 cohort. Learn more about our Assessment and Coaching expertise.…

In collaboration with Thriving Minds (a partnership with the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, BRYT, and the Massachusetts Mental Health Consortium), the Center is offering a new professional development series on “Trauma-Informed Practices for School Mental Health.” Over the course of five sessions, participants will learn to understand the causes of trauma and identify its symptoms, incorporate trauma-sensitive practices within and outside the classroom, establish systems to collect and use data on effective interventions, and build a trauma-sensitive school culture. All school- and district-based staff (and others with an interest in promoting healing) are welcome to join!

In addition to the professional development series, the Center’s partnership with Thriving Minds is working with school districts and partners to promote and support trauma-responsive and healing-centered practices.…

Since January 2022, the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester (Coalition), in partnership with the Center, has worked with 106 different participants between all three training modes offered. The Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester has held two Foundational Courses and will be launching a third for staff, leadership, and volunteers in the public and private sectors. The Foundational Course provides trauma-informed knowledge and skills to promote racial equity and resilience through presentation, dialogue, opportunities for reflection, racial affinity spaces, identifying learning and practice within and outside the training space, emotional and stress management tools, shared definitions and understanding of key terms, and analysis of local data and information.

Additionally, the Coalition launched a “Supporting Change Agents” series, which is designed to support graduates of the Foundational Course.…