The NCTSN Learning Collaborative (LC) approach focuses on spreading, adopting, and adapting best practices across multiple settings, and on creating changes in organizations that promote the delivery of effective interventions and services. The ultimate goal of the Learning Collaboratives is to provide high-quality training in best practices of trauma-focused treatments in diverse settings—including Network sites and their local communities—and to ensure the sustained use of those practices.

NCTSN Learning Collaboratives are developed for NCTSN member centers, but each LC also includes participants that are partner organizations to NCTSN centers. For information on applications and membership to NCTSN Learning Collaboratives, contact Nick Tise.

Below are answers to frequently asked questions concerning LCs and Learning Communities (LComs).

What is a Learning Collaborative?

A Learning Collaborative is:

• A model that focuses on adoption of best practices in diverse service settings and emphasizes adult learning principles, interactive training methods, and skill-focused learning.
• A learning process that brings together teams from multiple NCTSN centers working on improving a process, practice, or system and learning from their collective experiences and challenges.
• A model that requires focused work by each team to adapt effective practices to their settings over the course of a 9-18 month learning process.
• An ongoing learning process that includes the following components:
• Approximately three in-person training sessions over the course of 9-12 months,
• Follow-up consultation activities (through phone and internet), feedback loops, and resources to support sustained learning, and,
• Opportunities to practice new skills and share progress through the Collaborative.
• A model that uses methods for accelerating improvement in settings and capitalizes on shared learning and collaboration.
• A process designed to ensure organizational “give and take” about critical issues related to adoption and adaptation.

How does an organization join a Learning Collaborative?
A timeline for each proposed LC will be posted on this page and announcements will be sent directly to the principal investigators of all Network sites. The first step for any organization is to target the intervention or practice the organization is interested in adopting. The process for joining a Learning Collaborative includes:

• Two Optional Informational Calls. These calls are facilitated by faculty of the Learning Collaborative. They will present a brief overview of the goals of the LC and the intervention or practice. This is an opportunity for organizations throughout the Network to ask questions about both the intervention/practice and expectations of membership in the Learning Collaborative. Basically, these calls serve to see if there is a “fit” between the organization and the target population, the practice/intervention, and the Learning Collaborative.
• Application Period. Following the Informational Calls there is an application period for Network sites to apply for consideration for inclusion in the Learning Collaborative. Criteria for inclusion are:
• Readiness of the organization to adopt the practice or intervention
• Willingness to utilize the Core Data Set and submit metrics
• Ability to assemble a core team (senior leader, supervisor and clinicians) to participate in the LC
• Ability to send a core team to all three Learning Sessions

Teams will be notified in a timely manner regarding the status of their application and the Pre-work phase will begin shortly after notification.

What is a Learning Community?
A Learning Community (LCom) is made up of individuals from Network organizations that have a common interest in a subject or problem related to trauma who collaborate over an extended period to share ideas, find solutions, and build innovations.

A Learning Community does not include all of the elements of a Learning Collaborative but does include face to face contact, on-going sharing between participants regarding both barriers and solutions and incorporation of innovation learning opportunities between participants.

What other training activities can Network sites or other organizations become involved in?
The Events Calendar has listings of trainings, workshops, and conferences with a focus on trauma offered nationwide. The Distance Learning component of the Training Program will be offering a variety of opportunities through the NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma, featuring both live and archived presentations from trauma experts within our Network.

Please feel free to contact the Training Program staff at (919) 682-1552 if you have any questions.

2009
Psychological First Aid (PFA) Learning Community
Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed modular approach to help children, adolescents, adults, and families in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism. PFA is designed to foster short-term and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. In the Learning Community, participants learn state-of-the-art ways of effectively implementing PFA through exercises and on-going dialogue.

2008
Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma (ITCT) Learning Community
Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma (ITCT) is a comprehensive, assessment-driven, components-based model integrating cognitive-behavioral and relational approaches in the treatment of complex trauma in children and adolescents. Teams participating in the ITCT Learning Community learned this intervention through face-to-face meetings, conference calls, and use of web-based communication tools.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Learning Collaborative
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a components-based psychosocial treatment model that incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral, attachment, humanistic, empowerment, and family therapy models. Children and parents are provided knowledge and skills related to processing the trauma; managing distressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and enhancing safety, parenting skills, and family communication.

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) Learning Collaborative
Based in attachment theory, Child-Parent Psychotherapy is a dyadic (parent and child) treatment for young children who have been exposed to interpersonal violence. The intervention focuses on safety, affect regulation, improving the child-caregiver relationship, normalization of trauma related response, and joint construction of a trauma narrative, with the goal of returning the child to a normal developmental trajectory.

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) Learning Collaborative
CBITS is a skills-based, group intervention that is aimed at relieving symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and general anxiety among children exposed to trauma. Children learn skills in relaxation, challenging upsetting thoughts, and social problem solving, and children work on processing traumatic memories and grief. These skills are learned through the use of drawings and through talking in both individual and group settings. Between sessions, children complete assignments and participate in activities that reinforce the skills they've learned. CBITS also includes parent and teacher education sessions.

The NCTSN Learning Collaborative Toolkit is a guide to successfully developing and leading a Learning Collaborative that not only provides effective training in NCTSN interventions, but also supports the organizational changes necessary to promote and sustain the delivery of these interventions. The Toolkit, which is divided into 11 modules, outlines sequentially the steps necessary to plan and conduct a Learning Collaborative.

Based on five years of experience in implementing the Learning Collaborative model, the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS), in consultation with other NCTSN members, has developed The NCCTS Learning Collaborative Model for the Adoption & Implementation of Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatment: NCCTS Guidelines for Conducting a Learning Collaborative (PDF). This document offers guidelines for conducting a successful Learning Collaborative.

Fact sheets for interventions that have been the subject of Learning Collaboratives and Learning Communities, and a host of other treatments developed at Network sites are available here.

2006-2007

Eastern TF-CBT

Faculty

• Judy Cohen, M.D.
• Erika Ryan, Ph.D.
• Carrie Epstein, LCSW-R
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Teams
Collaborative Network Sites

• Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services (NY)
• State of Delaware (DE)
• Parsons Child and Family Center (NY)
• Dartmouth Trauma Interventions Research Center (NH)
• Clifford Beers Clinic (CT)
• Youth Health Service, Inc. (WV)
• Minnesota Child Response Center (MN)
• Childhood Violent Trauma Center at the Yale Child Study Center (CT)

Collaborative Non-Network Sites

• Thrive & Tri County Mental Health Services (ME)
• Delaware Guidance Services (DE)
• Triumph, LLC (NC)
• University of Maryland Baltimore Child Trauma Clinic (MD)

Senior Leaders

• Laurel J. Kiser, Ph.D., M.B.A. - University of Maryland Baltimore Child Trauma Clinic (MD)
• Arlene Schatz, MSW, LICSW - Minnesota Child Response Center (MN)
• Steven Berkowitz, M.D. - Childhood Violent Trauma Center at the Yale Child Study Center (CT)
• Alice Forrester, Ph.D., RDT/BCT - Clifford Beers Clinic (CT)
• Paul Gorman, Ed.D. - Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center (NH))
• Stan Rosenberg, Ph.D. - Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center (NH)
• Catherine Ryder - Thrive & Tri County Mental Health Services (ME)
• Margy Burns - Youth Health Service, Inc. (WV)
• Erinn L. Foleck, LCSW - Triumph, LLC (NC)
• Audry La Frenier - Parsons Child and Family Center (NY)
• Aileen Fink, Ph.D. - State of Delaware (DE)
• Jonathan Baylin, Ph.D. - Delaware Guidance Services (DE)

Learning Session 1 - March 8-9 at Safe Horizons in Brooklyn, NY
Learning Session 2 - June 19-20 in Wilmington, DE
Learning Session 3 - October 11-12 in Baltimore, MD

Western TF-CBT

Faculty

• Roy Van Tassel, LPC, M.S.
• Robyn Igelman, Ph.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Teams
Collaborative Network Sites

• SCAN Inc. (TX)
• Montana Center for Investigation and Treatment of Childhood Trauma (MT)
• Willamette Family ITS-Girls Program (OR)
• Child & Adolescent Traumatic Stress Services Center of Southern Arizona (AZ)
• DePelchin Children's Center (TX)

Collaborative Non-Network Sites

• Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)
• Methodist Children's Home (TX)
• Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services (TX)

Senior Leaders

• Judy L. Gentry, LCSW, LMFT - DePelchin Children's Center (TX)
• Lucy Zammarelli, M.A., N.C.A.C. II - Willamette Family ITS-Girls Program (OR)
• Barbra Quade - Child & Adolescent Traumatic Stress Services Center of Southern Arizona (AZ)
• Rick van den Pol, Ph.D. - Montana Center for Investigation and Treatment of Childhood Trauma (MT)
• David Gibson - Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services (TX)
• Susana Rivera, MA - SCAN Inc. (TX)
• Van Jones - Methodist Children's Home (TX)
• Sara Sherer, Ph.D. - Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)

Learning Session 1 - February 23-24 in Tucson, AZ
Learning Session 2 - June 21-22 in San Diego, CA
Learning Session 3 - September 20-21 in Houston, TX

Mississippi TF-CBT

Faculty

• Esther Deblinger, Ph.D.
• Felicia Neubauer, MSW
• Kelly Wilson, MSW
• Christina Bach, M.S.
• Jennifer Sigrest, MSW
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Shaffer House (OH)
• Guardian Shelter (MS)
• Natchez Children's Home (MS)
• Gulf Coast Mental Health (MS)
• Sunshine Shelter (MS)
• Domestic Abuse Family Shelter in Laurel (MS)
• Southwest Mississippi Children's Advocacy Center (MS)
• Catholic Charities (MS)
• Mercy Center New Orleans (LA)
• Catholic Charities New Orleans (LA)
• Seton Resource Center for Child Development (LA)
• Gulf Coast Women's Center (MS)

Learning Session 1 - November 15-16 in New Orleans, LA
Learning Session 2 - April 10-11 in Biloxi, MI
Learning Session 3 - October 2007 in Natchez, MI

North Carolina TF-CBT

Faculty/ Participants
*Note: Participants are individual clinicians, not teams.

• George Ake, Ph.D. - Center for Child and Family Health (NC)
• Lisa Amaya-Jackson, M.D., MPH - National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NC)
• Ernestine Briggs-King, Ph.D. - Center for Child and Family Health (NC); National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NC)
• Shannon Dorsey, Ph.D. - Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (NC)
• Dana Hagele, M.D., MPH - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Social Medicine
• Leila Keen, LCSW - Center for Child and Family Health (NC)
• Robert Murphy, Ph.D. - Center for Child and Family Health (NC); Duke University Medical Center - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (NC)
• Donna Potter, LCSW - Center for Child and Family Health (NC); Duke University Medical Center - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (NC)

Elizabeth City
Learning Session 1 - November 2-3
Learning Session 2 - January 30-31
Learning Session 3 - April 19-20
Learning Session 4 - October 10-11 in Williamston, NC

Greenville
Learning Session 1 - December 6-7
Learning Session 2 - March 6-7
Learning Session 3 -May 21-22
Learning Session 4 - October 10-11 in Williamston, NC

SPARCS II

Faculty

• Mandy Habib, Psy.D.
• Christine DiBenedetto, Psy.D. (left during Action Period 3)
• Jennifer Newman
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Teams
Collaborative Network Sites

• Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis (MO)
• Kennedy Krieger Family Center (MD)
• International Institute of New Jersey (NJ)
• Community Trauma Treatment Center for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)
• Catholic Charities (MS)

Collaborative Non-Network Sites

• Chaddock (IL)
• Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (ND)
• New York Foundling (NY)

Senior Leaders

• Jerry Dunn, Ph.D. - Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis (MO)
• Mary Boncher, Ph.D. - New York Foundling (NY)
• Elizabeth Thompson, Ph.D. - Kennedy Krieger Family Center (MD)
• Ruth Campbell, MSW - International Institute of New Jersey (NJ)
• Arlene Schneir, MPH - Community Trauma Treatment Center for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)
• Barbara Pigott - Catholic Charities (MS)
• Angel Knoverek - Chaddock (IL)
• Heather Simonich - Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (ND)

Learning Session 1 - October 23-24 in Long Island, NY
Learning Session 2 - January 29-30 in Long Island, NY
Learning Session 3 - May 21-22 in Long Island, NY

Child Parent Psychotherapy

Faculty

• Patricia Van Horn, Ph.D, JD.
• Mindy Kronenberg, Ph.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Teams
Collaborative Network Sites

• Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services (NY)
• Children's Relief Nursery (OR)
• Safe Horizon (NY)
• Center for Child and Family Health (NC)

Collaborative Non-Network Sites

• State of Maine

Senior Leaders

• Leslie Brown, LCSW - Children's Relief Nursery (OR)
• Carrie Epstein, LCSW-R - Safe Horizon (NY)
• Rebecca Shahmoon Shanok, LCSW, Ph.D. (NY)
• Judy Muller, LCSW - (ME)
• Eileen Fair, LCSW (ME)
• Ernestine Briggs-King, Ph.D. - Center for Child and Family Health (NC); National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NC)

Learning Session 1 - October 15-16 in Portland, OR
Learning Session 2 - February 12-13 in Durham, NC
Learning Session 3 - June 28-29 in San Francisco, CA

CBITS

Faculty

• Audra Langley, Ph.D.
• Sheryl Katoaka, M.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Teams
Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Seaton Resource Center Fleur-de-lis (LA)
• Catholic Charities Fleur-de-lis (LA)
• Mercy Family Center Fleur-de-lis (LA)
• St. Christopher School Fleur-de-lis (LA)
• Algiers Charter Schools Fleur-de-lis (LA)
• LA Spirit (LA)
• Louisiana State University (LA)
• Counseling Solutions (LA)
• St. Helena (LA)
• LA-Spirit-Harmony (LA)

Learning Session 1 - Winter 2006/2007
Learning Session 2 - April 2007 in New Orleans, LA
Learning Session 3 - November-December 2007 in New Orleans, LA

2005-2006

Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC)

Faculty
Collaborative Chairs

• Charles Wilson, MSSW - Chadwick Center for Children and Families (CA)
• Benjamin Saunders, Ph.D. - National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina (SC)

Improvement Advisors

• Jen Agosti, M.P.P. - JRA Consulting, Ltd. (MA)
• Lorrie Lutz - L3 P Associates (NH)
• Judith Cohen, M.D. - Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, Allegheny General Hospital (PA)
• Esther Deblinger, Ph.D. - New Jersey CARES Institute (NJ)
• Anthony Mannarino, Ph.D. - Drexel University College of Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital (PA)
• Elizabeth Thompson, Ph.D. - Kennedy Krieger Institute Family Center (MD)
• Kelly Wilson, LCSW - Catholic Charities (MS)
• Michael de Arellano, Ph.D. - National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina (SC)
• Betsy Berent, Consultant - (PA)
• Susan Badeau, Consultant - (PA)

Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Aurora Mental Health Center (CO)
• Catholic Charities (MS)
• Center for Child & Family Health (NC)
• Chadwick Center for Children & Families Trauma Counseling Program (CA)
• Childhood Trauma Intervention Center (TN)
• Children's Institute, Los Angeles (CA)
• Healing the Hurt, Directions for Mental Health (FL)
• Kennedy Krieger Family Center Trauma Intervention Program (MD)
• Mental Health Center of Dane County, Adolescent Trauma Treatment Program (WI)
• Oklahoma Child Traumatic Stress Treatment Collaborative (OK)
• Open Arms (GA)
• Safe Horizon (NY)

Senior Leaders

• Jim Van Den Brandt, ACSW, LCSW - Mental Health Center of Dane County, Adolescent Trauma Treatment Program (WI)
• Rita Ellis, LLB - Open Arms (GA)
• Barbara Ryan, LCSW, ACSW, BCD - Chadwick Center for Children & Families Trauma Counseling Program (CA)
• Elizabeth Thompson, Ph.D. - Kennedy Krieger Family Center Trauma Intervention Program (MD)
• Ann Kelley, Ph.D. - Directions of Mental Health (FL)
• Carrie Epstein, LCSW-R - Safe Horizon (NY)
• Donna Humbert, LCSW - Family and Children's Services, Nashville (TN)
• Dennis Radigan, LCSW - Aurora Mental Health Center (CO)
• Leslie Ann Ross, PsyD - Children's Institute, Los Angeles (CA)
• Jessica Gledhill, MSW - Family and Children's Services, Tulsa (OK)

Learning Session 1 - September 7-8, 2005 in Washington, D.C.
Learning Session 2 - January 19-20, 2006 in San Diego, CA
Learning Session 3 - May 24-25, 2006 in Chicago, IL

SPARCS I

Faculty

• Mandy Habib, Psy.D.
• Ida Dancyger, Ph.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Adolescent Trauma Treatment Program (WI)
• Safe Horizon (NY)
• Saint Vincent's WTC Healing Services (NY)
• Center for Child & Family Health (NC)
• Children's Institute International (CA)
• Open Arms (GA)
• New York Foundling (NY)

Learning Session 1 - June 25-26, 2005 in Brooklyn, NY
Learning Session 2 - January 9-10, 2006 in New York, NY
Learning Session 3 - June 25-26, 2006 in New York, NY

Trauma Systems Therapy (TST)

Faculty

• Glenn Saxe, M.D.
• Heidi Ellis, Ph.D.
• Robert Casey, M.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Center for Child and Family Health (NC)
• Adolescent Traumatic Stress and Substance Abuse (MA)
• Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - Center for Trauma Program Innovation (NY)
• Catholic Charities (MS)
• Children's Crisis Treatment Center (PA)
• Ulster County Department of Social Services (NY)
• Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center (NY)

Learning Session 1 - November 29-30, 2005
Learning Session 2 - May 1-2, 2006

LIFE SKILLS, LIFE STORY (LS/LS)

Faculty

• Marylene Cloitre, Ph.D.
• Debra Carr, Psy.D.
• Janelle Brown, Ph.D.
• Gabrielle Kaminetzky, Ph.D.
• Jan Markiewicz, M.Ed.

Participating Network & Non-Network Sites

• Saint Vincent's WTC Healing Services (NY)
• New Mexico Alliance for Children with Traumatic Stress (NM)
• Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - Center for Trauma Program Innovation (NY)
• Bellevue Hospital (NY)
• Boston Trauma Center (MA)
• Parsons Child and Family Center (NY)
• Bear Child Treatment Network (TX)
• YWCA (NE)

Learning Session 1 - June 21-22, 2005
Learning Session 2 - October 20-21, 2005
Learning Session 3 - April 26-27, 2006