Simmons University announced today that its School of Social Work’s Center for Innovation in Behavioral Health Education and Research (CIBER) has received a prestigious grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The $2.9 million grant from SAMHSA will fund the Institute for Trauma Treatment in Schools (ITTS), which will provide training to 850 Masters of Social Work students and 900 school-based practitioners in Massachusetts and across the nation on school-based mental health and trauma. This is a five-year collaborative project between Simmons University’s CIBER and the Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention – organizations with a long history of providing state-of-the-art trauma training in school-based interventions.
“Far too many children lack access to vital care that can help them process and cope with the effects of trauma, and Simmons is honored to receive this grant that will help train social work students and school-based practitioners in this critical area,” said Melinda Gushwa, Director of the Simmons School of Social Work and Principal Investigator for the grant. “Untreated trauma in children has lifelong consequences, and this grant will have a profound impact on thousands of children each year who have endured trauma and other adverse childhood experiences.”
...this grant will have a profound impact on thousands of children each year...
ITTS, which advances social justice and engages in practices that support diversity, equity, and inclusion, will work to bridge the gap in mental health disparities for children impacted by trauma. The goal is to expand the capacity of school-based mental health workers through online training and support. Untreated trauma in children can result in behavioral problems, poor academic performance, and greater risk for depression, anxiety, and other mental health diagnoses. It can also lead to long-term consequences, such as physical and mental health challenges and decreased life expectancy.
“The mission of CIBER is to develop community partnerships that address social justice issues by focusing on disparities in health, mental health and wellbeing,” said Stephanie Berzin, Dean of Simmons University’s College of Social Sciences, Policy, and Practice. “CIBER is also unique in its focus on best practices when it comes to educating students to become practitioners, and we are proud to partner with ITTS and the Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention on this crucial initiative.”
With this grant, ITTS will provide the opportunity for children in grades K-12 to receive care in the place where they spend most of their time away from home. Quality school-based mental health care is especially important because services are typically provided at no cost to children (and their families), thus reducing a major barrier to accessing treatment.
Home to the oldest school of clinical social work in the country, Simmons has more than a century of experience educating social workers who are equipped to serve urban, suburban, and rural communities and assist individuals and families in working to overcome the barriers to health and well-being. Simmons also offers the only MSW program in Massachusetts with a required course in substance use disorders for all first-year students. In addition, the Simmons MSW is the only program in New England to use hired actors as part of its innovative Simmons Clinical Simulation curriculum.