Center Initiatives and Priorities
I. Initiative on Assessment, Diagnosis and Epidemiology
Areas of High Priority-
- Promote just, scientifically informed and compassionate decision-making on behalf of children involved in the child welfare, behavioral health, health and judicial systems through the use of and implementation of basic and applied research.
- Establish the epidemiology of child trauma exposure in Kentucky
- Empirically document the event specific phenomenon associated with diverse forms of violence and the impact of these events on the behavioral health of children and families.
- Synthesize knowledge and technology from the fields of neuroscience, developmental psychology, child welfare, substance misuse and trauma to inform protocol development and the design of basic and applied research.
Current projects
- Title V funded assessment center
- DEC and Trauma Exposure Project
- Hurricane Katrina Project, Trauma Narratives project
II. Initiative on Trauma Intervention Research
Areas of high priority-
- Operate a living laboratory that develops and tests evidenced-based approaches to improve health and behavioral health outcomes for children
- Establish provider practice patterns with regards to treating the behavioral health sequelae associated with violence against children.
- Identifying barriers to the utilization of best practice approaches in the public and private behavioral health community
- Transform provider practices by increasing the use of evidence based practices in work with children who are victimized by violence
- Evaluating the effectiveness of various dissemination models aimed at transforming systems of care
Current projects
- Trauma Practices Study- local and national
- Intervention Research aimed at symptom reduction and functional improvement following the administration of EBP.
- IV-B funded treatment services
- HRSA funded dissemination project
III. Initiative on Violence Prevention
Areas of high priority
- Identify, develop adapt and study promising practices and evidence-based approaches for preventing violence against children
- Develop working coalitions with public and private organizations dedicated to preventing violence against children in Kentucky and in the nation
- Collaborate with national and international research and academic Centers working in the area of violence prevention
- Provide expert consultation to media and other dissemination outlets to promote scientifically-based information and recommendations for action
Current projects
- H. Otto Kaak Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Mental Health
- ECMH Project
- Collaboration with PCAK
IV. Initiatives on System Transformation and Public Policy
Areas of high priority
- Identify and analyze problems and gaps in public policy that may contribute to or incentivize violence against children
- Collaborate with public policymakers, organizations, academic programs and research centers that address violence against children and its sequelae
- Ongoing dissemination of policy-relevant research findings through development of white papers, model legislation, and other materials through presentations, website, new releases and other venues.
- Provide data, reports, consultations and technical assistance to federal, state and regional policy makers on child maltreatment and its consequences to health, behavioral health, and social functioning;
Current projects
- State and regional judicial education
- Participation in CHFS Worker Safety & Well-being Workgroup
- CHFS Leadership Development Project
Last updated on 2-28-08
comments or questions may be sent to
Gary Trumble, trumble@uky.edu
