Treatment Philosophy

At UMCH Family Services we believe in providing the most effective, efficient care and treatment possible to best help those we serve. We are committed to utilizing the most professionally respected, proven techniques and philosophies available. To that end, we utilize current evidence-based and promising practices. We are committed to the NMT and TF-CBT treatment models, which are trained throughout all areas of our agency and incorporated in all we do.

The ChildTrauma Academy acknowledges that UMCH Family Services has completed NMT Training Certification through the Phase I level.

Our treatment rationale

Many of our clients have suffered adverse experiences in their lives. Research shows that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) has a lifelong effect on people. The ACE Study findings suggest that certain experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States (center for Disease Control and Prevention Website). It is evident our clinical approach must incorporate appropriate assessments, interventions and the child’s community. UMCH Family Services believes this is best achieved with evidenced based practices.

Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT)

(SAMSHA recognized Evidenced Based Promising Practice)

Principal Investigator and Researcher: Dr. Bruce Perry, ChildTrauma Academy

Description of NMT

The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) is a developmentally-informed, biologically-respectful approach to working with at-risk children. The NMT is not a specific therapeutic technique or intervention; it is a way to organize the child’s history and current functioning to optimally inform the therapeutic process.

The NMT integrates several core principles of neurodevelopment and traumatology into a comprehensive approach to the child, family and broader community.

The NMT process helps match:

  • The nature and timing of specific therapeutic techniques to the developmental stage of the child, and
  • To the brain region and neural networks that are likely mediating the neuropsychiatric problems.

The goal of this approach is to help family, educators, therapists and related professionals best meet the needs of the child via a:

  • Structured assessment of the child,
  • The articulation of the primary problems,
  • Identification of key strengths and the application of interventions
    • Educational, enrichment and therapeutic

Active participation of caregivers and other adults in the child’s life is important to the success of the NMT. By weaving:

  • Various activities throughout the child’s various relationships and environments,
  • The majority of “therapeutic” experiences are provided outside of the actual context of conventional therapy.

NMT Brain Mapping

Dr. Perry and the staff at ChildTrauma Academy developed an innovative, promising approach to treating trauma based on neurobiological wounding. Dr. Perry and his staff have designed a process for creating brain maps of children who have experienced chronic or complex trauma. The maps can identify specific areas of the brain that have not been adequately nurtured and, in fact, may have been wounded. The interventions promote healing and recovery from the brain stem to the cortex.

Excerpted from the ChildTrauma Academy Website

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidenced-based treatment highly effective at improving youth posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. Research shows that TF-CBT successfully resolves a broad array of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with single, multiple, and complex traumatic experiences. TF-CBT is a structured, short-term treatment model that effectively improves a wide range of trauma-related outcomes.

TF-CBT also effectively addresses many other trauma impacts, including affective (e.g., depressive, anxiety), cognitive and behavioral concerns, as well as improving the participating parent’s or caregiver’s personal distress about the child’s traumatic experience, effective parenting skills, and supportive interactions with the child.

All of our clinicians become certified in TF-CBT by the National Therapist Certification Program. We ensure our clinicians’ continued expertise with monthly consultations with a national trainer, fidelity checks, and ongoing supervision within our practice. This collaborative approach allows for the clinician to inform the client and family, so they are able learn how trauma affects them, equips them with tools to help cope, communicate, and grow by processing the past and strengthening them for the future. The model is set up to include a trusted adult that plays a large role in the youth’s daily life. The adult is included in the education process, and is a support to them as they share their trauma narrative. The identified adult learns how to continue to help them recover and grow without re-traumatizing them.

Collaborative treatment

UMCH Family Services is a member of The Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio. The Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio, the “Collaborative”, is a social enterprise of OACCA. It was founded in March 2017 to create opportunities for OACCA member organizations to collaborate with Health Plans, health care organizations, and government agencies.

The Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio was established in March of 2017 by the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA), a not-for-profit organization itself founded in 1973. Today, the Collaborative consists of 36 community mental health centers who are eager and excited to collaborate with Ohio health plans. The Collaborative is governed by an all-member Governing Council and by the OACCA Board of Directors.

The purpose of the Collaborative is to provide a professionally organized venue for collaboration between health plans and the network’s community mental health centers. Our goal is to leverage collaborative opportunities to innovate and improve health outcomes, achieve savings, foster health integration, and establish administrative efficiencies.

Our work is divided into the following areas:

  • Value-based payment arrangements to promote quality outcomes
  • Delegated credentialing for independently licensed mental health practitioners
  • Network provider agreements with health plans
  • Bridges management, the State of Ohio’s extended foster care program