Improving Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing in Children, Youth and Families
WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve health-related quality of life for children and youth living with unmet mental, emotional and behavioral health needs.
OUR COMMITMENT
We are committed to improving outcomes for at risk children and youth, and their families. It takes a community of people and families working together to raise mentally healthy and emotionally strong children. That's why our commitment involves collaborations with organizations, schools, healthcare providers and government entities working on behalf of children, youth and families.
OUR WORK
Decades of research in human development, early life adversity and children's mental health has yet to make its way into practice. We focus on moving knowledge into practice through the development, implementation, and improvement of programs, services, and supports that facilitate the wellbeing of at-risk children and youth.
OUR FOUNDER & PHILOSOPHY
We are a trauma responsive organization founded by Terry Petrenchik, PhD, OTR\L. For over two decades she has specialized in children's mental health including traumatic stress, attachment disturbances and disorders of emotional and behavioral regulation.
We know children do their best when their bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are integrated in ways that make life easier rather than more difficult. For that to happen, children need healthy, caring adults to help them know and understand themselves, to reach developmental and social-emotional milestones, to form healthy social relationships and to learn how to cope with life's challenges.