Project ASSIST’s Trainer Enrichment Learning Community (TELC) is a free, skill enrichment opportunity. The TELC seeks to enhance child-welfare trainer’s competence, confidence, and authenticity in delivering high-quality child trauma training to professionals across the country.
Participants will be exposed to the best practices in equity, secondary traumatic stress, pedagogical skills, implementation and improvement science, knowledge and integration of NCTSN resources into practice, and trainer presence and self-advocacy.
A total of eight TELC cohorts will be conducted between 2022-2026, with the final cohort starting in May 2026. TELC learning communities will consist of three synchronous learning sessions and consultation calls spread in-between the trainings. All learning sessions and consultation calls will be delivered virtually via Zoom.
New and experienced trainers and those interested in becoming trainers are encouraged to apply. Applications for the TELC cohorts are accepted on a rolling basis.
Between learning sessions, participants will also engage in three asynchronous action periods during which they will complete self-paced, Canvas-based content designed to extend and deepen the information covered during the synchronous learning sessions.
Participants will also be encouraged to attend additional Community of Practice calls for networking opportunities with other ASSIST participants and access to additional resources.
TELC Cohort 8 – May 2026 Dates:
Participants are expected to attend all four days of each learning session for a total of 12 half-days of training.
- Welcome Call: Wednesday, April 22nd at 1pm CDT (11am PDT/ 2pm EDT)
- For participants accepted into the cohort to orient to the program
- Learning Session 1: May 28, 29, June 1, & 2nd, 2026 from 9:30am-12:30pm CDT
- Learning Session 2: July 23, 24, 27, & 28th, 2026 from 9:30am-12:30pm CDT
- Learning session 3: September 17, 18, 21, & 22nd, 2026 from 9:30am-12:30pm CDT
- (7:30-10:30am PDT / 10:30am-1:30pm EDT for all Learning Session dates)
Evaluation
Evaluation is a key part of Project ASSIST. As such, we have built a robust evaluation strategy to examine the effectiveness of the TELC. Similar to evaluating FORECAST simulations, our assessments are grounded in implementation science. Participants will evaluate the Acceptability, Feasibility, and Appropriateness of the TELC program. We will also use behavioral assessment of participant’s performance in delivering training materials both before and after our formal instruction to better evaluate the efficacy of our curriculum using observable behavioral indices.
“For years, child and family serving systems have worked to identify the areas they most need support and training. Some agencies even believe that finding the right trainer will be the answer to addressing all of their problems or workforce needs. The reality is that the workers require more than typical training to effectively update worker knowledge, educate senior leadership about their role in facilitating change, and to transform the culture of the workforce to onboard and sustain new practices. Training trainers is of critical importance during this time to ensure trainers know how to balance the art of connecting with learners with best practices in implementation science and integration of NCTSN interventions into every day practice.”
– George “Tripp” Ake, PhD, NCCTS Director of Training and Implementation
TELC Staff
Evette Bean
Trauma-Informed Trainer
Evette Bean, M.Ed., LPC is a Senior Counselor and Trainer with the St. Louis Children’s Advocacy Center (STLCAC), where she provides clinical leadership, training, and direct therapeutic services. She also serves as a trainer and consultant with the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies (MOACTS), supporting professionals and organizations in implementing trauma-informed practices. During her tenure at STLCAC, Evette has played a key role in developing and advancing several innovative initiatives, including Project ASSIST Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (AMP-UP), the Trainer Enrichment Learning Community (TELC), and Trauma-Informed Programming in Schools (TIPS). These programs reflect her commitment to strengthening the workforce, expanding access to culturally responsive care, and promoting trauma-informed systems. A national trainer in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Evette is dedicated to equipping clinicians with evidence-based tools to support children and families impacted by trauma. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she provides individual psychotherapy and clinical services to children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse, domestic violence, bullying, and traumatic loss. Evette’s work is grounded in compassion, equity, and a steadfast commitment to helping young people and the professionals who serve them thrive.
J. Andy Goodman
Associate Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis
J. Andy Goodman, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri – St. Louis where he serves as Coordinator for Music Education. He is the previous director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. His current research interests include components of effective teamwork in the classroom, effectiveness of training to teach courses online, and connections between instruction and student success.
Matt Kliethermes
STL CAC Director of Curriculum Development and Implementation, Clinical Professor Child Advocacy Studies, University of Missouri – St. Louis, National Certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Trainer
Matt Kliethermes, Ph.D., is the Director of Curriculum Development and Implementation at St. Louis Children’s Advocacy Center (STLCAC) and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). Dr. Kliethermes has over 25 years of experience and extensive training in the field of child trauma. He provides direct clinical services to youth exposed to trauma, supervises mental health trainees, teaches at the undergraduate and graduate level, and provides frequent training and consultation at local, state, and national levels. Dr. Kliethermes is a nationally certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) trainer and the author of multiple book chapters and articles on TF-CBT and childhood trauma.
Alejandra Martinez
Project ASSIST Grant Project Manager, Trauma-Informed Trainer, STL CAC DEI Taskforce Founding Chair
Alejandra Martinez, MSW, LCSW, is the Program Director for the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies (MoACTS) as well as Project Manager for Project ASSIST at the St. Louis Children’s Advocacy Center (STL CAC). Ms. Martinez is passionate about workforce development for child-serving trauma professionals. She is one of the curriculum developers for the ASSIST Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (AMP-UP) as well as a National Trainer of the FORECAST model. She trains extensively across a range of trauma-related topics and teaches at the undergraduate level at the University of Missouri-St. Louis within the School of Social Work and Psychological and Brain Sciences. Ms. Martinez received her Masters of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. As a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she works with children and adolescents impacted by trauma, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, migratory stress and traumatic grief. Over the course of her career, she has gained expertise in working with Latino immigrant communities.
Tenley Scott
Lead Training and Logistics Coordinator
Tenley Scott, MS, CTRS, is the Lead Training and Logistics Coordinator at the St. Louis Children’s Advocacy Center (STL CAC), a child trauma specialty clinic and accredited child advocacy center affiliated with the University of Missouri–St. Louis. With over four years of experience in training development, project management, and digital marketing, she provides project coordination and training support for the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies (MoACTS), the Project ASSIST grant, and the Project CONTACT grant. In her role, Tenley manages online and asynchronous trainings and leverages a range of platforms to help design and deliver high-quality, accessible learning experiences. She brings expertise in project management, digital accessibility, data management, and workshop facilitation, along with collaborative leadership. Tenley is passionate about creating engaging instructional content, supporting educators and professionals in meaningful learning, and fostering collaborative, mission-driven work.