Project ASSIST’s Trainer Enrichment Learning Community is Now Accepting Applications
Project ASSIST’s Trainer Enrichment Learning Community (TELC) is a free, year-long skill enrichment opportunity. The TELC seeks to enhance trainer 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 seven TELC cohorts will be conducted between 2022-2026, with the initial cohort starting in October 2022. TELC learning communities will consist of three synchronous learning sessions and five consultation calls spread over the course of a year. 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 5 – October 2024 Dates:
Participants are expected to attend all four days of each learning session for a total of 12 half-days of training.
- Learning Session 1: October 24, 25, 28, & 29th, 2024 from 12:30pm-3:30pm CST
- Learning Session 2: February 6, 7, 10, & 11th, 2025 from 12:30pm-3:30pm CST
- Learning session 3: April 24, 25, 28, & 29th, 2025 from 12:30pm-3:30pm CST
Future Cohorts:
October 2024 – October 2025
March 2025 – March 2026
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
Amy Escott
Project Director for the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies (MoACTS), National Trainer for Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma, The Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit, and the Resilience and Coping Intervention
Amy Escott, MS, LPC, is the Project Director of the Missouri Academy of Child Trauma Studies (MoACTS) and a Licensed Professional Counselor at Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis. Ms. Escott received her Master’s degree in Child Clinical and Developmental Psychology at the Pennsylvania State University. She is a National Trainer for Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma, The Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit, and the Resilience and Coping Intervention. Ms. Escott also leads CASGSL’s Trauma-Informed Programing in Schools (TIPS) project. Ms. Escott provides direct clinical services to children and families who have experienced traumatic events, clinical supervision of mental health trainees, and training and case consultation at the state and national levels.
Matt Kliethermes
CASGSL Training Director, 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 Training Director at Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis (CASGSL) and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). Dr. Kliethermes has over 20 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 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 pertaining to TF-CBT and childhood trauma.
Jennifer McKanry
Assistant Director in the Center for Teaching and Learning
Jennifer McKanry, Ph.D. has over 20 years experience in simulation and curriculum development including serving as the coordinator of a pediatric simulation center. Recently her research has focused on development of principles for building and delivering trainings for trauma-informed care providers. She currently serves as Assistant Director in the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
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.
Evette Bean
Trauma-Informed Trainer
Evette Bean, M.Ed., LPC, is trainer and consultant for the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies and a FORECAST simulations facilitator, as well as one of the program developers for the Project ASSIST Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (AMP-UP). In addition, Evette is involved in trauma-informed schools work in both urban and rural settings. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she provides individual psychotherapy and other clinical services for children and adolescents through CASGSL, serving children who have been exposed to various trauma, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, bullying and traumatic loss.
Alejandra Martinez
Project ASSIST Grant Project Manager, Trauma-Informed Trainer, CASGSL DEI Taskforce Founding Chair
Alejandra Martinez, MSW, LCSW, is the grant’s manager for Project ASSIST and one of the program developers for the Project ASSIST Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (AMP-UP). She is trainer and consultant for the Missouri Academy for Child Trauma Studies and a FORECAST simulations facilitator. As a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Alejandra 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. Alejandra is the founding and current co-chair of CASGSL’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Change Force.
Tenley Scott
Lead Training and Logistics Coordinator
Tenley Scott, is a Training and Logistics Coordinator for Project ASSIST, MoACTS, and Project CONTACT at the Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis. In her role, she assists in the planning and implementation of trainings and provides logistical support for her team.