Treatments

AF–CBT is designed to work with a broad range of families engaged in verbal and/or physical aggression, whether the referral focuses upon the caregiver who is angry, the child who has behavior problems (e.g., ODD, CD), or the volatile or “at-risk” family. A family with any of the following may be eligible for AF-CBT:

1. A family or caregiver and child who experience frequent conflicts, arguments, angry feelings, or explosiveness.
2. A caregiver who uses or has used harsh physical force or discipline, or worries about doing something that could injure/hurt a child, or has a history of physical or emotional abuse involving one of his/her children.
3. A child (5-17 years old) who exhibits challenging behaviors such as not listening, fighting, hard to manage, or who shows trauma symptoms (e, g., posttraumatic stress) related to #1 or #2 above.

Many eligible families who receive AF-CBT also experience other challenges such as living in different residences, domestic disputes,
substance use, incarceration, and/or prior traumatic experiences.

AF-CBT has 18 topical content areas or components, including initial orientation and graduation that are delivered across three treatment phases. Many families are scheduled for weekly services delivered over a 6- to 9-month period. However, the duration of treatment and number of sessions may vary, due to factors such as the complexity of the case, or availability of resources, as well as family cooperation and participation. Thus, scheduling is flexible, but is guided by the needed to maximize attendance and participation.

AF-CBT has been found to improve clinical functioning in school-aged children, their parents (caregivers), and other family members following a referral for concerns about parenting practices including child physical abuse (Kolko, 1996a; 1996b, Kolko et al., 2011), as well as a child’s behavior problems (Kolko et al., 2009, 2010, 2012).

With its effectiveness supported by outcome studies, AF-CBT has been recognized by other experts as a “model” or “promising” treatment program (see National Child Traumatic Stress Network, www.nctsn.org; Child).  AF-CBT is rated a 3, Promising Practice, by the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (www.cebc4cw.org).

Prospective AF-CBT trainees must be mental health professionals with a Master’s degree or higher. We ask that each trainee commit to implementing AF-CBT with at least 2 families during the course of the year.

AF-CBT should be conducted by individuals who have been formally trained in the model and who are familiar with the content, methods, assessments, and fidelity tools that are required to ensure effective administration of this approach.

Please visit the Alternatives for Families A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy website at: http://www.afcbt.org/

At this time, Project BEST is not offering any training on AF-CBT. You may visit http://www.afcbt.org/training/sign-up-for-training for training opportunities.

Participants of Learning Collaboratives may access this LINK to retrieve information such as an assessments packet and other resources.

TF-CBT has been found to be successful with children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) who have significant emotional problems (e.g., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, or depression) related to traumatic life events.

This treatment can be used with children and adolescents who have experienced a single trauma or multiple traumas in their life.

Children or adolescents experiencing traumatic grief can also benefit from this treatment.

TF-CBT can be used with children and adolescents residing in many types of settings, including parental homes, foster care, kinship care, group homes, or residential programs.

TF-CBT typically lasts between 8-25 sessions, and is typically delivered once per week. It is best delivered by creative, resourceful therapists who have developed close therapeutic alliances with their clients.

This treatment is designed to be provided in a flexible and developmentally appropriate manner to address the unique needs of each child and family.

It has been evaluated with Caucasian and African American children, and it has been adapted for Latino and hearing-impaired/deaf populations. It is currently being adapted for Native American children and for children in many other countries (e.g., Zambia, Uganda, South Africa, Pakistan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Cambodia).

TF-CBT is the most well-supported and effective treatment for children who have been abused and traumatized. Multiple clinical research studies consistently have found it to help children with PTSD and other trauma-related problems. It has been rated a Model Program and Best Practice for use with abused and traumatized children. TF-CBT currently is being used successfully in community service agencies across the country.

TF-CBT has proven to be effective in addressing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, sexualized behaviors, feelings of shame, and mistrust. The parental component increases the positive effects for children by reducing parents’ own levels of depression and emotional distress about their child’s abuse and improving parenting practices and support of their child.

TF-CBT was rated a “1-Well-supported, efficacious treatment”, the highest level of empirical support in the U.S. Department of Justice sponsored report Child Physical and Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for Treatment (PDF). The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare rated TF-CBT a “1-Well-supported, effective practice” its highest score for Scientific Rating and its highest score for Relevance to Child Welfare Rating. TF-CBT was selected as a “Best Practice” for cases of child abuse in the Kaufman Best Practices Task Force Final Report sponsored by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

This treatment can be used by a variety of mental health professionals, including clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or clinical counselors.

TF-CBTWeb2.0 is a new web-based course for learning Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The new course reflects significant changes in the way the treatment is organized and trained, includes new training videos (along with some of the original ones), and expanded coverage of cultural considerations and developmental issues that affect the delivery of the treatment. Plus, the new course includes better web technology that allows it to function better and more attractively across desktop, laptop, and tablet computers.

TF-CBTWeb2.0 is designed to allow you to learn at your own pace, and use the learning experiences when it is convenient for you. Once you have completed TF-CBTWeb2.0, you can return as often as you like to “brush up” on techniques, watch demonstrations, or download the resources. There is a $35 registration fee for the course.

Access TF-CBTWeb2.0 at https://tfcbt2.musc.edu/

• California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
• TF-CBT Fact Sheet from the NCTSN (PDF)
• Review of TF-CBT from the Child Welfare Information Gateway
• NREPP Definition of TF-CBT (PDF)
• CARES Institute

Treatment Manual

Cohen, J.A., Mannarino, A.P., & Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents. New York: The Guilford Press.

At this time, Project BEST is not offering any training on TF-CBT. You may visit the Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy National Therapist Certification Program  for training options.

Our mission is in our name – to Support Providers and Reach Kids (SPARK). Too often, providers experience challenges that make it hard to deliver optimal care. We can help.

SPARK is a novel web-based platform that features 13 Chapters spanning the 9 PRACTICE components of TF-CBT. It has dozens of games and activities that can be used by providers during therapy sessions with children.

The SPARK platform is now freely available to all TF-CBT trained clinicians in the Carolinas!

To create a FREE account:

• Go to sparktoolkit.org
• Click “login/register” and click “to join”
• Clinicians will be asked if they are trained in TF-CBT and located in the Carolinas
  • If the answer to both is yes, clinicians will be able to set up a free account
• There is a field on the account creation screen where it asks the name of the clinic — clinicians must fill out this field so that SPARK faculty can confirm
  • SPARK faculty will confirm accounts within 2-3 business days

While you are waiting for confirmation, you can watch the new orientation video on the home screen of sparktoolkit.org! It will help you hit the ground running once you’ve gained access to the platform!

LINK

South Carolina Statewide Learning Collaborative (SCLC)

Providers seeking to become certified to implement PSB-CBT must meet the following training and consultation requirements for the school-age model.  Through this process, providers implementing the group modality will need to complete requirements for both youth and caregiver groups.  Completion of these requirements and fidelity in the school-age group or family modality is determined by the PSB-CBT Master Trainers, or Approved Trainer.

Training, including fidelity modality requirements include:

1. Completion of the full exploration of PSB fit-to-agency process as demonstrated by completion of the OUHSC PSB-CBT Program Organizational Assessment and Agency Application after the community has self-evaluated readiness.
2. Completion of all required readings and pre-work assignments resulting from review of the exploration phase materials.
3. Attendance and active participation in a PSB-CBT intensive clinical training approved by the OU PSB-CBT T/TA Program.
4. Completion of at least one-year (12-months) of experience conducting PSB-CBT treatment with a minimum of four families (e.g., caregiver and youth) in group modality, or six-months with a minimum of two families in the family modality through completion.
5. Implementation of the PSB-CBT model per the treatment curriculum and with appropriate conceptualization of youth with PSB.
6. Active participation in consultation calls, at minimum 80% attendance, facilitated by an OU PSB-CBT Approved Trainer until fidelity to the model has been met.  “Actively participated” means, at a minimum, directly involved in consultation discussion, regularly sending recorded sessions to a Master Trainer for fidelity monitoring, and evidence of application of feedback from consultation by a PSB-CBT Approved Trainer.
7. Regularly submit recordings of PSB-CBT sessions for fidelity monitoring by a Master Trainer or Approved Trainer.  Clinicians are encouraged to review own recordings using the OU PSB-CBT fidelity monitoring forms to evaluate their own performance.
8. Demonstrate competence in assessing PSB families’ progress in treatment using clinical judgement and the CSBI (and other standardized measures) to make appropriate decisions about completion of PSB-CBT treatment services.
9. Upon successful completion, clinician must agree to continue to implement the OU-PSB-CBT model(s) with fidelity and adhere to administrative decisions from OU PSB-CBT T/TA Program regarding the OU PSB-CBT model. Meeting the above requirements is the first step to becoming a Within-Agency Trainer

You can find more information on the University of Oklahoma’s Website.

At this time, Project BEST is not offering any training on TF-CBT. You may visit https://connect.ncsby.org/psbcbt/training-calendar/school-age-training  for training options.

LINK

RRFT was designed for adolescents, ages 12–17, who have experienced trauma and are experiencing clinically significant trauma symptoms along with substance use and/or other co-occurring risk behavior such as risky sexual behaviors, self-harming behaviors, or running away.

RRFT typically involves 18–24 weekly sessions, with each session lasting approximately 60–90 minutes. The length and pace of treatment may vary based on the adolescent’s symptoms, needs, and treatment progress. Periodic check-ins may also occur between scheduled sessions as needed.

Yes. RRFT is supported by clinical research demonstrating positive outcomes for adolescents experiencing trauma symptoms alongside substance use and other related risk behaviors. Research has shown that adolescents receiving RRFT can experience meaningful reductions in substance use and posttraumatic stress symptoms, with improvements continuing over time.

RRFT has also been shown to be safe for adolescents with co-occurring trauma symptoms and substance use concerns. By addressing these interconnected concerns within one integrated treatment approach, RRFT helps adolescents and their families build skills that support recovery, reduce risk, and promote healthier functioning.

RRFT is designed to be delivered by licensed or license-eligible behavioral health professionals who provide psychotherapy to adolescents. Clinicians should have successfully completed training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and have experience providing TF-CBT with adolescents before beginning RRFT training.

Because RRFT builds upon established trauma-focused treatment skills, clinicians should already be comfortable assessing and treating trauma and be prepared to expand their practice to address substance use, family functioning, risk reduction, and other adolescent health-risk behaviors.

What is required to become certified in RRFT?

Becoming certified in RRFT involves more than attending a training workshop. Clinicians participate in an implementation-focused training process that includes formal RRFT training, ongoing consultation, active implementation of the model with appropriate adolescent clients, and collaboration with supervisors and organizational leaders.

Clinicians must successfully complete the required training and consultation activities and complete at least two RRFT treatment cases to be eligible for certification. Because referrals, engagement, and treatment completion can vary, clinicians are encouraged to identify at least five potential RRFT cases during the training and implementation period.

Additional certification requirements and expectations are provided as part of the RRFT training and Learning Collaborative process.

Additional information about RRFT is available through the RRFT Orientation Webinar, RRFT Overview Video, RRFT Orientation Manual, and other training and implementation resources. Information about upcoming Learning Collaboratives, training schedules, registration, and participation requirements is also available through Project BEST.

For questions about RRFT training or participation in the Learning Collaborative, contact the Project BEST team at projectbest@deenortoncenter.org.

Project BEST is planning to launch a new RRFT Learning Collaborative in December 2026. The Learning Collaborative will provide eligible clinicians with structured RRFT training, consultation, and implementation support as they begin using the model with adolescents and families.

Additional information about eligibility, training requirements, schedules, and registration will be available through Project BEST.

Eligibility Requirements

Clinicians interested in participating in the RRFT Learning Collaborative should:

• Be a licensed or license-eligible behavioral health professional who provides psychotherapy to adolescents.
• Have successfully completed TF-CBT training and have experience providing TF-CBT with adolescents.
• Maintain an active adolescent caseload and be able to identify appropriate RRFT cases during the implementation period.
• Have agency support to participate in training, consultation, and implementation activities.

LINK