Duke Child and Family Trauma Program

The Child and Family Trauma Program is part of the Division of Child and Family Mental Health and Community Psychiatry in Duke's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The Child and Family Trauma Program brings together faculty with expertise in treating, researching, and providing training on childhood trauma. Our team is composed of faculty from across Duke University and Duke University Health System. Our mission is to grow a trauma-informed academic and community workforce.

Please click on the links below to learn more about our program:

Current Events
Leadership
Patient Care
Research
Training and Education
Faculty
Partners

Current Events

Leadership

Duke Child and Family Trauma Program faculty serve in national and international leadership positions in the field of child traumatic stress. These faculty function as high level researchers, treatment and assessment developers, certified trainers in trauma’s evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for children and families, and with productivity in grants, journal articles, books, and curricula. Working toward increasing quality of trauma evidence-based treatments at the local, state, and national level, Duke faculty incorporate implementation science and strategic work with Medicaid-managed care stakeholders to increase successful adoption of these EBTs into community agencies. Drs. Lisa Amaya-Jackson and John Fairbank serve as program leads.

Patient Care

Duke Children’s Evaluation Center (DCEC) – Duke Children's Evaluation Center is Duke’s primary point of access for all pediatric mental health services. The DCEC focuses on helping children and families access timely and appropriate care for emerging and critical mental health needs, therefore serving as the access point for children exposed to violence and maltreatment seeking evaluation and treatment for child traumatic stress.  

Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH) - CCFH's Urbaniak Clinic specializes in assessment and evidence-based treatments for families and children from infancy to age 21 who have been affected by trauma, chronic stress, violence, abuse, neglect, or bereavement. Trauma-focused services available to families at CCFH include trauma-focused assessments and evidence-based treatments such as Trauma Focused - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Research

Duke Child and Family Program Faculty have been actively involved in traumatic stress research on children and families for more than three decades, with our investigators leading and collaborating on a wide range of projects sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and numerous Foundations.

Ongoing studies include serving as lead investigators for the children’s outcomes component of the DoD-sponsored Millennium Cohort Family Study, a national longitudinal study of 9,872 US military service member/ spouse dyads that includes information about their children’s emotional and behavioral health. Our faculty also lead the analysis of the Core Data Set (CDS) of the SAMHSA-sponsored National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the first national, web-based data collection effort designed to answer key questions relevant to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of child traumatic stress. The CDS currently contains detailed information on 19,108 children seen between 2004-2012 in 74 NCTSN-affiliated academic, hospital, and community service sites across the United States.

The Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH) is active in research related to traumatic stress, including its treatment and prevention, and approaches for disseminating evidence-based treatments and prevention programs to improve the mental health workforce locally, across North Carolina, and nationally. Projects focus on child wellbeing and maltreatment prevention through a brief, universal, postnatal, nurse home visiting program (Family Connects); statewide dissemination of evidence-based trauma treatments (North Carolina Child Treatment Program); and investigation of social-emotional health among military families and children. CCFH research has been supported by state and federal grants, as well as private foundations, and benefits from active participation of many Duke Child and Family Program Faculty. 

To learn more about the specific research interests of our faculty, click here.

Training and Education

The Child and Family Trauma Program's faculty and staff offer state-of-the-art training and education through their affiliations with the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and the Center for Child and Family Health which offer a continuum of training in the core concepts of childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES), trauma-focused assessment and evidence-based treatments, as well as child maltreatment and trauma prevention models, and trauma-informed systems change.

The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS), in conjunction with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), serves as the national coordinating center for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a national network of research and practice sites dedicated to improving the standard of care for children affected by trauma.

The Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH) serves a community-academic partnership involving three universities and provides direct treatment and prevention services, disseminates evidence-based treatments for child traumatic stress, and partners with others in evaluation of best practices. 

Funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Child Treatment Program (NC CTP) in the Center for Child & Family Health, uses 12-18 month learning collaboratives to disseminate trauma-focused evidence-based treatments in mental health agencies across NC with a focus on sustained clinical outcomes and data-driven implementation in multiple learning sessions, clinical consultation by expert faculty, and agency consultation by implementation experts.  NC CTP holds clinicians accountable for quality care by maintaining a publicly accessible and searchable Roster for program graduates that meet or exceed treatment developer standards for excellence.

Through university, federal, state, local, and foundation partnerships, faculty from the Child and Family Trauma Program serve a mission to grow a trauma-informed academic and community workforce.  Key training and education initiatives include:

Child and Family Trauma Program Faculty provide ​​​​​​advanced training to become regionally and nationally certified Providers in a range of evidence-based interventions and promising practices related to child traumatic stress and trauma-informed systems. Click on a specific intervention to learn more about its focus, components, effectiveness, and implementation considerations:

Faculty

Lisa Amaya-Jackson, MD, MPHLisa Amaya-Jackson, MD, MPH, serves as the co-lead of the Child and Family Trauma Program.  She is a child psychiatrist and tenured professor in the Duke University School of Medicine and serves as the Co-Director of the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Co-Founder of the Center for Child and Family Health, and Director Emeritus of the North Carolina Child Treatment Program. Dr. Amaya-Jackson's professional expertise focuses on bringing  trauma evidence-based treatments and academic clinical care to community agencies delivering services to children exposed to trauma. For more information on Dr. Amaya-Jackson's research and clinical focus, click here.

John Fairbank, PhDJohn Fairbank, PhD, serves as the co-lead for Child and Family Trauma Program. He is a psychologist and tenured professor in the Duke University School of Medicine and serves as the co-Director for the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 6 MIRECC). Dr. Fairbank's professional interest focuses on traumatic stress reactions in children and adults. For more information on Dr. Fairbank's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Robert Murphy, PhDRobert Murphy, PhD, serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Child and Family Health. He is a psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Murphy's professional expertise focuses on child traumatic stress and its prevention and treatment. For more information on Dr. Murphy's research and clinical focus, click here.  

George "Tripp" Ake, PhDGeorge "Tripp" Ake, PhD, serves as the Director of the Training and Implementation Program for the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and the Training Director for the Center for Child and Family Health. Dr. Ake provides trauma treatment services at CCFH and supervises many of the psychology postdoctoral fellows, interns, and practicum students who provide services in the mental health clinic. He is a psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Ake's research and training interests focus on implementation science, interpersonal violence, and trauma-informed child welfare practices. For more information on Dr. Ake's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Ernestine Briggs-King, PhDErnestine Briggs-King, PhD, serves as the Director of the Data and Evaluation Program for the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and the Director of Research for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a clinical/community psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Science, Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Briggs-King's professional expertise focuses on implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of evidence-based treatments; child traumatic stress; resiliency; mental health disparities, quality improvement, and increasing access to care for underserved youth/adolescents. For more information on Dr. Briggs-King's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Ellen Gerrity, PhDEllen Gerrity, PhD, serves as the Associate Director and Senior Policy Advisor Director for the Policy Program at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. She is a psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Gerrity has been involved in traumatic stress research and practice for more than thirty-five years, working as a researcher, clinician, senior NIMH research administrator, and federal mental health policy advisor. For more information on Dr. Gerrity's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Diane Elmore Borbon, PhD, MPHDiane Elmore Borbon, PhD, MPH, serves as the Washington, DC-based Policy Program Director for the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the American University. Before joining the NCCTS, she served as Director of the American Psychological Association’s Public Interest Government Relations Office and worked on health care issues in the United States Senate. Dr. Elmore Borbon is a Past-President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and an Associate Editor for Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Her work focuses on the translation and dissemination of scientific and clinical knowledge to policymakers, government leaders, and key decision makers on public health and trauma policy issues to address the needs of underserved populations.

David Goldston, PhDDavid Goldston, PhD, serves as the Co-Principal Investigator for the UCLA-Duke Suicide/ Self Harm and Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Center and the Administrative Director for the Duke Center for Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use Treatment. He is a psychologist and Associate Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Goldston's professional experience focuses on suicide prevention and the impact of factors such as alcohol/ drug use and child trauma on suicidal risk. For more information on Dr. Goldston's research and clinical focus, click here.

Robin Gurwitch, PhDRobin Gurwitch, PhD, serves as PCIT Program Director at the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a psychologist and Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Gurwitch’s professional expertise focuses on Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Child Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE), especially adaptation for trauma and for military families. She also has extensive expertise in response to mass casualty events, both natural and man-made. For more information on Dr. Gurwitch's research and clinical focus, click here.

Kelly Sullivan, PhDKelly Sullivan, PhD, serves as the Director of Mental Health Services for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a licensed psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Sullivan's professional expertise focuses on trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies for children and their caregivers and trauma-informed organizational change. For more information on Dr. Sullivan's research and clinical focus, click here.

Karen O'Donnell, PhDKaren O'Donnell, PhD, serves as a faculty member for the Center for Child and Family Health and a fellow at the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke's Sanford School for Public Policy. She is a psychologist and a retired Assistant Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. O'Donnell's professional expertise focuses on prevention and intervention efforts for very young children. She has studied child traumatic grief related to HIV/ AIDS among orphans and vulnerable children in low- and middle-income countries. Dr. O'Donnell is the Co-Developer of Family Connects, an evidence-based, postpartum model for child maltreatment prevention. For more information on Dr. O'Donnell's research and clinical focus, click here.

Karen Appleyard-Carmody, PhDKaren Appleyard-Carmody, PhD, serves as the Director of Early Childhood Prevention Programs for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Appleyard Carmody's clinical and research expertise is in the areas of infant mental health, child-parent attachment, early childhood trauma and maltreatment, and evidence-based practices to address these issues. For more information on Dr. Appleyard-Carmody's research and clinical focus, click here.

Angela Tunno, PhD, M.S.Angela Tunno, PhD, M.S., serves as an Assistant Professor and liscensed clinical psychologist for the Duke Child and Family Study Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a faculty member in the Duke Center for the Study of Suicide Prevention and Intervention, a trainer and faculty member for the Center for Child and Family Health, and faculty for the Data and Evaluation Program at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the Duke University School of Medicine and currently sees patients in the Duke Center for Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use Treatement (CAST) Program and Duke Child and Family Study Center. Dr. Tunno's professional expertise focuses on the intersection between trauma exposure and high-risk behavior (e.g., suicidality, substance use), dissemination/implementation of evidence-based therapeutic interventions, trauma-informed care, and public policy and advocacy for children, youth, and families. For more information on Dr. Tunno's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Donna Potter, MSWDonna Potter, LCSW, serves as the Lead Clinical Faculty and developer-endorsed National Trainer for Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Child Parent Psychotherapy for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a clinical social worker and a Medical Center Instructor in the Duke University School of Medicine. Ms. Potter's professional expertise focuses on training and dissemination of trauma-focused evidence-based treatments with a particular emphasis on developmental needs for very young children. She is a lead faculty in the North Carolina Child Treatment Program. For more information on Ms. Potter's research and clinical focus, click here.

Eboni Lanier, LCSWEboni Lanier, LCSW, serves as clinical faculty and developer-endorsed Master Trainer for SPARCS (Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress) for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a clinical social worker. Ms. Lanier's professional expertise focuses on training and dissemination of trauma-focused evidence-based practices with particular emphasis on adolescents and working within school settings. She is a lead faculty for the North Carolina Child Treatment Program. For more information on Ms. Lanier's research and clinical focus, click here. 

Kate Murray, PhDKathryn (Kate) J. Murray, PhD, serves as the Director of the Post Adoption Support for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is a psychologist and a Consulting Associate in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Murray's professional expertise focuses on adoption, child welfare, early childhood adversity and recovery, and trauma-informed parenting. For more information on Dr. Murray's research and clinical focus, click here.

Katelyn Donisch, PhD, MSPHKatelyn Donisch, PhD, MSPH, serves a licensed clinical psychologist and faculty member at the Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH); a trainer, researcher, and implementation specialist at the UCLA-Duke Adolescent Suicide/ Self Harm and Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Center; and an Improvement Advisor at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS). She is a postdoctoral fellow and Clinical Associate in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Donisch’s professional expertise focuses on the implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of trauma-informed curricula, practices, and treatments within and across child- and family-service systems (e.g., education, juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health). For more information on Dr. Donisch's research and clinical focus, click here.

Adrienne Inscoe, PhDAdrienne Inscoe, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Duke Child and Family Study Center, a faculty member in the Duke Center for the Study of Suicide Prevention and Intervention, and a program coordinator and trainer for the UCLA-Duke ASAP Center for Trauma-Informed Suicide, Self-Harm & Substance Abuse Treatment & Prevention. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Inscoe’s professional expertise focuses on the development, dissemination, and implementation of trauma-informed interventions for adolescent depression, suicide, and self-harm. For more information on Dr. Inscoe’s research and clinical focus, click here.

Conor O’Neill, PhD, NCSP, is a Medical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. O’Neill is a Licensed Psychologist, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and serves as a faculty member in the Duke Center for the Study of Suicide Prevention and Intervention as well as a clinical treatment provider in the Duke Center for Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use Treatment (CAST). Dr. O’Neill’s professional expertise and interests include a focus in school-based adaptations for trauma-informed evidenced-based treatments for youth at risk of suicide and self-harm, and the clinical treatment of youth with suicide risk, substance use, and co-occurring mental health disorders. For more information on Dr. O’Neill’s research and clinical focus, click here. 

Jeremy Grove, PhDJeremy Grove, PhD, serves as a faculty member for the Duke Center for the Study of Suicide Prevention and Intervention (CSSPI) and faculty at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS). He is a Clinical Associate in the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Grove's research focuses on the intersection between substance abuse and suicide; while his clinical expertise involves the use of contemporary cognitive behavioral therapies, especially dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). For more information on Dr. Grove's research and clinical focus, click here. 
 

Partners

Center for Child and Family Health
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
North Carolina Child Treatment Program
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
Duke Center for Child and Family Policy
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
The Duke Endowment
US Department of Veterans Affairs