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Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health partners with The Bradley Center to provide expert training/consultation for programs serving victims of child sex trafficking 

Villanova, PA – May 7, 2018 – Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the nation, has partnered with The Bradley Center to provide the Pittsburgh-based organization with expert clinical training related to programs and services addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). 

Devereux will deliver two levels of on-site consultation and training, aimed to assist The Bradley Center in its efforts to build an enhanced program focused on the healing and recovery of children who have been victims in western Pennsylvania. 

As the nationwide provider of choice in supporting trafficked youth on their path to healing, Devereux meets these individuals’ unique needs through trauma-informed, evidence-based clinical therapies, provided in a compassionate and supportive environment. Since 2012, the organization has provided specialized treatment for 350 children who have been commercially sexually exploited. Devereux offers CSEC programs in Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and will open a program in Massachusetts by year-end. Devereux also began providing these services for adult women in 2017, treating nearly 50 women in its Florida-based program. 

“The commercial sexual exploitation of children is a global scourge with a very serious impact, both internationally and in the United States,” said Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health President and CEO Carl E. Clark, II. “It is critical that Devereux share its clinical expertise with the behavioral healthcare community to increase services for these youth – addressing the traumas of these children, while also providing a sense of community and reducing feelings of isolation.” The statistics are shocking. Nearly 21 million people are trafficked globally every year[i]. Sixty percent are trafficked for sex;[ii] 98 percent are women.[iii]  In addition, two million are girls, whose average age is between 12 and 14 when first sold
for sex[iv]. 

“We are excited to partner with Devereux in working to protect and assist victims of human trafficking. Dr. Yolanda Graham and the Devereux team’s passion, dedication and commitment to this vulnerable population are well known, and it’s an honor to learn from them,” said The Bradley Center CEO Lisa Fox. “We are also grateful to the Staunton Farm Foundation for its generous underwriting of this opportunity, and for its recognition of the importance of a well-trained workforce that supports at-risk youth.” 

“Devereux has done a wonderful job providing CSEC services, but we recognize there are many more youth who desperately need our support, and so we have a responsibility to train others,” explained Devereux Executive Director of Mental Health Services Dr. Yolanda Graham. “We are thrilled to partner with The Bradley Center on this initiative because services will now be available for these vulnerable youth in the Pittsburgh area.” 

The organization’s two levels of training include:

  • May 8–10: “CSEC 101: The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children”
    More than 200 Bradley Center staff members will participate in this CSEC overview, which includes an understanding of: the scope of the problem, both internationally and domestically; the appropriate language to use when describing CSEC victims; how to identify potential victims; Stockholm Syndrome, trauma bonding and grooming behaviors; and the importance of providing clear boundaries when working with CSEC victims. 
  • May 21: “CSEC 201: The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children”
    During this advanced training, nearly 25 Bradley Center clinicians and therapists will learn to: identify clinical challenges associated with these victims; understand the complex trauma bonds between victims/exploiters; explain why motivational interviewing works with this population; articulate the Stages of Change model and how it relates to CSEC victims; and implement an individualized and group therapy treatment format. 

“The Bradley Center is excited to embrace evidence-based CSEC training,” said The Bradley Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Craig Taylor. “This training will expand the breadth and depth of our trauma-focused clinical care by improving our ability to identify and treat youth who have experienced human trafficking.”

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Psychologists

The Devereux Foundation Institute of Clinical Training and Research is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. The Devereux Foundation Institute of Clinical Training and Research maintains responsibility for the program and its content. Psychologists attending the program in its entirety and completing the program evaluation form will receive 2.75 APA continuing education credits. 

Social Workers

Under 049 Pa. § Code 47.36, social workers and clinical social workers in Pennsylvania may receive credit for continuing education courses and programs accredited by the American Psychological Association.

About Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations providing services, insight and leadership in the evolving field of behavioral healthcare. Founded in 1912 by special education pioneer Helena Devereux, the organization operates a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational, and employment programs and services that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults – and their families – every year. Focused on clinical advances emerging from a new understanding of the brain, its unique approach combines evidence-based interventions with compassionate family engagement. With approximately 7,500 employees working in programs across the nation, it is a recognized partner for families, schools and communities, serving many of our country’s most vulnerable populations in the areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, and child welfare. Programs are offered in hospital, residential, community and school-based settings. They include: assessments; interventions and support; transition and independent life services; family and professional training; research and innovation; and advocacy and public education. For more than a century, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has been guided by a simple and enduring mission: To change lives by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral or cognitive differences. www.devereux.org.  

About The Bradley Center

The Bradley Center is committed to improving the lives of children, youth and families affected by trauma, mental illness and behavioral health challenges. Bradley’s core services are comprised of a Residential Treatment Facility and the Bradley School. These programs provide services for children with mental, emotional and behavioral disabilities. Bradley is accredited nationally by The Joint Commission, licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Department of Education and Department of Health. www.thebradleycenter.org

 

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