Certificate of Graduate Studies in Child and Adolescent Trauma
Rhode Island College School of Social Work offers an established Certificate in Graduate Studies (CGS – Trauma) in Child & Adolescent Trauma developed for matriculated students and approved through the Graduate Studies Committee. The intent of the (CGS-Trauma) is to increase capacity for graduate social work interns to incorporate trauma-informed knowledge into their practices thus improving outcomes when trauma-sensitive interventions are required. The goal is utilize evidence-based / evidence-informed research-supported knowledge to support assessment and treatment techniques for remediation of the after-effects of traumatic life events, e.g., sexual abuse, exposure to situational violence, domestic violence, and immigration trauma. The target populations are children, adolescents, along with their parent(s)/caregivers and intergenerational family members dealing with the after-effects of the various forms of trauma. Additionally, there is an unmet need in parents with trauma histories raising their children who have been exposed to traumatic life events.
There is a cultural humility component built into the CGS courses encouraging culturally diverse attendees (bilingual/bicultural) to transmit the trauma-informed information into culturally-sensitive interventions. This cultural component will also support efforts creating cultural sensitivity towards populations not of the majority.
Underpinning the education effort are The 12 Core Concepts - Concepts for Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and Families, which are distributed from the research conducted by a national entity – National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), a SAMHSA funded agency. The 12 Core Concepts address the lifespan effects of trauma upon intergenerational trauma survivors and targeted client populations.
Enrolled students will have to earn 18 credits in courses (shown below) is a sequence that is designed to enhance their understanding of how trauma alters the functioning of trauma survivors and their families. Students will complete 600 total hours of internship beginning in May of the summer session prior to beginning their Fall and Spring semester placements.
The course the sequence is shown below. (These are in addition to other required clinical courses e.g., SW 602/603). Students can focus content in their other required courses after beginning with two specialized courses built upon the curriculum foundations of the NCTSN shown in SWRK 637 and SWRK 638. The first course (637) is offered in the Summer Sessions and the second (638) follows in the Fall Session. These must be taken in sequence.
Admission Requirements for the CGS-Trauma
- A completed application form accompanied by a fifty-dollar nonrefundable application fee.
- Advanced year enrollment in good standing in the MSW program (or another related RI College Master’s level program). Awarding of the certificate for current students is to be accompanied by graduation from the MSW or other Master’s program.
- A detailed resume of your academic and professional credentials and experience
- Permission from the applicant to contact their first-year field supervisor (or Dept. Chair if from another program) in lieu of a reference letter.
- Permission from the applicant to review current transcripts
- A short statement (up to 500 words) detailing the reason for your interest in the CGS - Trauma Certificate program; include any experience with a related population along with any significant life events that may affect your interaction with clients.
Retention Requirements
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
- For consideration, please complete the application form with accompanying documents by Monday, December 14, 2020 at 5:00 pm of the year prior to your entrance into your second year.
Course Requirements
Course No. Course Title Credit Hours Offered
|
SWRK
|
637
|
Core Concepts in Child /Adolescent Trauma*
|
3
|
Summer
|
|
SWRK
|
638
|
Evidence-based treatment for Child/Adolescent Trauma
|
3
|
Fall
|
|
SWRK
|
600
|
Field Seminar III
|
4
|
Summer, Fall
|
|
SWRK
|
601
|
Field Seminar IV
|
4
|
Spring
|
|
SWRK
|
644
|
Clinical Evaluation & Case Consultation I
|
1.5
|
Fall
|
|
SWRK
|
646
|
Clinical Evaluation & Case Consultation II
|
1.5
|
Spring
|
|
SWRK
|
690
|
Independent Study: Interprofessional Education
|
1
|
Fall or Spring
|
Total Credit Hours 18
Application
Download or print
the application.
For More Information
For information about our Continuing Education version of the Certificate program please visit this webpage or or contact the person below.
Daniel A. Harvey, MSW, LICSW
Assistant Professor
Director of Certificate in Graduate Studies in Childhood & Adolescent Trauma
dharvey@ric.edu
