Cummins Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. to Enhance Treatment for Youth Experiencing Trauma in Montgomery County with Award Funding
Will Use $5,000 Grant from Montgomery County Community Foundation to Train Staff in Trust-Based Relational Intervention
CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN – The Montgomery County Community Foundation (MCCF) has awarded Cummins Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. with $5,000 to improve its ability to treat children and teens who suffer from psychological trauma in Montgomery County. The funding comes as part of MCCF’s first grant cycle for 2021 and was awarded based on a proposal submitted by Cummins Behavioral Health staff.
From left to right: Kelly Taylor, CEO of Montgomery County Community Foundation; Shelby Rusk, therapist at Cummins Behavioral Health Systems; Doug Phillips, Director of Montgomery County Operations for Cummins BHS
“The grant will be utilized to provide specialized training to two counselors who will subsequently provide Trust-Based Relational Intervention in community youth and school-based environments,” said Doug Phillips, Cummins’ Director of County Operations for Montgomery County. “Cummins currently specializes in school-based counseling, and this grant will strengthen and innovate the therapeutic approach used with this important population.”
Statistics show that Montgomery County has a high rate of childhood adversity and early harm. In 2020, the Department of Child Services received ninety-four reports of sexual abuse alone. This was 10.4% of all reports received in the county, compared to the state average of 11.6%.
Youth who have experienced trauma may have complex needs and find it difficult to trust others. Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a therapeutic framework that takes these factors into account, allowing treatment providers and caregivers to more effectively help children who suffer from trauma.
“We are very excited to be able to receive training in TBRI,” said Shelby Rusk, a youth therapist who co-wrote the grant application for Cummins. “This program will allow us to teach and offer support to caregivers and children to see the need behind certain behaviors and to focus on the whole child. This will help create attunement, attachment, and empowerment for the child and caregiver.”
Cummins Behavioral Health will apply for Rusk and fellow therapist Keri Francis, the grant’s other co-author, to receive training in TBRI through the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development when training sessions become available in 2022. After they have been trained, Rusk and Francis will conduct community outreach to educate the public about childhood trauma and trauma resiliency. They will also begin implementing TBRI in their counseling services when appropriate.
To learn more about Trust-Based Relational Intervention, visit the website of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/. For more information about Montgomery County Community Foundation and its charitable initiatives, visit www.mccf-in.org.
Cummins Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. is a community behavioral health center serving Marion, Hendricks, Boone, Montgomery and Putnam counties in Indiana. Our mission is to inspire the hope of recovery, to achieve excellence in all aspects of care, and to make the goals and aspirations of those we serve our highest priority. For more information about our services, please call (888) 714-1927 or visit www.cumminsbhs.org.