The Institute for Children and Families is an organization created to bring together practitioners who offer the highest quality specialty mental health care. Established in 2000 as a Limited Liability Corporation, it was recreated as a non-profit organization in 2003. ICF is a leading regional center for psychosocial services for children and their families, especially regarding the effects of child trauma, attachment difficulties, and the medical, emotional, and developmental repercussions of early emotional injury.

Fast-breaking medical and psychological research is clearly identifying the short- and long-term changes to the developing brains of young children. The repercussions of experiencing violence, exposure to substance abuse, separation from primary caregivers, especially mothers, chronic childhood illness, and poor, inadequate or inconsistent parenting, are compelling, far-reaching and tragic.

Each member of our staff is especially trained in several areas of specialized work. Areas of expertise include:

• Reactive Attachment Disorder and Attachment Difficulties
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
• International/Domestic Adoption
• Childhood Anxiety and Depression
• Childhood Trauma, including:
  • Loss of primary caregiver
  • Serious injury or chronic illness
  • Physical and emotional abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Witnessing or exposure to violence
  • Institutionalization
  • Multiple placements/losses

As members of the local and international community, our first job is to advance the public and professional understanding of these problems, and the significant impact they have on children, families and society as a whole.

Prevention is the primary goal of our work. To this end, we offer ourselves as speakers, trainers, and public advocates for positive child development and support of healthy families.

In terms of working with families and community organizations, we offer a range of powerful, well-established interventions. Our staff is carefully trained and experienced in the following methods of intervention, among others:

• Psychological Evaluation and Diagnosing
• Individual Psychotherapy
• Family Therapy
• Group Therapy and Social Skills Training
• Theraplay
• Play Therapy
• Neurofeedback, EEG Brain Training
• Developmental Screening
• Professional Training
• Parent/Guardian Education and Support
• Keynote Speaking and Community Education

We at the Institute for Children and Families are interested in collaborating with local, state, national and international organizations in appropriate areas of research. In our three years of busy practice, we have been fortunate to receive the support of a great many community organizations and colleagues. The diversity of our supporters, expanding breadth of our professional services, and demand for our expertise reflects the increasing needs for our superior services and unique holistic approach in this challenging field.