Starfish Family Services

Strengthening families to create brighter futures for children

Donate

Starfish Cares: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Updates

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Culture of Trauma Care
    • Contact Us
    • Locations
    • Meet Our Team
    • Publications
    • Press
    • Accreditation
    • Privacy Policy
  • Our Services
    • Early Childhood Education
    • Behavioral Health Services
    • Nurse-Family Partnership
    • Office of Integrated Health Care
    • Parenting Programs
    • Request a Speaker
    • Starfish University
  • Donate
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Host a Drive
    • Celebration Luncheon
    • Celebrating 60 Years of Starfish Family Services!
  • Careers
    • Job Listings
    • Internships
  • Press
  • Blog
  • Marygrove EEC

Press Alert: Starfish Awarded $76,000 Grant by Dresner Foundation

December 4, 2017 by Starfish Family Services

Download Full Press Release (PDF)
INKSTER, MICH. (Dec. 4, 2017) –Starfish Family Services has received a $76,000 grant from the Dresner Foundation in support of launching Phase II of Starfish Family Services’ Building Resilient Communities (BRC) initiative. Starfish launched BRC in response to one of our most serious public health threats- childhood trauma, which can harm social-emotional development and eventually physical health.

Studies show 1 in 4 children experience trauma by preschool, but key adults in a child’s life can be trained to be a buffer against traumatic experiences. Thus, Phase I of BRC consisted of, embedding trained trauma therapists into preschool classrooms, screening all Starfish preschoolers for trauma, and implementing a ten-month Trauma Smart© training program for the first wave of 140 staff persons. Developed by experts at Crittenton Children’s Center, Trauma Smart©, is an evidence-based intervention model, recognized, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, to be effective in helping children and the adults who care for them effectively address the negative impact of violence and trauma.

Starfish is very excited about Phase II of the initiative which will include: Trauma Smart training for an additional 45 staff, clients, and parents, and the translation of program materials into Spanish and Arabic for parent groups who are more comfortable learning in their native language. In addition, “train the trainer” education will enable Starfish to sustain the Trauma Smart© program internally in future years.

“Starfish is so grateful that the philanthropic community continues to support this work,” said Ann Kalass, CEO of Starfish Family Services. “The Dresner Foundation with its mission to support organizations that empower children and their families make them a natural fit for this initiative. Initial results of the Building Resilient Communities work have made such a positive impact on the families we serve. Our teachers feel more supported and engaged, our children display fewer incidents of disruptive behavior, and we are excited to offer some of the same training to the parents of our children so that these important learnings can also be utilized in the home.”

To learn more about Starfish’s Building Resilient Communities Initiative, please visit: https://www.starfishfamilyservices.org/what-we-do/brc/

Filed Under: News

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries:

  • Email: jwaits@sfish.org
  • Call/Text: (313) 949-3142

Categories

  • Blog
  • News
  • Starfish Family Services

Recent Posts

  • A Note from our CEO, Roxanne Brinkerhoff: Tragedy at Michigan State University
  • Talking to children about racialized violence: Tips & Support from Starfish behavioral health and DEI experts
  • Starfish announces selection of next CEO!
  • Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day
  • Healing our children, community, ourselves

Archives

  • February 2023
  • November 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015

Our Mission

Strengthening families to create brighter futures for children.

Our Vision

A just society in which all children, families, and communities have equitable opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive.

Starfish Family Services
(Headquarters)

30000 Hiveley
Inkster, MI 48141
734. 728. 3400

starfish@sfish.org

Stay connected and join our newsletter

    Your Name

    Your Email

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    ~~

    Copyright © 2023 Starfish Family Services · Developed by mediaRAVE