FIU - CASE Hope

HELPLESSNESS

turns to

HOPE

CCF revolutionizes

treatments for child

F

or Kayla and Tim Riera-Gomez,

personality that if we can get through

the troubling phone calls from their

it, he was going to do amazing things

son’s preschool started when he was

that enjoyed professional success.

pediatrician. They met with the principal

behavioral aide’s assistance to

for the world,” Kayla said. “Then it

Kayla is an attorney and Tim is a

at his school, who offered to work with

insurance. The expense was high,

only 3.

progressed. We were receiving calls

lobbyist. When Christopher was born,

the family to help Christopher. But they

and they knew it could only serve as a

from the school, sometimes two and

they thought they were starting a

were still left wondering — why was

temporary solution.

three a day.”

happy new chapter in their life. But

Christopher so mad?

Christopher was misbehaving. He

mental health and

yelled at teachers. He threw things.

behavior disorders

He had temper tantrums. His crying

By Ayleen Barbel Fattal | abarbel@fiu.edu and JoAnn C. Adkins | jadkins@fiu.edu

The parents were left wondering

The parents were a happy couple

the emotional fallout of Christopher’s

Kayla and Tim talked to Christopher’s

They hired a behavioral aide that

diagnosis, they could not bill the

“Your child is the only one with an adult shadow. That doesn’t make them

fits lasted as long as an hour. By

how a 4-year-old could get kicked out

daily challenges left them tired,

attended preschool every day with

feel any better among their peers,”

the time he was 4, the school was

of preschool. They realized something

confused and feeling helpless. It took

Christopher, but did so without a

Tim said.

threatening suspensions.

more than just willfulness was afflicting

a toll on their marriage. Christopher

diagnosis since mental and behavior

It was around that same time,

their young son. And they realized he

picked up on the stress, which only led

disorders are typically not diagnosed

Tim heard about FIU’s Center for

wouldn’t just grow out of it.

to more behavioral issues.

in children that young. Without a

Children and Families (CCF), a

“At first, we thought it was willfulness, this kind of strength-of-

22 | Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016

Christopher Riera-Gomez left, and his parents Kayla and Tim are enjoying a new family dynamic thanks to a program at FIU’s Center for Children and Families.

Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016 | 23

nationally recognized clinical center

of the intensive Summer Treatment

families. Ninety percent reside in

The center’s faculty members are

committed to improving the lives of

Program, where children receive

Miami-Dade County. The center’s

also preparing the next generation of

children and families struggling with

360 hours of treatment in just eight

faculty has helped countless more

child mental health providers through

mental health concerns.

weeks — an equivalent of seven years

around the world through research

training. As part of a partnership with

worth of weekly one-hour sessions.

breakthroughs and the development

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

knew little of their programs but

The internationally lauded program

of new treatments. In addition to the

thought the center was for families

has been replicated at many sites

Summer Treatment Program, CCF

and The Children’s Trust, they have

with bigger problems than theirs. Tim

throughout the world.

offers infant and early childhood

Kayla didn’t want to hear it. She

persisted. He talked to co-workers

Treatment plans are focused on

who had participated in some of the

improving problem-solving, academic

counseling, parent training, video

center’s programs. They talked about

performance and social skills. Parents

teleconferencing therapy, school-

the positive effects on their children

also attend weekly training sessions

based services, and customized

and on them as parents. Kayla finally

to help develop the skills they need

treatment for children.

decided to test it out. She attended a

to support their child’s progress

seminar by psychology professor Katie

and improve their child’s behavior

Hart on early interventions for children

treatment for 90 percent of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is medication. However, FIU

for more than 6,000 teachers and

researchers have determined behavioral

staff in nearly 400 schools.

therapy — when used first — is more

“Our goal at the center is to provide excellence in research, education and service regarding

effective in treating children with ADHD. It is also more cost-effective.

A recent study by FIU researchers led by William E. Pelham Jr., director of

they do. With more than 40 faculty —

said. “Not only serving and involving

FIU’s Center for Children and Families,

at home. For Christopher, he started

including psychologists, psychiatrists,

families in South Florida but also

shows stimulants are most effective as a

with behavioral, social-emotional and

each day with the simple task of

linguists, public health experts, and

conducting research that informs

supplemental treatment when needed.

learning challenges. Kayla walked

writing his name. It was part of a daily

education researchers — CCF is the

the nation and the world about the

into the room on FIU’s campus with

routine, along with classroom learning,

largest center in Florida conducting

nature, causes and treatment of

child mental health research. Its

mental health problems in childhood

7 ,0 00 families have received help

researchers have secured more than

and adolescence.”

since CCF opened its doors in 2010

currently addressing a number of

experience with CCF transformed

questions for children with ADHD,

the dynamic of their family. The

She was hoping for some tips, maybe even some convincing

Research remains at the heart of all

$70 million in grant funding and are

that they could help. As Hart began

peer interaction and recreation. The

anxiety and substance use. They

speaking, the stoic mother was

structure is similar for each of the

continue to explore new methods

reduced to a puddle of tears.

age groups, which range from pre-

of delivery for proven treatments,

schoolers to teenagers, and the format

including whether parent training can

house,” Kayla said. “She described

is based on evidence-based treatments

be effectively conducted in families’

everything happening in our house,

developed by the center’s top

homes via the internet rather than in

every fear we have.”

researchers. The day-to-day activities

a clinic. The researchers continue to

seem like traditional summer camp.

seek answers about what factors put

what CCF was offering her and

But it’s the nuances of the behavioral

her family. CCF’s psychologists

therapy where change arises.

“It was like Dr. Hart was inside our

It was then that Kayla understood

understood the issues. They have

24 | Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016

In the United States, the first line of

mental health in childhood,” Pelham

an open mind.

TOP: CCF Clinic Director Erika Coles and CCF Director William E. Pelham Jr. work with children during the 2016 Summer Treatment Program. MIDDLE: Part of the daily curriculum includes academic lessons.

BOTTOM: Students enjoy art activities as part of behavioral therapy at CCF.

services, family and couples

provided professional development

Behavioral treatment-first approach could save $4.5 billion annually

Nationwide, 20 percent of children

For the Riera-Gomez family, their

tantrums became fewer. Kinder words were used in their house.

Christopher started opening doors for people. Tensions started to settle.

started with behavioral modification were doing significantly better than those who began with medication by the end, no matter what treatment combination they ended up with.”

While more effective, behavioral therapy

aide in preschool, he is now thriving.

released earlier this year compares the

children at the greatest risk for mental

His parents did not receive a single

costs of different treatment sequences,

health problems. Pelham points out

phone call about his behavior from his

evaluating the cost of medication and the

that while great strides have been

teacher during this past school year.

time invested by parents and doctors.

“We’re happy. Christopher is

In Miami-Dade County alone,

mind and treatments for mental health

happy,” Tim said. “We’re happy

In that moment, Kayla went from “this

1 in 4 children live in poverty and

disorders, there is still much to learn.

that he’s happy.” n

isn’t for us” to “we need your help.”

are two to three times more likely

Kayla and Tim enrolled Christopher in

to develop mental health problems.

the center’s award-winning Summer

Early diagnosis and intervention can

Treatment Program.

make the difference between healthy

Results showed the cost of a behaviorfirst approach is approximately $700 less annually than a medication-first approach.

“Our estimate is that health care costs for ADHD could be reduced by more than $4.5 billion annually in the country if doctors followed the behavioral treatmentfirst approach,” Pelham said. n

lingering challenges.

Since its founding in 2010,

hyperactivity disorder) research

the FIU Center for Children and

and treatment. He is the architect

Families has helped nearly 7,000

24 | Arts, Sciences & Education 20152016

the New York Times. “The children who

the first line of treatment. CCF research

it. And they continue to study it today.

the field of ADHD (attention deficit

Department of Psychology, recently told

is also more cost-effective when used as

made in understanding the adolescent

William E. Pelham Jr. — a pioneer in

who also serves as chairman of the FIU

being shadowed by a behavioral

suffer from a mental health disorder.

development and a life plagued with

big difference in outcomes,” Pelham,

For Christopher, who a year ago was

seen it all before. They have studied

CCF was founded and is led by

“We showed that the sequence in which you give treatments makes a

Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016 | 25