Trauma, ACES and Brain Development: How Foster Youth May Be Affected

Sonja Lenz-Rashid, PhD, LCSW

Training Description

The training workshop will take a developmental approach, highlighting the impact of trauma on brain development and cognitive functioning at different stages of infancy, childhood, and adolescence in foster youth and systems-involved youth. This course provides an overview of ACES, early brain development, and how complex trauma can affect such development. Attendees will learn about the impact of such trauma, as well as gain a deeper understanding on how it may show up in all relationships, symptoms, and behaviors in foster youth and systems-involved youth.

Learning Objectives

• Knowledge of Neurodevelopment in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence
• Knowledge of Trauma in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence and outcomes of ACES
• Explore how Trauma impacts Neuropsychological Development and Functioning in Foster Youth and Systems-Involved Youth
• Identify 3 techniques to support foster youth and systems-involved youth with healing from trauma in early childhood relationships

Agenda

9:30am-9:40am Introductions and Training Objectives

9:40am-10:00am Section I: Overview of Brain Development – Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence

10:00am-10:45am Section II: Review of Complex Trauma and Maltreatment

10:45am-11:15am Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) background

11:15am-11:30am Video - Trauma and Foster Youth and Discussion

11:30am-11:45am Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

11:45am-12:15pm Section III: Impact of Trauma on Brain Structure and Activity

12:15pm-12:30pm Section IV: Impact of Trauma on Behavioral, Social, Emotional Functioning

Meet Our Trainer

Dr. Sonja Lenz-Rashid, LCSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at San Francisco State University and a Co-founder and Faculty Research Evaluator of the SF State Guardian Scholars Program (GSP). Launched in 2005, the GSP serves over 90 current and former foster care youth on campus and has an annual budget of over $1 million (and is a non-profit on campus). Dr. Lenz-Rashid has studied the outcomes of, and best practice models for, former foster care youth at the national, state and Bay Area levels. Her research and publications have provided valuable feedback to child welfare administrators, legislators, and program developers in how best to serve these disenfranchised young people using evidence-based practice. She is also a consultant, trainer and clinical supervisor at a number of Bay Area non-profits serving children and youth being served by the foster care, juvenile justice, and behavioral health systems. She has over twenty-five years serving vulnerable youth in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.