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