For more information on the following programs and services, please contact the BFAC at 413-794-9816.
Multidisciplinary Team Investigation
Forensic interviews are scheduled at the request of the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, or the Department of Children and Family Services.
Our forensic interview team interviews children on-site in a child-friendly and safe environment when child abuse is suspected or has been disclosed. This coordinated response lowers the number of times the child is interviewed, reducing stress for the child throughout the investigative process.
The team consists of trained professionals from:
- The Hampden County District Attorney's Office
- The Department of Children & Families
- Local, regional, and state law enforcement
- The Baystate Family Advocacy Center
BFAC Case Management
A team of case workers and the victim witness advocates from the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office provide a variety of supportive services to the families of children who are being interviewed or medically examined for possible child abuse. Our team provides guidance throughout the interview and/or medical exam process.
We also offer comprehensive case management services including but not limited to:
- Advocacy
- Emotional support (for parents and caregivers)
- Basic needs (including housing and food insecurities)
- Help with educational, vocational, and employment searches
- Victim compensation
- Crisis intervention
- Individual counseling
- Referrals to individual therapy, group therapy, and/or support groups
- Referrals to other services and/or community partners as needed
All services are provided in English and Spanish. We have access to trained interpreters for other languages if needed.
BFAC Medical Services
Our team of pediatric and mental health providers give children a comprehensive evaluation when sexual and/or physical abuse is suspected:
Call for Medical
Appointments
- Assessing the wellness of the child
- Evaluating any evidence of abuse
- Identifying the medical and mental health needs of the child
The team has expertise in caring for children. They guide the child and family towards healing.
BFAC Mental Health Services
Our team provides culturally sensitive, evidence-based trauma and grief-focused therapeutic services to children and youth ages 0-24, non-offending caretakers, and their families. Individual, family, and group treatment is designed to empower individuals, promote resiliency, and reduce symptoms of trauma. Our team helps victims of trauma navigate the complex systems that can be a barrier to obtaining services.
We offer therapy services for free. The services are supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance and the Office for Victims of Crime. We also accept insurance and work with partners in the community to provide services.
We use evidence-based therapies, including:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
Homicide Bereavement Program
The Homicide Bereavement Program offers support for adults, children, and families impacted by homicide and vehicular homicide. We offer support for traumatic grief, whether recent or in the past.
Services are free. They include:
- Individual/family therapy
- Support/therapy groups
- Community outreach, referrals, and advocacy
- Court support
- Help applying for victim compensation
- Alternative wellness activities
- Annual peace and remembrance gathering
- Survivor-driven activities
To make a referral to the Homicide Bereavement Program, please contact our intake coordinator at 413-794-3993.
Suicide Bereavement Program
Our Suicide Bereavement Program supports children and young people ages 0 to 24 in need of mental health support after losing a loved one to suicide.
We offer services to survivors at various stages of the grieving process. Services are tailored to meet the survivor’s needs whether in the immediate aftermath or years later. The program offers clinic-based services, such as:
- Culturally sensitive needs assessment
- Individualized treatment plans to meet unique needs of traumatic grief
- Evidence-based individual/group therapy: This includes Psychological First Aid, Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
All services are available in English or Spanish.
One Mission Program
The One Mission Program offers trauma-informed services. It also facilitates the coordination of care and case management for youth and their families who are at high-risk of or who have experienced human trafficking and exploitation. Treatment is tailored to meet the needs of the youth and their families.
Trauma-focused services are free and available to children and young people, ages 0 to 24.
Services include:
- Individual therapy
- Therapy groups
- Caregiver support groups
- Case management services
To make a referral to the One Mission Program, please contact our intake coordinator at 413-794-3993.
Building Resiliency in Young Children Program (BRYC)
The BRYC program supports families and children from birth to age 5 who have experienced stressful, scary, or traumatic life events that may be impacting their social/emotional development.
We offer assessments to help families identify their child’s strengths, needs, and reactions to traumatic events. BRYC assessments are brief and focused on helping families access the services they need to support their child’s development. Through the BRYC Program, families can access evidence-based therapy for trauma including Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy (FTF-CBT). The BRYC Program also provides psychoeducational groups for parents and caregivers.
We also support professionals working with young children and their families through educational and professional development opportunities related to early childhood trauma and resilience. Training opportunities for community clinicians include both CPP and T-FCBT.
To make a referral to the BRYC Program, please contact our intake coordinator at 413-794-3993.
Our team of professionals offers a variety of training in trauma and traumatic grief. We work to help professionals and the community understand the impact of trauma, identify and screen for trauma-related symptoms, and improve the trauma-informed response. Trainings are customized depending on the needs of the audience.
We can work with you to find the training that best meets your team’s needs. Virtual and in-person options are available as well as continuing education credits.
We have provided education and training to schools, businesses, community organizations, and medical staff regarding:
- Impact of trauma/toxic stress
- Infant and early childhood mental health
- Trauma-informed care
- Child trafficking and exploitation
- Traumatic grief
- Vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress
- Issues related to violence
We also provide training in trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for therapists and agencies looking to build their expertise in trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment.
For training requests, please email traumatraining@baystatehealth.org.
The Child Advocacy Training and Support Center (CATS)
The Child Advocacy Training and Support Center (CATS) in the Department of Psychiatry at Baystate Medical Center is a national training center that provides education and resources to support evidence-based, trauma-informed care across the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) system.
The CATS Center team highlights the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) curriculum and trainers. It supports CACs and works to increase access to trauma-informed services for children and their families.
Trainings are customizable to specific CAC needs.
The NCTSN curriculum is available for multidisciplinary teams, including:
- Foundations for Outreach through Experiential Child Advocacy Studies Training (FORECAST)
- Core Curriculum for Childhood Trauma (CCCT)
- Trauma Informed Organizational Assessment (TIOA)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT – available to Mental Health Clinicians only)
Additional trainings topics for multidisciplinary teams includes:
- Developing a trauma-informed team
- Managing secondary traumatic stress
- Problematic sexual behaviors
- Commercial sexual exploitation of children
For more information, email Kerri Bergendahl at kerri.bergendahl@baystatehealth.org.
Funding sources include:
- Baystate Health
- National Children’s Alliance (NCA)
- Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
- Grant provided by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)
- Massachusetts Children’s Alliance (MACA)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (SAMHSA)/ National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative
Insurance is accepted, and some services are offered free of charge. Every child who needs family advocacy services is seen regardless of ability to pay.