3428.1 Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ("TF-CBT") is a psychotherapeutic intervention designed to help children, working with their parent or caregivers, overcome the negative effects of traumatic life events. The treatment focuses on parent-child interactions, parenting skills, therapeutic treatment, skills development (such as stress management, cognitive processing, communication, problem solving, and safety), and parental support. A parent/caregiver treatment component is an integral part of this treatment model. It parallels the interventions used with the child so that parent or caregivers are aware of the content covered with the child and are prepared to reinforce or discuss this material with the child between treatment sessions and after treatment has ended. A typical course of TF-CBT treatment requires children to participate in sixty (60) to ninety (90) minute individual and conjoint child parent or caregiver sessions, at a minimum one (1) time per week, over an average period of twelve (12) to sixteen (16) weeks in accordance with the evidence-based practice requirements.
(a) The goals of TF-CBT are to: (1) Target symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that are often co-occurring with depression and behavior problems;(2) Address issues commonly experienced by traumatized children, such as poor self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, mood instability, and self- injurious behavior, including substance use disorder;(3) Increase stress management skills of youth and parent/caregiver;(4) Improve youth's self-esteem, problem-solving and safety skills and decrease self- injurious and aggressive behaviors; and(5) Decrease caregiver trauma-related distress.(b) TF-CBT is available to children ages four (4) through eighteen (18) years of age with a diagnosed serious emotional disorder, who have experienced or witnessed one or more traumatic events and who are experiencing behavioral, or mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress symptoms as a result of the event.(c) TF-CBT is recommended to be provided with an active parent/caregiver willing to participate for the anticipated treatment period.(d) Providers of TF-CBT services shall maintain fidelity to the TF-CBT model adopted by the Department.(e) All TF-CBT Clinical team members shall complete the Department-approved TF-CBT clinical training.(f) Each TF-CBT Team shall include at least one (1) clinical supervisor, and no more than ten (10) clinicians who have successfully completed the TF-CBT training requirements. The clinical supervisor shall be an independently licensed qualified practitioner experienced in providing individual, group, marital, or family counseling or psychotherapy.(g) TF-CBT clinicians shall be qualified practitioners who hold a Master's degree in psychology, social work, therapy, or other related field.(h) Services provided by credentialed staff shall be supervised by a qualified practitioner trained in TF-CBT as required by the TF-CBT requirements and documented in the TF-CBT Practice Session Checklist.