HOW WE HELP
Prevention Education & Training
Alongside our work to help children and families heal after abuse, we're educating our community to help stop abuse before it starts.
Child Abuse is Preventable
Our work rests on a simple belief: the cycle of child abuse can be broken, and abuse and neglect can be prevented.
Most of the system's work on child abuse begins after a child has been hurt. In FY2026, the Tree House took on a bigger role in preventing it.
We offer training for
families, faith-based communities, and organizations of any size that want to join the work of preventing child abuse.
"Much of the systemic involvement with child abuse is reactive; it responds when abuse has occurred. As the mission of the Tree House is to help prevent child abuse, in addition to treating children in the aftermath of a disclosure, we decided to take on a bigger role in educating our community on child abuse prevention. … Our goal is to be recognized as a resource for families, faith-based communities, and organizations big or small to help prevent child abuse."
— Molly Cupid, LCSW-C, Director of Prevention Education and Training
Two Ways to Prevent Abuse
In the Classroom
We partner with Montgomery County Public Schools to bring prevention education into middle and high school classrooms.
For Professionals
We've built trauma-informed trainings to share our specialized expertise with fellow professionals, in Montgomery County and across Maryland.
Prevention in FY2026
Our partners include Child Welfare Services, Montgomery County Public Schools, MCPD, the Lourie Center, the Family Justice Center, private pediatric practices, university social work programs, and state custody evaluators. Figures are for FY2026 (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026).
Trainings delivered in Montgomery County & across Maryland
Organizations partnered with for outreach and training
Training topics our clinicians present
Training for Professionals
We've developed trauma-informed trainings to share what our clinicians know with fellow professionals. Select a topic to read the description.
Understanding Abuse & Trauma
ACEs and child behavior
A brief overview of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), the behaviors they can lead to, including effects on learning and school performance, and skills and interventions professionals and caregivers can use to lessen those effects.Child sexual abuse: signs, symptoms, and interventions
A child sexual abuse 101: basic information about trauma, particularly child sexual abuse, and what adults should know when interacting with children who have experienced abuse.Delayed disclosure
Explores the research showing there is typically a significant gap between a sexually abusive incident and a child reporting that abuse.The impact of witnessing or experiencing violence on children
Defines trauma, identifies aspects of trauma specific to children who have witnessed or experienced violence, and shares skills and interventions professionals can use to respond in a trauma-informed way.Immigration-related trauma
Defines trauma, identifies aspects of trauma specific to the immigrant population, and shares skills and interventions professionals can use to respond in a trauma-informed way. Can be adapted to fit a one-, two-, or three-hour time slot.Reframing our work with families affected by trauma
Takes material from the Immigration-Related Trauma and ACEs and Child Behavior presentations and explains it for non-clinical professionals.Mandated reporting and what happens after your call
Reviews Maryland's mandated reporting requirements and explains what happens within Child Welfare Services after a report is made.
For Clinicians
Evidence-based practices in the CAC
A brief overview of the evidence-based, trauma-focused therapies the Tree House provides.Trauma narration (TF-CBT)
A basic overview of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), focused on the trauma narration and cognitive processing module.Problematic sexual behavior (PSB-CBT): an overview
A brief overview of the evidence-based model Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT). It reviews the tenets of the treatment but does not qualify a clinician to provide PSB-CBT.CE-CERT: an overview
A brief overview of Components for Enhancing Clinician Experience and Reducing Trauma (CE-CERT), a model developed by Brian Miller to lessen secondary traumatic stress. This is an introduction, not a full CE-CERT training.Developing healthy therapeutic relationships
Introduces or reviews techniques for building healthy therapeutic relationships in a trauma-informed way: contact before intake, a trauma-informed intake, managing safety, building rapport, setting boundaries, and recognizing red flags.Conducting trauma-informed intakes
Asks professionals to consider what in their intake process may be hard for people who have experienced trauma, and the steps they can take to avoid re-traumatizing clients and their families.Facilitating small groups
An introduction or refresher for clinicians preparing to run group therapy with children.Working with disbelieving non-offending caregivers
How to work with non-offending caregivers who express ambivalence or outright disbelief about their child's disclosure of sexual abuse, and why that work matters. Can be adapted to fit a one-, two-, or three-hour time slot.
How the Tree House Works
The Child Advocacy Center model
How Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) developed, and how the Tree House operates as the CAC for Montgomery County.Family advocacy
How CACs developed, and how the Tree House supports families, with a particular emphasis on court-related interventions.Child abuse medical care
How CACs developed, with a focus on the difference between standard pediatric practice and the services a board-certified child abuse pediatrician provides.Transitional Trauma Therapy (T3)
An overview of T3, which the Tree House developed with Montgomery County Child Welfare Services. T3 is offered to all children removed from their family of origin and placed in foster or kinship care, with the goal of easing that trauma and reducing the need for multiple placements.
Training the next generation of clinicians
Our Mental Health Team also trains psychology graduate students through practicum, externship, and post-doctoral fellowship positions.
Interested in a training for your team, school, or congregation? Contact us to ask about scheduling one.
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You do not have to face this alone
When your family is ready for ongoing support, the Tree House is here, free of charge. If you think a child needs help, we are here. Families and community partners can start a referral, and our team will guide you through w
