Funded Projects

Enhanced Services for Summer Resilience Camp

Project Year

2026

City & State

Banks, Alabama

Program Name

Implementation

Topic

Early Relational Health/ACEs Mitigation

Program Description

Problem: This project addresses the urgent need for trauma informed programs in our community, where high levels of adversity and trauma remain largely unserved. Our rural area has very few trauma informed services, a gap that is especially harmful for children who have experienced trauma. Many of the children we aim to serve require highly specialized, intensive supports to meet their unique needs and prevent further harm.  Currently, children often spend years in counseling, are prescribed medications with major side effects, or are placed in inpatient facilities, detention, or diversion programs that are not trauma responsive and can unintentionally compound their trauma.   Children who have experienced trauma or foster care, frequently exhibit neurological impacts that result in up to 50% greater learning challenges, along with significant emotional and self regulation difficulties. These struggles contribute to cycles of violence, instability, and poverty.  Without comprehensive, trauma informed services, our community will continue to see preventable injury, death, and poor long term outcomes for children affected by trauma.

The science is clear: trauma profoundly affects brain development. Our community urgently needs biologically grounded, comprehensive, trauma informed solutions to prevent children with behavioral and emotional challenges from experiencing poor life outcomes.  Primary Setting: Troy Resilience Project Early Learning Center, Banks, Alabama.  Number of Children Affected: 40 children from ages 4-11 years recruited from Pike County and Troy City Schools and by referral from community mental health and social service agencies.  

Project Goal: Establish Enhanced Services within the new Summer Resilience Camp. These services are designed to help children who have experienced adversity and trauma build healthy friendships, strengthen emotional and education skills; develop resilience and provide trauma informed parenting and behavior intervention strategies.    

Proposed Intervention: Troy Resilience Project will leverage its Family Resilience Specialists, social workers trained in trauma informed practices—to deliver specialized interventions that address the learning loss and behavioral challenges common in those who have experienced trauma. A combination of daily small group sessions with Family Resilience Specialists, sensory, stem activities paired with weekly art activities and field trips will build resilience to reverse the effects of trauma and toxic stress in students.  Family Resilience specialists will host family centered coaching sessions and trauma education sessions to equip caregivers with the skills needed to foster relational health and support children’s emotional growth. Using a strengths based model, specialists will identify each family’s needs and goals, provide warm handoffs to community resources, and trauma informed therapists and support programs. Interventions across multiple settings will strengthen and solidify outcomes that would not be possible in a single setting model.  

Anticipated Outcomes: The Enhanced Services Program will build emotional regulation and resilience in participants. Improved regulation and resilience leads to higher academic success, reduction in youth violence, and sustained educational achievement to lower poverty risk.  Care coordination and caregiver education will help families understand their children’s needs, support resilience, and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect. Trauma informed therapeutic supports across settings will improve academic performance, reduce violence, and enhance mental health outcomes.

Project Goal

The Summer Resilience Camp Enhanced Services Project is designed to address adversity and trauma while building resilience in participating children. By creating a safe, nurturing, and enriching trauma‑informed environment, the program will support learning retention and promote healthy coping skills for campers who have experienced trauma.  This summer marks the launch of the Summer Resilience Camp, supported by the Alabama Department of Education to improve educational outcomes for vulnerable students. The CATCH grant will provide additional enhanced services delivered by the Troy Resilience Project’s Family Resilience Specialists. Their expertise in social work, trauma‑informed education, parenting support, and family‑centered coaching will guide the development of individualized and small‑group learning experiences. These will include sensory activities, movement‑based interventions, and team‑building exercises designed to address adversity and strengthen resilience.  These enhanced services will further reinforce learning retention by helping children regulate emotions, build confidence, and engage more fully in enrichment activities. In addition to child‑focused programming, Family Resilience Specialists will work directly with parents and caregivers to ensure a more comprehensive and effective approach. This family engagement component deepens the program’s impact and supports long‑term stability and growth for both children and their families.

Project Objective 1

By June 15, 2025, 90% of invitations will be distributed and at least 50% of families enrolled in the Summer Resilience Camp will participate in family‑centered coaching sessions led by the Family Resilience Specialists. Through these sessions, each participating family will identify one or more goals for their child to work toward during the summer and through the first nine weeks of the school year. This objective directly supports families and children who have experienced trauma by using an accessible, trauma‑informed, family‑centered approach.

Project Objective 2

By August 4, 2026 Administer the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to 90% of Summer Resilience Camp participants. Among those who score in the abnormal range, at least 80% will show improvement in one or more SDQ domains on the follow‑up assessment in August and then repeat in Dec 2026. 

Project Objective 3

Have 50% of families enrolled in the Summer Resilience Camp participate in at least one of four Family Nights offered from June 2026 through August 2026. Each Family Night will include a provided dinner and a one‑hour session designed to meet families’ needs, reduce barriers to participation, and respect their time.

AAP District

District X

Institutional Name

Sprout Early Learning Center

Contact 1

Elizabeth Dawson, MD