Blog

Benchmarks is very grateful for the opportunity to host child welfare stakeholder focus groups as part of a new project with Vaya Health. Vaya is committed to providing quality services to our most vulnerable population- children that have experienced trauma, child abuse and neglect. As a part of the child welfare project, the data collection process will include the typical number crunching, quantitative data analysis, but we know that does not always capture the entire story. In order to...

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for what he has.” ~Greek philosopher, Epictetus It is that time of year in which the leaves are changing color, the days are getting shorter, and as we prepare for family meals and holidays, we witness a lot more folks talking about what they are thankful for. The days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday lend themselves to a shift in our focus onto what we appreciate in our lives, and we notice folks...

Earlier this month we announced Benchmarks will be working on a new project with Vaya Health, a Medicaid managed care organization in North Carolina, to improve the lives of children in the child welfare system. Benchmarks will provide consulting and training services regarding the alignment of practices of the local child welfare system and the behavioral healthcare provider system. To jumpstart this effort, Vaya and Benchmarks invited each DSS Director from Vaya’s current 22 counties as...

In July, North Carolina started the process of Medicaid transformation. Oversight and management of some Medicaid behavioral health dollars transitioned from more regionalized, specialized organizations to statewide organizations that focus on both behavioral health and physical health. During this transition, providers have worked tirelessly to ensure that much needed services continue despite logistics surrounding health plans. During the process of Medicaid transformation, providers have...

Benchmarks is pleased to announce the implementation of a new project which seeks to improve the lives of children in the child welfare system. In conjunction with Vaya Health, a Medicaid managed care organization in North Carolina, we are excited to begin this important work. We believe this project has the potential to greatly impact the services children receive, the way professionals work together, and enhance the lives of the families we serve. Benchmarks has proven success in project...

The month of October is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness month. As systems and the people who make up those systems become more trauma-informed and trauma-aware, there is more attention drawn to the intersection and differences between this disorder and trauma. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects adults and children. ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders amongst children ages 2-17...

The Dibble Institute is pleased to present an introductory webinar by Rev. Dr. Bryant T. Marks Sr. of the National Training Institute on Race and Equity , which will provide foundational information on implicit bias. It will focus at the individual level and discuss how implicit bias affects everyone. Strategies to reduce or manage implicit bias will be discussed. Broadly speaking, group-based bias involves varying degrees of stereotyping (exaggerated beliefs about others), prejudice...

For those who may not be aware, July 1, 2021, North Carolina (NC) launched a large transformation within its Medicaid program, referred to as Medicaid Transformation. Prior to this transformation, Medicaid recipients’ physical and behavioral health needs were handled as separate issues because of “ how” and “ where” funds were managed. For recipients, this separation often resulted in service dis-cohesion for those with co-morbidities or co-occurring mental and physical health needs. Since...

Benchmarks’ Partnering for Excellence (PFE) project works closely with local child welfare agencies to implement trauma-informed shifts in the community. This is done through educating the community on the effects of trauma while also working with local child welfare agencies to screen youth who become involved and connect them with a Trauma Intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA). As a result, we know many of our youth in foster care experience higher rates of trauma than their...

The pandemic has had a lasting effect on youth mental health. Moved by a desire to reduce youth’s toxic stress and increase their resilience, The Dibble Institute, in partnership with a team of students and alumni from ArtCenter College of Design and author Carolyn Curtis, PhD, is releasing Me & My Emotions —a new, free adaptation of our beloved Mind Matters Curriculum. The mobile-friendly Me & My Emotions website features engaging graphics and bite-sized lessons teens can access and...

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During this month, efforts to increase awareness regarding interpersonal violence are more prominent via media outlets and community events. Though interpersonal violence affects many different groups, a particularly vulnerable group are pregnant women. According to research by University of California at San Francisco, twenty percent (20%) of women experience violence during pregnancy. Experiencing interpersonal violence is more common...

Continuing Culture Change: CDC Trains Emergency Responders in Trauma-informed Care At Benchmarks, we invest time and resources into training child welfare colleagues on the importance of having a trauma-informed workplace. We believe it is important for the children and families to receive trauma-informed care as well as employees to recognize symptoms of secondary traumatic stress. It is very rewarding knowing that ultimately children and families in child welfare are getting the...