Engaging Families in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): Lessons from Illinois Research Brief Family First Prevention Services Act Implementation. Research Brief

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a joint child and parent psychotherapy model for children experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulties due to traumatic life experiences. Treatment includes trauma-sensitive, family-based interventions focusing on cognitive behavioral patterns, which are the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2012). The model's goals include improving posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive and anxiety symptoms; improving children's externalizing behavior problems; improving parenting skills and parental support of the child; enhancing parent-child communication, attachment, and ability to maintain safety; improving children's adaptive functioning; and reducing shame and embarrassment related to the trauma event (Cohen et al., 2006). TF-CBT's focus on addressing trauma symptoms aligns with the needs of many Illinois families receiving Intact Family Services, according to caseworkers and clinicians. This brief summarizes themes from focus groups and interviews conducted in 2023 with child welfare caseworkers and TF-CBT providers in Illinois.