Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)
CBITS has been used since 2001 and is not new to many school social workers. I’ve decided to post this resource because I’m discovering that the knowledge base can vary greatly from school-to-school, district-to-district, and state-to-state.
What is CBITS?
From the CBITS website:
The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based, group and individual intervention. It is designed to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent support, and coping skills.
CBITS has been used with students from 5th grade through 12th grade who have witnessed or experienced traumatic life events such as community and school violence, accidents and injuries, physical abuse and domestic violence, and natural and man-made disasters.
CBITS uses cognitive-behavioral techniques (e.g., psychoeducation, relaxation, social problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and exposure).
The Program Consists of:
- 10 group sessions
- 1-3 individual sessions
- 2 parent psychoeducational sessions
- 1 teacher educational session
After Registering (free) You’ll Have Access to:
- An interactive online training course that will prepare you to implement CBITS*
- Sample materials and forms to help you deliver the CBITS intervention
- Online community where you can engage with discussion boards, “ask the experts,” and collaborate on documents
- Video clips of experts providing practical advice on CBITS implementation
*NOTE: While the course is free, you’ll need to purchase the course manual at a minimal cost.
Register for the CBITS training and resources here: www.cbitsprogram.org
Additional information about CBITS can be found here: https://www.rand.org/health/projects/cbits.html
