Training & Professional Development

Thom Child and Family Services is committed to providing high quality early intervention services to infants, toddlers, and families across the state. We also work closely with child care professionals and provide training and consultation services to others in the early childhood community.

We feel passionately about the importance of supporting the professional development of our staff. Early Intervention is an intricate blend of disciplines and fields – early childhood development, allied health and nursing, social work, education, home visiting, service coordination, and community-based programming all come together in this family-centered system. To encourage employees to advance their professional development, Thom Child and Family Services has established two specific programs to support staff seeking training opportunities:

  • The Phyllis A. Fazzio Scholarship program – an initiative supported by the Thom Child and Family Services Board of Directors which allows for advanced clinical training, or leadership and management training for experienced employees. Click here to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
  • Thom Academy – a time-limited, tuition reimbursement initiative created by the agency to support ongoing professional development for all employees. Click here to learn more about this exciting opportunity.

Thom Child and Family Services takes great pride in being able to offer high quality professional development opportunities covering a wide range of topics. Training topics vary annually and are grounded in current research, supporting evidence-based practice.

For more information about professional development opportunities through Thom Child and Family Services please contact James Young, Coordinator of Continuing Education and Professional Development (508-655-5222 x139).

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Resources for Families: Networking with Public and Private Providers

June 7, 2019 @ 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost

Free to early intervention staff. Please contact Amy Clark (413-783-5500 x116) to register or for more training information.


Credits

CEIS 2012 Competencies: 5.4 & 5.5


Description

Early interventionists will increase their knowledge of community resources available to them and families. They will learn to assist the family in assessing their needs individually and as a family unit, to determine what resources may be needed for family support. In this process, families will develop skills to advocate for themselves and learn what resources would be appropriate to reach out to when outside support is needed.


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize why families and caregivers need access to relevant resources.
  • Identify what clinicians, families, and caregivers need to know about community resources.
  • Explain how to network with public and private providers to help families access community resources.

Presenters

Amy Clark, DS, CEIS

Naomi (Amy) Clark is a Developmental Specialist with 9 years experience in early intervention (EI). Prior to joining EI, she was a foster parent of infants with complex care and traumatic birth histories. Amy has collaborated with MSPCC and Wings of Love, Inc. to host monthly trainings and annual activities for foster adoption parents over a 4 year period. She received an award from the Department of Children and Families based on her service and has been featured as a special guest speaker on National Adoption Day for the City of Springfield. During her EI career, Amy has worked with children and families with an array of needs, including complex medical needs, with a focus on supporting the whole family. She is also the parent of a child requiring complex care.

Traccie Hillion, LMHC, CAGS, CEIS

Traccie is an experienced Licensed Mental Health Counselor with demonstrated leadership skills and a history of working in the individual and family services industry. With nearly thirty years of experience in healthcare services, her professional skills include crisis intervention; individual, family, and trauma therapy; case management; clinical supervision; and life transitions. She has spent the past 18 years supporting children and families at Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services. She has held various roles at the program as a service coordinator, team leader, clinical director, and now provides clinical consultation and assessments for young children suspect of having ASD. She currently works for the Baystate Family Advocacy Center where she provides trauma-focused psychotherapy for children and families who have been victims of crime. She also provides mental health services in her private practice and teaches courses in Autism, Life Span Development and Child Development & Counseling at Springfield College.

Organizer

Amy Clark
Phone
413-783-5500 x116
Email
aclark@thomchild.org
View Organizer Website

Venue

Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services
1506 A Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118 United States
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COVID-19 Awareness Training

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COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Click Here for a PDF guide to our Vaccine Resources.

In-Person Services

Click here for a PDF guide to our In-Person Services Playbook (last updated on 5/2/2022).

Recently Updated Documents:

  • 2.1_Home Visiting Guidelines–edited
  • 2.2a_Intro to EI Services Letter–edited
  • 1.3_Clinical Considerations for In-Person Visiting–archived
  • 1.5_In-Person Visit “Daily Dilemma” Scenarios–archived
  • 2.1a_Letter to Families–archived