IVAT Specialty Certification
The Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT) serves a public need by providing oversight certifying mental health and other treatment providers competent to deliver high quality services to a range of challenging populations. Specialty certification assures the consumer that specialists designated and monitored by IVAT have successfully completed the educational, training, and experience requirements of the specialty area, and that their expertise has been objectively reviewed and documented.
Each Specialty Certification Program consists of three levels of expertise: Level 1 = Certified Specialist, Level 2 = Certified Supervisor, and Level 3 = Diplomate-Trainer. The criteria and levels of each specialty area were generated by a group of national and international experts with extensive training and experience in working within the designated specialty area. Through a series of meetings and discussions, focus groups, and think tanks, they agreed upon the required training, experience and verification of experience that is required in order to work effectively at various levels within a specialty area.
For more information, please contact:
Nanette Burton | NanetteB@ivatcenters.org
Types of Specialty Certification Programs
Currently there are eight Specialty Certification Programs. Each specialty area is listed below along with a brief description.
Comprehensive Course on Dissociation in Children & Adolescents
This course will cover theories on dissociation & treatment; neurobiology of trauma; indicators, co-morbidity, and evaluation of childhood dissociation; three phase treatment model covering stabilization, trauma processing, integration/ post integration; caretaker’s roles in child’s recovery; and strategies to engage various systems as partners. Clinical cases and artwork will depict how to effectively work with dissociative youth who exhibit aggression, anxiety, self-harm, soiling, eating disturbances, and a host of other co-morbidities.
Interested parties please email Fran S. Waters with your CV/resume and list any training that you have taken in trauma of youth: franwatersusa@gmail.com
Specialty Certification in Domestic Violence Offender Treatment
Includes training and experience in working with both male and female offenders of intimate partner violence, understanding of the dynamics and safety issues involved in intimate partner violence, and typologies of domestic violence offenders.
Specialty Certification in Child Custody Evaluations
Includes an understanding of child development, parenting abilities and issues, dynamics and concerns related to the best interests of children, and assessment techniques in general and specifically regarding child custody cases. The dynamics of legal, forensic, and mental health issues are included.
Specialty Certification in Trauma Care
Includes an understanding of the various forms of trauma, short and long-term effects of trauma, and assessing and treating adults or children who have experienced trauma and complex trauma. The dynamics of post-traumatic stress disorder and the neurobiology of trauma are included.
Child and Adult Maltreatment Specialty Certification
Focuses on experiential, interdisciplinary, ethical, and culturally sensitive content that provides professionals a common knowledge base for responding to child and adult maltreatment. This certification focuses on development of understanding of the numerous factors that lead to child and adult maltreatment and existing responses to child and adult maltreatment.
Risk Assessment Certification
MEGA♪ Risk Assessment Certification is a tool for assessing coarse sexual improprieties, and/or sexually abusive behaviors in youth ages 4-19 years.MEGA♪ is applicable for adjudicated and adjudicated males and females, including youth with low intellectual functioning. Tested on over 3901 youth internationally (largest validation studies in its field) - MEGA♪ is state of the art and unique. It provides a comprehensive individualized risk assessment report according to age and gender. MEGA♪ can follow changes in the youth’s risk level over time (is an outcome measure). The one-day specialized training includes the dynamics of risk assessment in general, administering scoring (data is confidential and secured), and interpreting the
Upcoming training will be held virtually on June 6th, 2024
*NEW* Post-Graduate Certificate in Child Trauma and Protection
Stop the Silence® - A Department of IVAT, in partnership with The University of Applied Research and Development (UARD), accredited in the United Kingdom (UK), now offers a Post Graduate Certificate in Child Protection as a stand-alone program, or the credits can be used toward achieving a Master’s in the field. CEs are also offered. The Program is a unique opportunity to get important, fundamental information at one’s own pace provided by experts in the field of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), for a fraction of the cost of other programs, and in as little as three months for the certificate and 12-24 months for the Master’s. The focus includes prevention, treatment, mitigation, and policy considerations regarding child sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and other traumatic events.
IVAT Specialty Certification for Family Court Professionals
Litigation and Evaluation involving Abuse Allegations in Family Court Cases (LEFCC) is a grant subsidized innovated specialized training for family court lawyers, mental health professionals, and child custody evaluators. The 30-hour IVAT certification program consists of 20 hours of in-person training and 10 hours of online webinars. Requires some previous experience and/or training in areas of domestic violence and/or child maltreatment in the last five years. Qualified applicants may apply for the 30-hour certification program which consists of 20 hours in-person training and 10 hours of online training. Faculty consultations and technical assistance are available for those in the certification program. Training sponsored by the Professional Consortium on Abuse Allegations in Family Court.
For questions regarding the Specialty Certification: Nanette Burton | Nanetteb@ivatcenters.org
For questions regarding the in-person training: LEFCC@ivatcenters.org