ATN Angel – Larry Smith, LCSW
By Sheri Verdonk In celebration of ATN’s 2016 Angels in Adoption award, we’re profiling ATN members who have helped ATN win the award — and who have themselves been Angels to families and children. Our first profile is of Larry Smith, who we lost only a few short weeks ago. Sherry Verdonk, a former ATN board member […]
ATN Angel Nomination Thank You
Thank you for submitting a nomination for our ATN Angels. Go back to the ATN Angel page Go to the ATN Home page Any questions or concerns, please email. Would you like to submit another Angel?
ATN is 2016 Angels in Adoption Recipient
The Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN) will be honored for our 21 years of supporting and advocating for adoptive families of traumatized children and those with attachment disorders in September. ATN will receive an Angels in Adoption® award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) on September 20 in Washington, DC. Rep. Chris van […]
The passing of Lawrence B. Smith
In Memory of Larry… August 2016. With great sadness, we report the passing of Lawrence B. (Larry) Smith, LCSW of Silver Spring, MD on August 11, 2016. Larry was a well-respected therapist who specialized in attachment disorders, developmental trauma and FASD. He was an active volunteer with the Attachment & Trauma Network, serving as a […]
Toni Hoy honored as NAMI Outstanding Member
July 2016. Toni Hoy – trauma mama, incredible advocate and Advocacy Director of ATN – was recognized with the Outstanding NAMI Member Award at the National NAMI Conference in Denver this month. The Outstanding NAMI Member Award is the highest honor given by NAMI to a member in recognition of long and effective work toward […]
House Passes Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act
July 2016. On July 6, the House of Representatives passed this act which, among other things, will: create the position of Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders to take over the responsibilities of the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). amend the Public Health Service Act to […]
First Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training a Success
June 2016. ATN’s Trauma-Sensitive Schools (TSS) Initiative hosted our first Professional Development Training June 27 & 28 in Somerville, NJ. The Superintendent of Somerville Schools, Dr. Tim Purnell was the keynote and spoke on the importance of viewing things through a different lens. Then ATN’s TSS trainers Melissa Sadin and Jen Alexander provided a full […]
Families First Prevention Services Act Passed the House
June 2016. On Tuesday, June 21, the Families First Prevention Services Act passed with bipartisan support. This bill will change the SSA Title IV to enable states to provide prevention services and supports to children at risk of entering the child welfare system. These services and supports include mental health and substance abuse prevention and […]
Three Experts Join ATN’s Advisory Council
April 2016. The Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN), the voice for traumatized children and their families since 1995, has added three Advisors to their newly formed Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is a group of experts in the areas of Child Development, Early Childhood Trauma, Attachment/Trauma Disorders, Adoption, Trauma-Sensitive Education, At-Risk Youth and other Child […]
ATN Joins Coalition Urging Georgia to End Discrimination Against Children with Emotional Disorders
November 2015. A broad coalition of advocacy groups – including the Attachment & Trauma Network – is urging the state of Georgia to transform its separate and unequal educational program serving thousands of children with behavioral disabilities into a system that provides needed services and supports to integrate students into their own local schools. The […]