This free informational call will take place on May 27th, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 pm EDT.  Ashley Fiore, National Trainer for NCA's Mental Health Institute and Alyssa Todd, NCA's Accreditation Coordinator, will answer questions and provide a brief overview of Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT; www.afcbt.org), an intervention to improve family relationships for those experiencing high conflict/coercion, harsh/punitive discipline, child physical abuse, and/or child behavior problems. 

This informational call is an opportunity to learn more about the model and consider registering for future training. NCA will be offering online training in AF-CBT on July 15, 17, 22 and 24 from 12-4 pm EST.

Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) is a trauma-informed, evidence-based intervention designed to improve the relationship between children and their caregivers by addressing individual and family problems relating to: 

• Family conflicts   
• Behavior problems, including physical aggression
• Anger and verbal aggression, including emotional abuse
• Harsh physical discipline, physical aggression, or child physical abuse, or
• Child trauma-related symptoms secondary to any of the above

 These patterns may be shown by an individual caregiver or a child/adolescent, and/or by the family.   Therefore, AF-CBT targets the caregiver, child/adolescent, and the larger family context. 

AF-CBT involves three phases of treatment:

1) Engagement and Psychoeducation, 2) Individual skills building, 3) Family applications.

 Who is Appropriate for AF-CBT?

AF-CBT is appropriate for a broad range of families. The following general criteria have been developed to facilitate the identification of families who may benefit from this intervention.

BACKGROUND CRITERIA

• A child, age 5-17, can participate now or soon
• A caregiver (e.g., biological, adoptive, foster, or kin) can participate now or soon
• Both caregiver and child have an adequate capacity or repertoire to learn/benefit from AF-CBT

CLINICAL CRITERIA

• The Family has frequent conflict(s) and/or arguments OR
• A Caregiver shows anger (hostility), uses physical force/discipline (coercion), and/or has allegation/history of child physical abuse OR
• A Child shows anger, has behavior problems (e.g., defiance, aggression, explosiveness), has trauma symptoms/PTSD after physical discipline/abuse, and/or has prior exposure to harsh discipline/physical abuse

A case is eligible if ALL 3 Background Criteria and 1 Clinical Criterion are met.

Providers

Prospective AF-CBT trainees must be mental health professionals with a Master's degree or higher. Trainees are asked to commit to implementing AF-CBT with at least 2 families during the course of the training year so they should have an active caseload ready to apply the model.

AF-CBT should be conducted by individuals who have been formally trained in the model and who are familiar with the content, methods, assessments, and fidelity tools that are required to ensure effective implementation.

For any questions, please reach out to Jami Bolton, jbolton@nca-online.org