Making an impact<\/p>\n
Since opening in 2010, the center has grown into one of the nation\u2019s leading institutions for children\u2019s mental health research and treatment. With nearly 40 faculty researchers<\/a> and clinicians, the center provides a full range of services for families<\/a>, from therapy and evaluations to parent support and school-based care.<\/p>\n Services are offered in English and Spanish, available in person and through telehealth, and designed to be accessible through insurance or a sliding scale based on a family\u2019s ability to pay.<\/p>\n The reach is significant. In 2025 alone, the center\u2019s summer programs<\/a> served more than 3,600 children and their families. Faculty held 68 active research grants totaling $93.9 million\u2014 funding that has directly shaped how children are diagnosed and treated nationwide. Recent studies have explored how play-based approaches can strengthen preschoolers\u2019 STEM skills<\/a>, how improving sleep can support better mental health outcomes<\/a> and why\u00a0behavioral therapy should be the first line of treatment for children with ADHD<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n More than 4,400 professionals received training through the center\u2019s programs<\/a>, including the Miami International Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference<\/a>, which brings together clinicians, educators and students from across the region.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Each year, more than 400 undergraduate students and 80 graduate trainees<\/a> gain hands-on experience at the center, many drawn from across the country.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes our work so meaningful is that it doesn\u2019t stay in the lab,\u201d said Jeremy Pettit<\/a>, executive director of the Center for Children and Families<\/a>. \u201cThe research we conduct directly shapes how children are diagnosed and treated, not just here, but across the country. When we train clinicians or develop new approaches, that impact extends into communities, schools and families everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n A summer of transformation<\/p>\n For Santiago and his family, the turning point came through the Summer Treatment Program<\/a>, the center\u2019s flagship program and one of the most intensive, evidence-based programs for children with ADHD in the country.<\/p>\n Over eight weeks, children build communication skills, emotional regulation and social confidence through structured activities that blend sports, academics and group interaction. It looks like summer camp, but it functions as intensive therapy, delivering the equivalent of seven years of weekly therapy in a single summer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Parents also attend weekly trainings alongside their children, gaining tools they can use long after the program ends.<\/p>\n \u201cThe point system we learned has changed everything,\u201d Santiago\u2019s mother said. \u201cWe\u2019re even using these strategies with our other kids, and it\u2019s making a difference for the whole family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The transformation is just as visible to those working alongside the children.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the most rewarding parts is seeing their growth from the beginning of the program to the end,\u201d said counselor Gabriela Coronado ’23,\u00a0\u201cnot just academically, but behaviorally and socially too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Santiago returned to school with more confidence and a new path forward.<\/p>\n Victoria’s family found the same thing.<\/p>\n Before the program, Victoria struggled with hyperactivity, behavioral outbursts and daily frustrations that affected the entire household. The changes her parents have seen since are hard to overstate. She now responds when called, understands expectations like timeouts and, on the very first night her family implemented what they learned, slept in her own bed.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n “The change has been remarkable,” her parents said.<\/p>\n More than one program<\/p>\n The Summer Treatment Program may be the center\u2019s flagship program, but it is only one part of the center\u2019s work.<\/p>\n Through their Reading Explorers Program<\/a>, trained tutors reach children across more than 120 summer sites in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, serving more than 3,000 children last year alone.<\/p>\n The Children\u2019s Trust Parent Club at FIU<\/a> offers free parenting workshops in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole, meeting families in libraries, schools and community spaces across Miami-Dade County. Since launching in 2019, the program has reached nearly 30,000 families and was recently named Program of the Year by The Children\u2019s Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In partnership with the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, families can also access integrated care that supports both mental health and medical needs. The center provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluations<\/a> to better understand a child\u2019s strengths and challenges, along with clear recommendations to guide support at home and in school.<\/p>\n \u201cMiami is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and our families deserve care that reflects that,\u201d said Katie Hart, director of the Center for Children and Families<\/a>. \u201cEverything we do is built around meeting families where they are, in their language, in their community and at a cost they can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n Bridging the gap and the work ahead<\/p>\n Despite that progress, the need continues to outpace available resources.<\/p>\n The center has created multiple pathways to make care more accessible. Families who qualify for research studies can receive treatment at reduced or no cost while contributing to advances in care. Sliding scale fees help others access services, and community donations help fill the remaining gaps.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For families like Santiago\u2019s and Victoria\u2019s, that support made all the difference. Neither family could afford the Summer Treatment Program, and insurance would not cover it. Donor-funded scholarships through Give Miami Day made their participation possible.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so grateful there are people who care enough to help families like mine,\u201d Santiago\u2019s mother said. \u201cThis experience reminded me that my child matters and that we\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Victoria\u2019s parents saw change begin in the very first week, not just in their daughter, but across their family. \u201cReceiving the scholarship was incredible,\u201d they said. \u201cFrom the first week of the program, we saw remarkable change, and it has only grown from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Recent support from the Robert J. and Kathryn C. Potter Charitable Foundation is helping the center continue that work, including creating bilingual resources to help families navigate the complex mental health system<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n \u201cAs funding for mental health services becomes increasingly uncertain, programs like this are directly impacted,\u201d said Robert J. Potter. \u201cThat is why we are committed to supporting organizations that are making a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For Pettit, that kind of support is essential.<\/p>\n \u201cDonations allow us to act quickly,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can fund a child\u2019s care, support our clinicians and remove barriers for families without delay. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us reach more families.\u201d<\/p>\n For many families, access to care can change the trajectory of a child\u2019s life. But for others, the search for help is still ongoing.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ccf3.jpeg\")
A study participant identifies rotated images on a screen while researcher Karinna A. Rodriguez from FIU’s Center for Children and Families guides her. (Credit: Chris Necuze \/ FlU)<\/p>\n![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/54325617315_e490ff648b_k.jpg\")
Miami International Child and Adolescent Mental Health (MICAMH) Conference (Credit: CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_3828-1.png\")
Summer Treatment Program participants with counselor Meven Obregon\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz\/CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Child](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_3905-1.png\")
Santiago with Summer Treatment Program teacher Lourdes Estelles\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz \/ CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Santiago](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_5196.png\")
Santiago with Summer Treatment Program counselor\u00a0Lily Reynolds\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz \/ CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Victoria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_3542-1.png\")
Victoria with Summer Treatment Program K counselor Natalie Carpenetti\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz \/ CCF)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-11.jpg\")
The Children\u2019s Trust Parent Club at FIU facilitator Barbara Jimenez leads a READy, Set, Go: Storytelling workshop<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Victoria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_3502.png\")
Victoria with Summer Treatment Program K counselor Isabella Valdes\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz\/CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Santiago](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_5240-1.png\")
Santiago and his mom at the Summer Treatment Program (Credit: Brenda Ortiz\/CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Victoria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/picture1.jpg\")
Victoria and her parents on graduation day from the Summer Treatment Program K\u00a0(Credit: Brenda Ortiz\/CCF)<\/p>\n![\"Kathryn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/55153495206_54f194b3ab_k.jpg\")
Kathryn C. Potter visits the Center for Children and Families with Director Katie Hart and Executive Director Jeremy Pettit, and leaves with artwork made by a child in the Summer Treatment Program.<\/p>\n