Academic Title:
Instructor
Primary Appointment:
Psychiatry
Additional Title:
Executive Director, Taghi Modarressi Center for Infant Study Project Director, Family Informed Trauma Treatment Center, Category II Center in the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative
Location:
701 W. Lombard St., 498
Phone (Primary):
(410) 706-3216
Fax:
(410) 328-0202
Education and Training
Bachelor of Arts, 1983, Catholic University of America, Social Work
Master of Social Work, 1985, New York University, Social Work
Biosketch
Kay Connors, LCSW-C, Instructor, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Project Director of the Family Informed Trauma Treatment Center and Executive Director of the Taghi Modarressi Center for Infant Study, has over 33 years of experience as a clinical social worker working with children, families and communities impacted trauma. Ms. Connors has provided evidence-based, mental health treatment to children and families in a variety of settings, including hospital, residential treatment, private practice and clinic, home, school-based programs. She specializes in trauma treatment for families and youth and leds project in infant and early childhood mental health assessment and diagnosis. Ms. Connors directs clinical and training programs, including the UMSOM’s HealthySteps site, supervises staff, and is a co-investigator in research grants, including the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Ms. Connors leads innovative learning projects, including Breakthrough Series Collaboratives and evidence-based learning collaboratives. She is a National Child Parent Psychotherapy Trainer and director of Maryland’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Certificate Program and Fussy Baby Maryland.
Research/Clinical Keywords
child traumatic stress, family therapy, infant mental health, early childhood, implementation, children's mental health, breakthrough series collaborative
Highlighted Publications
Koverola, C., Murtaugh, C., Reeves, G., Connors, K., & Pappas, M.(2007). Children exposed to intra-familial violence: Predictors of Attrition and Retention in Treatment. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma. 14(4), 19-42.
Rogers, K, Baumgardner, B, Connors, K, Martens, P, Kiser, LJ. (2009). Preventing Family Violence. In Compton MT (Ed.) Clinical Manual of Prevention in Mental Health. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
Reeves, G.M., Wehring, H.J., Connors, K.M., Bussell, K., Schiffman, J., Medoff, D.R., Tsuji, T., Walker, J., Brown, A., Strobeck, D. and Clough, T., 2015. The Family Value of Information, Community Support, and Experience Study: Rationale, Design, and Methods of a “Family-Centered” Research Study. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 203(12), pp.896-900.
Kline, E., Millman, Z.B., Denenny, D., Wilson, C., Thompson, E., Demro, C., Connors, K., Bussell, K., Reeves, G. and Schiffman, J., 2016. Trauma and psychosis symptoms in a sample of help-seeking youth. Schizophrenia research, 175(1), pp.174-179.
Offermann, B., Beltran, M., Rollo, C. and Connors, K. M. (2016) Group Work with Children Impacted by Sexual Abuse. In Greif, G., & Knight, C. (Eds.). Group Work with Populations At-Risk. Oxford University Press.
Clinical Specialty Details
Child and family traumatic stress; infant and early childhood mental health care
Awards and Affiliations
Honors
2009-Field Instructor of the Year Award-The National Association of Social Workers-Maryland Chapter
2018-present State Team Lead for ZERO TO THREE Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Financing Policy Learning Collaborative
2018 Nominated to serve as a member of the State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect for Maryland
2018-present Infant Mental Health Association of Maryland & D.C., member of the Board of Directors
Grants and Contracts
2007 to present Project Director, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Category 2 Center Grant, Laurel Kiser, PI
2016-present Co-investigator, RO1 Healthy Lifestyle Study, Gloria Reeves, PI
2018-present Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, Linda Chang, Thoms Ernst, PI
2018-present Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Sarah Edwards, PI
2016-presnt Center for Excellence for Early Intervention Program for Serious Mental Illness