According to the CDC, only 20% of children with mental health and behavioral disorders receive mental health care from specialists. During the 2020 pandemic, founder Maia Longenecker noticed a serious gap in services for children who have survived trauma, especially for low-income families. Maia is passionate about how EMDR benefits children with trauma. With the help and support of the amazing women on the board, they launched Blue Channel Therapy in 2021 with two goals in mind: one, to provide high-quality trauma treatment to low-income children/families, and two, to increase the child therapist workforce by offering internships and professional practices focused on high-quality trauma.
The mission of Blue Channel Therapy is to improve the quality of life for children, youth, and families through affordable, high-quality mental health therapy provided by therapists and interns trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).
Our vision is to reverse the impact that adverse childhood experiences have on current and future generations.
In an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the CDC, nearly 1 in 6 adults reported experiencing four or more types of ACEs. Some examples of ACEs include sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, living in a home where caregivers abuse substances or have mental health issues. According to the study, "...ACEs are costly. ACEs can have lasting negative effects on health, well-being, and opportunities. These experiences can increase risks for injuries, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems, teen pregnancies, involvement in human trafficking, and a wide range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide. Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy, stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, jobs, and depression throughout life. These effects can also be passed on to their own children. Some children may face increased exposure to toxic stress due to historical and ongoing traumas from systemic racism or the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.
In the CDC's plan to reduce the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), early intervention and treatment of toxic stress are called for. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based practice that is well-researched and highly effective in treating symptoms related to traumatic stress. An important aspect of EMDR Therapy is that it builds resilience and decreases the likelihood of new adverse events creating traumatic/toxic stress.
Blue Channel Therapy offers EMDR therapy to children, adolescents, and adults to improve their quality of life and decrease the negative impact on their health and future outcomes.
Blue Channel Therapy is also committed to providing high-quality training and supervision for new therapists and EMDR providers.
CDC: [https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/access.html](https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/access.html)
ACE Study: [https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html](https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html)
Organizational Inclusion Statement
In line with our dedication to equal rights and opportunities for all people, the organization is committed to fostering an organizational culture where all individuals are treated fairly, valued for their differences, and provided equal opportunities to maximize their success.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
The organization will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, volunteer selection, vendor selection, working with clients, and service provision.
Anti-Discrimination Employment Policy:
This is an equal opportunity organization. The organization's employer will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to prevent discrimination in employment, hiring, job advertisements, compensation, termination, promotion, and other employment conditions against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, or sex, sexual orientation, or gender.