Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities

12/18/2025

🎓 Meet Our Expert: Leslie Gaines

Leslie Gaines is an Information Technology Specialist at the Thrive Center, where she applies her expertise in systems administration, database management, and other emerging technologies to her work with the Thrive Center community and participants in the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) project. Her technical credentials include certifications in Red Hat Linux System Administration and Georgetown University's Generative Artificial Intelligence for Team Productivity, and she is currently working to build skills in AWS Cloud Architecture, Data Analytics, AI, and cybersecurity.

Leslie’s previous work includes managing and analyzing a large Linux-based database and working as a mental health research assistant, which honed her ability to manage complex technical systems while maintaining a human-centered approach to problem-solving.

Leslie's path to information technology is rooted in a strong interdisciplinary foundation. Reared on the gulf coast of Mississippi, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona, Florida, followed by a Master of Science degree in Experimental Social Psychology from the University of Kentucky in Lexington. This unique combination of biology, social psychology, and computer science allows her to approach technical challenges with both analytical rigor and collaborative insight.

In her spare time, she enjoys mentoring others in IT study groups, exploring different art forms including music and local galleries and museums, watching movies, reading, and sewing.

12/16/2025

When Do the Costs Stop? They Don't.

A legislator asked Jay Chaudhary, our guest on the latest Thrive Dispatches podcast, a seemingly reasonable question: "We were happy to invest in mental health a couple years ago. We're happy to keep thinking about investing. But can you answer the question for us, when do the costs stop?"

Jay's honest answer: They don't.

"The product of behavioral health is the time of talented people. That time needs to be paid for, and that time cannot be scaled or made more efficient the same way you can with manufacturing or technology."

This is Baumol's cost disease, and it explains why mental healthcare costs only move in one direction. 50 minutes of psychotherapy in 1975 cost $35. Today it costs $180. Same 50 minutes.

But accepting the problem doesn't mean accepting defeat. Jay's solutions: family mental health approaches that reach multiple people with one intervention. Single-session interventions that deliver effective care faster. Community health workers who extend the workforce sustainably.

We're never going to treat our way out of this problem. We have to think differently.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PPNgK2OmApFWcQYBeQOTC?si=nifj5KZ0RxC8ssC_EMCF1A

12/11/2025

🎓 Meet Our Expert: Wiwit Grandison

Wiwit Grandison is a trilingual (Bahasa, Arabic, and English) Community Engagement Specialist with more than 14 years of experience in early care and education. Her professional journey began with training in public relations in Indonesia, and she continues to use these skills in service of the diverse communities, providers, and families she works with on a daily basis.

For the last five years, she has served as a Parent Educator with the Parenting Support Program at the Thrive Center. In this role, she provides in-home and community-based support to prenatal and postnatal families with young children through frequent visits, health and wellbeing screenings, and education and resources.

Wiwit holds a BA in Public Relations, an Associate's Degree in Early Child Development, and is a graduate of Georgetown’s LEND program. She is also currently enrolled in the GU IECMH Family Leadership certificate program. Her work is grounded in culturally responsive, strengths-based approaches that honor each family's unique wisdom, experiences, and goals for thriving together.

12/10/2025

After 25 years of service, we celebrate Dr. Rachel Brady, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University, as she announces her retirement effective December 1st, although she will continue to stay on until next spring to support training efforts at the Thrive Center. With over 30 years of experience in inclusive early childhood and intervention services and more than 20 years in interdisciplinary early childhood personnel training and research, Rachel has been an important contributor to her field. Since joining the Center for Child and Human Development in 2000, she has helped shape the next generation of professionals committed to serving children and families.

Rachel's excellent leadership skills have contributed to the successes of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program and the Certificate in Early Intervention, where she served as director of both. She also has a impressive array scholarly contributions, as her publications and presentations have advanced our understanding of how to best support young children with diverse needs and their families.

Rachel reflects with gratitude on her Georgetown journey, celebrating important life milestones with colleagues who became family and mentoring many individuals over the years. Thank you, Rachel, for 25 years of extraordinary leadership, scholarship, and mentorship. We wish you joy and fulfillment in your well-deserved retirement!

12/09/2025

Thrive team member Neal Horen participated in the 2025 International Developmental Pediatrics Association in Guatemala with the presentation, "Advancing Training Opportunities in IECMH: Development of Three Virtual Certificate Programs to Expand IECMH Workforce Diversity and Expertise."

The presentation described three virtual certificate programs developed to train mental health professionals in IECMH. These programs emphasize culturally responsive practices and health equity. Data collected about the certificate programs revealed retention and completion rates exceeding 90% and high satisfaction among former students.

Congratulations, Neal!

12/05/2025

🚨 Last Chance to Apply: Innovation Hub Fellowship🚨

Monday, December 8th is your final chance to apply for the Innovation Hub Fellowship for Spring 2026! If you work in mental health care and disability care, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

👀 Watch the video below to see Maria Barrera, CEO of Clayful and fellow for the Spring 2025 cohort, explain the benefits of joining the Innovation Hub!
👉Apply here: http://bit.ly/47rFX5b

Applications close at the end the day on Monday, December 8th —don’t miss out!

12/03/2025

Thrive team member Paula Cortos Campos recently presented at the 2025 International Developmental Pediatrics Association in Guatemala.

Her presentation, "Defining, Researching and Intervening in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health in Latin America," detailed the methodology and results of a study that sought to understand the state of infant and early childhood mental health in Latin America, which includes identifying promising interventions and providing recommendations for future work.

Congratulations to Paula on this exciting opportunity!

12/02/2025

📢 Interested in joining the Innovation Hub? Applications for the Spring 2026 Cohort are open until December 8th!

👉 Apply to the Innovation Hub here: http://bit.ly/47rFX5b

11/25/2025

"Strong relationships help you grow and feel good about yourself. They shouldn't make you uncomfortable or afraid."

The Haven Resource Center's video, “Relationship Toolkit: Building Healthy Connections” helps teens understand how to develop healthy relationships, and also provides them with some tools for managing difficult situations.

👀 Watch the video here:

Relationships can be amazing, but they can also get complicated! In this animated guide for teens, we explore the foundation of healthy relationships and sha...

11/24/2025

Amittia Parker has contributed a chapter to the recently published book, 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 𝘈 𝘗𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦. Amittia’s chapter, "Help that is Stressful to Black Mothers" presents a research poem that was drawn from the lived experiences of mothers who participated in a qualitative study on Black maternal mental health and wellness. This chapter invites readers to reflect on how Black mothers respond to their mental health and challenge whiteness in these spaces.

📅 Publication Date: November 21, 2025
👉 Order the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Disrupting-Anti-Black-Childhood-Routledge-Ethnicity/dp/1032840803

11/18/2025

"Your emotions aren't too much. They're giving you important information. With practice, you can work with them instead of feeling controlled by them."

The Haven Resource Center's video, “Understanding and Managing Your Emotions” explains the science behind why teenagers often feel such strong emotions, and provides them with some simple strategies for managing these feelings.

👀 Watch the video here:

Ever feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster that never stops? You're not alone! 🎢This video breaks down the science behind why your emotions feel so...

11/14/2025

The Innovation Hub at the Thrive Center is a three-month fellowship program that helps startups and nonprofits in the mental health or disability space looking to navigate the path to scaling and reaching more families.

We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 Cohort! Interested in applying? Please join us for a Q&A with the Hub team and Spring 2025 Cohort Alumni, Maria Barrera, on Monday, November 17th at 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET.

👉 Register for the event here:

Join us on Monday, November 17th at 11:30 am PT to talk all things Innovation Hub with Jason, Kinsley, and special alumni guest Maria Barrera from Clayful! During this webinar, Maria will discuss how the fellowship helped her scale Clayful's impact, give an update on Clayful's current work, and we w...