SBH AND ITS TEAM OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE ALWAYS RISEN TO THE CALL OF DUTY, MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW. MOST RECENTLY, ONE THAT HAS COME TO THE FOREFRONT IS THE NEED TO ADDRESS CASES OF SEXUAL ABUSE, A SILENT CRISIS AFFECTING CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
It is this need that has led to the expansion of Courage to Heal (CTH), SBH’s comprehensive program focused on providing therapeutic intervention to support survivors and abuse prevention through education.
By seeking support from SBH, survivors will not only receive professional support, but also a comprehensive plan of care utilizing the many programs and services we offer to create a holistic plan of recovery. “We at SBH have done extensive research to build a team of best-in-class professionals with which to offer a full, 360-degree solution to deal with prevention, education, training and awareness, as well as offering therapeutic support from highly-trained clinicians along with highly-trained community volunteers,” said SBH President David J. Beyda, who has made the expansion of CTH one of the organization’s top priorities.
CTH offers support to survivors of sexual abuse through our counseling center, which is staffed by a cohort of trained trauma-informed clinicians under the supervision of Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Dr. Gavriel Fagin, an expert in the treatment of sexual abuse. “I feel privileged and honored to be part of a team that is helping to train and prepare the next generation of therapists to address sexual abuse in our community,” said Dr. Fagin, who serves as Clinical Consultant for Courage to Heal.
Our preventive approach offers extensive educational training to the community and its institutions. Through our partnership with Magen Yeladim, a program created by internationally-recognized trauma professional Debbie Fox, LCSW, CTH will educate teachers, school and camp administrators, parents, students, and rabbis on ways to prevent cases from occurring and how to empower survivors to ask for help. “Developing comprehensive prevention services, trauma-focused intervention for children, teens and adults, community awareness programs for camps, schools, shuls and rabbinic leadership are all facets of a comprehensive program that many have dreamed of for years,” continued Dr. Fagin. “And now, SBH is actualizing this dream.”
SBH is working with the support of SIMHA and SAFE to offer this level of education, guidance and resources to our community. “It was truly encouraging to see how SBH took the lead on this sensitive subject, enlisting the best people in this field, looking for the best practices and building on the experience of other communities that have been successful in this area,” said Rabbi David Sutton, Director and Co-Founder of SIMHA. Many of our community’s rabbinical leaders have endorsed the program, demonstrating their understanding of the sensitivity and urgency of this silent crisis. “The ability for them to galvanize many community rabbis around this cause was very heartening and I am sure with this communal force we will be able to alleviate some of the pain and prevent it from happening in the future,” said Rabbi Sutton.
In addition, Dr. Shloimie Zimmerman, clinical psychologist and Director of the Rabbinic Clinical Training Program for SIMHA, is consulting for the SBH CTH team to help implement the best preventative and clinical training for the community. “Research and experience clearly demonstrate that the most efficient way to enhance a community’s safety and prevent abuse is to unite all of the stakeholders in their mission to address these critical issues,” said Dr. Zimmerman. “It is incredibly heartening and inspiring to see the Syrian community mobilizing and uniting in this effort; Rabbinic, organizational professional, and lay leadership are working in tandem, with SBH at the helm, to bring the best prevention and intervention professionals and methods to aid the community.”
It is our hope that survivors will see our collaborative efforts as a unified front as encouragement to reach out for help, echoed SAFE founder and CEO Ike Dweck. “SAFE is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative, working together to provide our community with much needed support for victims and preventative programs to protect our children,” he said. “Together we can destigmatize abuse and help community members rebuild their lives.”
With the support of our team of professionals, including Shlomo Lieberman, LCSW, director of the Mental Health Division, Dr. Susan Schmool, director of the Mental Health Resource, Dr. Ayla Sitt, CTH chair, and Cara M. R. London, LMSW, trauma therapist and CTH coordinator, SBH is fully-equipped to serve as a trusted resource to protect our community. “Courage to Heal is not the type of program we ever want to believe is necessary, but in the event that it is, SBH is ready to help,” said Beyda.
To get help for yourself or someone you know, or to schedule a training for your community institution, contact Courage to Heal at 718-787-0009 or cth@sbhonline.org. All calls and emails are kept strictly confidential.
