Carrie Epstein, LCSW
Assistant Clinical Professor of Social Work in the Child Study CenterCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director, Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery, Yale Child Study Center
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director, Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery, Yale Child Study Center
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director, Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery, Yale Child Study Center
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Clinical Professor of Social Work in the Child Study Center
Co-Director, Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery, Yale Child Study Center
Biography
Carrie Epstein, LCSW-R is the Co-Director of the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery and has been an Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center since 2010. For over 30 years, Ms. Epstein has been providing treatment, supervision and consultation on providing mental health treatment and on developing new programs for children and families impacted by trauma and traumatic grief. She is recognized both nationally and internationally as an expert in training and consulting in the field of child trauma, traumatic grief and disaster response. Ms. Epstein is the co-developer of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), which is currently the only evidence-based trauma-focused mental health treatment for children and families that was specifically developed to be implemented in the peritraumatic phase of trauma response. CFTSI has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing and interrupting PTSD and related disorders. Ms. Epstein is a Master Trainer in both the CFTSI treatment model, as well as in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
Ms. Epstein has responded to multiple school shootings and other mass casualty disasters across the country. She served as a key coordinator of New York City’s mental health response to the attacks on 9/11 and was a Principal Investigator of a collaborative, multi-site study that was the largest youth trauma project associated with the September 11th terrorist attack in New York City which was established to deliver evidence-based trauma treatments for impacted children and adolescents. In addition, Ms. Epstein played a lead role in coordinating Yale’s response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown. She has co-authored numerous publications in support of her work.
Ms. Epstein was the one of the original and organizing Principal Investigators of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) and has continued to Co-Chair the NCTSN’s Child Traumatic Grief-Traumatic Separation Committee since its inception in 2001. She has served on the Steering Committee of the NCTSN, as well as act as a regular contributor to the NCTSN’s Terrorism and Disaster Response Committee. Ms. Epstein holds a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University.
Appointments
Child Study Center
Assistant Clinical Professor (Social Work)Primary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MSW
- Columbia University (1992)
- BA
- University of Pennsylvania (1987)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Hilary Hahn, MPH, MEd
Steven Marans, MSW, PhD
Carla Smith Stover, PhD
Megan Goslin, PhD
Publications
2024
Telehealth Delivery of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention is Associated With Reduced Posttraumatic Stress in Children and Caregivers
Goslin M, Epstein C. Telehealth Delivery of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention is Associated With Reduced Posttraumatic Stress in Children and Caregivers. Child Maltreatment 2024, 29: 430-439. PMID: 38379207, DOI: 10.1177/10775595241233230.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsFamily Traumatic Stress InterventionPosttraumatic stress symptomsStress interventionsStress symptomsTrauma-focused mental health treatmentReducing posttraumatic stress symptomsTelehealth deliveryPosttraumatic stress disorderChronic trauma exposureTrauma-exposed youthExtensive trauma historiesMental health treatmentLevels of caregiver satisfactionCaregiver-child dyadsTrauma exposureStress disorderSymptom reductionPosttraumatic stressCFTSITrauma historyHealth treatmentTraumatic eventsPaired sample t-testTrauma responseCaregiver satisfaction
2022
The child and family traumatic stress intervention: Factors associated with symptom reduction for children receiving treatment
Stover CS, Hahn H, Maciejewski KR, Epstein C, Marans S. The child and family traumatic stress intervention: Factors associated with symptom reduction for children receiving treatment. Child Abuse & Neglect 2022, 134: 105886. PMID: 36152531, DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105886.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPosttraumatic stress symptomsFamily Traumatic Stress InterventionChild advocacy centerStress symptomsMental health treatmentStress interventionsChildren's posttraumatic stress symptomsHealth treatmentPosttraumatic stress scoresTrauma symptomsTrauma typesAdvocacy CentersTraumatic experiencesChild relationshipSymptom reductionPosttraumatic ChecklistCommunity-based clinical settingsComparison groupChild caregiversStress scoresTreatment studiesCommunity-based providersChildrenNaturalistic treatment studyMixed modeling
2019
Addressing Childhood Trauma
Marans S, Hahn H, Epstein C. Addressing Childhood Trauma. 2019, 320-344. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190694395.013.16.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChildhood traumaPost-traumatic reactionsClinical interventionsEarly clinical interventionLong-term disordersPediatric health careFailure of recoveryPost-traumatic disordersMultidisciplinary collaborative effortChildhood exposureImmediate symptomsEarly identificationViolent traumaTraumaHealth careComplex needsInterventionPublic healthTraumatic eventsDisordersChildrenExposureInnovation in Early Trauma Treatment
Marans S, Epstein C, Hahn H, Goslin M. Innovation in Early Trauma Treatment. 2019, 610-628. DOI: 10.1017/9781108235655.030.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsChild and family traumatic stress intervention (CFTSI) reduces parental posttraumatic stress symptoms: A multi-site meta-analysis (MSMA)
Hahn H, Putnam K, Epstein C, Marans S, Putnam F. Child and family traumatic stress intervention (CFTSI) reduces parental posttraumatic stress symptoms: A multi-site meta-analysis (MSMA). Child Abuse & Neglect 2019, 92: 106-115. PMID: 30947101, DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.03.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsFamily Traumatic Stress InterventionTrauma-focused treatmentPosttraumatic symptomsChild advocacy centerTrauma symptomsStress interventionsParental posttraumatic stress symptomsChild trauma treatmentChild trauma-focused treatmentChildren's posttraumatic symptomsChild trauma symptomsPosttraumatic stress symptomsEffect sizeTherapeutic effect sizeMental health treatmentChild-caregiver dyadsPosttraumatic reactionsModerate pooled effect sizeStress symptomsAdvocacy CentersTrauma treatmentChild's treatmentHealth treatmentMeta-analytic approachClinical level
2017
The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention
Epstein C, Hahn H, Berkowitz S, Marans S. The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention. 2017, 145-166. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46138-0_7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsFamily Traumatic Stress InterventionStress interventionsYale Child Study CenterChild Study CenterMental health interventionsMental health treatmentTrauma reactionsTraumatic eventsChildren's symptomsSexual abuseSymptom reductionHealth treatmentFamily supportChildrenFormal disclosureInterventionLong-term treatmentHealth interventionsAdolescentsTrauma centerSkillsAbuseCaregiversSymptomsStudy centers
2015
Findings of an Early Intervention to Address Children’s Traumatic Stress Implemented in the Child Advocacy Center Setting Following Sexual Abuse
Hahn H, Oransky M, Epstein C, Smith Stover C, Marans S. Findings of an Early Intervention to Address Children’s Traumatic Stress Implemented in the Child Advocacy Center Setting Following Sexual Abuse. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Trauma 2015, 9: 55-66. DOI: 10.1007/s40653-015-0059-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsTraumatic stress symptomsTraumatic stressChild traumatic stress symptomsFamily Traumatic Stress InterventionSexual abuseChild traumatic stressFamily-strengthening interventionChild advocacy centerPartial PTSD diagnosisCaregiver-child dyadsEarly interventionStress interventionsStress symptomsAdvocacy CentersPTSD diagnosisChild developmentDiverse sampleBehavioral healthAbuseChildhood exposureChildrenEnd of treatmentInterventionChart reviewAdolescentsStatewide dissemination of an evidence-based practice using Breakthrough Series Collaboratives
Lang J, Franks R, Epstein C, Stover C, Oliver J. Statewide dissemination of an evidence-based practice using Breakthrough Series Collaboratives. Children And Youth Services Review 2015, 55: 201-209. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.06.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsEvidence-based practiceBreakthrough Series Collaborative modelOutpatient clinical staffTF-CBTBreakthrough Series CollaborativesTrauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapyCognitive behavioral therapyDepression symptomsStatewide disseminationClinical staffCommunity-based agenciesBehavioral therapyImplementation scienceSignificant reductionAdditional researchChildren
Links & Media
News
- November 13, 2023
Select speakers announced: Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds Winter/Spring 2024
- October 24, 2023
Epstein receives Cecilia Gastón Award for support of Latinx communities
- June 13, 2023
Treating Survivors of Torture
- April 13, 2023
New 5-year partnership announced to expand access to trauma-focused therapy across the U.S.