TCCMS Cores

The Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies (TCCMS) at Penn State is driven by three interconnected cores that provide essential support for advancing research, fostering innovation, and bridging the gap between science and practice. These cores work collaboratively to maximize the impact of TCCMS initiatives, promote evidence-based solutions, and ensure that research findings reach the communities that need them most. 

Admin Core 

Leads: Christian M. Connell, Ph.D. (Penn State HDFS)
Co-Investigators: D. Max Crowley, Ph.D. (Penn State HDFS, Public Policy, and the Prevention Research Center) and Taylor Scott, Ph.D. (Penn State Prevention Research Center) 

The Admin Core serves as the backbone of TCCMS, providing centralized leadership and operational support to all projects and initiatives. It ensures that TCCMS functions efficiently and effectively, advancing high-impact research and fostering the next generation of scholars through mentorship and professional development. The core also drives innovative prevention strategies and promotes the translation of research into policy through the Research to Policy Collaboration (RPC) model. 

• Aim 1: Support rigorous, translatable science and cultivate the next generation of child maltreatment scholars through mentoring and training opportunities, including the NICHD-funded T32 program. 
• Aim 2: Advance primary prevention efforts by scaling innovative programs like Smarter Parents, Safer Kids and the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) model. 
• Aim 3: Enhance the impact of research on policy through the RPC model, creating pathways for scientific evidence to inform child welfare practices and legislative actions. 

Coming Soon - Admin Core papers and resources.

Resource Core 

Lead: Christian M. Connell, Ph.D. (Penn State HDFS), Hannah Schreier, Ph.D. (Penn State BBH), and Sheridan Miyamoto, Ph.D. (Penn State Nursing)

Co-Investigators: Brian Allen, Psy.D. (Penn State, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health) 

The Resource Core ensures that TCCMS research has the infrastructure and support needed to succeed. It provides technical assistance, project coordination, data management, and innovative communication strategies to amplify the reach and relevance of TCCMS findings. The core is also responsible for building a robust dissemination platform to connect research with both professional and public audiences. 

• Aim 1: Provide centralized resources to support TCCMS projects, including data management, research methods expertise, and clinical support. 
• Aim 2: Develop an integrated communication strategy to disseminate research findings to diverse audiences, leveraging digital platforms to increase accessibility and impact. 
• Aim 3: Create a dynamic, multi-layered information hub to share the latest child maltreatment research with practitioners, policymakers, and the public. 

Dissemination and Outreach Core (DOC) 

Leads: Christian M. Connell, Ph.D. (Penn State HDFS) and Sarah Font, Ph.D. (Penn State Sociology, Criminology, and Public Policy) 
Co-Investigator: Ezra G. Goldstein, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech School of Public Policy) 

The DOC bridges research and practice, ensuring that TCCMS findings translate into real-world solutions. This core fosters partnerships with local, state, and national agencies, working collaboratively to address high-priority challenges in child welfare and the child maltreatment response. By engaging community stakeholders and leveraging research to inform policy, the DOC promotes sustainable improvements in child protection practices. 

• Aim 1: Engage community and agency leaders to identify key challenges and co-design research solutions that address systemic issues in child protection. 
• Aim 2: Implement targeted research projects that respond to community-identified needs, emphasizing rapid, practice-responsive initiatives. 
• Aim 3: Translate research findings into practical tools and policy recommendations, hosting events and training to disseminate insights to the child welfare field. 

DOC Projects include:

1. Family Experiences with Children Study
2. Nurturing Healthy Families: Promoting Effective Safe Care Plans for Substance-Affected Families WEBINAR - recordings here
3. Understanding and Preventing Child Maltreatment Fatalities WEBINAR - recordings here

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Together, these cores form the foundation of TCCMS, enabling the center to pursue innovative research, engage diverse communities, and foster data-driven policy solutions to address child maltreatment.