Omni from GVSU expands with programming from Starr Commonwealth

President Philomena V. Manella said, "Omni is built to bring skill training and education to people where they are, and this new partnership will allow individuals who work with children to better serve Michigan's kids and help them thrive."

Starr Commonwealth, founded in 1913, has a long history of developing and delivering trauma-informed and resilience-focused programs, according to its president, Elizabeth Carey.

"We are honored to join forces with GVSU's Omni network to extend our reach and impact," Carey said. "Together, we can equip more adults and systems of care with the tools to foster resilience and healing in children who have experienced trauma. This initiative aligns with our theory of change, which has a growing evidence base to support that when trauma-informed and resilience-focused adults work within trauma-informed and resilience-focused systems, the health and well-being of children will improve."

Kara Van Dam, chief executive for Omni, said she was inspired to partner with Starr Commonwealth because its instructors and clinicians "help children have a good start by helping them heal from a traumatic one."

"We're so pleased to partner with Starr Commonwealth on relevant programming that will help social workers and professionals who work with youth advance their careers," Van Dam said. "We also support Starr because they see that the entire ecosystem of children - parents, caregivers, teachers, first responders and more - has to be engaged in trauma-informed practice to ensure these positive outcomes."