Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities

03/31/2026

Screens. Kids. Parenting. It's complicated — and the research is eye-opening.

We're thrilled to welcome Dr. Jenny Radesky for a talk on Thursday, April 9th at 11:00am EDT!

Dr. Radesky studies how digital media use and the parent-child relationship shape children's social and emotional outcomes. Her findings have shown that heavy mobile device use — by both parents and children — can affect everything from how toddlers learn to self-regulate, to how often parents and children connect in meaningful ways.

This is a conversation you won't want to miss.

📅 Thursday, April 9 | 🕚 11:00am EDT

Join in person:
📍2115 Wisconsin Ave, Room 601

Or virtually:
💻 Zoom Meeting ID: 980 6551 3066

03/26/2026

🎓 Meet Our Expert: Morcia Mason

This week, we are proud to spotlight Morcia Mason, a dedicated member of the Thrive Center and the Center for Child and Human Development since 2006. As Director of Operations, Morcia brings nearly two decades of institutional knowledge and expertise to her role, providing strategic oversight of the Center's administrative and operational functions. She leads the recruitment and onboarding of faculty, staff, students, and contingent workers, and serves as an advisor on HR policies, payroll, benefits, and professional development. Her work also extends to office operations, space management, and the ex*****on of key initiatives, all while collaborating closely with senior leadership to align operational strategy with the Center's mission.

Beyond her professional contributions, Morcia is a proud mother and grandmother who brings warmth and dedication to everything she does. She shares her passion for wellness as a group fitness instructor and enjoys providing home décor advice. Morcia's approach to both her work and personal life is shaped by a guiding principle she holds close: "Strive for Continuous Improvement." We are grateful for her unwavering commitment to the Thrive Center and the communities we serve.

03/23/2026

Thrive Center team member Dr. Rachel Hanebutt guest edited a special issue of The Maryland Psychologist exploring what “healthy screen use” really means for today’s youth.

✨ The issue features contributions from 21 teenagers, who shared essays and short responses to common questions adults have about technology and social media.

Their perspectives in conversation with insights from researchers and clinicians, remind us of something we believe deeply at the Thrive Center: young people deserve a seat at the table when we talk about digital wellbeing.

The issue also includes AI-generated artwork created by teen advisory board members from , a leading digital wellness nonprofit.

⬇️ Link to the issue in the comments!

03/20/2026

📢 Apply Now! Associate Professor Position Open!

The Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities is seeking an Associate Professor to advance a research program focused on community-engaged research in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, human development, and mental health. This role is funded through our University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and the Marriott Endowed Professorship in Child and Family Development.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in disability research, a commitment to equity and self-determination, and a collaborative spirit to match.

⬇️ Learn more and apply (link in comments and QR code)

03/19/2026

One week away.

March 25 at 1:30 PM ET. Free. Virtual.

The Thrive Center is hosting the first session of Challenging Behaviors and Beyond, a monthly series built for directors, teachers, staff, and consultants working with young children.

Session 1: Navigating Challenging Behaviors, will feature Dr. Neal Horen, Julia Sayles, and Head Start program leaders sharing practical strategies you can use.

This series exists because hundreds of early childhood professionals told us what they need. More practical support. More chances to learn from peers. More strategies that actually work in real classrooms.

👉 Register now (link in comments) and share with a colleague!

03/18/2026

🎓 Meet Our Expert: Anna Peña-Gomez

This week, we're shining a light on Anna Peña-Gomez, a research assistant at the Thrive Center and the Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN). Anna plays a vital role in advancing research that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and their families. Her work spans two important areas: improving child development outcomes among racially and ethnically diverse families in the Washington, DC area, and integrating perinatal mental health strategies into obstetric settings — efforts that reflect the Thrive Center's commitment to equity and whole-family well-being.

Anna is also a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and graduate of Florida International University. Her contributions to the Thrive Center and ECIN help build a foundation of resilience and well-being for children and families, and we are grateful to have her as part of our team.

03/11/2026

The Thrive Center is kicking off its Challenging Behaviors and Beyond webinar series in two weeks! This is a free monthly education series for directors, teachers, staff, and consultants working with children ages 0-5.

Across six sessions, national experts and Head Start program leaders will share practical strategies, what's working, and what they're learning.

The first session is scheduled for March 25, 2026, at 1:30 PM ET. It focuses on practical strategies when behaviors escalate and your team is stretched thin.

There are two weeks left to register — don't miss it!

👉 Register now! Link below:

Head Start programs are dealing with escalating behaviors, stretched staff, and not enough support. In our conversations with staff around the country, we heard words like fried, overwhelmed, exhausted. But also, words like resilient, hopeful, community. Georgetown University's Thrive Center is host...

03/09/2026

Join us for a special webinar: The Power of Play: Building Connections and Belonging for Young Children with IDD and Their Families

Play is more than fun — it's how children connect, grow, and find their place in the world. This webinar, in partnership with Special Olympics and the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) is hosting a conversation centered on the lived experiences of families raising children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Hear directly from families about how the Young Athletes app is helping create joyful, inclusive play — and what that means for connection and belonging.

We're excited to once again work with the team of Special Olympics fellows who participated in our Innovation Hub Fall 2025 cohort!

📅 Tuesday, March 11 | 11:00 AM ET
✅ Live closed captioning provided
👉 Register at this website: https://georgetown.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5qDL-r8PRAasQgZ3AOElEQ #/registration

Register today and bring a colleague — this is a conversation worth sharing!

A Partnership Between the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and Special Olympics Explore how play builds connection and belonging for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the voices of families. In partnership with Special Ol...

03/06/2026

Last month, the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety (NCHBHS) hosted a one-day Mental Wellness Symposium and community of practice experience, bringing together 236 attendees dedicated to promoting mental health in Head Start programs across the country.

This event drew a high level of engagement and positive feedback shared by participants throughout the day and in the subsequent weeks. The symposium was designed to equip Head Start champions with meaningful, actionable strategies — from fostering a program-wide culture of mental health, to building nurturing and responsive relationships that support children's social and emotional development. Attendees also explored approaches to preventing mental health challenges before they develop, strengthening how staff recognize and respond to children's mental health needs, and connecting families with the mental health supports and interventions that can make a real difference.

We are incredibly proud of the Thrive team members at NCHBHS who came together to make the Mental Wellness Symposium a success! Congratulations to everyone who participated, including Amittia Parker, Neal Horen, Amy Hunter, Kadija Johnston, Julia Sayles, Robert Harris, Lisa Smith, Madeleine Mizelle, Kelli McDermott, Bariah Ahmad, Maria Vazquez Betancourt, and Rashanda Jenkins.

03/05/2026

Eight Therapists for 40,000 Patients

Eight therapists for 40,000 patients. That's the ratio at Dr. Christine Page-Lopez's community health center. So she triages, consults with psychiatrists through the Virginia Mental Health Access Program, and does something else: shifts from telling families what to avoid to asking what's going well. "I get to ask the mom, 'What are you proud about of your 13-year-old sitting next to you?'"

Listen to the full conversation with Dr. Christine Page-Lopez in the latest episode of Thrive Dispatches!

⬇️ Link in the comments!

03/04/2026

🎓 Meet Our Expert: Jalyn Marks

We are excited to spotlight Jalyn Marks, Information Dissemination Coordinator for the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (GUCEDD)! In this role, Jalyn leads and supports a wide range of communication and product development initiatives, with a special focus on accessibility, multimedia products, and dissemination activities centered on individuals with the lived experience of intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. Jalyn holds a Master of Arts in Communications, Culture & Technology, a foundation that informs and strengthens her work every day.

As a person with a disability, Jalyn brings lived experience to her work and is proud to help create platforms that elevate and amplify the voices of other individuals with disabilities. Jalyn's contributions reflect important values at the heart of the Thrive Center — inclusion, accessibility, and the belief that everyone's story should be told. We are so grateful to have her on our team!

03/03/2026

Children's challenging behaviors are the leading reason one-third of early childhood educators leave each year.

Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is an intervention proven to cut expulsion rates by up to 47% while reducing teacher burnout and turnover.

The model is recognized in all 50 states and mandated for all Head Start programs. The only problem is, there aren’t enough consultants available to deliver the intervention.

Georgetown has been at the forefront of IECMHC with our Center of Excellence and decades of training and technical assistance. To solve the workforce shortage, our team is llaunching what we think is the most practical, affordable and flexible training program for IECMHC – The Practical Certificate in IECMHC.

The program is designed for mental health clinicians looking to add consultation to their skillset AND for early childhood educators looking to transition from classroom to consultation.

We have 197 spots available in our founding cohort in June at a special discounted rate of $2,500.

⬇️ Learn more on the Thrive Center website (link in comments)