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Early Childhood Trauma Informed Care Certificate

The Early Childhood Trauma Informed Care Certificate (ECTIC) will provide students with a deep understanding of trauma and ACEs, and how they impact young children’s development. Students will learn how to create safe environments and implement trauma informed care so children feel comfortable to learn, explore, and interact! Learn more by registering for a Virtual Information Session.

Program Details

  • 3 courses (6 weeks per course)  - complete the program in under 5 months!
  • Earn 9 units of college credit
  • 100% online - connect with your instructors one evening per week
  • Asynchronous Online coursework
  • $1,170 per course ($3,510 total program cost)
  • At least a high school diploma and some background of child development is preferred
  • Financing available - apply today for scholarship opportunity

Who Will Benefit

  • Childcare Providers
  • Child Development Specialists
  • Child Life Specialists
  • Early Childhood Teachers
  • Owners of In-Home Child Care
  • T-K through 3rd grade educators

How You Will Benefit

  • Move up on the Child Development Matrix.
  • Gain expertise and practical skills for implementing trauma informed care in early childhood settings.

Scholarships Available!

The Early Childhood Trauma Informed Care Certificate Program offers 21 full scholarships to students who apply and are found eligible. Scholarships are awarded by the Quality Counts California Workforce Development Grant through the California Department of Education (CDE), Early Learning and Care Division and will be paid directly to the University. To be eligible, recipients must be working in the Early Childhood Education sector in San Bernardino County. Applications will be reviewed for eligibility criteria on a first-come, first-served basis. For any questions regarding this scholarship opportunity, please contact Dr. Van Schagen at Amy.vanschagen@csusb.edu. 

To support the success of scholarship recipients, awardees will be expected to participate in the following:

  • Creating a workforce registry account in San Bernardino County (if a student does not already have one)
  • Create an educational plan with an advisor
  • Meet twice throughout the program with a Higher Education Mentor (via phone or zoom)
  • Complete 3 reflective journals during the certificate program

 

Meet the Team

Program Coordinator

Amy van Schagen, Ph.D.

Amy van Schagen, Ph.D.

Dr. Amy van Schagen developed the Early Childhood Trauma Informed Care Certificate after seeing a need in the community for higher education to offer courses in TIC. The ECTIC certificate was created through support from Quality Start San Bernardino and a Community Grant from Kaiser Permanente. In addition, Dr. V conducted research in the community to identify barriers to accessing higher education for early childhood educators. The ECTIC certificate is designed to address some of these barriers by providing courses that are taught online, affordable, and applicable for college credit.

Dr. van Schagen is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at CSUSB, and serves as the Program Coordinator for the ECTIC Certificate and the M.A. Child Development program. Prior to receiving her M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she worked for almost five years as an early childhood teacher. Dr. van Schagen has a passion for equity and higher wages in the early childhood workforce, and building access for all young children to have high quality early learning experiences. Outside of her career, Dr. van Schagen enjoys hiking, running, the beach, playing with her dogs, and spending time with her partner and family.

Dr. Van Schagen will also be teaching the 3rd course in the series: Trauma Informed Care in Practice.

Instructors

Chris Becerra, Ed.D

Chris Becerra, Ed.D

Mr. Becerra has worked in Child Development for over 20 years.  He has worked at every level - as an assistant, a teacher, a site supervisor, and a director.  For the last 10 years, he has been a Director for multiple school districts overseeing multiple child development programs, including for 2 years when he was the county wide director of early learning for the Orange County Department of Education.  Mr. Becerra holds a terminal degree (Ed.S) in Early Childhood Education, a Master's Degree (M.Ed) in Educational Leadership and Administration, and a certificate in School Business Management. He is a certified PK-12 Administrator; Chief Business Official from CASBO; and Personnel Administrator from Association of California School Administrators. He is currently working on finishing his Doctor of Education degree in Early Childhood Education.  Mr. Becerra has been teaching as an adjunct professor at various colleges for the last 8 years.

Mr. Becerra has 4 children adopted from the foster care system.  His passion is teaching early childhood educators how to work with children that have experienced trauma.

Amanda Wilcox Herzog, Ph.D

Amanda Wilcox Herzog, Ph.D

Dr. Wilcox Herzog is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at CSUSB. She. has taught at California State University San Bernardino for the last 22 years. Dr. Wilcox Herzog is the founder and faculty supervisor of the CSUSB Infant/Toddler Lab School. Dr. Wilcox Herzog received her Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Studies at Purdue University.  Dr. Wilcox-Herzog has taught children from birth through 8 years old and teaches classes in early childhood education and child development. Her professional development over the past 30 years has focused almost exclusively on ways to increase child care quality via teacher training and education. She has engaged in various projects that have utilized assessment, personal reflection, and targeted training opportunities to improve teacher’s interactions and curricular offerings with young children. Dr. Wilcox Herzog supervises assessment efforts for the San Bernardino QRIS System, Quality Start San Bernardino.

Dr. Wilcox will be teaching the first course in the series: The Impact of Trauma on Child Development