The Starr Team of Clinical Specialists brings together some of the leading minds in the field of positive psychology. The group was assembled to direct the clinical future of Starr Commonwealth. By organizing a group that features professionals with experience in areas such as community-based and residential programs, resiliency and trauma-informed care, Starr will use practice-based evidence to ensure that its clinical model and programs are relevant and effective. The group meets monthly to discuss ways to increase Starr’s global impact, including the establishment of relationships with institutions of higher education. Through collaboration with colleges and universities, Starr’s knowledge base and research capacity will increase exponentially. Using emerging research in the fields of neuroscience, epigenetics and deep brain learning will allow the organization to continue to provide children and families the leading-edge quality care that has made Starr internationally recognized as an industry leader.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Starr Commonwealth
Dr. Martin L. Mitchell has had a long and distinguished career as a youth care leader. He has trained and written extensively in the areas of teamwork, leadership and group dynamics and served as Director of the XII World Congress of the International Association of Workers for Troubled Children, which drew participants from 23 countries. In addition, Mitchell frequently provides legislative testimony on behalf of youth. As a recognized author, speaker and authority on the subject of youth and behavior, he’s often interviewed by the media on topics impacting young people and families in today’s society.
Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Starr Commonwealth
With more than 20 years tenure, Chuck Jackson has served troubled youth and their families in the Detroit metropolitan area for Starr Commonwealth since 1988. Because of that dedication, he was appointed Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer in 2008. Jackson has worked in a variety of roles during his service and has been a pioneering staff member for programs in Starr’s Detroit office, including the Supervised Independent Living and Bridges Toward Responsible Adulthood programs. Jackson has been heavily involved with Starr's strategic plan, helping to outline a future of success for the organization. He is also Executive Director of StarrVista, Inc., a Care Management Organization serving the at-risk and delinquent population of youth residing in the greater Detroit area. In addition to his service at StarrVista and Starr Commonwealth, Jackson has been instrumental in the development of Starr Detroit Academy, a K-5 charter school in Detroit. Jackson is also a certified facilitator for Starr’s racial healing initiative, Glasswing. Jackson is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology. He earned his Master of Arts degree from Wayne State University and is working toward his Doctoral degree in Sociology from Wayne State University with 2013 as his anticipated graduation date.
Senior Vice President of Clinical Research, Starr Commonwealth
Dr. Jim Longhurst joined Starr Commonwealth in 1973 and has been involved in administering and providing clinical services for the organization in Michigan and Ohio. Longhurst oversees all of Starr’s therapeutic models in Michigan and provides clinical direction for increased quality of care, including psychological consultation for children and youth in Starr's programs. Longhurst received his undergraduate degree, his masters in counseling and his doctorate in counseling psychology from Western Michigan University. He’s a member of the American Psychological Association, Michigan Psychological Association, the American Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and is a licensed psychologist. Longhurst is also a lead trainer for Glasswing®, Starr's racial healing initiative. Jim now serves as Director of the Starr Commonwealth Psychology Internship Program.
Dean, Starr Institute for Training
Dr. Larry K. Brendtro, a former Starr Commonwealth president, is one of the nation’s leading experts on children and youth in conflict. In 1997, Brendtro founded Reclaiming Youth International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of proactive policy, training, research, programs and strategies to better serve struggling children and youth. Brendtro has been a professor of special education in the area of behavioral disorders at the University of Illinois, The Ohio State University and Augustana College. He is a licensed psychologist and has authored over 150 publications and 11 books. He is also co-editor of Reclaiming Children and Youth, a professional journal on strength-based interventions with youth at risk. Brendtro is a member of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and has trained professionals in 16 countries. Brendtro has more than 40 years experience in youth work, education and treatment.
Director, The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children™ (TLC)
Author, speaker and professional trainer Caelan Kuban has worked with child care professionals across the country in successful TLC practices for the treatment of traumatized children and families. Kuban’s insights and communication skills have made her a highly regarded teacher and trainer. She is a regular contributor to professional journals on the subject of at-risk and traumatized youth and conducts workshops throughout the year for child care professionals who work with children and families in crisis. Kuban is currently pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology at Cal Southern University.
Founder, The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children™ (TLC)
Since 1990 when he first established The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children™ (TLC), Dr. William Steele has consistently trained professionals to relate to childhood trauma not as a diagnostic category (PTSD), which is deficit-focused, but as a series of sensory experiences, the elements of which are experienced by traumatized children regardless of their culture. In 2009, TLC became part of Starr Institute for Training, where Steele continues to oversee the program that has certified thousands of clinicians and educators worldwide in evidence-based TLC practices. A sought-after speaker and respected author, Steele’s 2001 publication, Structured Sensory Interventions for Traumatized Children, Adolescents and Parents (SITCAP®), is now regarded as the seminal work in therapeutic practices for traumatized youth and families.
Assistant Professor, Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Dr. Robert Foltz has spent more than two decades working with severely troubled youth. His professional experiences include both administrative and clinical responsibilities in the delivery of care to struggling children and teens. His considerable research and experience in the study of psychotropic medication with children and adolescents has led to valuable insights on the integration of these treatments with psychosocial approaches. Foltz is a faculty member at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and maintains a private practice in Illinois, working primarily with youth suffering from emotional and behavioral difficulties.
President, Reclaiming Youth International
Mark Freado is a trainer and consultant with Cal Farley's and President of Reclaiming Youth International. His 30-year professional career encompasses contributions to the mental health field, public education, social services, program development, leadership, consultation and training. He is a master trainer of Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI), a senior trainer of Response Ability Pathways (RAP) and a certified trainer of Situational Leadership II with the Ken Blanchard Company. Freado has worked with private providers and public agencies throughout the United States as well as Canada and Europe, delivering consulting and training services. He holds master’s degrees in counseling and forensic psychology, and he specializes in program development, leadership skills and interventions for at-risk and disadvantaged children, adolescents and their families.