With a team of nearly 40 of the nation’s best researchers and clinical experts, we are transforming the way we treat child and adolescent mental health disorders. We deliver state-of-the-art clinical services to more than 3,000 families each year and provide training through academic programs and continuing education opportunities.
Our mission is to improve the lives of children and families struggling with mental health concerns by:
- Advancing evidence-based knowledge of the causes, mechanisms, outcomes, and interventions for mental health and learning problems of youth
- Promoting the development of effective treatments services to children and families in South Florida
- Disseminating knowledge to students, consumers, and professionals in mental health, education and primary care
Our clinical services and research programs include early childhood services, individual and group programs for parents, group and home-based therapy for children, nationally acclaimed summer camps and video teleconferencing therapy. We help families facing challenges related to ADHD; anxiety and fears; conduct and behavioral problems; family stress and parenting support; mood problems and depression; problems with academics and social skills; and trauma.
In partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and The Children’s Trust, we have trained thousands of local teachers, contributing to improved classroom experiences for students and educators alike.
Meet our Leadership
Executive Director
Dr. Pettit is a licensed psychologist and researcher who has worked at FIU since 2009.
Driven by a desire to improve mental health and well-being in young people, Dr. Pettit specializes in understanding and treating anxiety, depression, and related emotional difficulties.
He has developed and evaluated treatments for these conditions while working with families in the Center for Children and Families, resulting in clinical guidelines for assessing and treating suicidal behaviors in youth, a guide to help teens overcome suicidal thoughts, and best practices for treating anxiety disorders in Hispanic/Latino children.
Director
Dr. Hart is a licensed psychologist, researcher, and professor who has worked at FIU since 2010.
Her community-engaged research seeks to find innovative and sustainable ways to promote school readiness in young children with early learning and behavioral concerns, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all children and their families have a strong foundation for later school success and mental health well-being.
Through her work at the Center for Children and Families, she and her team, along with highly-valued and respected school and community partners, have developed and evaluated a number of early intervention programs to support these efforts, bolster positive early childhood experiences, and increase access to quality, evidence-based care.
Our Founding Director, William E. Pelham, Jr.
Dr. Pelham's vision for the CCF was both simple and monumental: to champion the cause of children's mental health through research, clinical care, and education. Under his leadership from 2010-2023, the CCF evolved into what is now—a world class clinical research center considered one of the largest in the state conducting research on child mental health. The impact of Dr. Pelham's nearly 50-year career is immeasurable, but the results can be found among children all over Miami-Dade County and around the world. The training, mentoring and research to which he dedicated his life will continue to make a difference for children today and for many generations to come.
WNY Satellite Office
The Center for Children and Families of Western New York (WNY) - FIU is a satellite office, located in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Gregory Fabiano and his team have worked in the area for over 20 years, and study effective approaches to help individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the life span.