"Dr. Carmela DeCandia is without doubt one of the strongest, most effective, and most tireless advocates of vulnerable families in the U.S., especially for families that struggle with housing instability. Her advocacy and consultation is solidly grounded in the latest research on child development, family psychology, and homelessness; furthermore, she actively contributes important work to this base of knowledge. Dr. DeCandia’s early background in direct services drives her passion for families and her ability to provide “real world” expertise as a consultant."
Mary Haskett, Ph.D. Professor, North Carolina State University
News & Media
Featured News
Dr. DeCandia to Present at International Conferences to Support Child Development Globally
Dr. DeCandia will serve as an Organizing Committee Member and Co-Chair of the 2nd International Maternal and Child Health Conference to be held in Porto, Portugal on November 4th, 2019. As an invited keynote speaker, her talk will focus on: Parenting as Mediator: Impact on Self-Regulation, Social Skills, and Neurocognitive Development During Early Childhood.
This international forum contributes the best of new knowledge from around the globe in the field of Women’s Health and Child Heath. See https://www.womenhealthcongress.org/
Dr. DeCandia will present a keynote address at the 2nd World Congress on Pediatrics and Child Care. November 04 – 05, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. Pediatrics & Child Care 2019 is a global platform for professionals, researchers, students, and healthcare industrialists to meet and share their creative ideas to support children’s health and development.
Dr. DeCandia will present a keynote address titled An Ecological Perspective to Screening Young Children for Risk and Resilience. This global field of social pediatrics focuses on child health in an ecological context. She will share the newly developed innovative screening tool NEST (Neurodevelopmental Ecological Screening Tool) with the global pediatric community. See https://www.pediatricsconference.org/.
In The News
September 2018
Dr. DeCandia joins the Board of Directors of Kettlebells4kids (K4K) — a registered 501(c)(3) (non-profit) organization built to raise awareness and funds to support 2.5 million homeless kids in America. Founded in 2015, we have already enlisted over 100 CrossFit boxes and other gyms to host our nationwide, fundraising WOD. To date we have raised over $300,000 to bring active play and fitness to nearly 3,000 homeless kids living in shelters across 32 states.
To learn more Read: 10 Things You Should Know.
October 2017
Homeless Women Aren’t Getting The Mental Health Support They Need & This Is The Cost
In honor of World Mental Health Day, we’re shedding a light on the true story of homeless women across America. From the untold circumstances that brought it on, to the lack of trauma care given to them, the odds are stacked against these women. The topic: A look at the struggles homeless women with mental illness face — and how we can help them.
November 2016
Dr. DeCandia discusses the importance of play and fitness for homeless children and supports Kettlebells4kids! Read more and watch the video on WCVB Channel 5 news.
September 2016
On September 16, 2016 Dr. DeCandia accepted the Antioch New England Alumni Horace Mann Spirit of Service Award. DeCandia was recognized for her unwavering commitment to social justice and for decades of work to improve research, practice, and policies for the nation’s most vulnerable children and families, and the organizational systems that serve them. Read more at:
https://www.antioch.edu/new-england/2016/09/29/psyd-graduate-carmela-decandia-inspires-us/ and at http://newton.wickedlocal.com/article/20160606/NEWS/160607366
Read more about Dr. DeCandia’s early career at: https://www.antioch.edu/new-england/stories/carmela-decandia-psyd-99/
April 2015
Services Matter
HAPHousing in Springfield, MA hosted a panel discussion, “Services Matter: How Housing and Services Can End Family Homelessness” led by Dr. Carmela DeCandia of The Bassuk Center on Homeless and Vulnerable Children & Youth in Boston. http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2016/04/haphousing_hosts_panel_services_matter_h.html
“Dr. Carmela DeCandia is without doubt one of the strongest, most effective, and most tireless advocates of vulnerable families in the U.S., especially for families that struggle with housing instability. Her advocacy and consultation is solidly grounded in the latest research on child development, family psychology, and homelessness; furthermore, she actively contributes important work to this base of knowledge. Dr. DeCandia’s early background in direct services drives her passion for families and her ability to provide “real world” expertise as a consultant.”
Mary Haskett, Ph.D. Professor, North Carolina State University
Podcasts and Videos
October 2017 Bridge of Hope Annual Conference. Akron, PA. Joint Session 1 Part 1: Assessing Families Experiencing Homelessness
October 2017 Joint Session 1 Part 2: Assessing Families Experiencing Homelessness
October 2017 Bridge of Hope Annual Conference. Akron, PA. Joint Session: Building Resilience
June 2017 Congressional Briefing on Family Homelessness and Child Well-Being on Capitol Hill
Scholars and advocates joined with the American Psychological Association to present the most up to date evidence on ways to address improve outcomes and child well-being for families experiencing homelessness. Based on the 2017 special edition publication of Advances in Child and Family Policy and Practice, five panelists presented. Listen to Dr. DeCandia present on Assessing Families Experiencing Homelessness: Towards a New Framework. The entire congressional briefing can be viewed here.
May 2016 Doris Duke Fellowship webinar
Carmela J. DeCandia, Psy.D. & Jenna Montgomery Amrstrong, MA, presented a webinar on the need for integrated housing and services to address family homeless. They reviewed the state of the evidence and concluded with implications for research, practice, and policy This webinar was delivered to fellows of the Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being, sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. Dr. DeCandia serves as a policy mentor on child & family homelessness for Ms. Armstrong, a doctoral student studying the impact of an evidenced based parenting program for homeless families at North Carolina State University. The full webinar can be accessed here.
October 2015 Dawn Jahn Moses Memorial Lecture – Sponsored by the Center for Social Innovation
- Impact of Trauma on Children Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkbI70ESBb4
- Homeless Families and Intimate Partner Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxpdHAbHf8
- Families Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Homelessness: Supporting Resiliency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyfEozQGwHw
- Building Resiliency for Children Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO4Fnks_U8Q
- Creating Trauma Informed Services https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnXBtcZhG5A
April, 2014 Panel discussion about the future wellbeing of New York City’s homeless children. Hosted by Women in Need (WIN) at WNYC.
The Real Face of Homelessness: Breaking the Cycle for NYC’s Children in Shelter. Watch here.