CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center Research Team | Research | Department of Pediatrics | UC Davis Health

Dawn Blacker is a clinical psychologist who is involved in research focused on dissemination of EBT’s including PCIT and trauma-responsive interventions for system-involved youth. She has published on topics related to PCIT, child welfare evaluations, and sexually exploited youth. Dawn Blacker has also created several curriculums with colleagues for services for system-involved youth and their caregivers (i.e., Trauma-Informed Unit Skills Group for Youth Detained in Correctional Setting and Caregiver Skills Group for Caregivers caring for Sexually Exploited Youth).

Publications:

• PubMed

Blake Carmichael is recognized as an expert in the field of child trauma/maltreatment, and he enjoys educating people about evidenced based treatment and assessment. He provides training, consultation, and supervision to various legal, mental health, and social service professionals. Blake Carmichael ensures that system involved children and families (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice) are provided with targeted, effective, and culturally responsive services. He currently supervises and trains clinical staff, doctoral interns, and post-doctoral fellows in the CAARE Center’s APA accredited training program.

Publications:

• PubMed

Michele Ornelas Knight is the Director of the CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center and the Director of the Trauma Recovery Center. Her research interest include improving psychosocial and mental health treatment outcomes for violently injured youth and young adults, improving accessibility and treatment outcomes for child and adolescent trauma survivors, and increasing early detection and treatment of adolescent eating disorders in underserved populations.