A Miami-Dade programme supported by Nova Southeastern University emphasises training and coordination for adults to enhance children’s social, emotional, and academic growth, signalling a shift towards systemic adult-focused interventions in child welfare.
A recent episode of the School Psyched podcast turned to a familiar tension in child development: when adults try to solve children’s problems, what actually helps, and what can get in the way. The discussion centred on David Reitman, a professor of psychology at Nova Southeastern University, whose work has long focused on child behavioural problems, behaviour management and parenting practices. His role also reflects a wider theme in youth services: children often benefit most when the adults around them are trained, coordinated and consistent.
Reitman is director of the ADHD Assessment Consultation and Treatment programme at Nova Southeastern University and has taught there since 2001, after six years at Louisiana State University. Nova Southeastern University says he earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi in 1995 and has written nearly 50 publications on child behaviour and discipline-related topics. He has also edited books on child assessment and served on editorial boards covering child behaviour therapy and behavioural disorders.
That background fits closely with his long-running work on Project RISE, an out-of-school quality improvement initiative funded by The Children’s Trust in Miami-Dade County. According to Nova Southeastern University, the programme is designed to help youth development agencies improve the care they provide by supporting health and safety, academic progress, and social and emotional development. The university says the initiative uses training and evaluation to help programmes create better conditions for learning and growth, while also working with The Children’s Trust on data analysis and outcomes.
Project RISE says its quality standards were shaped by input from parents, children, agency staff, administrators, and school and community leaders. Those standards cover areas such as interactions, staff development, activities, inclusion, programme structure, space and furnishings, and effective programme elements. The initiative also works with partners including FIU Reading Explorers and the Miami-Dade Campaign for Grade Level Reading, reflecting a broader view that support for children extends well beyond the classroom and depends heavily on the adults and systems around them.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
