Coming soon

Dolores Subia BigFoot, PhD

A trained child psychologist and Professor directing the Native American Programs at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect at OUHSC. Funded since 1994 by the Children’s Bureau, she has directed Project Making Medicine and from 2003 she has directed the Indian Country Child Trauma Center where she was instrumental in the cultural adapted interventions of evidence based treatments. Under her guidance, four EBTs were adapted for American Indian and Alaska Native families in Indian Country titled the Honoring Children Series. One of the four is Honoring Children, Making Relatives, a cultural adaptation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, for use with AI/AN children and their families. It incorporates AI/AN teachings, practices, rituals, traditions, and cultural orientation while maintaining the guiding principles and theory of PCIT.

Dr. BigFoot has over 15 published articles and chapters, including the lead author of the recent publication, “Adapting Evidence-Based Treatments for Use with American Indians and Native Alaskan Children and Youth.” Dr. BigFoot has served as PI on thirteen federally funded projects. Another distinction has been her service on the SAMHSA/CMHS National Advisory Council, National Network to Eliminate Health Disparities, and on the working groups for the Indian Health Service and the National Indian Child Welfare Association. She was selected to attend the White House conference on children’s mental health, is Past President of the Society of Indian Psychologists. She serves as an advisor to the home visitation tribal grantees and the NRC4Tribes both funded by the Children’s Bureau; these address various concerns dealing with child welfare issues with American Indian and Alaska Native tribal grantees.

Dr. BigFoot has over 30 years of experience and is knowledgeable about the concerns of implementation and adaptation of evidenced based practices being introduced into Indian Country. She is well aware of the research, mental health, and sovereignty issues raised by tribes and tribal organizations. Her knowledge in providing improved and effective services to Indian Country is highly valued.

The objectives of the ICCTC are to develop trauma-related treatment protocols based on current evidence-based models that have been adapted for use with Native populations; provide training in the protocols and disseminate the developed materials throughout Indian Country; and provide treatment providers with resources to intervene with Native children and their families exposed to various types of trauma. The materials developed by the ICCTC will incorporate Native cultural perspectives and traditions and are sufficiently flexible to accommodate the substantial variability in cultural practices among Native people.

Susan S. Schmidt, PhD

A licensed Counseling Psychologist and an Associate Professor at the OUHSC Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. She has expertise in design, implementation and evaluation of clinical interventions in the areas of domestic violence, child trauma, adolescent illegal sexual behavior, and child maltreatment. She is a national and international trainer in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She currently serves as the director of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services – funded Child Trauma Services program that provides statewide training and consultation to mental health treatment providers in evidence-based assessment and treatment interventions (including TF-CBT) for trauma-exposed children and families.

Dr. Schmidt co-developed the TF-CBT adaptation for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families, Honoring Children – Mending the Circle, with fellow CCAN faculty member, Dr. Dolores Subia BigFoot. Dr. Schmidt also serves as PI on a 5-year DHHS-funded Regional Partnership Grant to enhance outcomes for children impacted by parental substance abuse. In addition to leading the grant’s research efforts, Dr. Schmidt is the lead developer of the New Directions group program curriculum for foster children impacted by parental substance abuse and their foster parents.

Regina S. Ertz, Ph.D.

Regina S. Ertz, Ph.D., is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in north central South Dakota. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND. She successfully completed her educational goals in order to begin her journey in providing psychological support to Native people, Oyáte. Dr. Ertz completed her Clinical Psychology Internship and Residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) with an emphasis on working with children/adolescents who have experienced trauma and suicide ideation/loss in underserved populations. She is a Licensed Psychologist and currently working with the Fort Belknap Indian Community Aaniiih-Nakoda Behavioral Health.

Dr. Ertz has embraced a collaborative, nonjudgmental, trauma and diversity-informed approach to treatment. She is committed to incorporating traditional American Indian values in conjunction with therapeutic practices in providing support to Native children/youth, their families, and the community, if appropriate. Dr. Ertz maintains advanced training in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Habit Reversal training, and Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) in school-aged children/adolescents. In addition to these trainings, Dr. Ertz has extensively participated in the implementation of treatment and training for the cultural enhancement of TF-CBT, Honoring Children Mending the Circle (HCMC), when working with American Indian children/youth who have experienced trauma. She has received mentorship and guidance in HCMC cultural enhancement with the support of co-founder, Dr. Deloris Bigfoot, Ph.D. Dr. Ertz specializes in treating the following:

• Early childhood development, child psychology, behavioral problems in children
• Trauma, anxiety, phobia, grief, suicide intervention/safety planning, crisis intervention
• Assessment/treatment of children/adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Treatment/intervention of children/youth who engage in problematic sexual behaviors
• Psychological evaluations/testing for neurocognitive disorders, such as ADHD, intellectual disabilities, learning disorders, speech/language, auditory processing, developmental delays, cognitive impairments/memory, dementia, etc.
• Family systems intervention/wellbeing, chaotic family dynamics, interpersonal relationships, complex trauma
• Substance use, supporting families with chronic substance use

Dr. Ertz’s clinical activities focuses on providing evidenced-based interventions, cognitive-behavioral methods, and prevention interventions across the lifespan. She is sincerely passionate about psychology and assisting individuals in understanding the human experience in order to promote emotional/mental wellbeing. Dr. Ertz has grown up on and off the reservation and understands the unique hardships that Native people experience living on the reservation. She is committed in providing a safe space through listening/understanding and fostering resiliency to help children/youth and their families rise to meet personal challenges.

Fun Fact: On weekends, you will find Dr. Ertz with her husband and two young children training/enjoying their animals (i.e., dogs/horses) and spending time outdoors.

Emily Sargent, PhD, LP

A licensed clinical psychologist at Sanford Health and Sanford Research in North Dakota. Her expertise specifically lies in research and treatment in traumatic stress in tribal communities. She is a former Indians into Psychology Doctoral Education student (Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, University of North Dakota) and a tribal member of The White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Additionally, she is the Cultural Diversity Director for the North Dakota Treatment Collaborative for Traumatized Youth, which is a grant program committed to the dissemination of mental health evidence-based treatments for traumatized children. Dr. Sargent specifically focuses on disseminating culturally informed care practices to child serving disciplinaries and increasing access to traumatic stress treatments for Native American communities.

Beverly W Funderburk, Ph.D.

Beverly W Funderburk, Ph.D. is a Professor of Research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Dr. Funderburk is a Global Trainer in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and President of the Board of Directors of PCIT International. With Dr. Sheila Eyberg, the developer of PCIT, she is the co-author of the PCIT treatment protocol. Dr. Funderburk is active in PCIT training, treatment, and research. Her research interests include issues of training and dissemination in PCIT and cultural applications.