Mary Ludtke is the manager of Evidence Based Practice and Grants Development Section in the Bureau of Children’s Coordinated Health Policy and Supports at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. She is an active member of cross-system planning and implementation workgroups to ensure access to and behavioral health services for infants, toddlers, children, and their families (Home Visiting Leadership Team, PA 291 Workgroup, etc.).
Mary supports the development and implementation of programs for children with a focus on young children and their families. She has partnered with the University of Michigan to evaluate the Infant Mental Health Home Visiting Model as an evidence-based model. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, in partnership with MiLEAP, provides consultation to childcare providers as well as training statewide to ensure the social emotional development of infants, toddlers, and pre-school aged children. Though a federal grant, the Safe Babies model is being implemented in three Early Childhood Courts (Wayne, St. Clair, and Saginaw Counties) with technical assistance being provided to other interested communities.
Mary directs the Children’s Trauma Initiative which provides training and technical assistance in trauma screening, assessment, and evidence-based models. Mary also directs the implementation of evidence-based models in the public mental health system. They include Parent Management Training—Oregon, Parenting Through Change, the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Initiative (Families Moving Forward, Strengths and Strategies), Motivational Interviewing for Adolescents, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents.
She is active in the development and implementation of integration of behavioral health in primary care models for children, youth, and perinatal women. She works closely with the University of Michigan in the implementation of the Michigan Clinical Consultation and Care (MC3) model across Michigan.
Amy Cowper
Amy Cowper, LMSW is the State Coordinator of the MDHHS Children’s Trauma Initiative (CTI). She oversees the day to day functioning of the Initiative. This includes developing and monitoring project implementation, including program development, planning, fidelity monitoring, continuous quality improvement, and evaluation activities. Amy manages the program budget and contracts, develops project work plans, and reports on program accomplishments and activities. She collaborates with MDHHS, national and in-state training consultants, to develop and execute implementation and evaluation activities. Prior to her role as Coordinator, Amy served as the CTI Training and implementation Specialist. She is a trained Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy clinician. Amy has been an educator for Trauma Informed Parenting classes and assisted in the creation, development, and instruction of a Trauma Adult Group. She has also provided both individual and group Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and two children as well as relaxing in northern Michigan.
Holly Cranmer-Fosdick
Holly Cranmer-Fosdick, LMSW is the Children’s Trauma Initiative (CTI) Training and Implementation Specialist. Holly has worked with children and families for over 15 years in various roles including; juvenile justice, foster care and as a home based mental health clinician. She is a graduate of Michigan State School of Social work. In her current work she supports clinicians and supervisors across the state of Michigan during their participation in the various CTI Learning Collaborative trainings.
Paul Dripchak
Paul Dripchak is a licensed clinical social worker and has been working with children and families since 2007. He initially worked with CEI-Community Mental Health as a home-based family therapist and then in emergency services with children and families. In that role, he was trained in TF-CBT and implemented it with families and children. He was then stealthily ripped away from CMH by Michigan State University for 5 years during which time he acted as academic advisor and fixed-term faculty in the School of Social Work. He taught clinical social work courses, supported MSW students, and supervised field placements and student groups.
Paul has been with the Children’s Trauma Initiative since January 2022 and is excited to be working in a macro social work position to continue to support trauma training and implementation across the state!
Gabrielle Arnold
Gabrielle Arnold is the Program Secretary for the Children’s Trauma Initiative (CTI). Gabrielle has worked at the Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham for over 5 years, working in various positions from residential care with adults in Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) to other secretarial positions within the agency. In her current work, she supports the CTI team in facilitating trainings for the Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSP) across the state. While working to finish her Bachelors in Social Work Gabrielle continues to serve in her community.
