极乐禁地

Since 1988, relentless outreach has been the foundation of ., a Chelsea-based nonprofit that took shape after policy work identified teen pregnancy as a major barrier keeping young people in poverty. Thirty-seven years later, the organization鈥檚 mission鈥攖o relentlessly disrupt violence by engaging young people, police, and systems to heal trauma, find hope, and drive change鈥攔emains strong. On Tuesday, April 29, Founder & Chief Executive Officer Molly Baldwin and colleagues presented a weekday webinar to demonstrate how they are using brain science to disrupt violence before it happens. Their work with at-risk individuals stretches from Hartford, Connecticut to Baltimore, Maryland (where Baldwin was spurred to issues of juvenile justice during her own adolescence) and spans the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts; with the help of engaged institutions and a committed staff, Baldwin's efforts at Roca have helped over 25,000 young people make positive and profound changes in their lives. A graduate of UMASS Amherst, Baldwin will receive an Honorary Degree during the 2025 极乐禁地 Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 8.

WHO

 鈥淲e meet young people, ages 16 to 24 at acute and elevated risk, who are not served by traditional programs because they are not ready to show up,鈥� says Baldwin who founded Roca to target young people at the highest risk, including individuals deeply engaged in violence and crime; most likely to shoot or be shot; tragically experiencing complex trauma and multi-systems involvement; and, in most cases, those with a history of incarceration.

鈥淎ll three of us are youth workers at heart,鈥� says Baldwin, pointing to her colleagues on the panel: Managing Director & Co-Developer of Rewire CBT Anisha Chablani-Medley and  Assistant Director of Roka's Chelsea's Men's Program Victoria Ramirez-Morales. Roca鈥檚 robust front-line staff meet young people 365 a year via two levers for change: the Intervention Model boasts direct service while the Impact Institute equips institutions and individuals at the center of urban violence with tools and strategies to improve outcomes for young people. 

WHAT

Enter Rewire CBT, a seven-skill approach to cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) designed for frontline staff to help young people learn and practice the lifesaving skills they need to heal from trauma and make healthier choices. Developed in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, Rewire CBT helps organizations overcome traditional barriers to access, preparing frontline staff to reach the highest-risk young people not consistently served in clinical settings.

 鈥淵oung people at the center of urban violence need a person, a grownup with eyes on them,鈥� says Baldwin underscoring an emphasis on safety, stability, and connection. Rewire CBT is designed to teach emotional and behavioral regulation and to help young people practice these skills, which includes an inordinate amount of time navigating systems.

鈥淲hat we know is that the brain, at this age, has both elasticity and plasticity鈥攎aking it a very successful age to work on change,鈥� says Baldwin, underscoring a process (of rebuilding neural pathways to the prefrontal cortex) that can take anywhere from 18 to 24 months. As to the goal? 鈥淸Helping young people] learn to take an 8 to 12 second pause between what they think and feel and what they do,鈥� says Baldwin of work around making decisions that often gets done 鈥渋n the relapse鈥�. That said, Chablani-Medley makes one thing exceedingly clear: 

鈥淏ehaviors don鈥檛 define us,鈥� she says, emphasizing that many result from being stuck in survival mode. As it turns out, understanding brain science is the key to helping people change behaviors over time. 鈥淩ewire CBT is an evidence-based practice that [helps young people] to gain the skills and capacity [needed] to make healthy choices and move toward safety,鈥� says Chablani-Medley of a model that鈥檚 been proven to work.

WHERE

鈥淥ur programming is fully mobile,鈥� says Chablani-Medley, underscoring that work with at-risk youth happens in real time鈥攐n courthouse benches while awaiting probation hearings and at kitchen tables. And because the approach is non-clinical, it鈥檚 approachable. 鈥淭his is a skill-based intervention鈥攐ne built on cognitive behavioral theory鈥攖hat allows us to meet young people where they are because it鈥檚 short, simple, and flexible,鈥� says Chablani-Medley, pointing to another plus: Because it鈥檚 non-clinical, it鈥檚 approachable. At the core of this method is understanding the Think, Feel, Do Cycle and learning the seven Rewire CBT skills: 

1. Be Present

2. Label Your Feelings

3. Move It

4. Act on Your Values

5. Stick With It

6. Flex Your Thinking

7. Solve It

An important part of the conversation hinges on tolerating discomfort rather than avoiding it鈥攅specially in situations from going for an interview to starting a new job鈥攁 skill essential to advancing in life. 

WHY + HOW

Ramirez-Morales, a native of El Salvador, has been working with youth in Chelsea for over a decade. A fearless advocate for participants and their legal, social, and educational success, she has helped shape the Central American Youth Initiative where she鈥檚 been at the core of the initiative's success. She shared anecdotes from two young people using Rewire CBT in real time: 

One young person, who was using his motorcycle to make UberEats deliveries, was stopped by police with no explanation. When asked what gang he represented, the young man felt triggered and thought to respond with anger. Instead, he took the pause Chablani-Medley referenced and asked if he could phone his youth worker鈥攁nd the officer agreed.

鈥淭he Harrison before would have lashed at the officer, gotten arrested and taken them to the station; instead, he took a pause鈥攚as able to acknowledge that he was having a cycle鈥攁nd made a choice to call the youth worker. He showed he was feeling emotion, chose not to respond [in the old way], and avoided being arrested. This is Rewire CBT in action,鈥� says Ramirez-Morales, noting that the police officer later called Roca鈥檚 director to offer kudos to the youth worker. 

The second story begins with a young person who took a long time to trust Ramirez-Morales, his youth worker at the time. 鈥淲e had been practicing Rewire CBT, but Jose was reactionary,鈥� she says, recounting a day when the high school student hurt someone in the bathroom and left campus before anyone found out. When he got home, he decided to call Ramirez-Morales. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to go to jail, what do I do鈥攕hould I leave the state, or do I go back to El Salvador?鈥� he asked, quickly escalating from 0 to 100. Ramirez-Morales got him to pause, assured him that they were in this together, and encouraged him to do CBT and go through the cycle. With prompting, Jose was able to admit: 鈥淚 was angry, but then I lost control and panicked. I think I just ruined my life; there鈥檚 nothing I can do.鈥� Ramirez-Morales reminded him he could not undo what had been done, but he still had a choice as to what happens next鈥攁nd together they laid out the options. The young man got uncomfortable, turned himself into the police, faced the consequences, and had Ramirez-Morales by his side the entire time; today, he has a successful restaurant career in Boson.

鈥淭hese stories represent that so often, deep emotional trauma often keeps [young people] in reaction mode until they learn the skills to make the hard choice to do something different and move forward,鈥� says Chablani-Medley, adding that the skill building is ongoing.

鈥淚t takes repetition and constant practice to equip young people with the tools to change behavior over time,鈥� she says, nodding to the more than 1,200 young people Roca works with every year鈥攐nly a handful of whom are mandated to do so. Their annual retention rate of 81% accounts for early deaths, incarceration, and out-of-state moves.

鈥淐BT does work,鈥� says Ramirez-Morales, who credits the success of Roca's intervention model鈥攐ne of the most effective interventions for young adults at critical risk in the entire nation鈥攚ith showing up and staying with people. 

鈥淵ou have to be willing to bang on doors and be the program,鈥� says Baldwin, sharing a sentiment with which Ramirez-Morales agrees. 

鈥淲e don鈥檛 walk away; if a young person is not telling me how annoying I鈥檓 being, I鈥檓 not doing my job.鈥�

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