ChildBuilders' Approach to Keeping Children Safe
We have been serving the Houston community since 1974. Our mission is to promote mental health and prevent abuse by empowering children, parents, and teachers with assertiveness skills, emotional control, empathy, resilience, and the ability to resolve conflict nonviolently.
ChildBuilders envisions a community where all children are respected, nurtured, and protected.
Solutions
- Educating children through classroom-based primary prevention TEKS-aligned programs, including Stand Strong • Stay Safe
- Supporting parents through outreach, resources, and webinars/workshops
- Supporting educators through professional development and curriculum implementation
Testimonials
Stand Strong • Say Safe
Stand Strong • Stay Safe - Early Childhood
Stand Strong • Stay Safe Early Childhood - Lesson 1: Assertiveness
Please check back soon. This video is currently being revised.
Stand Strong • Stay Safe - Elementary
Stand Strong • Stay Safe Elementary - Lesson 1 Series
This collection of four short videos was developed for educators working remotely during Covid to offer virtual instruction in the Stand Strong • Stay Safe basic skills. You can navigate using the arrows in the box in the top left, or watch the videos in sequence one after the other.
Other Programs
Where Are ChildBuilders' Programs?
Alvin ISD
All Elementary counselors trained in and implementing Stand Strong • Stay Safe during 2024-2025.
Aldine ISD
All counselors in Primary Schools were trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe and plan to implementing during 2024-2025.
BakerRipley Head Start
Stand Strong • Stay Safe - Early Childhood taught in every classroom in Harris and Fort Bend Counties.
• 2023-2024: 1,345 children and 368 parents served.
Cy-Fair ISD
Family and Consumer Sciences and Teen Pregnancy Program teachers are trained in Parents Under Construction and using it as needed.
Fort Bend ISD
Approved provider of child abuse prevention programs. All elementary counselors trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe.
• 2022-2023: 3,448 students served.
• 2023-2024: 15,052 students served.
Galena Park ISD
Select elementary counselors trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe.
• 2022-2023: 1,587 students served.
• 2023-2024: 458 students served, with plans being made to update training for next school year.
Gulf Coast Community Services Association
Stand Strong • Stay Safe - Early Childhood taught in Head Start Center classrooms.
• 2023-2024: 721 children served.
Klein ISD
Klein Oaks High School uses Parents Under Construction and Relationship Smarts Plus as needed with teens who are pregnant and/or parenting.
• 2022-2023: 179 students served.
• 2023-2024: 180 students served.
Lamar CISD
All elementary counselors were trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe in 2022, and we continue to dialog with the district about a sustainable implementation plan.
• 2022-2023: 5,422 students served.
• 2023-2024: 120 students served.
Pasadena ISD
Approved provider of child abuse prevention programs. All elementary counselors trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe.
• 2022-2023: 13,797 children served.
• 2023-2024: 13,772 children served.
Pearland ISD
Approved provider of child abuse prevention programs. All elementary and middle-level counselors trained in Stand Strong • Stay Safe.
• 2022-2023: 5,403 children served.
• 2023-2024: 8,008 children served and two district-wide parenting workshops held.
Santa Fe ISD
All elementary counselors and PE Coaches were trained in the full Stand Strong • Stay Safe in 2024-2025, with plans to implement this year.
Spring Branch ISD
All elementary counselors were trained in the full Stand Strong • Stay Safe in 2024-2025, while several have been teaching the program since 2018.
• 2022-2023: 1,040 students reached.
• 2023-2024: 600 students reached.
Private/Charter Schools
The following schools are using Build to Nurture and/or Stand Strong • Stay Safe to support their students: Amigos Por Vida Charter School, The Awty International School, Big Little School, and Brook Hill School.
Professional Development Services
Educators in the following schools/districts/centers received professional development programming from ChildBuilders: Alief ISD Communities in Schools; BakerRipley; Clear Creek ISD; Cy-Fair ISD; Fort Bend ISD; Galena Park ISD; Goose Creek ISD; Houston ISD; Klein ISD; Lamar CISD; Pasadena ISD; Pearland ISD; Spring Branch ISD; Spring ISD; Amigos Por Vida Charter School; Awty International; Brook Hill School; Collaborative for Children; Epiphany Catholic School; Houston Area Women's Center; NAMI-Houston; Northland Christian; Centerra Ranch Montessori; St. Catherine's Montessori; St. Francis Episcopal School; St. Laurence Catholic School; St. Catherine of Sienna Episcopal School; British International School; Monarch School; Village Early Learning; Yellowstone Schools; and 33 private/in-home childcare centers.
Meet Our Team
Amanda Siroosian, MPH
Amanda stepped into the role of Executive Director of ChildBuilders in 2017 after 10 years of service to the organization. Her public health background provides an ideal perspective from which to improve community mental health.
Gretchen Lash, LMSW
Gretchen joined ChildBuilders as a social work intern in 2008 after nearly 10 years in public education. She is dedicated to developing innovative approaches to preventing violence and abuse.
Janet Pozmantier, MS, LPC, LMFT, RPT
Janet is a licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, and play therapist. Her dedication to ChildBuilders’ mission and vision has spanned three decades.
Priscilla Bagley, MEd
Priscilla holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from Houston Christian University in Elementary Education and Curriculum and Instruction. She joined ChildBuilders in 2014.
