Project COMPASS (Connecting Military Parents through Advocacy, Support, and Shared Experience) is offering a certificate program designed to help military parents of children with special needs to establish baseline knowledge and skills to serve as a Peer Support Navigator. The certificate was designed based on findings from existing research literature; Georgetown’s expertise in training peer support workers, drawn from faculty content experts and experience training and deploying peer support workers across various programs and settings; and was further adapted to meet the unique needs of military-connected families based on information gathered through key informant interviews.

At the end of this 12-session course, participants will have the foundational knowledge and skills to utilize their lived experience to support other military-connected families caring for a child with mental, emotional, developmental and/or behavioral (MEDB) needs as they navigate systems, programs, and potential barriers to care.

Program at a Glance

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Utilize their lived experience and trained peer support skills to provide structured support, from intake through referral and wrap-up, with a military-connected family caring for a child (birth through age 12 years) with an MEDB concern.
• Apply foundational knowledge of child development, common neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders, and evidence-informed screening practices to identify family needs and inform shared goal-setting.
• Navigate military-specific healthcare, education, and community support systems (e.g. Tricare, EFMP, EDIS) to connect families with appropriate services and resources.
• Demonstrate professional competencies (e.g. active listening, cultural humility, building trust, boundary setting) throughout the peer support relationship.
• Maintain organized case documentation, monitor family progress towards goals, and coordinate service referrals with appropriate follow-through.
• Practice ongoing self-care and reflective supervision strategies to sustain personal well-being and professional effectiveness in the peer support role.

Syllabus

To be added. Check back soon!

Andrea Israel, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with experience working across diverse clinical, academic, and federal settings, including university medical centers, community hospitals, private practice, and military installations. Much of her work has focused on enhancing child and family outcomes when youth present with mental health, emotional, developmental, and behavioral (MEDB) concerns. She also has a passion for supporting providers’ engagement in culturally responsive, to include with military-connected families. Dr. Israel currently serves as an independent contractor and subject matter expert on military youth and families with various institutions, including Georgetown University, and also as an affiliated faculty member of the Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology at Uniformed Services University.

Hillary A. Robertson, MPH, CHES is an Assistant Professor at the Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities at Georgetown University. Ms. Robertson received her Master of Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Her work sits at the intersection of mental health, community engagement, and family well-being. With over a decade of experience, she designs and leads rigorous research on community-based mental health promotion and prevention programs serving young children and families, drawing on the full range of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Her research focuses on three interconnected priorities: expanding access to mental health services in underserved communities, supporting the early childhood workforce, and building peer support infrastructure for families who need it most. Her training in public health, combined with deep familiarity with the challenges facing underserved children and families, shapes how she approaches every project: from community-engaged feasibility studies and workforce development initiatives to peer support programs designed to scale.

The Certificate program is a cohort-based, competitive program with a selective admission process. An application is required to enroll in the program. To apply, please complete the application form, upload a copy of your resume/CV, and submit a statement of purpose.

Program Prerequisites

You must hold a high school/general education diploma with lived experience. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree or higher are also encouraged to apply as the educational space is blended with individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition for military-connected families is supported by a grant from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. A limited number of spots are available for this initial offering.

Contact Us

For questions about the program, please contact Hillary Robertson at hillary.robertson@georgetown.edu with “Project COMPASS Certificate Program” in the subject line.