“I just wanted someone to pour me a cup of tea and tell me, “I’ve been through something similar and I’m here to listen.”
- James, dad of Eli (17)
Alongside is built by families for families—in deep partnership with leading researchers around the world. Our work is evidence-based, family-centered, and focuses on interventions that are both easy to implement and highly scalable.
A Foundation of Listening & Trust
Set the Vision
We began Alongside with a clear, ambitious roadmap to redefine standards of care and integrate trauma informed care into the patient and post-discharge experience for families with a child who has experienced a life-threatening illness or injury.
2021
Initial Research & Validation
After assessing leading research in the field globally and determining what would achieve the greatest impact on families, we collaborated to launch our first Alongside Network Wellbeing Groups for parents/caregivers. These groups rely on the highly-researched "Take a Breath” (TAB) curriculum, which was developed using the highest level of scientific rigor by Dr. Frank Muscara, Dr. Meredith Rayner, and partners at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. These groups were the first of their kind in the U.S.
2022
Proof of Concept
Alongside achieved proof of concept with overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents and caregivers. It became overwhelmingly clear the program transferred easily to a U.S. context, offering immediate, tangible coping tools, validation, and community connection.
93% of parents/caregivers agreed that the Wellbeing Groups provided tools to cope with stressful situations
95% agreed that the group helped them feel less isolated
100% of participants would recommend the group to others
80% of participants reported they wished they had been introduced to the TAB skills while their child was hospitalized.
2023
System Integration
In responding to the needs expressed by families, “I wish we had learned about Alongside while we were in the hospital.” We experimented with our first hospital-based partnership in the NICU at the Masonic Children’s Hospital, where we trained providers in-unit while supporting parents/caregivers post-discharge.
2024
Scaling Impact & Professional Training
In partnership with the MN Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics, and supported by the MN Department of Health, we developed and delivered a set of five trainings focused on Secondary Traumatic Stress and Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress.. These trainings were available to over 4,000 pediatricians and family practice doctors across the state. In addition, we developed a curriculum focused on provider coping skills. All provider-facing programming was now supported by leading Ph.D-level researchers.
2025
Our Future Vision of Care
A New Standard of Care: Mental health support is as normalized and expected as physical rehabilitation, such as cardiac rehab following a heart attack.
Integrated Trauma Mitigation: Hospitals and providers automatically integrate trauma-informed care into the patient experience to proactively address Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress.
Support for Every Family: Every parent facing a child's life-threatening illness has immediate access to Wellbeing Groups and practical tools to combat isolation and stress.
Lived-Experience Leadership: Medical protocols and support systems are continuously refined based on a foundation of listening and trust with the families who have lived through these crises.
Join A Wellbeing Group
Wellbeing Groups are a free resource for parents and caregivers who have a child that has experienced a life-threatening illness or injury. These groups are designed to provide a supportive community and practical tools for navigating the unique challenges of medical trauma.
Join us!