Newton resident receives Horace Mann Spirit of Service 2016 Award

Antioch University New England has named Carmela J. DeCandia, of Newton, a recipient of the 2016 Horace Mann Spirit of Service Alumni Award.

DeCandia is a licensed clinical child psychologist with specialties in child and adolescent development, family homelessness, trauma, program development and assessment. As the director of Child and Family Initiatives with the Center for Social Innovation and a t3 faculty, she advocates for and develops evidence based, best practices to serve vulnerable children and families. For more than 25 years, she worked on the ground with children and families struggling against a variety of life adversities. An advocate for trauma-informed, family centered services, she lent her voice to inform the national dialogue as the director of the National Center on Family Homelessness. As clinical director and vice president of St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children in Dorchester, for 12 years, she translated research on trauma and resiliency into programs for young families.

DeCandia has taught courses on child assessment, counseling young children, and traumatic stress in the lives of children and adolescents as adjunct faculty at Lesley University, and is currently on the faculty of Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Harvard Medical School where she lectures on psychological development throughout the lifespan.

DeCandia has a doctorate in psychology from Antioch New England and a mastery certificate in trauma and recovery from the Harvard program in refugee trauma.

Recently, DeCandia helped launched The Bassuk Center on Homeless and Vulnerable Children and Youth. She is now establishing an independent consulting practice.

The awards will be presented at the sixth annual Horace Mann Spirit of Service Awards event on Sept. 16, at the Keene Country Club, 755 W. Hill Road, Keene, New Hampshire.

The Horace Mann Spirit of Service Awards are named in honor of Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president and a noted abolitionist and educator. The award program recognizes individuals “who have won victories for humanity,” through their work and volunteerism. By celebrating these individuals and honoring Mann’s ideals, AUNE continues its commitment to public service, community engagement, diversity, lifelong learning, sustainability, and social justice.