WHAT IS PRIMARY PROJECT?

Primary Project is a tier two prevention program to help children in pre-K to 3rd grade adjust to the school community using a child-centered play approach.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Primary Project was built on decades of research conducted by Children’s Institute. Children who participate in Primary Project have been shown to:

have more confidence
have improved attendance
be better able to connect to school
more successfully interact with peers and adults

EVIDENCE-BASED FOUNDATION

Primary Project is the flagship program of Children’s Institute, developed by Dr. Emory L. Cowen in 1957 and was first implemented in the Rochester City School District.
Dr. Cowen is largely considered to be the father of community psychology and was a student of Abraham Maslow, who famously developed the Hierarchy of Needs.
Building on it's rich history, Primary Project stays grounded in evidence-based program implementation guided by best practices to support ongoing research, resources, and training nationwide.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Built on Strong Relationships: Selected students work with a child associate who establishes a positive relationship through play. Child associates are supervised by a school mental health professional.
Play-based Approach: Child associates meet with students in a dedicated playroom for 12-15 sessions using a child-centered therapeutic play approach.
Data-driven Decision-making: Children are screened using a standardized tool called the Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS) to inform program selection. T-CRS results are analyzed before and after the intervention is complete.

Six Core Components:

SEE PRIMARY PROJECT IN ACTION

PRIMARY PROJECT PROUD

Improved Social-Emotional Health

T-CRS data from 2024-2025 highlights improved Assertive Social Skills for

81%*

of students who received Primary Project services for this area of concern.

*Collected from Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS) data for NYSED funded schools in the 2024-2025 school year

Declines in Chronic Absenteeism

Students who participated in Primary Project programming were

51%*

less likely to be chronically absent than similar students who did not participate.

*Lotyczewski, B. S., et al. (2023). The effect of the Primary Project program on school attendance in early childhood. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 1–13

PARTNERSHIPS

GET INVOLVED!

Start a Program in New York:

If your district or school is located in New York State, you may be eligible for funding. Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open until Friday, January 9, 2026.

Learn More and Apply Here!

Missed our December 2 information session? View a recording here.

To explore opportunities to begin a program using district funding, please reach out to Shelley Sanyshyn at ssanyshyn@childrensinsitute.net

All Other States:

To learn more about how to start a Primary Project program in your state, school, or district, reach out to Lynn Smith at lsmith@childrensinstitute.net