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Trauma Initiatives and Resources

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Trauma Initiatives and Resources
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DBHIDS Trauma Initiatives and Resources

DBHIDS is engaged and positioned to address the behavioral health challenges experienced by Philadelphians across a variety of traumatic experiences. Our strategy includes administering existing programming, increased stakeholder engagement at the CBO and community level, inclusion of best practices identified across the country, and developing new programming to ensure populations most impacted by immediate and prolonged trauma are given the resources, tools, and supports to heal and ultimately thrive.

RESOURCE NUMBERS

DBHIDS Trauma-Focused Initiatives

DBHIDS Trauma-Focused Initiatives

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – serves individuals (youth)

Prolonged Exposure Therapy – serves individuals (adults)

Intensive Behavioral Health Services – serves individuals (youth)

Re-Cast Grant – serves individual s and communities (youth, adults)

Philadelphia Crisis Line – serves individuals (youth, adults)

Crisis Intervention Training/Crisis Intervention Response Teams – serves individuals (adults)

Network of Neighbors Responding to Violence – serves communities (youth and adults)

Porch Light Program – serves communities (adults)

Engaging Males of Color – serves communities (adults)

Peer Culture and Community Inclusion – serves communities (adults)

Community Wellness and Engagement Unit – serves communities (adults)

Mobile Outreach and Recovery Services – serves communities (adults)

Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities Planning Initiative – serves communities (adults)

Trauma Awareness Trainings – trainings

BHTEN Trauma Trainings – trainings

Behavioral Health Screenings – website and media resources

Mental Health First Aid – website and media resources

Invisible Opioids – website and media resources

MindPHL Together – website and media resources

Boost Your Mood – website and media resources

Philadelphia Cease Fire – hospital-based program

Healing Hurt People – hospital-based programs

Philadelphia Alliance for Child Trauma Services (PACTS) – youth and families

Student Assistance Program (SAP) – Serves individuals (youth and adults)

Suicide Prevention (SOS) – Serves individuals(youth and adults)

Support Team for Education Project (STEP) -Serves individuals (youth)

Crisis Response Centers (CRC’s) – serves communities

Urgent Care/PATH UCC – serves communities (adults and youth)

SDOH – serves communities (youth and adults)

DEI Healing Spaces – Serves communities(adults)

Philadelphia System of Care (PSOC) – Serves communities (adults)

ReCast Provider Trainings – Serves communities (youth and adults)

Faith and Spiritual Affairs – Serves communities (youth and adults)

Warm Hand Off Program (WHO) – Serves communities (youth and adults)

Additional Trauma Initiatives

Additional Trauma Initiatives

Office of Violence Prevention

Office of Domestic Violence Strategies

Community Crisis Intervention Program (CCIP) – Responds to neighborhood crises with mediation and resources and a willingness to support anyone looking for a peaceful solution. (215) 800-4611

Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia Provides counseling and victim services. (215) 567-6776

Bereavement Supports

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Office for Victims of Crime

Prevent Connect

Department of Human Services

SAMSHA

The National Trauma Campaign

SAMHSA Resources in response to mass shootings


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KEY RESOURCES

Network of Neighbors Trauma Response Network

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Network of Neighbors Trauma Response Network
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Network of Neighbors: A Trauma Response Network

Who We Are

The Network of Neighbors Trauma Response Network is composed of community members trained to support — and lead — responses to stress, trauma, loss, and violence within their own communities.

The Network is not a violence-prevention or anti-violence program. Instead, the Network is focused on addressing the impact of trauma on individuals and communities.

What the Network of Neighbors Offers one-pager (PDF)

By supporting those closest to what happened, we not only address their trauma — which is so often forgotten about — but we may actually be supporting the “direct victim” and their family more effectively. This is because “direct victims” are more likely to accept help from those they know and trust — especially in the immediate aftermath of an incident.

The Network does not just respond to violence. The Network responds to whatever the community experiences as violence, loss, stress, or trauma. Network interventions take place in response to a specific incident of violence or trauma — or in response to ongoing circumstances that may be stressful, including continued exposure to violence or trauma.

Oftentimes, Network “Trauma Responders” are already the trusted faces of their neighborhoods and networks. As the resident experts and leaders, they are in the best position to restore a sense of safety, facilitate healing, and inspire hope after a violent or traumatic event. This is because:

  • Each traumatic incident affects everyone — and every community — differently.
  • Communities know best what they need to support themselves.
  • When local leadership sits in the drivers seat, everyone else gets on board. In other words: when local knowledge directs the healing process, responding partners begin to collaborate together in the actual interests of the community.

As Trauma Responders with the Network of Neighbors Program, these community members and leaders can continue their work as part of a coordinated system that recognizes their expertise. The Network provides ongoing opportunities for training and professional development, as well as emotional and financial support.

Our Vision

We believe that in order to establish a truly trauma-informed approach to healing, we must begin by recognizing every individual’s and each community’s unique circumstances and history.

To this end, we envision a Philadelphia where each neighborhood is home to its own trauma response network. Community-based “Network Leads” will receive requests for assistance within their own neighborhoods, train community members, and organize responses utilizing local trauma responders.

What We Do

What the Network of Neighbors Offers one-pager (PDF)

The Network builds community-based capacity and cross-system collaborations through the coordination of locally-driven responses to stress, trauma, violence and loss.

The program is designed to strengthen local efforts first, and recede into the background as neighborhood networks emerge and strengthen.

The Network’s services are intended for the broader impacted community—witnesses, classmates, friends, neighbors, teachers, colleagues, etc. They are not appropriate for the “direct victim,” or the “direct victims” family.

Depending on the situation and the needs/wishes of the community, the Network may provide:

Technical Assistance and Support

  • This includes behind-the-scenes response coordination, connections to local and city-wide resources, offices, and organizations, and information about best practices relating to trauma and safety-building.
    • Case Study: A student suddenly dies at a local high school. The Network may assist the school staff in preparing activities for the students, contacting the family, making arrangements for the deceased’s belongings, etc.

Psychological First Aid (PFA)

  • Network “Trauma Responders” are trained to provide PFA if a community requires immediate support following an incident of violence or trauma. PFA focuses on stabilizing community members in crisis by assisting the individual in securing immediate safety and providing non-judgmental support.
    • Case Study: A bus transporting participants in a youth program turns over, injuring several students. Alarmed parents and caregivers immediately begin arriving at the youth program site. The Network may be contacted to deploy Trauma Responders to the scene to provide a calm, supportive presence.

Post Traumatic Stress Management (PTSM) Interventions
**PTSM Interventions correspond to what stage the community is at in the healing process**
**PTSM Interventions correspond to what stage the community is at in the healing process**

  • Orientation Sessions are open to the entire impacted community. They take place within a few days of the incident. The focus is on providing accurate information about the event, including information from officials involved in the incident and its aftermath. The Network often calls on Trauma Responders with content area expertise relating to what happened, in addition to other organizations, agencies, or offices that could provide useful information to the community.Orientation sessions also provide information about typical physical and emotional reactions to trauma, as well as information about where to turn within the community and the city for additional support and services.
  • Stabilization Groups take place within the first 12-48 hours of the incident and run for 45 minutes. Each group supports 6-15 participants who self-identify as having a similar relationship with the deceased or comparable exposure to the incident.The focus of the group is on stabilizing individuals, normalizing reactions to stress,supporting positive coping and sel-care plans, developing safety plans for the funeral (if applicable), and screening for further services-referrals.
  • Coping Groups accommodate 3-10 participants for 1.5-2 hours, typically 3-4 weeks after the incident. However, coping groups can be held at any point in time, whenever the community has not yet had a chance to process the experience as a group. The discussion provides participants a safe space in which to discuss one’s involvement in the incident, thoughts surrounding what happened, as well as reactions—including physical reactions—and coping strategies for adapting to traumatic stress.
  • Self-care Discussions accommodate 3-10 participants for 1.5 to 2 hours. The discussion addresses thoughts and reactions to the type of work performed by the group’s members. This can include parenting, caring for one’s community, teaching, organizing, being part of a case management, victim service, or peer specialist team, etc. In other words, anytime “emotional labour” is performed. Self-care discussions are the only non-incident specific intervention offered by the Network of Neighbors. Coping strategies, self-care plans and resources are explored as a group.

Presentations and Workshops
Network staff (Yolanda and Kamela), along with Network Trauma Responders, provide presentations and workshops to communities upon request. Each presentation or workship is modified according to the circumstances and needs of the community, but all provide information about the Network of Neighbors program, as well as the impact of trauma and violence on individuals and communities. The focus is always on providing practical information and resources. The Network also seeks to facilitate a dialogue with the community and share the mic with local organizations and leaders.

Trainings

    • Network of Neighbors Trauma Responder Training

The free, 2.5 day training to become a Trauma Responder with the Network of Neighbors will be offered annually/bi-annually until our capacity expands.

The training is open to any community member who lives or works in Philadelphia. There are no degree or experience requirements. However, preference is given to:

      • Community members over agency/organization personnel.
      • Those who are actively involved in their community or want to become involved.
      • Those who are able to connect with others, collaborate, and advocate with credibility.

Participants in the Network of Neighbors Trauma Responder Training learn about how trauma impacts the body and brain, as well as trauma-informed postvention (post-incident) and early intervention in reference to individuals (Psychological First Aid), and communities (Post Traumatic Stress Management, or PTSM).

    • Additional Trainings for Trauma Responders

The Network provides ongoing opportunities for additional professional development, networking, and training for Trauma Responders. Additional training may take place during the quarterly Trauma Responder meetings, or in addition to the quarterly meetings.

Where We Work

The Network of Neighbors is a Philadelphia-wide program. Network interventions and presentations take place wherever the community is most comfortable and whenever is most convenient for the community: during the day, in the evening, and on weekends.

The Network is an initiative of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). Network staff (Yolanda and Kamela) are based out of the Community Behavioral Health building at 801 Market Street.

How It Works

The ASK Model: The Network never responds unless invited in by the community.

The Network is not 24/crisis response. When a community member contacts the Network of Neighbors staff, Yolanda and Kamela will speak with that community member about:

  1. What happened
  2. Who is impacted, and how
  3. What has already happened to respond to the harm
  4. Supports already in place in the community
  5. Who else in the community we should talk to.

**No intervention is planned without a community member acting as co-lead, mediator (between the community and the Network), and gatekeeper. This person is often the community member who contacts the Network, but not always.

**In some cases, the Network may respond immediately to meet with community leadership or to provide psychological first aid.

Information Gathering

Based on the information provided by the community member, the Network may:

  • Reach out to other community members/leaders for input
  • Contact other responding partners, organizations, and agencies, (if appropriate and with permission of community leadership)
  • Convene meetings and/or conference calls with all parties involved in the response

Technical Assistance and Support

  • The Network may provide T.A. and Support to community leadership, as well as information and referrals.

PTSM interventions

  • The Network may recommend a PTSM intervention. Any combination of PTSM interventions may be provided to a community, including the full continuum in response to a single incident.
  • The Network will reach out to Trauma Responders in accordance with the planned intervention. Most of the time, all Trauma Responders are contacted to gage availability; however, the Network may reach out to specific Trauma Responders depending on the situation, the language or culture of the community, and/or the community’s need for content area expertise.
    • Pre-briefing: Trauma Responders will participate in a pre-response conference call briefing to discuss the incident, the response, and the roles of each Trauma Responder.
    • The Response: Trauma Responders arrive a half-hour early to receive additional briefing and assist with set-up.
    • Post-response briefing: Network staff will convene a conference call a few days to a week after the incident to debrief as a team and gather feedback from the Trauma Responders. Prior debriefing may have already occurred immediately after the response (on-site) but depending on circumstances this is not always the case.

Follow-Up

  • The Network may return to the community to provide additional PTSM interventions if requested to do so. Or, the Network may follow-up with additional technical assistance and referrals. As we like to say, the Network slowly “coasts out” as community leadership feels comfortable, and as we connect the community with additional programming or services.

Presentations/Workshops

  • The community may have contacted the Network about non-incident specfic concerns related to stress, trauma, or violence. In this case the Network will typically provide a presentation or workshop.A fter the presentation the Network will compile a list of those interested in a self-care discussion, to be facilitated on a different date.

How to Use the Network

If you are a member of a community impacted by acute stress, trauma, loss, or violence—or you are close to that community—you are in the best position to serve as a bridge between the community and the Network of Neighbors program.

You are encouraged to call 267-233-4837 or email networkofneighbors@phila.gov to speak with Network staff. Your call or email will be answered within 1-2 business days.

When to Use the Network

Post-incident of trauma, violence or loss

  • If you feel emotionally distressed as a result of trauma, violence, or loss occurring within your community.
  • If you feel as if you would like to do something to help your community, but you’re not sure where to start.
  • When you recognize that an event of trauma, violence or loss is having a big impact on your community and is affecting many community members.

Self-care

  • When you notice that members of your community are experiencing stress, burnout, or compassion fatigue as a result of the “work” they are doing, or as a result of community violence, national tensions, or any other potential stress.
  • You may also call the Network if you are part of a community engaged in any form of work that requires emotional labour. Nothing needs to be “wrong” for a self-care discussion!

Information, Resources, and Presentations/Workshops

  • You are a member or leader (of any community) and would like information and resources regarding trauma, community violence, self-care and postvention (post-incident response).
  • You are a member or leader (of any community) and you would like the Network to meet with your community and/or provide a presentation or workshop.

How to Get Involved

    • Invite the Network to a community meeting to provide a presentation/workshop for community members.
    • Connect the Network to a community experiencing stress, trauma, violence or loss.
    • Spread the Word! Connect the Network to your workplace, your child’s school, your place of worship, your civic association, your volunteer organization, etc.
    • Become a Trauma Responder

Contact the Network for additional information.

  • Self-care Discussions are a great way to help your community and get a feel for what the Network of Neighbors program. They take place wherever your community regularly meets, are simple to set up, and 100% confidential. Read more about our Self-Care Discussions here.

Connect with the Network

For more information, contact the Network at 267-233-4837.

Human Trafficking Awareness

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Human Trafficking Awareness
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Human Trafficking Awareness

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING

The Department of Health & Human Services defines Human Trafficking as a form of modern-day slavery that occurs both within the United States and around the world.

Victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of commercial sex, debt bondage, or forced labor. They are young children, teenagers, men and women. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons” as follows:

  • Sex Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which a person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; and
  • Labor Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

Source: The Department of Health & Human Services

Pennsylvania’s Comprehensive Anti-Human Trafficking Law, Act 105, prosecutes human traffickers, prevents human trafficking, and protects survivors of human trafficking.

  • Sex Trafficking: defined under Act 105 as a commercial sex act induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or where the victim is a minor.
  • Labor Trafficking: defined under Act 105 as labor obtained by use or threat of serious harm, physical restraint, or abuse of legal process.

Source: 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. 3001 – 3072

Source: dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports

TRAFFICKING INDICATORS

Traffickers use violence, threats, blackmail, false promises, deception, manipulation, and debt bondage to trap vulnerable individuals in horrific situations.

List of Common Trafficking Indicators

  • Has the victim been threatened with deportation or law enforcement action?
  • Is the victim allowed to socialize or attend religious services?
  • Was the victim recruited for one purpose and forced to engage in some other job
  • Is the victim in possession of identification and travel documents; if not, who has control of the documents?
  • Is the victim a juvenile engaged in commercial sex?
  • Do they seem submissive or fearful?
  • Are they free to come and go as they please?
  • Are they allowed to speak for themselves?
  • Was the victim coached on what to say to law enforcement and immigration officials?
  • Has the victim or family been threatened with harm if the victim attempts to escape?
  • Was the victim forced to perform sexual acts?
  • Has the victim been harmed or deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care or other life necessities?

Source: www.ice.gov

RESOURCES

Human Trafficking Hotline

If you suspect someone is being held against their will or is being used for illegal purposes:

Learn more at acf.hhs.gov/trafficking

Housing Resources

  • Covenant House — covenanthouse.org— Provides housing and supportive services to homeless and trafficked youth. Homeless youth are easy targets for this horrific industry.
  • Dawn’s Place —  ahomefordawn.org— Supports women affected by commercial sexual exploitation by providing services to women. Raising awareness through education, generating prevention, public policy reform, and community collaborations.

Treatment Resources

  • The Joseph J. Peters Institute (JJPI): Serves adults who are victims of sex and or labor trafficking. Provides individual and group therapy for victims of sexual trauma.
  • Women Against Abuse (WAA): Services adult victims of all forms of relational violence. Provides the following services: legal, shelter housing, transitional, training, and therapy.
  • Philadelphia Children’s Alliance: This center screens children for any form of abuse, neglect, and sexual commercial exploitation. This CAC is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance.

Legal Resources

  • Project Dawn Court Diversionary Court Program —  Lesha.Sanders@courts.phila.gov —  Project Dawn Court is Philadelphia’s newest problem-solving court, designed for women with repeat prostitution offenses. The first of its kind in the country, its modeled on the nationally lauded Philadelphia Treatment Court, established in 1997 to reduce both drug possession recidivism rates and the cost of jailing drug addicts by providing rehabilitative services under close court supervision
  • Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation —  cseinstitute.org —  Serves all victims of sex trafficking. Provides the following services: Education, training, policy advocacy and legal services for survivors.

Social Service Resources

  • Nationalities Service Center —  nscphila.org —  Provides a wide range of services to meet the needs of newly arriving refugees, victims of human trafficking and unaccompanied children.
  • Salvation Army —  pa.salvationarmy.org/greater-philadelphia/NewDay —  The Salvation Army New Day Drop-in center address human trafficking in Philadelphia. The center is a safe, trauma informed, welcoming and non-judgmental space for women suffering, from sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS

Blue Campaign

  • Blue Campaign is “the unified voice for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to combat human trafficking,” and works with a variety of organizations dedicated to fight against human trafficking including law enforcement, government and non-governmental agencies. DHS is responsible for investigating human trafficking, arresting traffickers, and protecting victims. DHS also provides immigration relief (blue-campaign/immigration-assistance) to non-U.S. citizen victims of human trafficking. DHS utilizes a victim centered approach (blue-campaign/victim-centered-approach) to combat human trafficking, which places equal value on identifying and stabilizing victims and on investigating and prosecuting traffickers. dhs.gov/blue-campaign
  • U.S. State Department
    Diplomacy in Action
    15 ways you can help fight human trafficking: state.gov/j/tip/id/help
    Identify and assist a trafficking victim: state.gov/j/tip/id/help

Five Things to Remember When Talking With Your Family After Tragedy

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By Colleen Knudsen

Feeling overwhelmed, powerless or even angry as you watch news of another mass shooting, this one in Las Vegas?
Those feelings are normal, even for people who don’t have ties to Nevada or anyone there, said a local counselor Monday morning.

But there are ways to handle those emotional reactions. NBC10’s Tracy Davidson spoke to a local counselor Monday about what you and those you love can do.

Q: I feel overwhelmed by the news. How do I process this?

A: Each person’s reaction to a tragedy is unique to that individual — and that’s OK, said Dana Careless, a counselor from the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (they use that capitalization on purpose).
Some people disconnect and shut off communication while others are active on social media, looking for answers and trying to stay informed. No matter how you deal with tragedy, it is important to take care of yourself. If you start to feel overwhelmed, “take a step back, take a deep breath, and disconnect if you need to,” said Careless.

Q: What things can I do to take care of myself?

A: Self-care is doubly important while we try to cope with trauma. Do what makes you happy or calms you down. Careless runs; some people choose yoga or swimming. Others need quiet time meditating, praying, or listening to music. Careless said journaling can help some people.

Q: What should I do if I start to feel overwhelmed?

A: “It can be really, really easy to get caught up in all the information, to keep clicking and clicking,” Careless said. She suggested people focus on staying grounded. Using your five senses can help you settle into the moment, she said; wherever you are, find five things you see, four things you hear, three things you touch, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. Remember to take your time and breathe — in through your nose, out through your mouth, she said.

Q: What if my children ask me about the event?

A: Careless suggested parents be open with children, if children want to talk. Don’t shut down conversation or tell them to “get over it,” she said. Try to normalize the discussion and reiterate to them that it is okay to be upset or confused by the tragedy. On the other hand, if they don’t want to talk, give them some space until they feel like engaging. If your children seem to be struggling more than usual, consider reaching out for help or following up on their condition; her department’s web site, HealthyMindsPhilly.org, has screenings to help young people and adults determine if they need more help.

Q: How long will it take to heal and move on?

A: Every person’s process is different. The way you begin to heal is individual, so do what is necessary to help start the process. If you or a loved one start to have irregular habits, such as lack of sleep or oversleeping, that continue past two weeks, consider talking to someone who can help.
The federal government’s mental health agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has a 24-hour Disaster Relief Helpline. If you would like free support or counseling, contact them at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746.

Porch Light Program Launches New Kensington Site

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Ribbon cutting at Porch Light Project Kensington KickoffIt was an afternoon of food, fun and fellowship as we cut the ribbon to our Kensington Storefront site, a new hub where people throughout Kensington can gather to learn about behavioral health resources, participate in community programming, and develop a love for public art.

Dozens gathered on Saturday, March 25, for the kickoff of our newest Porch Light site at 2774 Kensington Ave. The Porch Light Program is an ongoing program in which we partner with Mural Arts Philadelphia to promote public health by creating murals that transform Philadelphia neighborhoods, enhancing recovery and resilience among individuals facing behavioral health challenges. Through this innovative program, we collaborate with other organizations to build a team of artists, service providers, community members and city-wide stakeholders to initiate transformative public art projects.

“We believe that art ignites change, that it has a particular power,” Mural Arts Executive Director Jane Golden said to attendees, emphasizing how the Porch Light program can be an effective weapon in the fight against substance use. “And we’re proud to work with our partners to use art to overcome stigma and focus on overall behavioral health wellness.”

In addition to Golden, guests heard from several city leaders, including our own Deputy Commissioner Roland Lamb, City of Philadelphia Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis, and Philadelphia City Councilwoman Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez (7th District).

Lamb echoed Golden’s remarks, stressing that collaboration is crucial to delivering the resources people need to improve their quality of life.

“Solutions for the problems we have are right here in the community. We want to make sure we have focused interventions here, but most importantly, we want to make sure we have people in the communities who are champions,” Lamb said, acknowledging Impact Services, Prevention Point Philadelphia, and New Kensington Community Development Corp., all Kensington-based groups partnering with DBHIDS and Mural Arts to offer support for those affected by trauma caused by substance abuse, homelessness, and crime.

Added Lamb, “We are looking to build high-level collaborations and partnerships like the ones we have today to continue to build supports that people need to have in their communities.”

Our first Porch Light hub in South Philadelphia has generated positive change in regards to the public health of the residents in the communities served by the program. A 2015 Yale School of Medicine study found that after almost two years, residents living within one mile of the mural created there experienced an increase in neighborhood “collective efficacy,” pride over improved community aesthetics and a decrease in feelings of stigma towards mental health and substance use. To date, 60-70 people utilize that site each day and expectations are for similar participation in Kensington, Golden said.

Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis lauded the Kensington Storefront partners for their willingness to come together to create opportunities for those in greatest need.

“This hub space can be a window to the soul of the community,” DiBerardinis said. “Out of that grows ideas, faith, hope, courage, and progress. We want to build hope here. We want to build opportunity here.”

The Walter P. Lomax, Jr. Speaker Series Presents “Brain Strain II”

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Join DBHIDS Commissioner Dr. Arthur Evans as he speaks on the subject “Brain Strain II” at the Franklin Institute.

“Brain Strain II” will help define trauma and how parents can identify if their children are suffering from it; the work that DBHIDS is engaged in around the role that trauma, stress, and exposure to violence has on the behavioral health of our young people; and programs and strategies that have been proven to work

The purpose of this event is to rraise awareness in our community about the physical, mental, and societal impact that trauma plays on how our young people learn, grow, and are socialized, Additionally, a multi-pronged, multi-media examination of the impact of trauma on our young people’s ability to succeed in school and beyond will be investigated, as well as tangible information to parents, caregivers, teachers, and others who care about our young people’s wellbeing

There will be several components of this program that include two 7-10 minute presentations (Dr. Hallam Hurt and Michael O’Bryan) and two 15-20 minute panels: First, a Medical/Behavioral Health Perspective on Trauma (featuring Dr. Evans and Reggie Jones from Bryn Mawr); 2) The Impact of Trauma on Education (Panelists are: Otis Hackney; Pam Grossman, Dean of Penn’s Graduate School of Education; and Rahim Islam, CEO of Universal Charter Schools). This will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Kids and Trauma: When Does It Require Treatment?

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A child watches her father kill her mother. A tween has a medical emergency and nearly dies. A teen is sexually assaulted.

When children experience a serious trauma, most will show a visible change in behavior and emotions but will recover within a few months. A significant minority, however, go on to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder— a severe and often chronic anxiety disorder whose symptoms include nightmares, intense fearfulness, preoccupation with avoiding memories of the trauma, and decreased interest in formerly enjoyed activities.

Is there any hope for them? It appears so. Psychological interventions – particularly cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) – are effective in treating PTSD in children, concludes recent research from Clinical Psychology Review. A round of psychotherapy for PTSD may even alleviate the additional depression that frequently co-occurs with PTSD in children.

One review estimated at 16 percent – about one in six children will develop PTSD from experiencing trauma. Rates appear to be lowest for boys exposed to non-interpersonal traumas such as life-threatening accidents or natural disasters (8 percent) and highest for girls who are exposed to interpersonal traumas such as assault or sexual abuse (33 percent).

This latest study is an important one because it is a well-designed meta-analysis in which the authors carefully selected 39 already-published studies of treatments for childhood PTSD and combined the results using sophisticated mathematical techniques.

CBT was defined by the authors as psychotherapy that focuses on the memory of the trauma and/or its meaning. Examples include TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT) and Prolonged Exposure. CBT for PTSD might also include helping clients to approach the memories and triggers they have been avoiding, such as by telling the story of the trauma, drawing pictures of it, or visiting safe places that remind them of the trauma like the site of their car accident or the hospital at which they were treated.

You might be having a “well, duh” moment, assuming that any therapist who treats PTSD would necessarily have the client speak directly about the original trauma.

You would be incorrect. Other research with adults has shown that therapists are often reluctant to encourage patients to approach memories and other trauma-related triggers for fear that this might be too upsetting, make the PTSD permanently worse, or somehow erode the trusting relationship between therapist and client.

But, as the current study and many others have shown, in the hands of a trained therapist, focusing the treatment on the remembering and processing of the trauma can help a lot, even with children and teens.

My own experience as a clinician providing CBT to traumatized children is in line with the published research: Helping the child gradually to tell me about the trauma in detail helps them, even when a child is reluctant at first. Over a course of therapy, the memories become less scary and the child more willing to talk about them. Parents, too, are helped, and report exhilaration at watching their child emerge from the aching fog of PTSD.

Two major hurdles for parents are finding a trustworthy source of information about what psychotherapies have scientific backing and then locating a therapist who has been trained in these evidence-based interventions. One online resource I highly recommend for both is Effective Child Therapy, a website maintained by the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology of the American Psychological Association. The National Center for PTSD has lots more about the disorder in both children and adults. The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services website has information on accessing evidence-based treatments for PTSD locally.

by Katherine K. Dahlsgaard, Ph.D., Lead Psychologist of The Anxiety Behaviors Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia @kdahlsgaard

Toward a Trauma-Informed City: Challenges and Opportunities in Philadelphia

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Jane Stevens JANE STEVENS

After many months of interviewing, editing, more interviewing and more editing, “Toward a Trauma Informed City: Challenges and Opportunities in Philadelphia” will be launched next week.

A group of leaders who have adopted trauma-informed practices were interviewed about their experiences recognizing trauma as an issue, what they decided to do about it, and the change they have seen from the work of their organization. These 27 leaders come from public health, behavioral health medicine, education, child care, and criminal justice.

They include Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Arthur Evans, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Disability Service; Carol Tracy, executive director of the Women’s Law Project; Dr. John Rich, professor of health management and policy, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health; Dr. Patricia Gerrity, associate dean for Community Programs, Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions; Altovise Love-Craighead, captain, Philadelphia Police Department, 16th District.

As a way of bringing some of that knowledge and history—and future—to a broader audience, the Dornsife School of Public Health, through the HRSA-funded Mid-Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center, put together the video and a webinar to introduce it.

The project will officially launch with a webcast on May 31 hosted by Dr. Sandra Bloom, psychiatrist and associate professor at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, and creator of the Sanctuary Model. The webcast will provide an overview of trauma, the history of making Philadelphia a trauma-informed city,  and motivation for the interviews.

The experts provide insight on what changes still need to be made in public policy and advice for service providers in other cities and communities that would like to get involved in trauma-informed care.

Register for the the webcast here. The final product will be hosted on a website whose link will be provided after the webcast. It will include the teaser, montage videos of each of the five questions, and links to all 27 of the edited videos.

Film Screening of “Portraits of Professional CAREgivers: Their Passion. Their Pain.”

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We ask the question: How is the professional care provider affected emotionally and physically, and who helps him or her?! The audience will discover that engaged empathic caregiving can sometimes be an occupational hazard; we explore the painful and human sides of these professions and the professionals’ response to trauma known as Compassion Fatigue or Secondary Traumatic Stress. We also recognize the profound meaning caregivers may experience, sometimes referred to as compassion satisfaction, and ways of coping and recovering from toxic stress in the workplace.

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