Background
This project aims to enhance trauma-informed services through collaboration, coordination, and training with community, school, and behavioral health providers in Blair County, resulting in enhanced recognition/treatment of trauma, improved trajectories of children and families, and mitigation of community violence.
Health Care Challenge
Exposure to violence is a traumatic event that negatively impacts the health and development of the children in our communities. Research has found that subsequent trauma symptoms from both experiencing and perpetrating violent crime during childhood is associated with chronic physical health conditions, emotional disturbance, and substance abuse. Building a trauma informed community is essential to developing resilient children and families.
Goals
Through the Children’s Trauma Informed Community, we will close gaps in training on evidence-based treatments and service coordination by developing a trauma informed community across child serving agencies in Blair County.
Implementation Approach
Funds will support a three-pronged approach:
- convening and facilitating a county-wide workgroup to refine a trauma-informed vision and strategic plan
- developing health, education, and criminal justice partners into trauma-sensitive professionals through tailored trainings
- implementing a core set of trauma-informed behavioral health services and supports for children and their caregivers
The initiative will integrate an understanding of trauma at every level so that anyone who interacts with those who have experienced trauma understands the impact that trauma has on development and can intervene before there is a need for more intensive services. The Children’s Trauma Informed Community will offer a series of free trainings and educational sessions on trauma and provide an opportunity to learn from other organizations and build partnerships through a Learning Collaborative.