Register Here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1595127878189549058
Source: CLASP
January 13, 2017
By Mark Greenberg, Acting Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families and Kana Enomoto, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
We’re very pleased to announce that the Administration for Children and Families, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Administration for Community Living and the Offices of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS have developed a Guide to Trauma-Informed Human Services. The Guide is intended to provide an introduction to the topic of trauma, a discussion of why understanding and addressing trauma is important for human services programs, and a “road map” to find relevant resources.
Staff from our divisions have been working together for the last year to develop this guide. We did so because we know there is increasing recognition in human services programs about the importance of being “trauma-informed,” but there are often important questions about what it means to be trauma-informed, what such an approach implies for service delivery and staff training, and how the answers are similar and different across the array of human services programs. The Guide seeks to address these and related questions, and we hope it will be both immediately helpful and a “living” document to be updated over time as our knowledge and experience grow. Trauma is generally described as an especially stressful experience or event which results in physical or mental stress or pain. All of us may experience trauma at one time or another, and for many people, there may be few or no sustained effects, while for others, longer-term impacts and consequences result. This resulting physical or emotional harm could have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s physical, social or emotional well-being.
Research tells us that experiencing traumatic life events can affect the way people learn, plan, and interact with others. Providing human services to individuals who have experienced trauma calls for an approach that takes into consideration their trauma histories. This guide is designed for professional human services providers to help them decide if their services are trauma-informed and how best to deliver and design those services using evidence-based, evidence-informed, and innovative practices most relevant to their needs.
The guide is a web-linked compilation of resources from a range of HHS agencies, federal partners, and respected sources outside government. The site will contain both information and resources for human services leaders at the state, tribal, territorial, and local levels on recent advances in our understanding of trauma, toxic stress, and resiliency and specifically what these advances mean for program design and service delivery.
Some general trauma resources in the guide, which are applicable to all human services programs, include:
Other trauma resources for specific human services programs or populations include topics such as aging populations, child welfare agencies, domestic violence programs, victims of human trafficking and victims of abuse.
Becoming trauma-informed is one part of ensuring that human services programs are informed by emerging work linking traumatic experiences and physical, mental and emotional health and the underlying brain science. Our agencies welcome hearing from those involved in program administration and service delivery about the issues and experiences faced in efforts to become trauma-informed, and how our agencies can support these efforts and build the knowledge base for the future.
Access the Guide to Trauma-Informed Human Services.
This is posted on The Family Room Blog at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2017/01/new-guide-for-providing-a-trauma-informed-approach-in-human-services.
10/27/2015
When we talk about crime, we usually focus on either the perpetrator or the victim; the perpetrator’s family and community are rarely discussed. But when a parent is sent to prison, it has consequences for their children.
In a recent report from Child Trends, my colleagues and I found that there are five million children in the United States who have had a parent that they lived with go to jail or prison—more than the total number of children in the entire state of New York. And the burden is not evenly divided. Those who are poor, black, and/or live in rural areas are more likely to see a parent imprisoned. Nearly 12 percent of black children have had a residential parent go to jail.
That experience has consequences. We found that children who have had an incarcerated parent are more likely to repeat grades or have a parent called in to talk about problems in school, and parents reported lower school engagement. Troublingly, the experience was also associated with other potentially traumatic experiences, such as frequent economic hardship, parental divorce, and living with someone who had a substance abuse problem. While it is not clear whether these problems are directly caused by parental incarceration, it is evident that these children need special attention and help.
The first places to help these children are their schools. Children with an incarcerated parent may need extra support, and schools can make efforts to identify such children and monitor their progress—although they should be careful not to further stigmatize them in the process. Schools can also provide counseling services and develop other programs to address the unique needs of this group.
Additionally, we help these children by addressing the way that we incarcerate parents. We can promote policies that make it easier and more affordable for incarcerated parents to stay in touch with their children. Prisoners are often housed far away from their families, making in-person visits costly and difficult to schedule. Even phone calls can be prohibitively expensive for prisoners and families alike. Providing local access to video conferencing technology is one option; simply reducing the rates for calls to family is another. Encouraging the continuation of positive family ties should be seen as an essential part of preparing incarcerated parents for success in their communities once they’re released.
In-person visits can also be traumatizing for kids. A visit is a visceral reminder of the parent’s situation, and can be potentially upsetting. However, there have been promising early results from programs that make visits more child-friendly. Waiting rooms with toys, streamlined security, and friendly meeting rooms may make the surroundings less intimidating and lighten the experience of meeting the parent.
We can also help parent prisoners make the most of the contact they have. One researcher has recommended five types of programs to serve incarcerated parents: education in parental skills, programs that provide extended special visits for children, child-friendly facilities for visits, parenting support groups, and custody services to aid with divorce proceedings and child support modifications. Most current programs fall into the first category, but there is little research on the most effective programs for this population. Creating more such programs, and studying their effects, should be a high priority. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services is currently funding such efforts in Washington State.
Of course, the most effective strategy is prevention. Finding alternative punishments for low-level offenders, so they can stay with their families and in their communities, may be the best thing for their children. Maybe if we consider the children that will be left behind, we can make better decisions about when—and if—to send a parent to prison.
Source: Child Trends
Available at: http://www.childtrends.org/children-with-a-parent-in-prison-the-forgotten-casualties/
Child Care Aware® of America is deeply saddened by the tragic events that took place at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Our thoughts are with the families and friends affected.
In the wake of any traumatic event, children may feel anxious about their own safety and security. The resources provided here are tools for helping children and families cope with tragedy.
Source: Child Care Aware
Available at: http://www.naccrra.org/news-room/press-releases/2013/9/resources-for-helping-children-cope-with-traumatic-events
July 24, 2013
2 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
Register Online Now!
Please join the Early Head Start National Resource Center for this important webinar. It will provide practical strategies and experiences for Early Head Start (EHS) caregivers and teachers to support infants and toddlers who have experienced traumatic events. Panelists will discuss the impact of trauma and toxic stress on brain and social-emotional development. They also will talk about the importance of early development and experiences as the foundation for school readiness.
Topics for the Webinar Include:
Who Should Participate?
This webinar will benefit an array of audience members, including: The early childhood care and education community; EHS staff, directors, managers, and administrators; T/TA managers; T/TA providers; federal and Regional Office staff; state collaboration offices; and child care providers.
How to Register
Select this link to register for the webinar: https://zerotothree.ilinc.com/register/cmrkttw
Source: Office of Head Start
6/27/2103
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder that can occur when people experience a traumatic event. PTSD can affect anyone – from service men and women returning from the horrors of war to abused children and the survivors of rape, domestic violence, or natural disasters.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, which serves as an important opportunity to recognize and pledge ourselves to year-round support for the millions of Americans who are working to overcome this challenging and debilitating condition.
PTSD can result in sleep problems, irritability, anger, recurrent dreams about the trauma, intense reactions to reminders of the trauma, disturbances in relationships, and isolation. The effects can last for months or even years, and the disorder may not surface until years after the traumatic events that triggered it.
Fortunately people can recover from PTSD – especially if they receive treatment and support from family, friends, and their communities. Effective treatments such as exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, peer support programs and approved medications can help people manage and overcome PTSD, and go on to live healthy, productive lives.
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
Available at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2013pres/06/20130627a.html
The Early Head Start and Head Start programs serve our most vulnerable children and families, including those who have experienced trauma. The last 10 years have brought tremendous strides in understanding child development and the developing brain. We have focused much of our attention on the importance of early relationships, the interactive nature of growth and development, the aspects of a child’s risk and resilience, strategies for promoting learning, and the science of child development. We have a deeper understanding of the early experience of young children and recognize how much the early years matter — including the experience of and recovery from trauma. The study of trauma, its effects on young children and their families, as well as healing and recovery has been expanding. Likewise, a large number of resources, publications, and interventions are easily accessible. This tutorial focused on trauma will provide a learning experience as well as valuable links to a broad range of resources for further learning and exploration.
Source: Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
The Early Head Start and Head Start programs serve our most vulnerable children and families, including those who have experienced trauma. The last 10 years have brought tremendous strides in understanding child development and the developing brain. We have focused much of our attention on the importance of early relationships, the interactive nature of growth and development, the aspects of a child’s risk and resilience, strategies for promoting learning, and the science of child development. We have a deeper understanding of the early experience of young children and recognize how much the early years matter — including the experience of and recovery from trauma. The study of trauma, its effects on young children and their families, as well as healing and recovery has been expanding. Likewise, a large number of resources, publications, and interventions are easily accessible. This tutorial focused on trauma will provide a learning experience as well as valuable links to a broad range of resources for further learning and exploration.
Source: Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Early Childhood News Update 