Farmington, CT - Childhood trauma exposure is a significant and costly public health concern that affects tens of thousands of Connecticut children - resulting in lifelong impairments on health, behavioral health, and academic outcomes. Investing in trauma-focused services and systems can have a lasting impact and research suggests that it can result in significant cost savings.
Today, the Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) released a new IMPACT report: Advancing Trauma-Informed Systems for Children. The IMPACT is intended to help child serving systems advance trauma-informed care in order to provide more effective and cost-efficient services that result in better outcomes for all children. It includes:
- Guidelines and best-practices for developing a comprehensive and integrated trauma-informed system of care
- A summary and timeline of trauma-informed programs and services in CT
- An analysis of progress and gaps for each major child-serving system in CT
- Recommendations for system integration and improvement
"Connecticut has emerged as a leader among states in developing trauma-informed systems," said report author Jason Lang (Director of Dissemination and Implementation at CHDI). "However, the vast majority of Connecticut's 784,000 children are not yet screened for trauma and many continue to suffer in silence."
Since 2007 in Connecticut:
- More than 8,600 child-serving professionals across multiple sectors have been trained in trauma-informed care
- More than 50,000 children have been screened for trauma exposure
- More than 8,700 children have received a trauma-focused evidence-based practice
- Thirty-five community mental health agencies serving 79 sites offer an evidence-based trauma treatment for children
Parents can find information on child trauma and treatment resources in Connecticut at www.kidsmentalhealthinfo.com.
Despite this progress, more work is needed to improve access to effective services across child-serving systems. The report calls for Connecticut and other states to create trauma-informed agencies and systems that can identify, serve and coordinate care for childhood trauma victims and help prevent additional trauma exposure. Recommendations include improving screening, expanding access to evidence-based practices, and developing a statewide coordinated plan for addressing child trauma.
Download CHDI's "Advancing Trauma-Informed Systems for Children" atwww.chdi.org. Learn more about CHDI's work to address child trauma athttp://www.chdi.org/our-work/mental-health/trauma-informed-initiatives/. For additional information, contact Julie Tacinelli: Tacinelli@uchc.edu (860)-679-1534 or Cindy Langer: langer@uchc.edu 860-679-1538
[Read the report at http://www.chdi.org/index.php/...med-systems-children]
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