Commentary: Conference brings focus to trauma and childhood adversity [Austin, TX]

A recent series of stories on NPR has highlighted the concept of “adverse childhood experiences,” delineating how traumatic events in a child’s life can have profound emotional and physical consequences throughout their lifespan.

Every parent wants their child to succeed, achieve and live a happy, healthy life. Many children, however, will face significant adversity or trauma during their formative years. These events include witnessing domestic violence, chronic bullying, physical and sexual abuse, or even the return of a parent from deployment who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Austin Child Guidance Center, which has long been our community’s thought leader in children’s mental health, is championing an effort to educate and train the community on childhood adversity and its impact on mental and physical wellness.

ACGC is one of the first trauma-informed agencies in Central Texas, having undergone a yearlong process of examining and changing systems of care. These changes include implementing universal trauma screening, supporting other local providers, increasing clients’ sense of safety, and offering evidence-based treatments for trauma and other mental health issues. In fact, ACGC will be the first agency in Austin to have all clinicians trained and certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; which is the primary evidence-based intervention for children who have experienced trauma and adversity.

Since the 1990s, professionals and parents have gained a stronger understanding about the lifelong impact of childhood trauma on both mental and physical health, through research including the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Study. The ACE Study, initiated by Dr. Vincent Felitti, followed more than 17,000 patients and brought to light the strong correlation between multiple childhood traumas and a higher risk of depression, suicide attempts, substance abuse and violence. The study shows that the reach of unaddressed childhood trauma extends to adulthood and is connected to higher risk of heart disease, cancers, liver disease and early death.

In 2013, ACGC received generous support from the St. David’s Foundation to initiate the Trauma-Informed Care Consortium of Central Texas. The consortium has a membership of more than 50 child-serving agencies. It focuses on building a trauma-informed community through education, outreach and trainings. For more information on TICC, or to access free online resources, services and trainings, connect with us at traumatexas.com.

On Monday and Tuesday, ACGC will host the Cross-Discipline Trauma Conference of Central Texas here in Austin. This conference will bring together 500 participants from a variety of fields including counseling, teaching, medicine, nursing, social work, law enforcement and criminal justice to learn about trauma and childhood adversity.

The conference keynote speakers include nationally recognized clinician and researcher Dr. Bruce D. Perry of the Child Trauma Academy. Dr. Perry’s work with traumatized children has led many community and governmental agencies to consult with him following high-profile incidents involving traumatized children such as the Columbine school shootings, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, the tsunami in Japan and the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In addition to Perry, the conference will feature keynote speaker Felitti, co-principal investigator of the ACE Study. Felitti, a renowned physician and researcher, is one of the world’s foremost experts on childhood trauma, leading the charge in research into how adverse childhood experiences affect adults. As founder of the Department of Preventive Medicine for Kaiser Permanente, Felitti served as the chief of preventive medicine for over 25 years.

Participants will also be treated to an inspirational address from accomplished author Dr. Erica Miller, a psychologist and Holocaust survivor who has written on the topic of trauma and has a passion for life and perseverance. Miller is an inspiration to those who have met her and have had the privilege of hearing her speak.

ACGC is very excited to welcome these premier trauma experts to Austin to further the efforts of the center in building a trauma-informed community for children and families in Central Texas.

Crosbie is director of program and trauma-informed services at the Austin Child Guidance Center. Swords is the center’s board vice president and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas School of Social Work.

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Featuring
Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy and Adjunct Professor, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Vincent Felitti, M.D.
Clinical Professor of Medicine at University of California, Co-Principal Investigator of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study

Erica Miller, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist and Holocaust Survivor

Ginny Sprang, Ph.D. Executive Director, University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children; Co-Chair of National Child Traumatic Stress Network Secondary Traumatic Stress Collaborative

The Cross-Discipline Trauma Conference of Texas is provided by Austin Child Guidance Center through generous support of St. David’s Foundation, and through a partnership with the Texas Network of Youth Services in collaboration with the Statewide Seclusion and Restraint Reduction Leadership Group, Trauma-Informed Care Consortium of Central Texas, and Texas Department of State Health Services. Special thanks to the Hogg Foundation for expert guidance and support.

For more information go to http://www.traumatexas.com/