Lawmakers push for court-ordered counseling.
Children who have witnessed domestic violence could soon be eligible to receive court-ordered counseling under a bill that cleared a Senate committee last week.
“This is going to be so life-changing for so many people, especially the children, because it gives the children an opportunity to have access to care and access to services immediately,” Darian Eletto, the chief clinical officer of behavioral health services at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, said of the bill.
Under current law, a judge must advise a victim and a perpetrator of any available counseling services, including mental health therapy, after a domestic violence complaint has been filed. But there is no requirement for children to receive information on counseling after witnessing or hearing a domestic violence incident. This bill aims to change that.
The move by lawmakers to ensure that counseling is available comes as over 1,400 adults and children received services from domestic violence programs in New Jersey on a single day in September 2023, according to a recent report from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.
Of the 1,455 victims who received services the day of the survey, 937 adults and children found refuge in emergency shelters, transitional housing, hotels, motels or other housing provided by local programs in New Jersey. An additional 518 adults and children received “non-residential” supportive services related to transportation, housing advocacy, legal support and therapy, according to the report.
Long-lasting impacts
Trauma caused by these incidents can contribute to long-lasting physical and mental health impacts if it is not addressed promptly.
Kids bear “all kinds of hidden and invisible scars” after witnessing domestic violence and suffer in similar ways to the person who received the abuse, said Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins, the associate director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both victims and children who witness these incidents can suffer from anxiety after the event and can feel that they are in danger, among other emotional reactions, according to Booth Watkins.
The legislation, if signed into law, would add to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991, which does not include information on counseling services for children, according to Sen. Angela McKnight (D-Hudson), a primary sponsor of the bill.
‘Having this kind of immediate intervention makes a world of difference in the child’s path to healing.’ — Darian Eletto, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
“If a child is exposed to domestic violence, we need to nip it in the bud right there,” said McKnight. “We need to … surround that child with all the services to show them love, and not hatred, so as they grow older they understand what they were exposed to.”
Domestic violence incidents have increased throughout the state in recent years. In 2020, 63,058 domestic violence offenses were reported by the police, a 6% increase compared to 2019, according to the latest available data from the New Jersey State Police. Children were actively involved or present during 14,930 domestic violence incidents in 2020.
The tragic case that prompted the legislation
The legislation was introduced after a Hudson County woman struggled to find counseling services for her three grandchildren — all under the age of 14 — after they witnessed their mother endure repeated verbal and physical abuse from her boyfriend, according to McKnight. The grandmother is now raising the children after their mother was killed by her boyfriend, who died by suicide.
Mental health professionals, including Dr. Schenike Massie-Lambert of Rutgers University, say that it is “really important” for children to have access to mental health care after witnessing domestic violence because exposures to these incidents are considered to be “adverse childhood experiences.” Adverse childhood experiences are traumatic events that occur in childhood that are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness and substance abuse in adulthood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Additionally, if a young person does not get the support they need to recover from these types of stressful situations, it could impact their ability to have trusting relationships and to understand and manage emotions, said Massie-Lambert, a psychologist at the school. It could also impact what they believe to be “normal” communication, she said.
Courts could also require perpetrators of domestic violence to undergo psychological evaluations if the bill is signed into law.
“Having this kind of immediate intervention makes a world of difference in the child’s path to healing,” said Eletto of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.
An identical bill in the Assembly (A-2998) has not yet been voted on.
Original Article link:
How to ease trauma for children who witness domestic violence | NJ Spotlight News
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