Quick deadline: Reach out to Florida members of the U.S. House of Representatives to urge their support of trauma informed polices! Here's how.

Dear National Trauma Campaign Member:

The Congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly evolving and it is important that Members of Congress continue hearing from constituents in support of policies to prevent and respond to the trauma and adversity caused by the public health crisis. Below is another opportunity for you to make your support for trauma-informed policies responses known. We apologize for the tight deadline. Please reach out with any questions- traumacampaign@gmail.com.

Contact your U.S. Representative BEFORE 5pm EASTERN TIME THURSDAY (April 16) and urge them to sign onto the bipartisan House letter supporting investments in Trauma Informed Care as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Background:

 (If you don’t need this background information, you can skip ahead to tools to take action, provided below – an email template and a way to find your U.S. Representative’s email address. If you are a Local Liaison for the National Trauma Campaign and have identified a staffer in your U.S. Rep’s office, email that person.)

 The impacts of COVID-19 are putting incredible stress on families and children. We are seeing evidence of increases in domestic violence and child maltreatment and we know from research into past disasters that there will follow a severe mental health crisis that will linger long after the pandemic and stay-at-home orders have eased. 

 A bipartisan group of Members of Congress, led by members of the House Trauma Informed Care Caucus, are sending a letter to House and Senate leaders urging funding for trauma-related programs to support the health and well-being of children and families as part of upcoming COVID-19 response legislation. The letter urges additional, specific investments for trauma-informed supports in schools as well as new funding for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. 

 The more Members that join the letter, the more likely it will be that these provisions are included in any upcoming legislation. We need you – individuals and organizations –to contact your U.S. Representatives and ask them to sign on to the Rep. Trone, Riggleman, and Danny Davis dear colleague letter on trauma-informed care. Contact information and sample email templates are below. 

 Emailing Your U.S. Rep (This is what you need to do by 5pm Eastern on April 16)

 To identify your U.S. Rep, follow this link to enter your zip code. When you see your U.S. Rep’s name, click it to be taken to the email form on her/his website. PLEASE NOTE: If you are a National Trauma Campaign Local Liaison or Campaign member, or otherwise have the name and email address of a staffer in your U.S. Rep’s office, email that person.  

 Email Template (You should note if you are writing as an individual or on behalf of an organization)

 Dear Representative [Name], 

I’m a constituent writing today to urge you to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter currently being circulated by Representative David Trone (D-MD) Representative Denver Riggleman (R-VA), and Representative Danny Davis (D-IL) that asks Congressional leadership to prioritize funding for trauma-related programs to support the health and well-being of children and families experiencing trauma as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted, fear and anxiety about a disease such as COVID-19 can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. People who may respond more intensely to the stress of a crisis include children and teens. Left unaddressed, childhood traumatic stress can have long-term effects beyond this pandemic. One in four youth - or 35 million Americans - experience a traumatic incident before the age of 16. It is clear this crisis will worsen this statistic and hurt our vulnerable communities the most. Children who experience adverse events are more likely to suffer from chronic health problems and mental illness as an adult. Those who have experienced more than four traumatic experiences are twice as likely to not complete high school, ten times as likely to misuse drugs, and twelve times more likely to commit suicide than their counterparts.

 However, if communities are equipped with tools to address these stressors, evidence shows that the long-lasting impact of traumatic stress can be mitigated. In recent years, Congress has recognized the importance of identifying children suffering from trauma and early intervention when it dedicated an entire section of P.L. 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, to trauma-informed care. It is more critical now than ever before to fund and implement evidence-based approaches that promote resiliency in our young people and families.

 Funding is urgently needed to 1) Expand trauma support services in schools and 2) Provide trauma-informed resources and supports to caregivers, first responders, teachers, early care educators, and others on the front lines of the pandemic to recover from the trauma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. While I am grateful for Congress’ bipartisan actions to respond to the pandemic so far, we must do more to address the needs of children and families in our community. 

 Sincerely,

Your National Campaign Core Team