Children who suffer from traumatic stress have been exposed to one or more trauma events and develop reactions affecting their daily lives with the reactions continuing after the event has ended. Traumatic reactions can include a number of responses and are often triggered when the child is reminded in some way of the traumatic event. Although many of us may experience reactions to stress, when a child is experiencing traumatic stress, the reactions interfere with the child’s daily life and ability to interact with others.

Resources: https://www.nctsn.org

Sources: https://www.nctsn.org

Remain calm, be friendly, and connect with others. Being sensitive to people under stress and respecting their decisions is important.

• Offer your buildings and institutions as gathering places to promote support.
• Help families identify mental health professionals who can counsel children.
• Help children develop coping skills, problem-solving skills, and ways to deal with fear.
• Hold parent meetings to discuss the event, their child’s response, and how parents can help their child.
• Be sensitive to different cultural responses to trauma and stress.

Resources: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/helping-children-and-adolescents-cope-with-disasters-and-other-traumatic-events/index.shtml#pub7

A trauma-informed organization is one that recognizes and responds to the impact of trauma. Programs and agencies with a trauma-informed system integrate awareness, knowledge and skills into the culture, practices, and policies of the organization. They work collaboratively with those who are involved with the child, using best practices, to ensure physical and psychological safety, help with the recovery of the child and his/her family, and support their ability to thrive.

• Routinely screen for trauma exposure
• Use evidence-based assessment and treatment for traumatic stress and associated symptoms
• Make resources available to children, families, and providers on trauma exposure, its impact, and treatment
• Engage in efforts to strengthen protective factors of children and families
• Address parent and family trauma and its impact on the family system
• Maintain an environment of care for staff that responds to secondary trauma and increases staff wellness.

Resource: https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/creating-trauma-informed-systems

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that gives people the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it does build mental health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness. Contact Dianna Bailey-Miller at baileymiller@marshall.edu for training information.

Resource:  https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

• https://helpandhopewv.org/ – West Virginia families and communities along with the rest of the nation continue to face the public health crisis of substance use disorder, but together we can restore our families and communities.
• https://helpandhopewv.org/teens-families.html – Parents and caregivers – you can influence whether your child uses alcohol or drugs. It is crucial that you start talking with your children about alcohol and drugs well before the teen years. The earlier a person starts using drugs or alcohol, the more likely they are to develop substance use disorders.
• https://stigmafreewv.org/ – Learn about the types of stigma experienced by people with substance use disorder. People who experience stigma are less likely to seek help or treatment. We are ALL part of the solution.
• https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/ – Please note that this site has an array of resources for almost type of experience: family homelessness, foster care, dealing with divorce, resilience, traumatic experiences, and many more.