| National Resource Center for Child Traumatic Stress Celebrates Grand Opening of Research Library
The NCTSN's National Resource Center (NRC) officially opened its research library at an Open House celebration on May 26. "The National Resource Center is a wonderful resource to the NCTSN and beyond," said John Fairbank, co-director the National Center. "The NRC Library provides relevant, practical information that promotes improved understanding of child traumatic stress and better access to and quality of care for children and their families."
A physical and electronic library collection is now available to NCTSN members and the public and will continually grow as products are developed by NCTSN members. The NRC's mission is to raise public and professional awareness about child traumatic stress."Our vision for the NRC Library is to be the leading national resource for information about child traumatic stress and to make this information readily available to both NCTSN members and the general public," said Robert Franks, NRC director. "We are fulfilling our mission by acquiring existing material in the field of child traumatic stress as well as developing and disseminating new products produced by members of the NCTSN."
NRC Library collections and resources promote research, education, and public awareness about child traumatic stress. Content areas include sections for parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and others who encounter children in potentially traumatic circumstances, such as police officers, fire fighters, social workers, and judges.
The library contains books, reports, videos, and other materials. Many virtual library resources, including annotated bibliographies and a searchable online database, will also be available via the NCTSN Website late this summer. NCTSN members may request directed searches by the NRC's librarian as well as copies of articles, reports, and book chapters at no charge by e-mailing Robert James, the NRC interim librarian, or by calling 919-660-1157.
NCTSN members and the public will have access to manuals, tool kits, guidelines, and other products produced by the National Center and NCTSN members. Although U.S. copyright laws prohibit libraries from posting the content of most journal articles and books freely on the Internet, the National Center staff and the Publications Committee are exploring options to provide access to published works in an electronic format to the NCTSN and the general public. The NRC's physical library is a reading and research room; resources may not be removed from the library, but visitors may photocopy information. NCTSN members also have access to these physical resources by contacting the NRC librarian, who will photocopy and fax or mail information when possible at no charge.
The NRC Library is physically located at the Brightleaf Square South Building, 905 West Main Street, Suite 23-D in Durham, North Carolina. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
NRC Continues to Call for NCTSN Assistance in Building the National Library
The NRC is continuing the important process of collecting materials for the NCTSN’s National Library. To achieve this goal, the NRC requests that any relevant resources from NCTSN centers relating to the topic of child traumatic stress be sent to the NRC librarian as soon as possible. Materials to be submitted include, but are not limited to, journal articles, book chapters, guides, manuals, training curricula, white papers, videos, DVDs, etc. Please send materials to:
Robert James, Interim Librarian
National Resource Center
National Center for Child Traumatic Stress
Duke University School of Medicine
905 West Main Street, Suite 23-D
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: 919-660-1157
Fax: 919-681-7599
NCTSN In the News
NCTSN news in the media is captured by the National Center when references to the NCTSN are included in the story. "Working with the media is an important mechanism for the NCTSN in order to raise public and professional awareness about child traumatic stress," said Robert Franks, NRC director.
When NCTSN members work with the media, the NRC requests that NCTSN members mention their center's participation in the NCTSN. "It's important for the National Center to be able to track all media and news references about the NCTSN and we need everyone's help to measure our continued efforts to raise awareness about child traumatic stress," said Patrick Cody, the National Center's media consultant.
The following media outlets published information on child traumatic stress and the NCTSN:
• The May issue of Education News and www.educationnews.org included news about new National Center disaster planning resources for schools.
• The May issue of Mental Health Law Report published a news brief on congressional testimony by Marleen Wong, director of crisis counseling and intervention services for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and director of the School Crisis and Intervention Unit of the National Center.
• On May 6, the Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, Utah) ran a column by Terry Brazelton, recommending www.NCTSNet.org as a resource for parents.
• On May 7, the Associated Press, City News Service (LA), KFWB News Radio, and ABC-7 LA ran news stories from a National Center news release about new resources to help schools prepare for disasters and terrorism.
• On May 17, the issue of Mental Health Weekly included a news brief about new school pages on the NCTSN Website.
• On May 21, the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Texas, quoted Robert Franks, NRC director, about how watching violent news images can be troubling for youth.
• On May 22, Education Week published the National Center news release about the new school resources.
• On May 23, the St. Petersburg Times quoted Ann Kelley of Pinellas Safe Start/Healing the Hurt in a story about youth watching violent images. The story included a reference to the NCTSN.
• On May 25, the American Indian Health Council (www.AIHC.com) and Native Radio.com published a National Center news release about a University of Oklahoma/Indian Country Child Trauma Center training for Native American healers.
• On May 30, the Press-Enterprise (California) published a news story on domestic violence that quotes Alicia Lieberman of the NCTSN Early Trauma Treatment Network; the story also references the NCTSN and its mission.
If other NCTSN centers or members have been in the news and are not mentioned above, please e-mail this information to Patrick Cody.
Designated Media Contacts and Area of Expertise Still Needed from Majority of NCTSN Centers
The NRC requests that each NCTSN center identify and provide the name of its designated media relations contact. Please include the contact name(s), daytime phone, e-mail, pager, and cell phone information and the center's area(s) of expertise in the field of child traumatic stress. This information, along with any questions, may be e-mailed to the NRC or faxed to 919-667-9578.
First Quarter–Year Three NCTSN Performance Report Now Available Online
The NCTSN Performance Report for the first quarter of fiscal year three (October–December 2003) is now available under "Network Performance" on the members-only NCTSN Website. Any questions or concerns with this report may be e-mailed to Andrew Broughton, Monitoring & Evaluation and Technology Consultant.
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Wendt Center for Loss and Healing
Washington, DC
The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing is a 28-year-old not-for-profit agency that provides mental health services to children and families. The Wendt Center serves people throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area who have experienced the death of a loved one or are living with life-threatening illness. Individual counseling, grief support groups, a summer grief camp for children, and training for mental health professionals are the heart of the Wendt Center services.
In 1999, the Wendt Center created the Recover Program, the only program in the United States that provides on-site grief counseling to families who must visit the city morgue to identify a deceased loved one. "Through this work the Wendt Center has developed an expertise in working with children from families who have experienced a traumatic death," said Susan Ley, interim executive director of the Wendt Center. "Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, our Recover Program counselors are at the DC morgue ready to help families with the identification process and to provide emotional and practical support."
From October 2002–September 2003, the Wendt Center met with 1,247 families and assisted 4,000 individuals at the DC morgue. The Wendt Center also hosts a weekend sleep-away camp in the summer called Camp Forget-Me-Not for Children which helps grieving children and teens focus on having fun and getting life back to normal. "Camp Forget-Me-Not allows children to have summer fun and share their grief with other children as a reminder for all of them that they are not alone," said Ley.
For additional information on this NCTSN center, e-mail the Wendt Center or visit its website.
Sklarew, Bruce, Twemlow, Stuart W., Wilkinson, Sallye M. (2004). Analysts in the Trenches: Streets, Schools, and War Zones. The Analytic Press, Inc.
"Facts on Trauma and Deaf Children" Now Available on NCTSN Website
Unfortunately, deaf children are often more vulnerable to neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse than children in the general population. To learn more about this diverse population, visit the NCTSN Website for information on general definitions, statistics, suggestions for clinicians in modifying treatment, and important policy and research issues.
New Book Features Many National Center and NCTSN Members; Signing by Editor and Two Contributors June 12
On Saturday, June 12, at 1:00 p.m., an editor and two of the 23 contributors will discuss their new book, "Analysts in the Trenches: Streets, Schools, and War Zones" at the Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC.
Many members of the National Center and the NCTSN contributed to this book. Contributors include Robert Pynoos, co-director of the National Center; Alan Steinberg, associate director of the National Center; Melissa Brymer, manager of the National Center's Terrorism and Disaster Branch; Steven Marans with the NCTSN's Childhood Violent Trauma Center; Howard Osofsky and Joy Osofsky with the NCTSN's Louisiana Rural Trauma Services Center; and Dottie Ward-Wimmer with the NCTSN's Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. A full citation for this book is located under "Recent Publications" in this month's NCTSN e-Newsletter.
Ward-Wimmer will be present at this book signing, along with another contributor and editor. For additional information about this book signing, call the Politics and Prose Bookstore at 202-364-1919. For additional about this book and its NCTSN contributers, e-mail Patrick Cody, the National Center's media consultant.
In-Depth Training Building Family Safety: A Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Approach
June 16, 2004 • Los Angeles, California
Sponsored by the NCTSN's Children's Institute International (CII) and the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute, this one-day workshop provides ways of working with individuals and families as partners to resolve conflict and other issues. Speakers will provide a therapeutic approach that's important to families who have experienced domestic violence or families in the child welfare system. For more information, e-mail Lizanne Fleming, director of communications at CII, or call 213-807-1933.
"I AM DAVID" Advance Benefit Screening
June 16, 2004 • Washington, DC
Susan Ko, the National Center's Service Systems Core director, is responsible for coordinating the NCTSN's cultural competency efforts and wishes to notify the NCTSN and the public of the following event. The National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall, Walden Media, and Lions Gate Films are holding an advance benefit screening of "I AM DAVID" on June 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the National Geographic Society Grosvenor Auditorium. To learn more about this movie or to reserve tickets, call the National Geographic box office at 202-857-7700.
NCTSN's Chadwick Center—Summer Seminars by the Sea 2004
Summer 2004 • San Diego, California
The Chadwick Center for Children & Families is offering a variety of trainings directed to interdisciplinary professionals working in the fields of prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of multiple forms of trauma to children and families. To learn more, visit the Chadwick Center's Website, e-mail Linda Wilson, or call 858-576-1700 extension 4972.
Cultural Competence & Mental Health Summit XII—A Renewed Vision of Culture
October 6-7, 2004 • Anaheim, California
This goal of this statewide conference, hosted by the Orange County Health Care Agency, is to promote
cultural competence and increase attendee's capacity to work effectively with different cultural groups in multicultural settings.
Conference organizers anticipate that more than 1,500 physicians, nurses, mental health providers, public health providers, education and social services providers, direct consumers of services and their family members, law enforcement, students and university staff, business leaders and community leaders throughout California, representing a multitude of cultural groups, will be in attendance. Susan Ko, the National Center's Service Systems Core director, is scheduled to present. For additional information on this event, visit the conference website or call 714-796-0188.
Models for Healing Multicultural Survivors of Historical Trauma Conference
December 7 - 11, 2004 • Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
The Takini Network, Inc., has issued its call for presentations for its upcoming conference, Models for Healing Multicultural Survivors of Historical Trauma. The network is calling for presentations that focus on impacts of intergenerational trauma across historically traumatized groups - American Indians, Alaska Natives, First Nations of Canada, Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, indigenous/aboriginal peoples of the Pacific, Jewish Holocaust survivors, Muslim Americans, Eastern European Americans, undocumented immigrants, and allies.
For additional information about this conference, e-mail the Takini Network or visit the NCTSN Website. |
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NCTSN Pittsburgh Training a Success; Additional Training Planned In Coming Year
The NCTSN Pittsburgh training session was held on May 24–25 in conjunction with Allegheny General Hospital, an NCTSN Category II center. The focus of this training opportunity was to provide basic training on two evidenced-based treatment models for treating childhood sexual abuse and childhood physical abuse for NCTSN members. Sixty-seven NCTSN participants were involved representing 19 NCTSN centers.
The first day of the training focused on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a treatment for child sexual abuse, and was conducted by Judy Cohen and Tony Mannarino. The second day of the training focused on Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) for child physical abuse and was conducted by David Kolko.
TF-CBT and AF-CBT are two interventions that are being disseminated throughout the NCTSN as evidence-based treatments for treating traumatized children.
The Pittsburgh training was offered in order to pilot a NCTSN centralized training opportunity in conjunction with developing more systematic procedures and guidelines for offering training throughout the NCTSN, including review of materials and readings prior to the training, pre-post evaluation with participants, and follow-up supervision and consultation for sites.
Several other NCTSN training opportunities will be available over the coming year and further information will be provided about these plans as they are developed. "One of our primary goals within the Training Core over the coming year is to develop a NCTSN-wide training plan where we establish systematic plans and procedures for offering training across a variety of content areas," said Cassandra Kisiel, Training Core director. "These plans will include offering centralized training opportunities for a majority of NCTSN centers to access and implementing consistent follow-up supervision and evaluation practices with all of our training activities in order to ensure that we are helping to improve provider knowledge and practice over time."
NCTSN's Southern Regional Collaborative Develops "Team" Learning Community
The NCTSN's Southern Regional Learning Collaborative (SRLC), composed of three NCTSN centers, met recently to facilitate the adoption and implementation of core concepts related to trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment by 24 clinicians.
Based on recommendations from the NCTSN's Kauffman Best Practices Project, the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia NCTSN centers are seeking to establish a learning community based on a supportive implementation model with Lucy Berliner and Laura Merchant as experts from the Washington NCTSN center.
"The key to this regional collaborative is the peer support and the opportunity to share ideas, skills learned, and knowledge associated with trauma-focused cognitive behavioral core concepts across communities and states," said Jan Markiewicz, network liaison.
This project will include the following elements as keys to careful adoption of evidenced-based practice:
• Face-to-face training opportunities.
• Supervisor involvement and participation.
• Ongoing clinical supervision through monthly case review and contact with expert consultants.
• Ongoing monthly consultation with supervisors by experts regarding their role in fostering capacity.
• Access to additional materials and resources through a pilot intranet site designated specifically for the SRLC.
• Organized opportunities for participants connecting at conferences to broaden learning experience.
• Organizational readiness assessment.
• Relevant evaluation of the learning collaborative, both for content, adoption, and process.
For additional information about this collaborative, e-mail Jan Markiewicz.
NCTSN Rural Consortium Priorities Identified and Working Groups Established
The NCTSN Rural Consortium met in Atlanta, Georgia, April 22-23 to plan its next steps and goals.
The mission and vision statements developed during this meeting were:
"The mission of the Rural Consortium is to raise the standard of care and improve access to culturally appropriate services for traumatized children, their families, and their communities in rural, frontier, and tribal areas."
"The vision of the Rural Consortium is that rural, frontier, and tribal communities have important strengths, values, and cultural perspectives. They also have unique needs and often severely limited resources. These assets and needs should inform planning and the provision of support and care for traumatized children, their families, and their communities."
The primary objectives identified by the group were:
• Adapt interventions, evidence-based treatment approaches, and promising practices to recognize the unique experiences, cultures, language, and long-term relations common in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.
• Enhance opportunities to improve and extend care for children and families affected by traumatic events, who live in rural, frontier, and tribal areas by identifying systems of support and providing training to traditional and non-traditional providers.
• Infuse rural, frontier, and tribal prospective and interests into NCTSN goals, activities, and products to facilitate networking in support of accessible and effective child traumatic stress services with children, families, service providers, and communities.
For additional information about this consortium and its next meeting, e-mail Jan Markiewicz, network liaison.
NCTSN's Residential Treatment Center Working Group Develops Potential Products List
Under the leadership of Joe Benamati, CSW , and Brian Farragher, CSW, the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) working group held its first face-to-face meeting at the Andrus Children's Center and Hawthorne (Jewish Board) in New York on May 13-14.
Over the course of two days, the group toured two different residential treatment centers and paid particular attention to interventions that might be used, including Systematic Training to Assist in the Recovery from Trauma (START) curriculum, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Real Life Heroes, and the Sanctuary Model. There was also discussion about issues related to assessment of children in residential treatment centers.
The RTC working group has identified a number of next steps and potential products to develop, including:
• Conducting a residential treatment needs assessment survey currently in progress.
• Compiling stories and vignettes related to treating youth in RTCs.
• Identifying assessments that address the needs of RTCs.
• Creating partnerships between RTCs and Category II centers in the NCTSN to evaluate evidence-based and promising interventions.
• Addressing organizational change issues to move toward a more trauma-focused environment.
• Developing a fact sheet about RTCs.
For additional information about the RTC working group e-mail Joe Benamati or Brian Farragher.
NCTSN's Indian Country Child Trauma Center (ICCTC) Trains Providers to Recognize Child Trauma and Bridge Native Traditions with Western Medicine
On May 3-7, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center sponsored a week-long training on the treatment of physically and sexually abused Native American children. The training included special information on child traumatic stress and incorporated tribal-specific native cultural perspectives and traditions.
Faculty for the training included traditional native healers and child psychologists who have expertise in treatment of child maltreatment in native communities. Most participants were mental health professionals who serve Indian children in Indian Country. Presentations emphasized traditional approaches to healing, rediscovery of native culture, ways of perceiving health, value systems and learning styles, and Native American perspectives of human development.
Two members of the National Center staff attended the training and participated in a traditional Cheyenne sweat lodge ceremony and a traditional Cheyenne meal of fruit, corn, bread, and meat. “The experience was intense and unforgettable,” said Chris Siegfried, network liaison. “What was particularly moving was how all of the participants prayed in their own languages.” Susan Ko, the National Center 's Services Systems Core director also participated in this special purification ceremony and meal. “The daily 'smudging' ceremony with sage was a calming and inspiring experience. We were honored to be able to participate in the tradition of the Cheyenne sweat lodge. It provided us with a very personal experience into an important Native ritual and gave us a new lens with which we can understand various cultural traditions."
Ten years ago, the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center developed Project Making Medicine to train mental health providers from tribal and Indian Health Services facilities nationwide. Building on the work of Project Making Medicine, the university's Center on Child Abuse and Neglect this year established the Indian Country Child Trauma Center (ICCTC), which is a member of the NCTSN.
The overarching goal of the ICCTC is to develop trauma-related treatment protocols, outreach materials, and service delivery guidelines specifically adapted and designed for Native American children. For more information on ICCTC, contact Dolores Subia BigFoot at 405-271-8858.
NCTSN Continues to Enjoy Successful Collaboration with Federation of Families
The NCTSN, in partnership with the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, presented a poster session at Portland State University's 14th Annual Building Family Strengths Conference held in Portland, Oregon, on May 6-8. The poster session centered on the results from surveys collected and focus groups held during the Federation of Families Annual Conference. The participants were family members with a child with mental held needs and a history of trauma. Information was collected to assist in informing the field of the needs of children and families in attempting to address the issues around trauma with their children.
The conference provided an opportunity to share results and increase awareness about the resources available through the NCTSN. Both family members and professionals working in the field of children's mental health attended the conference.
The poster session allowed for NCTSN resources to be distributed and educated many participants who asked questions and received additional information. "Family members and professionals were interested and engaged in wanting to learn more about the NCTSN," said Shannon Crossbear, the liaison between the Federation of Families and the NCTSN. "Many had not heard or been aware of the NCTSN and were eager to learn more about how the services and resources of the NCTSN could be helpful to the populations they served and the communities in which they live."
NCTSN Members Scheduled to Participate in DHS Conference on Evidence-Based Practices in Child Welfare
A number of NCTSN members will participate in a conference about evidence-based practices in child welfare.
The conference, which takes place June 28-30 in Washington, DC, is sponsored by the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACF), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCTSN participation resulted from conversations between the NCTSN's Systems Integration Group, Ken Curl of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and Patsy Buida, foster care specialist for the Children's Bureau within ACF.
The conference anticipates 500 participants from across the spectrum of child welfare professionals, including policy makers, judicial representatives, all 50 state child welfare directors, child welfare directors of the largest metropolitan areas in each state, tribal representatives, advocacy groups, direct service providers, the state lead for responding to the federal child and family services reviews, and other groups in the child welfare field.
The conference will serve as an opportunity for training, collaboration, and partnership building. The conference will also examine the lessons learned from the first complete round of child and family services reviews conducted by ACF. Child and family services reviews were completed for each state's child welfare system and discussed different quality outcome indicators associated with child well-being.
NCTSN members scheduled to participate in this conference include:
• Patricia Van Horn from the University of California at San Francisco discussing child parent psychotherapy.
• David Kolko from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine discussing Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for child physical abuse.
• Judy Cohen from Allegheny General Hospital discussing Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for child sexual abuse.
• Charles Wilson from the Chadwick Center in San Diego discussing the Kauffman Best Practices Project.
For addtional information about this conference, e-mail Chris Siegfried, network liaison. |
