Posted on Mon,
Aug. 07, 2006
Mental health
professionals to learn about children's treatments
Associated Press
FARGO, N.D.
- Early and more consistent treatment for
children who have experienced abuse, neglect and
other trauma could reduce problems for them later,
says the director of a project to train mental
health professionals.
Fargo's
Neuropsychiatric Research Institute and the
University of North Dakota medical school will offer
training this fall in new treatments for children
who have been through trauma.
"If you can get to
these kids early, you can help them reclaim the
person they were before the trauma happened," said
Steve Wonderlich, the project's director and
associate chairman of clinical neuroscience at the
medical school's Fargo campus.
The National Child
Traumatic Stress Network estimates 25 percent of
children experience some kind of trauma before age
16. It can include domestic abuse, natural
disasters, community violence, terrorism, sexual
abuse and neglect.
Trainers from New
York and Pennsylvania will come to North Dakota to
work with 13 psychologists and counselors. After a
year, three of those who are trained will teach the
techniques to others.
One of the programs
is designed for children ages 4 to 18 who have
significant behavioral or emotional problems
relating to traumatic life events. Children and
their families learn stress management skills, how
to regulate emotional responses and healthy
interpersonal relationships.
The other program is
for teens who have experienced chronic trauma, such
as domestic violence, community violence or a
life-threatening disease.
The project is funded
through the Otto Bremer Foundation and the Dakota
Medical Foundation.
Counselors and
psychologists in the state now offer mental health
services for children, but health officials say
there are new things to learn.
"It's not that what
we're doing right now isn't good, but research in
this area is increasing very fast," said JoAnne
Hoesel, who works with the state Human Services
Department.
In 2005, the Rape and
Abuse Crisis Center in Fargo worked with 568
children.
On a statewide level,
the training also will help ensure there are enough
counselors and psychologists to work with children
who have experienced trauma, said Beth Tjon Wosick,
executive director of the Red River Children's
Advocacy Center.
That means more
children can receive therapy in their own
communities, she said.
