Making History - Akron Children's Hospital
Making History - Akron Children's Hospital
Making History - Akron Children's Hospital
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grants<br />
The team launching the Center<br />
for the Treatment and Study of<br />
Adverse Childhood Events includes<br />
(left to right): Patricia Seifert, PhD;<br />
Robin Tener, PhD; Sumru Bilge-<br />
Johnson, MD; Sarah Ostrowski, PhD;<br />
Melissa Peace, MSSA, LISW-S;<br />
and Norman Christopher, MD.<br />
Supporting children, families touched by trauma<br />
As adults, we are shocked and saddened by<br />
scenes of violence and devastation in the news –<br />
the recent shooting in Newtown, Conn., the<br />
destruction caused by super storm Sandy and<br />
stories of political upheaval from around the world.<br />
But what about our children? How do they process<br />
these events? How can we help them cope?<br />
With the launch of the Center for the Treatment<br />
and Study of Adverse Childhood Events, <strong>Akron</strong><br />
Children’s is shedding light on these questions.<br />
Thanks to a four-year, $1.6-million federal<br />
grant, we will provide services and support to<br />
children and families who have experienced<br />
psychological trauma.<br />
“Tragic shootings in Copley, Chardon and now<br />
Connecticut reinforce the importance of trauma<br />
training for teachers, doctors, nurses and others<br />
who work with children,” said Norm Christopher,<br />
MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and<br />
author of numerous studies on childhood trauma.<br />
“This grant will also enable us to deliver ageappropriate<br />
and research-based responses to the<br />
death of a high school student, the chronic illness<br />
of a sibling, or domestic violence, as they can be<br />
equally devastating for loved ones.”<br />
The goal of the center is to provide leadership,<br />
training and consultative services for childhood<br />
traumatic stress for northeast Ohio. It will create<br />
a trauma-focused network of care, which will<br />
improve access to treatment and help identify<br />
children who have been exposed to adverse<br />
events.<br />
The grant also allows <strong>Akron</strong> Children’s to join<br />
the National Child Traumatic Stress Network<br />
(NCTSN). Established by Congress in 2000,<br />
NCTSN includes more than 150 child trauma<br />
centers that provide care and resources for a<br />
wide range of traumatic experiences.<br />
Melissa Peace, a social worker who spent 10<br />
years leading the Summit County Children Who<br />
Witness Violence Program, will serve as project<br />
director.<br />
According to Peace, her team will begin by<br />
creating a community trauma advisory council<br />
and rolling out trauma-focused cognitive behavior<br />
therapy for clinical staff, community mental<br />
health providers and school personnel. This<br />
evidence-based approach helps children create<br />
and share “trauma narratives” to cope with their<br />
emotions.<br />
The grant also has a research component,<br />
led by pediatric psychologist Sarah Ostrowski,<br />
PhD, research program director for the<br />
NeuroDevelopmental Science Center.<br />
“As a member of the network, we will have a direct<br />
connection to the experts and most current<br />
research in childhood traumatic stress,” said<br />
Ostrowski, who will serve as principal investigator.<br />
“Through our own research, we will be contributing<br />
to that body of knowledge as well.”<br />
AKRONCHILDRENS.ORG/GIVING 23