October 2014
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), along with key partners at Heart of Texas MHMR Center and other community agencies, have undertaken an initiative to improve the behavioral health service system for children and youth who have been impacted by exposure to traumatic events. Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the partners collaborate with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) to improve service delivery and develop products and tools for dissemination. The goal of the initiative is to implement evidence-based screening, assessment, and treatment practices within the service delivery system and transform systems to provide care that is consistent with the values of trauma-informed care.
The second year of the initiative focused on continuing the implementation of Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), including targeted training to providers working with military families. In addition, a second evidence-based practice was added to the system, with the first training cohort for Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). In the second year of the grant, implementation of both treatment models extended beyond Heart of Texas MHMR to include public mental health clinics and other non-profit providers across the state. In preparation for the third year’s focus on trauma-informed care, planning activities were augmented with an initial survey of the workforce on trauma knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of readiness for trauma-informed care activities. This initial survey was conducted within the children’s mental health program at the Department of State Health Services and Heart of Texas MHMR. A statewide survey, encompassing staff within multiple areas of the behavioral health system was conducted at the end of the project year.
Authors:
Dr. Molly Lopez
Dr. Tina Adkins