With no state budget and school beginning in less than a month, many Connecticut districts may have to cut back on recently expanded mental health services or make room for them in their own budgets.
trauma
Posted inHealth
‘Early intervention is the key:’ Identifying trauma in young children
“With all my being, I cannot stress this enough: Early intervention is the key,” a Groton mother of a teen who experienced trauma as a child told an audience at the state Capitol Thursday. “My son’s now getting intervention, and it’s working. But he’s now 15, and we have a long road to go.”
Posted inHealth
Unspeakable horrors gave Theanvy Kuoch incredible strength and compassion
Theanvy Kuoch survived torture, enslavement and the death of 19 of her relatives at the hands of the Khmer Rouge in her native Cambodia. She came to the United States as a refugee in 1981 and has led Khmer Health Advocates, a well-respected organization that serves refugees, for 35 years. She spoke to The Mirror about refugee health needs, her own experiences and the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on people who came to the country as refugees.
Posted inHealth
CT stepping up efforts to treat trauma in the very young
A baby crying inconsolably. A toddler stealing food. They’re signs of trauma, but often, even those who work with young children don’t recognize them. Can a new effort change that?
Posted inEducation, Health
Helping children cope with tragedies that don’t make the news
“The truth is that right now, San Bernardino, Sandy Hook, they have to be mass to get our attention,” Nelba Márquez-Greene said as she introduced a mental health conference held in honor of her daughter. “Kids suffer from violence, experiences, all kinds of losses, every day. And we’re missing that because maybe their specific tragedy doesn’t make it on the news.”
Posted inEducation, Health
Report: CT has made progress on child trauma, but gaps persist
Connecticut has made dramatic advances in providing help for children exposed to trauma, in some cases, emerging as a national leader in addressing a problem that research has linked to significant mental and physical health consequences. But more work is needed, according to a report released Tuesday.
Posted inHealth
Mental health agencies take on larger role coordinating all care
The fitness group walked in loops on the path with 51-year-old member Cindy as its unofficial cheerleader, But this is not a typical exercise group. It’s part of a statewide effort to bring together mental and physical health care for thousands of people with serious mental illness, chronic medical conditions and high health care costs. Second of two stories.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Mental health experts question police PTSD compromise
A compromise proposal that passed the Senate last week would extend workers’ compensation benefits to police who experience mental health problems stemming from responding to a death caused by a person, but not those related to handling fatal car accidents. Mental health professionals say the distinction might make sense politically, but it makes little sense medically.
Posted inHealth
CT officials see targeting trauma as key to improving health
Experts say exposure to trauma and significant stress early in life can have profound effects on children’s development. Those running Connecticut’s Medicaid program see the impact in another way too. “We pay for a lot of medical and behavioral health services, and chances are many of those are as a result of children and/or adults who have experienced childhood trauma,” William Halsey, a state social services official, said Monday.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Trauma also has profound effect on childhood learning
All schools, but especially those serving high concentrations of children growing up in poverty, must lay a foundation for healthy brain development in order to produce significant academic improvement and an equitable public education system for all.
Posted inNews
Op-Ed: Trauma also has profound effect on childhood learning
All schools, but especially those serving high concentrations of children growing up in poverty, must lay a foundation for healthy brain development in order to produce significant academic improvement and an equitable public education system for all.
Posted inHealth
A Super Bowl ad pushes for talk about domestic violence and sexual assault
Chances are most people watching the Super Bowl – and the ad about domestic violence that ran during the game – know someone who experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. But they might not be aware of it. “Despite the vast numbers impacted by these crimes, people are not talking about them,” said Virginia Witt, director of the campaign behind the ad. So what will change that?
Posted inHealth
Recognizing trauma and isolation
Nelba Márquez-Greene’s family experienced a high-profile trauma when her daughter, Ana, was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. But before that, she understood trauma as a mental health professional. She says we need to do a better job at recognizing and responding when children need help. The last in a series of four.
Posted inHealth
From brain science to Stop & Shop
From providing mental health care at the supermarket to training pediatricians in infant mental health, some in health care and social services are trying to apply the lessons of brain science and development to improve children’s health and well-being. The third of four in a series.
Posted inHealth
Changing course
Science suggests that having a secure relationship with a caregiver can help protect a child’s brain and body from the effects of adversity. A Connecticut program for very young children who have experienced trauma or other challenges has gotten results by focusing on that relationship – and the things that can interfere, including depression, family violence and a parent’s own history of trauma. The second article in a four-part series.