Welcome to the National Child Traumatic Stress

Network

Collaboration for Impact: Accomplishments and Challenges

of a Maturing NetworkRobert S. Pynoos, M.D., M.P.H.

John A. Fairbank, Ph.D.

Friday Sept. 21, 2007

Introduction and Welcome by NCCTS Co-Directors

Robert S. Pynoos, M.D., M.P.H.NCCTS Co-DirectorUCLA Department of Psychiatry andBiobehavioral Sciences

John Fairbank, Ph.D.NCCTS Co-DirectorDuke University Medical Center

NCTSN Mission

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is a unique Congressional initiative whose mission is to improve the quality, effectiveness and availability of care and services for children and families who are exposed to and affected by a wide range of traumatic experiences, including:

– physical and sexual abuse– domestic, school and community violence– natural disasters and terrorism– accidental or violent death of a loved one– refugee and war experiences– life-threatening injury and illness

NCTSN Expertise• Combining knowledge of child development,

expertise in child traumatic stress, and attention to cultural perspectives, the NCTSN supports the development and broad adoption of evidence-based and trauma-informed treatments.

• The NCTSN is a collaboration of 70 academic, clinical and community service centers, including UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Duke University Medical Center, which co-direct the Network through the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.

- Rembrandt, Family Teaching Child to Walk

Disruption of the Protective Shield

“ ‘Give her to me. I can run faster.’ … I looked back and there was nothing to think about. I’ve got to give her a chance.”

“ ‘Smoke, smoke, fire, fire, hurry mommy pick me up. Run, run to my bed.’ I’d plop her on her bed and she’d say, ‘Now we are safe. Whew. That was close.’ We’d do that a million times.”

Mother of five-year-old daughter, caught in the evacuation of a preschool across from the World Trade Center on 9/11

- Raphael, detail,

Fire in the Borgo

“My mother …beseeched, exhorted and commanded me to escape as best I can.”

Pliny, the Younger -Account his experience, at age 17, of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, 79 A.D.

- Raphael, detail,

Fire in the Borgo

“You don’t shoot at children.”

NCTSN Vision

• The NCTSN will raise public awareness of the scope and serious impact of child traumatic stress on the safety and healthy development of our nation’s children and their families.

• We will improve the standard of care by integrating developmental and cultural knowledge to advance a broad range of effective services and interventions that will preserve and restore the future of our nation’s traumatized children.

NCTSN Vision

• The NCTSN will work with established systems of care, including the health, mental health, education, law enforcement, child welfare and juvenile justice systems, to ensure that there is a comprehensive continuum of care available and accessible to all traumatized children and their families.

• We will be a community dedicated to collaboration within and beyond the Network to ensure that widely shared knowledge and skills create a national resource to address the problem of child traumatic stress.

• Moving from general principles to tailored

trauma-informed services

• Moving from the development of first-class products to their broad utilization

• Moving to incorporate shared cultural knowledge and wisdom into everyday skills

• Moving from an established Network identity toward becoming an authoritative voice

• Moving from training curricula toward broad dissemination though modern, innovative learning platforms

Challenges of a Maturing Network

Challenges of a Maturing Network

• Moving from defining our data to its application in promoting systematic progress

• Becoming integral to state and national response to disasters

• Moving toward a critical mass in state transformation initiatives

• Enriching our network personality through mutually respected partnerships that enhance our Network efficacy

• Sustaining and strengthening the Network through embracing all generations of Network participants

Involvement, Collaboration and Cooperation

• We look forward to a rewarding partnership with you in our national efforts to enhance the recovery of traumatized children and their families.

• Please rely on us to help your site become engaged in the wide-range of exciting opportunities available through our Network.

• We invite you to contact the staff at the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress for assistance and support. We are always here for you.