Child Trauma

A report by a national advocacy group for poor children and families is calling on federal, state, and local policymakers to pay more attention to the needs of children who are exposed to

trauma caused by experiences such as witnessing violent crime, being bullied at school, or losing family members in military conflicts. The National Center for Children in Poverty, based at

the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, issued a list of recommendations to address what the authors say is a dearth of strategies and programs to help children who have

been subjected to trauma. One-quarter of all children and adolescents are exposed to trauma, the report says, and the rates are likely higher for youngsters who are poor or members of racial

and ethnic minorities. “Strengthening Policies to Support Children, Youth, and Families Who Experience Trauma” calls for tribal and governmental agencies that handle mental-health services,

juvenile justice, and child-welfare programs to incorporate promising strategies for preventing and treating trauma in youths and their families. It highlights existing programs that are

addressing child trauma in a military community in Watertown, N.Y., in rural Maine, and in American Indian communities in North Dakota. “Strengthening Policies to Support Children, Youth,

and Families Who Experience Trauma” is available from The National Center for Children in Poverty.