News from the Field Related to Wraparound
NCTSN Policy Brief: Intimate Partner Violence and Child Trauma
January 19, 2018
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has published a policy brief on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and its impact on children. The brief summarizes research on the subject, including a study published in 2011 that showed one in 15 children reported witnessing violence in the home between parents in the last year. The brief also details the negative short and long term impact this exposure can have on children, and outlines recommendations for policy makers on supporting early intervention programs.
Transitioning Back to School and After-school Programs After a Mental Health Crisis
January 12, 2018
In a post on Youthtoday.org, Kamala Joy, program manager for family and youth at Via Hope in Austin, Texas, offers recommendations for supporting positive re-entry for youth transitioning back to school following an extended absence for mental health treatment. As an example, she describes Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT), an approach used in Massachusetts. BRYT includes meeting with the student, parents, student’s psychologist along with the school nurse and and a school administrator to plan and prepare for the transition and support the student during and after the transition.
Research: Mental Health Intervention Tied to Decreased Cortisol Levels
January 11, 2018
Research published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology claims to be the first to use a biological measurement – hair cortisol in this case – to measure the impact of a mental health intervention in war-affected youth. The study included 733 war-affected youth from Syria and Jordan aged 12-18 who participated in a Mercy Corps. program, Advancing Adolescents, that is “designed to reduce the effects of profound stress and build strong ties to family and community”. Results showed cortisol levels were reduced by about 38 percent over time.
Pediatricians screen more kids for mental health issues if they receive hands-on support
January 10, 2018
Recent research by Children’s National Health System published in Pediatrics this month found pediatricians included mental health screenings in patients’ annual check up when the pediatricians were given training and support. The 15-month study included 10 pediatric practices and 107 individual providers in the Washington, D.C. area.
Why foster care students in Seattle are beating the odds
January 4, 2018
NPR recently profiled the success of Treehouse, a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives of foster youth, in their efforts to increase high school graduation rates. In 2010, the high school graduation rate for youth in foster care in Seattle and King County, Washington was 36 percent. In 2012, Treehouse started assigning “education specialists” who work with students to support them in identifying and reaching their goals. Last year, 89 percent of the eligible students in the Treehouse program graduated within five years.
Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports
December 8, 2017
Child Trends has published a report on Integrated Student Supports (ISS) initiatives which help schools connect children with needed services (housing, medical care, food assistance, etc.) in order to support their academic success. Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports is an update on the developments in the field since 2014, when Child Trends first published a report on the topic. This 2017 report includes details on the growing number of evaluation studies on these programs and examples of successful implementation in specific cities.
Parent Perspectives from Participating in a Family Component for CBITS
December 4, 2017
Research published last year in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy explores parents’ responses to a family component developed as an addition to the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS). Results from qualitative interviews conducted with 15 low-income, Latino parents, showed a high level of satisfaction with the family component. The article includes clinical implications for implementing culturally sensitive, school-based interventions with parents
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Depression increasing in US, particularly among youth
November 28, 2017
Recent research published in October in Psychological Medicine found significant increases in depression among Americans aged 12 years and older, particularly among the youngest individuals. Researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for individuals aged 12 years and older (n = 607,520) from 2005 to 2015. Significant increases in depression were found in the youngest and oldest age groups, with a higher rate of increase among youth.
New evidence that students’ beliefs about their brains drive learning
November 15, 2017
Growth mindset, the belief that intelligence and talent can change, has been established by research as an important factor in student success. A new research report published this month by the Brookings Institute, looked into this further with data from five school districts in California that measure growth mindset for students in 3rd to 8th grade. The researchers found that
“traditionally under-served students… are less likely to hold a growth mindset”. The results also show that students from all groups with a growth mindset learned more in a year than similar students without a growth mindset.
New York Times Opinion Page: The ‘Problem Child’ Is a Child, Not a Problem
October 25, 2017
In this recent piece from the Opinion page of The New York Times, author and developmental psychologist, Suzanne Bouffard describes the repercussions caused by school discipline over behavioral issues in young children. According to the article, “nearly 1 in 10 preschoolers is suspended or expelled for behavior problems”. The article details the promising results found using Collaborative Problem Solving (C.P.S.) to teach self-regulation skills.