1. Portland Defending Childhood: Screening for trauma, adversity, and resilience in health settings

2. Why Screen in Medical Settings?
Child health is impacted by violence and trauma.
Early intervention allows for intervention, support, and prevention (otherwise children needing help may fall through the cracks).
Pediatricians are trusted providers who have consistent and ongoing access to patients. 2

3. Repairing the Cracks
Training: wide-spread shift to recognize CEV and trauma
Trauma-Informed Practices: standardized methods for identification, provider follow-up, referral to mental health treatment
Screening: for symptoms and severity of exposure
@ Portland Defending Childhood

4. The Path to Screening Built Support and Workplan
Pediatric Grand Rounds
CEV Steering Committee
Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
Trained Pediatric Providers
Pilot Implementation
Training on EMR (Next)
EMR Screening Begins (Future)

5. Screening Implementation Process
Training: providers understand CEV and referral resources.
Screen for CEV and trauma:
Do you feel safe in your home, neighborhood, school, and your relationships?
Has anything bad, sad, or scary happened to you recently or in the last year?
Use of a symptom screener to identify impact.
Ongoing follow-up:
E.g., Does “the event” ever bother or upset your child?
@ Portland Defending Childhood

6. Essential Elements
Referral and collaboration with community mental health providers trained in evidence-based trauma treatment.
Emphasis on prevention: providers see themselves as stakeholders in resilience-building.
A standardized process throughout the health system ensures fewer children fall through the cracks.
@ Portland Defending Childhood

7. www.PortlandDefendingChildhood.org bw@portlandmaine.gov
For More Info