Building Trauma-Informed Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs

The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) and Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC) are pleased to announce the release of a comprehensive interactive learning module series, Building Trauma-Informed Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Programs. This two-part, online module series is designed to support RHY grantees and all youth-serving agencies in adopting a universal, trauma-informed approach to serving youth experiencing unsafe or unstable living situations, homeless youth, and youth who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Module One: Understanding Trauma and Its Effects, helps programs build a shared understanding of trauma and its impact on youth. The module is designed to help all staff identify the types of experiences that can be traumatic for youth, understand how the brain and body respond to stress and trauma, recognize the effects of trauma on youth and service providers, and apply trauma concepts to daily practice.

Module Two: Adopting a Trauma-Informed Approach, builds on the learning from the first module and provides leaders and staff with a framework and strategies for building a trauma-informed program by building a trauma-informed workforce, establishing trusting relationships with youth, creating safe and respectful service environments, fostering trauma-informed service delivery, and promoting trauma-informed policies and procedures. 

Staff of youth-serving agencies are encouraged to view the modules together as part of their ongoing professional development. Each module includes downloadable handouts, such as checklists, worksheets, practice guides, and discussion questions for supporting staff in applying concepts to daily practice, along with a facilitation guide with suggestions for how to use the module and companion materials for in-person group training. 

The Building Trauma-Informed Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs module series is available for public access via the following links:

• Part 1: Understanding Trauma and Its Effects
• Part 2: Adopting a Trauma-Informed Approach

For the best viewing experience, use Chrome or Firefox browsers as Internet Explorer is no longer supported.

If you have any questions, please email the RHYTTAC team at [email protected].

Study on RHY and Post-sexual Assault Care

Research on how often and why sexually assaulted RHY seek post-sexual assault care was recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Based on self-report survey data from 1,405 young people ages 18-26 who were homeless in seven cities across the U.S., the study found that only 29% of RHY experiencing sexual assault sought health care afterward. The most commonly reported reasons for not seeking care included reluctance to involve the legal system (44%), and not thinking care was important (35%); significant variations in the reasons youth reported not seeking care were found among different racial and ethnic groups, and among youth reporting past experiences of dating violence, survival sex and juvenile justice contact. Receiving care soon after sexual assault decreases risks of contracting HIV and becoming pregnant unintentionally.

Read the full study here: https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(19)30445-3/fulltext

ACEs Linked to Several Leading Causes of Death

The November 2019 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vital Signs examined the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and long-term health outcomes in the U.S. Using data from 25 states over a three-year period, researchers identified a correlation between having experienced trauma in childhood and at least five of the top ten leading causes of death. Given this stark view of the impact of ACEs, authors stress the importance of identifying children at risk for ACEs and intervening to prevent their occurrence.

Read the report and access complementary resources here: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/

How Connecticut’s Child Welfare System Became Trauma-Informed

The Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut recently released a brief detailing Connecticut’s efforts to implement trauma-informed care throughout its child welfare system. Since 2011, the federally funded CONCEPT initiative has begun screening every child age 3 and over in state care for trauma exposure and symptoms. It has trained thousands of child welfare workers in the causes and effects of childhood trauma and disseminated evidence-based treatments to clinicians in 30 agencies. The CONCEPT program has contributed to modifications of 37 DCF policies and practice guides.

Read more here: https://www.cmhnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IB68CONCEPT.pdf

Adverse Childhood Experiences Versus Childhood Trauma

This Child Trends blog post defines and differentiates adverse childhood experiences with childhood trauma. The authors compare and contrast childhood adversity, adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and toxic stress, using multiple links to additional resources and reports. The research shows that RHY face adverse childhood experiences and trauma at elevated rates.

Read the blog post here:
https://www.childtrends.org/adverse-childhood-experiences-different-than-child-trauma-critical-to-understand-why