Marlita White OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION June 27, 2012

1. PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID FOR COMMUNITIES (PFAC): A TOOL FOR PROVIDING IMMEDIATE HELP IN TIMES OF DISTRESS Marlita White OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION June 27, 2012 Psychological First Aid for Communities (Adapted from Pynoos RS, National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

2. Today’s Format and Goals Goals • Guide: Where, when, and with who? • Establish: PFAC core actions • Process:Participate in a brief activity • Practice: Review and questions

3. What is PFAC?

4. An Introduction Psychological First Aid is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping.* *National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2006).Psychological First Aid, Field Operations Guide 2nd Edition

5. What is Trauma? An experience, that completely overwhelms the ability to cope or integrate ideas and emotions; a sense of being overwhelmed lasting for a prolonged period as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances; can lead to serious long-term negative consequences by directly changing the biological functions of the brain* *Moroz, K.J. (2005) The Effects of Psychological Trauma on Children and  Adolescents. Vermont Agency of Human Services Department of Health Division of Mental Health

6. What is PFAC? Historical Background (PFA) • Pioneers-(1988) Robert Pynoos and Kathleen Nader (the National Child Traumatic Stress Network- developed the Second Edition of Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide ) • International Federation of Red Cross & Danish Red Cross- 1990; Red Crescent Societies- Listen. Protect and Connect • Numerous adaptations – 3, 6, 12, 18 hour training sessions, from state to state and beyond (Montana, Manitoba, UN, Chicago Dept of Public Health)

7. What is PFAC? PFAC vs. PFA PFA: Originally designed with children, adolescents, parents/caretakers, families, and adults exposed to macro-level disaster or terrorism in mind- it can also be used by and for first responders and disaster relief workers. PFAC: The Chicago Department of Public Health applied the principles outlined in PFA to experiences that occur on a more frequent basis within communities . This puts the “C” in PFAC.

8. Potentially Traumatic Experiences

9. Potentially traumatic experiences: • In the HOME: • Substance Abuse • Domestic Violence • Fire • Home Invasion/Theft • What else?

10. Potentially traumatic experiences: • In the COMMUNITY: • Serious injury Shootings/stabbings • Fights • Robbery • Car Accidents • What else?

11. General Guidelines of PFAC

12. General guidelines of PFAC: • Everyone can give PFAC

13. Cultural Humility General guidelines of PFAC: • There are something that you will miss or not understand when you are bridging a cultural gap to provide PFAC • Make sure to tread lightly • Be open to being corrected • Always ask if unsure

14. General guidelines of PFAC: No Assumptions • It’s the person’s/child’s experience • Not every person/child will be traumatized • Avoid ‘talking down’ • Focus on what the child/person has done that is effective

15. Working with Children

16. Working with children: How do young children experience trauma differently than the rest of the population?

17. Working with children Children at special risk • Separated from parents/caregivers • Adolescents who may be risk-takers • Youth exposed to grotesque scenes or extreme life threatening situations • CEV= children exposed to violence

18. Working with children Build on Protective Factors • Attachment & Bonding • Healthy friendships • A caring, positive adult relationship • Strong self-esteem

19. Working with children When offering PFA: • Accept the person’s readiness to share • Not the time to press for details • Only offer accurate information • Keep safety as a theme and focus

20. Working with children Behavior that may help • Speak at child’s/person’s eye level • Help child/person verbalize feelings • Provide simple labels • Avoid extreme words • Reassure by voice, body language

21. PFAC Core Actions

22. PFAC Core Actions • Core Actions Overview 1. Contact and Engagement 2. Safety and Comfort 3. Stabilization 4. Information Gathering 5. Practical Assistance 6. Social Supports 7. Coping 8. Linkage to Services

23. PFAC Core Actions Contact and Engagement Look, speak, acknowledge

24. PFA Core Actions Safety and Comfort Protect, reassure, encourage

25. PFAC Core Actions Stabilization Consistency, familiarity, dependability

26. PFAC Core Actions Information Gathering Asking, listening, organizing

27. PFAC Core Actions Practical Assistance Responsive, constructive, optimistic

28. PFAC Core Actions Social Supports Connecting, sharing, encouraging

29. PFAC Core Actions Coping Informing, educating, framing

30. PFAC Core Actions Linkage to Services Discuss, assess, link

31. PFAC Interventions

32. PFAC Interventions

33. PFA Core Actions Review • Contact & E_______________ • Safety and C______________ • Stabi____________________ • Information G______________ • Practical A_________________ • Social S___________________ • Supports with C_____________ • Linkage to S______________

34. Wrap Up Review • Define: Immediate help after a potentially traumatic event • Guide: Events that happen in the community to families effect children • Establish: PFAC core actions

35. Local Resources • CDPH, Office of Violence Prevention: 312.747.9396 • Emergency: 911 Information: 311 • Chicago Domestic Violence Helpline: 1.877.863.6338 • Metropolitan Family Services: 312.371.3600 • Family Focus, Englewood: 773.962.0366 • Heartland Human Care Services: 773.728.5960 • Casa Central: 773.645.2300 • Safe From the Start programs: 312.814.1708 (IL) http://ivpa.org/ • LaRabida Child Trauma Center: 773.374.3748

36. Wrap Up Questions ???