The Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress has compiled a list of helpful links and resources as a service to our users. These links and resources are intended to be used for informational purposes only.

Working with Parents/Caregivers in Trauma-Focused Therapy: A Conversation Guide

Parents/caregivers can be an invaluable part of the healing journey for children, by expressing confidence in their ability to heal, supporting progress and demonstrating their own capacity to come to terms with the child’s trauma experience.

We created this guide to help providers talk with parents/caregivers about skills that are important for participating in trauma-focused therapy relationships with their children and families.

This guide was developed by the Family-Informed Trauma Treatment Center at the University of Maryland and with support from the Center for Resilient Families at the University of Minnesota and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

View/Download Guide

COVID-19 : Behavioral Health Resources

The NCTSN and our partners are continuing to create resources to address the behavioral health needs
of children, families, and communities impacted by COVID-19.

View/Download Guide

A Guide to Forming Advisory Boards for Family-Serving Organizations:

Sarah Gardner, Director of Clinical Services, collaborated on two resources related to Advisory Boards with the Family-Informed Trauma Treatment Team at the University of Maryland and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s  Partnering With Youth and Families Committee. The first is called: “A Guide to Forming Advisory Boards for Family-Serving Organizations.”  The second is called: “Family Members/Caregivers: Things to Consider Before Serving on Advisory Boards.” Both incorporate contributions of family members and caregivers.

For Organizations

For Families

 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Publications and Products:

NCTSN Resources

Sharing Power Resources:

The above two tools were developed by the Partnering with Youth and Families Committee (PWYFC) of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).  “Sharing Power” is an approach to engagement with families, youth, and children which combines the knowledge and training of the provider with the lived experience of the those receiving services. The tools are based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) definition of trauma-informed care, “Importance is placed on partnering and the leveling of power differences... Healing happens in relationships and in the meaningful sharing of power and decision-making.”

The Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress Director of Clinical Services, Sarah A. Gardner, collaborated with  PWYFC committee members, providers and family members in the creation, development and dissemination of these documents. 

NCTSN Racial Trauma Resources:

NCTSN School Shooting Resources:

NCTSN Children with Traumatic Separation Resources:

 

Trauma Toolkits:

How to Help Your Child Grieve
Parents are the best sources of safety, support and healing for bereaved children. Each family is unique, with its own cultural and spiritual practices, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. This resource offers guidance from parents, foster families, grandparents and other caregivers who have been through experiences of loss and grief and found ways to cope and manage that grief.

Family Readiness Worksheet
Traumas are scary, dangerous or violent experiences that can happen to children and adults and can impact your family on a day-to-day basis. Talking to friends and loved ones is helpful, but sometimes, families need more resources and support to move forward. This worksheet serves as a guide on when to seek counseling for your family.

Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide 2nd Edition
Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed acute intervention for assisting children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism. It is designed for providers to give practical assistance to meet immediate needs and concerns, reduce distress, and foster adaptive coping.

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress Toolkit for Health Care Providers
These materials are designed for hospital-based health care providers (physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals) and may also be of use to mental health professionals who work in health care or disaster settings. The materials provide: (1) an introduction to traumatic stress as it relates to children facing illness, injury, and other medical events; (2) practical tips and tools for health care providers; and (3) handouts that can be given to parents that present evidence-based tips for helping their child cope.

Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit
These materials are designed to teach basic knowledge, skills, and values about working with children who are in the child welfare system and who have experienced traumatic stress. It also teaches how to use this knowledge to support children's safety, permanency, and well-being through case analysis and corresponding interventions tailored for them and their biological and resource families. Additional multimedia resources on this toolkit are available in the NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma.

Understanding the Links Between Adolescent Trauma and Substance Abuse: A Toolkit for Providers (2nd Edition)
This toolkit explores the complex connections between traumatic stress and substance abuse, and provides guidelines for identifying, engaging, and treating adolescents suffering from these co-occurring problems. The entire toolkit can be downloaded as a single PDF file.

 

Trauma Organizations and Networks:

National Child Traumatic Stress Network
To raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS)
ISTSS is an international multidisciplinary, professional membership organization that promotes advancement and exchange of knowledge about severe stress and trauma. This knowledge includes understanding the scope and consequences of traumatic exposure, preventing traumatic events and ameliorating their consequences and advocating for the field of traumatic stress. ISTSS provides a forum for the sharing of research, clinical strategies, public policy concerns and theoretical formulations on trauma in the United States and around the world.

National Center of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD)
NCPTSD is a center of excellence for research and education on the prevention, understanding, and treatment of PTSD. The Center has seven divisions across the country.

American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
APSAC is the leading national organization supporting professionals who serve children and families affected by child maltreatment and violence. As a multidisciplinary group of professions, APSAC achieves its mission in a number of ways, most notably through expert training and educational activities, policy leadership and collaboration and consultation that emphasizes theoretically sound, evidence-based principles.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
AACAP is the leading national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by these disorders. Its members actively research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and pride themselves on giving direction to and responding quickly to new developments in addressing the health care needs of children and their families.

National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN)
The Clearinghouse is a national resource for professionals seeking information on the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect and related child welfare issues. The Clearinghouse maintains an extensive database of documents on child abuse and neglect, child welfare and adoption, and offers materials-many of which are free.

Children's Bureau
The Children's Bureau works with State and local agencies to develop programs that focus on preventing the abuse of children in troubled families, protecting children from abuse, and finding permanent placements for those who cannot safely return to their homes.

Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
CWLA is a powerful coalition of hundreds of private and public agencies serving vulnerable children and families since 1920. Our expertise, leadership and innovation on policies, programs, and practices help improve the lives of millions of children in all 50 states. Our impact is felt worldwide.

 

General Trauma:

David Baldwin’s Trauma Information Pages
These Trauma Pages focus primarily on emotional trauma and traumatic stress, including PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) and dissociation, whether following individual traumatic experience(s) or a large-scale disaster. The purpose of this award winning site is to provide information for clinicians and researchers in the traumatic-stress field.

Sidran Institute
Because many people underestimate the developmental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual injuries that can result when people experience or witness traumatic events, Sidran Traumatic Stress Institute, Inc. develops and delivers educational programming, resources for treatment, support, and help, trauma informed community and professional collaboration projects, and publications about trauma and recovery.

Child Trauma Academy
The Child Trauma Academy, a not-for-profit organization based in Houston, Texas is a unique collaborative of individuals and organizations working to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research and education.