Funding for children and teens affected by trauma

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded 15 grants of approximately $28 million to help at-risk children and adolescents suffering from traumatic experiences. The grants are a part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, a nationwide cooperative network of organizations that have the capabilities to address trauma-related illness.

Monies were given to tackle the following priority topics:

•Treating children who have had some type of medical trauma (eg, chronic, severe, or painful medical conditions, or painful medical procedures)
•Interventions for traumatic experiences of refugee children and their families (eg, exposure to war, terrorism, kidnapping, and forced displacement)
•Family-centered treatment approaches for trauma such as services to increase positive interactions between family members and children who have suffered traumatic events
•Trauma treatment/services in child protective service settings (eg, family courts, child protective services, and children’s advocacy centers)
•Trauma treatment/services for American Indian and Alaska Native children

Recipients will receive up to $600,000 per year for up to four years. Grants will be administered by SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health. To see a list of the facilities receiving grants, point your browser to, www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0709170847.aspx.