CD-51555
Anna, Age Eight: The Data-Driven Prevention Of Childhood Trauma And Maltreatment.
Courtney, Katherine Ortega.
Cappello, Dominic.
Book
xiv, 142 p.
Copyright
Published: 2018
Safety + Success Communities
Available From:https://www.safetyandsuccess.org/contact-us
This book uses the fictional case of eight-year-old Anna and her deeply troubled mother Cassandra, to explore childhood trauma and how data can be used to keep children safe and prevent child maltreatment. Following an introduction, Chapter 2 discusses the epidemic of childhood trauma, findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study), and the lack of comprehensive strategies at a federal or State level to reduce ACEs. Chapter 3 examines findings from the ACE study and statewide surveys, and Chapter 4 discusses the root causes of childhood trauma. Causes include: a long history of violence, mental illness, poverty, substance abuse, the intergenerational cycle of abuse, teens without resources having children, weak extended families, the shift towards a individualistic from a communitarian outlook, the relative newness of child welfare services, and the challenges human face when confronting complex problems. Chapter 5 discusses the problems with the current child welfare system and the use of continuous quality improvement to address assessment and evaluation, planning and action, and publicity and transparency. The crisis in mental health care is addressed in Chapter 6, as well as barriers to behavioral health care and the need to provide school-linked services. Recommendations for private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid are also discussed. Chapter 7 explains how geographical location impacts childhood trauma and the need for home visiting programs, universal preschool, and youth mentoring. Key challenges and possible solutions are discussed for health care services, housing, education and family-centered schools, job training and living wage jobs, hunger, transportation, and behavioral health care. Chapter 8 describes how technology can be used to help children avoid and recover more efficiently from ACEs. The final chapters highlight the challenges of New Mexico, combating data immunity, and the need for child advocacy. Numerous references.
Keywords:
New Mexico; data analysis; child welfare services; child welfare reform; school linked services; mental health services; childhood trauma; child abuse; prevention programs; continuous quality improvement; public health services; home visiting programs; information technology; evidence based practice; child advocacy; Intergenerational abuse; generational cycle of child abuse;