Phoenix Center pioneers trauma training for local EMS
Contributed
Mabel the therapy dog from the Phoenix Center is pictured with participants in trauma training provided by the center to Marble Falls Area Emergency Medical Service (MFAEMS) personnel. With center executive director Sarah Garrett, left, are, continuing from left, EMS personnel Abigail Sims, Alex Dunavant, Darlene Parker and Kevin Naumann, their operations director.
Emergecy medical personnel may be the first to encounter a traumatized child and now they have another tool in their kits to provide the best care in the Highland Lakes area.
Two trauma-informed care trainings were provided by Phoenix Center for 26 Marble Falls Area Emergency Medical Service (MFAEMS) professionals to expand awareness of the impact of trauma childhood trauma and provide effective tools and strategies for interacting with children and families in emergency situations.
This community collaboration began after Kevin Naumann, president of the Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) Board of Trustees and the operations director for Marble Falls Area EMS, attended an MFISD board meeting in November 2016 and heard about the numerous trauma-informed trainings Phoenix Center has provided for the school district.
Naumann recognized the opportunity and need for trauma-informed care training for his department and approached Sarah Garrett, founder and executive director of Phoenix Center, about offering trauma-informed training for local first responders. The need for first responders to be trained in trauma-informed care is important as local EMS are often the first to respond when children and families have experienced a traumatic event — such as a traumatic car accident, domestic violence or child abuse or neglect.
“We cannot thank Lindsey (Humphrey Crelia) and the whole Phoenix Center team enough for the great information presented in this training time together,” Naumann said. “In many situations EMS is dispatched for situations that involve physical and/or emotional trauma. Often as some of the very first interaction these patients have, our medics are now much more prepared to recognize the signs and symptoms associated with this type of trauma and to respond in the most appropriate and effective ways to treat and otherwise support these patients.
“Our mission at MFAEMS is to 'love, serve, and care.' Often, fulfilling this mission involves much more than treating the immediate and obvious physical wounds. The good work that the Phoenix Center does every day and the knowledge gained from this time we've spent together are powerful tools for our medics in the field whenever they encounter these crisis situations.”
The Phoenix Center’s trauma-informed trainings provide information on how trauma impacts a child’s neurobiological development and the best intervention approaches when engaging with children who have experienced trauma.
Trainings also focused on recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma and child abuse reporting mandates.
“It is an honor to provide this trauma-informed training for local first responders,” Garrett said. “Our goal is to provide many more community trainings in the future to best serve and meet community needs.”
According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, nearly 35 million children in the United States have had at least one serious traumatic experience. In Burnet County, the rate of confirmed cases of child abuse is nearly two times higher than the state average. These experiences dramatically impact a child’s neurological and behavioral development, long-term health, and societal outcomes. Decades of research proves trauma can negatively effect brain development, impacting how a child is able to learn, grow, and connect with others.
Children who have experienced trauma, such as physical abuse, are at greater risk of developing at-risk behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, STDs, delinquency, and poor grades. Trauma in youth also increases rates of suicide and depression. However, these negative outcomes can be overcome with intensive mental health treatment and positive relationships and social supports.
Marble Falls Area EMS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit ambulance service that was established in 1976 to provide emergency medical response to the area. The Marble Falls Area EMS response area is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States.
Founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the mission of the Phoenix Center is to inspire hope, health, and healing by providing the highest level of mental health care to every child and family through innovative trauma-informed therapy and education.
