Presented by: St. Paul Public Schools Kiley Krocak, MSW ...

Presented by:

Marisa Biolo, MSW, LICSW

Carrie Johnson, MSW, LICSW

Michael D. Carlson, MSW, LICSW

St. Paul Public Schools

Kiley Krocak, MSW, LICSW

Family Innovations, Inc.MACMH Conference – Duluth, MNApril 25th, 2016

Today you will learn:

The definition of trauma, what ACES are, and some of the neuroscience behind it all

The journey of Bruce Vento Elementary School and the collaboration with Family Innovations to create a trauma sensitive community

Tools and strategies to begin addressing trauma in your school or organization

Demographics:

St. Paul, Minnesota 575 students, Pre-K – 5th 97% Free and Reduced Lunch Diverse student body

64% ELL Many immigrant families Large variety of racial/

ethnic backgrounds

Demographics:

American Indian – 1% Asian – 53% Hispanic – 8% African American – 35% White – 3%

Demographics we don’t have:

% who have (or their parent has) a mental health diagnosis % who don’t have adult supervision at night % who live with someone who

struggles with addiction % who don’t have any food at

home % who have been or currently are

homeless % who have experienced some

form of trauma

Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives. Psychologists can help these individuals find constructive ways of managing their emotions.

Adapted from the APA Help Center article, "Recovering emotionally from disaster."

The ACE study is one of the largest studies ever conducted connecting early adverse experiences and later difficulty in health and well being. This is a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1997 that examines the health and social effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) throughout the lifespan among 17,421 members of the Kaiser Health Plan in San Diego County.

Prior to your 18th birthday:

1. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?

2. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? or Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?

3. Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever… Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? or Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?

4. Did you often or very often feel that … No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?

5. Did you often or very often feel that … You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?

6. Was a biological parent ever lost to you through divorce, abandonment, or other reason?

7. Was your mother or stepmother: Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? or Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? or Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?

8. Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic or who used street drugs?

9. Was a household member depressed or mentally ill or did a household member attempt suicide?

10. Did a household member go to prison?

Incarceration of Caregiver

No food

Homelessness Domestic Violence

Abuse

Neglect

Mental illness in the home

Immigration related trauma

Substance abuse

Crime

Low frustration tolerance

ADHDDifficulty ConcentratingHigh activity

Increased aggressionDelinquency

Precocious Sexuality Sleeplessness

1. Always empower, never disempower

1. Empower: to give ability to; enable or permit

2. Provide unconditional positive regard

1. Treat students with simple sustained kindness

3. Maintain high expectations

1. Consistent expectations, limits, and routines send the message that the student is valuable

4. Check assumptions, observe, and question

1. Take the time to put yourself in the student’s shoes

5. Be a relationship coach

1. Maintaining the relationship is the antidote to feeling worthless

6. Provide guided opportunities for helpful participation

1. Helping others strengthens resiliency

Trauma Therapy vs. Trauma-informed Schools

Trauma Therapy Trauma-Informed Schools

• Licensed clinical mental health professionals or practitioner

• Intervention occurs in therapist’s office in 1:1 or group sessions and a DSM 5 diagnosis

• Focus is on addressing trauma reactions & reducing symptoms

• Licensed educators & student services professionals with varied mental health training

• Sensitivity & accommodations occur throughout the school

• Focus is on students’ educational success through emotional & physical safety, empowerment, trust, choice, & collaboration

Designed by Lesley University and the Massachusetts Advocates for Children in 2012

Asks staff to rate 26 elements in 5 different component areas that are involved in creating a trauma-sensitive school

1 – 4 rating scale: Not at all in place; Partially in place, Mostly in place, or Fully in place

Used for baseline in September 2014 and for post-data in May 2015

Component September 2014 Average

School-Wide Policies and Practices (8 Question)

2.67

Classroom Strategies and Techniques (8 Questions)

2.78

Collaborations and Linkages with Mental Health (5 Questions)

2.05

Family Partnerships (3 Questions) 3.23

Community Linkages (2 Questions) 2.94

September 2014 Data

Monthly PLC’s with grade level teachers

Modeling for and collaborating with teachers in classrooms

Monthly 30 minute trainings with paraprofessionals

Monthly Newsletter to all staff, custodial and dining hall included

Bulletin Board in office near staff mailboxes

Monthly cohort for social workers, Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Strategic Collaboration with Community (Family Innovations and the University of Minnesota)

Staff Kudos for those who demonstrate trauma informed practices.

What is Trauma?

Trauma and the Brain

Creating Safety

Secondary Trauma and Self Care

Attachment and Attunement

Relationships

Collaborative Problem Solving

Co-Regulation

Impact of Trauma on School

Classroom Interventions

Family Innovations

Description of agency, team, and services

Adaptation of delivery of mental health services

Team created to work directly with Vento Elementary

Results and data

Client progress

Student story

May 2015 we re-visited the checklist after our intense work with staff in the building and our collaboration with Family Innovations and the U of M

Data from May 2015 Quantitative - Checklist

Qualitative – Questionnaire

Component September 2014 Average

May 2015 Average

Score Difference

Percent Change

School-WidePolicies and Practices (8 Question)

2.67 2.97 +.3 7.5% Increase

ClassroomStrategies and Techniques (8 Questions)

2.78 3.01 +.23 5.8% Increase

Collaborations andLinkages with Mental Health (5 Questions)

2.05 2.81 +.76 19% Increase

Family Partnerships (3 Questions)

3.23 3.13 -.1 2.5% Decrease

Community Linkages (2 Questions)

2.94 3.1 +.16 4% Increase

Questionnaire included 3 questions:

What did you like about the Trauma Informed PLC’s?

What didn’t you like about the Trauma Informed PLC’s? What would you change?

Other comments or questions?

Highlights included:

“Learning about trauma: brain development, terminology to use, ways to calm students”

“Connecting info to individual students past and present – It makes sense!”

“Small doses of information with strategies that could be applied immediately”

“Provided strategies to help students, provided more information to have a deeper definition and understanding of what it means to have trauma”

“It made me realize how “clueless” I was in the past – because this is nothing new. It’s so sad that we don’t know what they and their families are going through.”

Provide a safe, predictable classroom Routine

Structure

Explicit Rules/ Expectations

Provide a safe, understanding adult relationship (Trust) Empathy

Listening

Reliability

Calm presence

Self Awareness

Create a caring community in your classroom Community Circles

Morning Meetings

Inclusiveness

Respect for all

Appreciation of Differences

Creating a supportive environment for staff Kudos

Encouraging Self Care

Train staff on the impact of secondary trauma

Safe spaces for staff to be open/seek consultation

Zones of Regulation

Movement Breaks Fitness Trail (GET LINK)

Go Noodle

Safe Spaces in Rooms

Fidgets

Calm Down Kits Wiki Stix

Fidgets

Visuals (Board Maker)

Cares Buddies

iPad Apps See handout

Environmental Accommodations Sensory and Calming Rooms

Dim Lighting in Classrooms

Academic Differentiation

Social Thinking Curriculum

Therapy Dog

The principal of Lincoln High School in Washington, shares his personal experience applying trauma-sensitive practices, specifically in the role of discipline.

(see handout)

Nadine Burke-Harris TED Talk

ACE websites (ACEStooHigh.com, ACEstudy.org)

NCTSN – National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Lost at School – Ross Greene

Collaborative Problem Solving

www.LivesInTheBalance.org

Paper Tigers – Host a showing

www.papertigersmovie.com

Resilience

http://kpjrfilms.co/resilience/

Note to Educators: Hope Required when Growing Roses from Concrete, Jeff Duncan Andrade, Harvard Review

http://www.unco.edu/cebs/diversity/pdfs/Duncan_Note%20to%20Educators_%20Hope%20Required%20When%20Growing%20Roses%20in%20Concrete.pdf

Alive: Creating Trauma Informed Schools

http://www.traumainformedschools.org/home.html

Michael Carlson: [email protected]

Carrie Johnson: [email protected]

Marisa Biolo: [email protected]

Kiley Krocak: [email protected]