COVID-19
Mental Health
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Community Pediatrics
Health Equity/Social Determinants of Health
General Pediatrics
Cross-Disciplinary Pathway
Child Abuse & Neglect
Advocacy Pathway
Binny Chokshi, MD
Pediatrician
General Pediatrics
Childrens National Health System
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Danielle Dooley, MD MPhil
Medical Director, Community Affairs & Population Health, Child Health Advocacy Institute
Children's National Hospital
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Leandra Godoy, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Children's National Health System
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Nia Bodrick, MD MPH FAAP
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
General and Community Pediatrics
Children's National Hospital
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
The effect of traumatic exposures, or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), on health outcomes across the lifespan is well recognized among pediatric practitioners. Increasing the ability of healthcare providers to recognize and respond to ACEs can buffer the long-term negative health impacts of adversity and increase patient-centered care.
Training physicians in the principles of trauma informed care is being recognized as an essential need in health care as a universal mechanism to respond to ACEs. A trauma-informed approach is especially important during COVID-19, due to the high level of stress that the pandemic has created for our patients and their families.
This interactive workshop will start with a brief review of the sciences of childhood adversity. (10m) Then we will introduce a concrete, easy-to-use, trauma-informed framework, CARES, rooted in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSAs) trauma-informed approach: C: central tenet of trauma informed care, A: ask about trauma, R: resiliency/resources, E: educate and S: self care. (30m)
Participants will then be able to apply and critically reflect on the CARES framework by working through small group role-plays simulating common patient visits. The role plays will highlight language to use when initiating and engaging in sensitive conversations related to adversity exposures, how to engage patient/families in treatment plans through education, and lastly how to utilize resources of support in empowering and collaborating with patients on treatment plans. (20m)
The facilitators will then describe a strengths based trauma informed approach, with an interactive discussion focused on the key components of building resiliency in pediatric patients. (15m) Participants will work through patient cases first in dyads and highlight opportunities for resiliency building during patient-provider conversations related to trauma and adversity, with subsequent facilitated discussion in the larger group. (20m)
Participants will leave with a new trauma informed skillset with which to approach patient care to increase positive health outcomes for patients and families, especially in the setting of the collective community trauma of COVID-19.
This workshop will be facilitated by a multidisciplinary team from Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC. All presenters have trained multiple audiences, ranging from school resource officers and district judges to medical students and attending pediatricians, in trauma informed care principles.