Implementation and Evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Psycho-education and Therapeutic Mental Health Model for Youth Experiencing Homelessness - Covenant House New Orleans (CHNO) is the only organization in the Greater New Orleans area that provides 24/7 safe shelter and comprehensive supportive services to young people who are experiencing homelessness and escaping trafficking. CHNO serves youth 16 to 24 years of age, including pregnant and parenting youth, providing a safe living environment with structured supervision and guidance from professional counselors and case managers. As essential as the residential services had proven to be prior to the pandemic, CHNO is now tasked with expanding its vision and integrating more innovative and sustainable solutions to address the mental health needs of youth in the community. CHNO proposes to expand its current mental health and wellness services with the implementation and evaluation of a trauma-informed, psycho-education program and enhanced trauma mental health therapy for youth in its residential programs.
Last year, nearly 900 youth experiencing homelessness came to CHNO in need. Most faced serious, traumatic experiences that led to their homelessness (family rejection, extreme poverty, domestic violence, mental-health challenges, substance use, systems involvement, or human trafficking). CHNO’s behavioral health counselors report that youth are entering the facility with layers upon layers of complicated mental and behavioral health issues confirming the lack of available mental healthcare for vulnerable populations. The challenges from pandemic uncertainties, COVID-19 restrictions, evacuating/displacement from Hurricane Ida, and worsening tensions from economic instability have created a pressing need for more intensive mental health programming for virtually every youth in CHNO’s care.
CHNO believes that taking a more psycho-educational and trauma-informed, therapeutic approach will remove the individual and systemic barriers and improve overall effectiveness of CHNO’s mental health and wellness services. Under this project, CHNO’s social work team will be trained and receive ongoing technical assistance from its local partner organization with expertise in trauma-responsive mental health and community wellness. The training and technical assistance (TA) consultant will focus primarily on trauma-centered therapies and curricula to enhance group and individual sessions with youth. The new therapeutic strategies will aid young residents in: increasing their knowledge and awareness of trauma and its impact on the brain and youth development; developing prosocial coping strategies and resiliency skills; and destigmatizing and increasing utilization of mental health services. The ultimate goal of this project is to help youth stabilize by addressing the impact of trauma, mitigating crisis and supporting them in building the skills they need to be healthy, positive, self-determined, and successfully transition to young adulthood.
