The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ project Engaging Adversity, Surviving Trauma in Oklahoma City (EAST OKC) will reduce the impact of trauma in 10 of Oklahoma’s most trauma-exposed zip codes, where trauma is common enough to be a normative life experience. EAST OKC will provide trauma treatments to 1290 children, prenatally-18 years old, and reach 2625 individuals through outreach for a total of 3915 served.
EAST OKC targets an area with a majority (59%) African American population that has an average ACE score of 5.25, and if post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were a race, it would be the second-largest among children served. The average life expectancy in this area is five years less than the rest of the county, and the average years of potential life lost is 43.6 per 100,000 for African American residents, more than double the years for white residents (21.3). EAST OKC will disseminate and implement a culturally-responsive, group adaptation of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) through two certified community behavioral health clinics, Red Rock and NorthCare, Hope Community Services, a community mental health center, and Sunbeam Family Services.
The goals and objectives of EAST OKC are (1) Provide outreach and engagement services to families and natural supports in the geographic catchment: a) Each year of funding, complete five digital outreach activities targeting families and caregivers; b) Each year, reach 500 individuals through culturally responsive outreach activities; c) Each year, host three outreach activities targeting the families’ common spheres, such as daycares, faith-based organizations, and pediatrician offices. (2) Reduce the impact of trauma in the target population by increasing access to and capacity for culturally-responsive, evidence-based practices (EBPs) within the geographic catchment: a) Each year, train 25 providers in culturally-responsive group TF-CBT; b) Train 25 clinicians in CPP throughout the life of funding; c) In Year 1, will serve 150 children and caregivers with identified EBPs increasing yearly to 300 children and caregivers served in Year 5; d) 80% of children who complete CPP will demonstrate improvement through assessment; e) 80% of children will no longer meet criteria for PTSD upon completion of TF-CBT. (3) Increase awareness, competency, and capacity of community-based supports and child-service systems to identify and support children exposed to trauma with a comprehensive range of services and supports available to meet needs: a) Each year, offer three trainings in The Road to Recovery to educate child-serving service systems about the intersection of trauma and intellectual developmental disabilities; b) Strategically engage child-serving service systems with trainings in relevant EBPs; c) Provide infant mental health consultation to 25 community partners annually. (4) Collaborate with NCTSI Category II, Treatment and Service Adaptation Centers (TSA) to advance goals of the project: a) Work with TSA to enhance and adapt CPP implementation; b) Work with TSA to enhance and adapt identified EBPs for use with ill or injured children and further the impact of Road to Recovery; c) Work with a TSA to obtain training for EAST OKC providers in historical trauma and responding to system-based trauma exposure.