May 1, 2023 — The Center for Safe and Resilient Schools, the global leader in building safe and resilient school communities before, during and after trauma, announces the expansion of its multi-tier prevention, response and recovery trainings and consultations to help school communities and individuals foster resilience, recover after the unthinkable, and move forward with greater strength, knowledge and healing.
Trauma is universal and research has shown that certain populations are disproportionately affected by it. Sadly, the incidence of trauma among students is high:
- 2 in 3 school-aged children in the U.S. will have been exposed to a traumatic or adverse event by the age of 16 (NCTSN, 2017)
- During the 2019–2020 school year, 77 percent of public schools recorded that one or more incidents of crime had taken place, amounting to 1.4 million incidents. (NCES, 2022)
The impact of trauma, regardless of its scale or nature, is profound and long-lasting. However, receiving a school-based trauma intervention after exposure to violence, can result in better school grades.
Building on 85+ years of combined experience, The Center is the acknowledged leader in trauma-informed school services, having pioneered practices in threat assessment, crisis response and trauma-informed care since 1997. Experts from The Center have been at the epicenter of nearly every traumatic school event in the United States, including Columbine, Newtown, Parkland and Uvalde, and have been called on to help in countries around the world, including China, Japan, Philippines and South Korea.
Dr. Marleen Wong, one of The Center’s co-founders, led one of the first evaluations in the nation assessing childhood trauma and PTSD in schools. With over 35 years of school-based experience, she was praised by the White House as a “pre-eminent expert in school crisis and disaster recovery,” while The Wall Street Journal called her the “architect of school-safety programs.”
“As the rates of violence in schools continue to accelerate across the U.S., the terrible reality is that trauma and adversity can happen anywhere, anytime,” said Dr. Wong. “The Center’s expansion of whole-school services and consultations reflects our unwavering commitment to build trauma-informed schools that can effectively address the trauma that students experience.”
Fueled by academic research that includes community voice, the Center for Safe and Resilient Schools, previously known as The Center for Resiliency, Hope and Wellness in Schools, takes inspiration from complementary, but diverse concepts such as education theory, leadership, organizational change, public health models and clinical psychology to provide trainings relevant to all levels of a school district. The Center has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
”Our multi-tier services and consultations cover the full spectrum of training supports for individuals, schools, districts and communities, from threat assessment and crisis response to long-term recovery,” said Pamela Vona, co-founder and program director at The Center. “With a proven track record of strengthening and restoring communities, and in light of the current need for trauma-informed practices, we are expanding our suite of interventions, curriculums and training interventions that help to create secure, healthy schools and support all those exposed to trauma.”
The Center’s expanded services build upon its comprehensive, three-part framework:
- Tier 1: Whole School Approaches, with strategies that promote a positive school climate to support students and prevent the development of trauma-related symptoms and behaviors
- Tier 2: Early Intervention and Response, with rapid, targeted intervention strategies for students, staff and communities that have been exposed to trauma
- Tier 3: Targeted Recovery and Healing After Exposure to Trauma, with evidence-based practices to promote recovery for students and adults who are experiencing symptoms of PTSD
The Center also consults with schools and districts to develop comprehensive plans to prevent, manage and recover from traumatic events, with a customized process that includes needs assessment and evaluation, strategy and planning, and implementation guidance.
To learn more about The Center’s training and consultation services, please visit traumaawareschools.org/.
The Center for Safe and Resilient Schools is the global pioneer in building safe and resilient school communities before, during and after trauma. In a world where trauma leaves students and school communities behind, the Center is a leader in the field of trauma-informed schools, providing multi-tier prevention, response and recovery trainings and consultations, with a proven track record of restoring and strengthening communities. For more information, visit traumaawareschools.org/.