Trauma-Informed Care for Youth: Addressing Disparities and Adverse Childhood Experiences

Trauma-informed care recognizes that past experiences, especially trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), shape health, behavior, and well-being in powerful ways. Youth who experience ACEs, particularly those from marginalized and underserved communities, are at disproportionate risk for health, developmental, and behavioral challenges. These youth often encounter fragmented systems in which trauma goes unrecognized or is addressed in ways that may retraumatize them. Clinicians and interprofessional teams can break down barriers and address disparities by embracing core principles of trauma-informed care, including trustworthiness, safety, empowerment, and peer support. Through culturally sensitive screening practices, non-retraumatizing assessments, and meaningful partnerships with youth organizations, care teams can build a safe, supportive foundation that helps youth feel seen, heard, and cared for.

In this CME Outfitters Snack, part of a series on health equity, expert faculty will address these gaps by assessing the impact of trauma and ACEs on child and adolescent development, health and behaviors, particularly in diverse patient populations. Faculty will utilize validated age- and setting-appropriate trauma screening and assessment tools within a culturally sensitive framework to address the needs of diverse pediatric populations. Learners will be shown how to develop a trauma-informed implementation plan with team roles, training touchpoints, and process measures and collaboration with community-based resources to mitigate barriers and promote equitable health access in underserved populations.

At the conclusion of this activity, learners will be able to better:

• Assess the impact of trauma and ACEs on child and adolescent development, health and behaviors, particularly in diverse patient populations
• Utilize validated age- and setting-appropriate trauma screening and assessment tools within a culturally sensitive framework to address the needs of diverse pediatric populations
• Develop a trauma-informed implementation plan with team roles, training touchpoints, and process measures and collaboration with community-based resources to mitigate barriers and promote equitable health access in underserved populations

This program is supported by an independent medical education grant from CVS Health.

Physicians, physician associates (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, case managers, and social workers

It is the policy of CME Outfitters, LLC, to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, and scientific rigor and integrity in all of their CE activities. Faculty must disclose to the participants any relationships with commercial companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in faculty presentations, or with the commercial supporter of this CE activity. CME Outfitters, LLC, has evaluated, identified, and mitigated any potential conflicts of interest through a rigorous content validation procedure, use of evidence-based data/research, and a multidisciplinary peer review process. The following information is for participant information only. It is not assumed that these relationships will have a negative impact on the presentations.

Ms. Jha reports no financial relationships to disclose.

Dr. Germán reports no financial relationships to disclose.

The following individuals have no financial relationships to disclose:

Rebecca Vargas-Jackson, MD (Peer Reviewer)
Albert Eubanks, Jr., RN (Peer Reviewer)
Keshia Pitt, PhD (Planning Committee)
Felicia Oyedepo, MD (Planning Committee)
Scott J. Hershman, MD, FACEHP, CHCP (Planning Committee)
Sandra Caballero, PharmD (Planning Committee)
Sharon Tordoff (Planning Committee)

*All identified conflicts of interest have been mitigated.

Unlabeled Use Disclosure
Faculty of this CME/CE activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. The faculty have been informed of their responsibility to disclose to the audience if they will be discussing off-label or investigational uses (any uses not approved by the FDA) of products or devices. CME Outfitters, LLC, the faculty, planners, and reviewers do not endorse the use of any product outside of the FDA labeled indications. Medical professionals should not utilize the procedures, products, or diagnosis techniques discussed during this activity without evaluation of their patient for contraindications or dangers of use.

Post-tests, credit request forms, and activity evaluations must be completed online (requires free account activation), and participants can print their certificate or statement of credit immediately (70% pass rate required). This website supports all browsers except Internet Explorer for Mac.

Call us at 877.CME.PROS (877.263.7767).

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