Promoting the Healing and Restoration of Children, Adolescents, and Families Exposed to Adverse Environments or Conditions

Tuesday, 14 July 2009

Clarissa Agee Shavers, WHNP-BC, RN
Principal Investigator & Program Director, The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project, Primary Care Office, Detroit, MI
Judee E. Onyskiw, RN, PhD
Faculty of Health and Community Studies, MacEwan College, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Lisa M. Green, MA, LLPC, BSW
Co-Principal Investigator, The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project Research Team, Ambassador Counseling & Resource Group, LLC, Ambassador Youth Initiative, Southgate, MI
Meryl Price, PhD, RN
Faculty of Medical Sciences,School of Advanced Nursing Education, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Learning Objective 1: state the purpose, goals, and objectives of The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project.

Learning Objective 2: identify the proposed evidence-based outcomes of The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project Case Management Research Practice Model.

Children and adolescents exposed to violence and trauma may exhibit moderate to severe psycho-social-emotional health problems. In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Community Health, as well as, with other Partners, Volunteers,  Collaborating Agencies and Organizations, The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project© have begun to identify children and adolescents who are at-risk for exposure to violence and trauma in their lives.             The purpose of this psycho-social-emotional intervention/program/project is to assist these at-risk children, adolescents, and their families by identifying programs and services to enhance their overall health and well-being. Similarly, we plan to proactively promote the healing and restoration of this at-risk population of children, adolescents, and their families. One of the proposed significant outcomes for this at-risk population of children and adolescents is to establish an alternative cognitive schema. To assist in these efforts, we plan to utilize The Safer Tomorrows Project Case Management Research Practice Model.© This model consists of a structured format which addresses the issues of (1) “safety nets” for children and adolescents who may need immediate, acute, short or long term multidisciplinary health care services, (2) access to services, resources, and programs, (3) coordination of services with local multidisciplinary health care providers, interdisciplinary community-based professionals or providers, and volunteers, and (4) global health education around the themes of injury prevention, violence reduction, and healthy peaceful conflict evidence-based resolutions or strategies. Multidisciplinary health care providers, interdisciplinary professionals or providers, and volunteers are called to help promote the healing and restoration of children, adolescents, and families exposed to adverse environments, conditions or situations. The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project© is trying to confront and assist in eliminating these disparate social justice, economic, and health care issues for this vulnerable population.