Healing the Abused Child

Special training gives professionals tools to

more effectively treat abused and neglected children

Mental health professionals with the University of North Dakota (UND) medical school and the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (NRI) are training their colleagues statewide to provide more effective treatment for children who are victims of trauma, particularly abuse and neglect.

Through a program funded primarily by the Otto Bremer Foundation and Dakota Medical Foundation, these professionals offer training for mental health clinicians in new treatments called:  Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TFCBT) and Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS).  They are providing training through a series of conferences and ongoing consultation (other support is from the Bush Foundation, State Department of Human Services, Alex Stern Family Foundation and MDU Resources).

Stephen Wonderlich, Ph.D., Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor and associate chair of clinical neuroscience, says the goal of the

project is to provide better treatment for “children who’ve been exposed to an overwhelming traumatic experience,” and to “reach these children before they develop complicated psychiatric problems.”

The project, aimed at helping children who range in age from four to adolescence, brings evidence-based, trauma-specific, mental health treatments for abused, neglected and traumatized children to North Dakota for the first time, Wonderlich says. “These treatments include specific psychological and family-based techniques.”

Snapshot of the problem

Stephen Wonderlich, Ph.D., with colleagues (from left) Heather Simonich, M.A.; Myla Korbel, M.S., and Tricia Myers, Ph.D., who provide training for those who treat child abuse victims

Recent statewide surveys indicate that incidences of child abuse and neglect are increasing in frequency and warrant statewide

intervention.  The North Dakota Department of Child Protection estimates there are about 2,000 well-documented cases of child abuse and neglect each year and that the majority of these children would benefit from mental health interventions.  The average age of the typical abuse or neglect victim in North Dakota is nine years.

Wonderlich’s colleagues on the project, Heather Simonich, M.A.; Tricia Myers, Ph.D., and Myla Korbel, M.S., traveled to New York and Pennsylvania to receive the training they are now offering to professionals in-state. As of July, they’ve provided training for about 50 professionals from throughout North Dakota, with plans to train more.

Recently, they’ve received additional funding from the Bush Foundation to continue the program, with an emphasis on reaching Native American youth.

Nature of the abuse

The abuse is generally long-term and usually takes several forms including emotional, verbal, psychological and sexual, says Stacy Fuller, Psy.D., psychology resident at North Central Human Service Center, Minot, who took part in a recent training session.

“Even going into foster care can be traumatic,” she says. “That’s on top of what they’ve experienced in what probably is a dysfunctional home.”

Many of the children are referred to mental health and social service professionals by the protective service system, foster care system, juvenile court, the Department of Juvenile Services, school systems and parents who require help with problems they are having with their children.

Excellent, relevant training

The training was “a very positive experience,” says Jim Knudsen, Ph.D., program administrator at North Central Human Service Center, Minot. It “is focused on aiding children, who’ve been

traumatized, to give them the skills they need to navigate life.  It was perfect for the kinds of kids we see.

“And to have them learn those skills through a group process, we find very intriguing.”

Continuing collaboration

Unlike many training programs which present an expert and a manual (the latter usually ending up on a shelf), this program is designed to provide continuing follow-up and regular consultation with the trainers.

Knudsen says he appreciates “that there’s a follow-up system of support and guidance that’s already in place.”

And Fuller is pleased that the relationship “will go on for another year of on-going contact with the experts who gave us the training.”

Benefits children statewide

Carla Kessel, M.S.W., administrator of children’s mental health services programs, North Dakota Department of Human Services, Bismarck, says the greatest benefit of the training is that it

“increases the clinicians’ repertoire of evidence-based practices and treatment modalities that we know work with a certain group of children and adolescents.”  Throughout the state, several groups have started or are planning to start in the fall.

“Anytime we have an opportunity to receive such a high level of training and trainers, it’s a benefit for the whole state.”

- Pamela D. Knudson

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