(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A new state task force aims to create guidelines for how schools, healthcare providers, agencies and others treat people who have experienced trauma.
The definition of trauma has expanded beyond personal events such as abuse to include experiences a group may endure, says Colleen Chiccetti, executive director of the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lure Children's Hospital.
“That could be exposure to violence in your community. It could be the experience of food insecurity and housing insecurity, not being able to know if you’re going to be safe tonight,” she said. “It could also be experiences of racism.”
She and other members of the Healing-Centered Task Force will create goals and metrics to measure progress.
“At a minimum we want to make sure that if you show up asking for trauma treatment, that across our state we have access to clinicians who know how to do that work and can improve your immediate symptoms,” Chiccetti said.
The group will gather monthly to meet the goal of having a framework in one year.
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