Nearly all children referred to public behavioral healthcare from child welfare do not need standard mental health treatment: they need trauma informed care.
In this episode, Dr. Lyons highlights the crucial need for trauma-informed care in the child welfare system, stressing that most behavioral and emotional issues in these children stem from significant traumatic experiences inadequately addressed by standard mental health treatments. He underscores the importance of child welfare organizations actively advocating for and facilitating access to specialized trauma-informed care, as well as the need to develop a skilled workforce of trauma treatment specialists. Recognizing child welfare as a trauma treatment system is emphasized as a fundamental approach to effectively addressing the complex needs of children in state care.
