Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center received funding to establish the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category II Treatment and Service Adaptation Center. The Center, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration established the Terrorism and Disaster Coalition for Child and Family Resilience program. The first project of the program was the Gulf Coast Coalition, established in 2017, comprised of representatives from state agencies in the states along the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Subsequently, the Northeast Coalition was established (Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York). The final coalitions to be established will be the Midwestern U.S. Coalition and the West Coast Coalition.
The Initiative and the Terrorism and Disaster Coalitions for Child and Family Resilience project specifically addresses the consequences of terrorism acts and disasters on children and families. Its goal is to develop and adapt evidence-based, culturally relevant, diverse resources based on the expertise of coalition members.
HHSC Disaster Behavioral Health Services, Emergency and Risk Management, and the Office of Mental Health Coordination serve with representatives from partner agencies and organizations to collectively help communities become stronger and more resilient, with the specific focus on helping children and families successfully recover and move on with productive and healthy lives within a sustainable and resilient framework.