Insights
I was recently interviewed by news reporter Alaina Bookman. She was looking at mental health implications when youth experience traumatic events as well as the effectiveness of re-entry programs. We had a thoughtful discussion, and I wanted to share some additional insights.
It turns out, we have a few things in common. As a dedicated violence prevention reporter in Birmingham, AL, Alaina is focused on solutions to help address the gun violence issue that their community is facing. As a researcher and head of RTI’s Transformative Research Unit for Equity, I’ve dedicated my career to studying youth and violence prevention. And as I shared with Alaina, solutions are my love language.
The Impact of Trauma on Youth Mental Health
I think a lot about how we can create thriving communities. When violence is part of that story, it can be overwhelming, especially for our youth. Being detained and moved into a system can alter life trajectories. This lack of freedom can have a negative impact on mental health, changing how you think about your life outcomes. Detained youth may become anchored to a delinquent title, and it can become who they think they are. This stunted optimism can lead them to think, “Is this all there is for me?”
In my experience, these individuals share the same hopes and dreams that other kids do. They don’t want to be detained, and they certainly don’t want to be limited by their label. We need to wrap services around these young people and their families to allow them to see a path that’s hopeful.
When young people have to navigate life with the reality that their family member, friend is potentially going to die from violence…that trauma and grief is really profound and sometimes not tended to, so making sure that there is a trauma informed, culturally responsive approach on top of structural changes is important.
I believe effective violence prevention efforts need to take the long game to achieve long-term benefits. Instead of only focusing on individual behaviors, what if we asked if the community has the structures needed for its members to thrive? Are there real opportunities for youth? Is there a roadmap or can they see the steps to get there? Are there systems in place to enable success? Do folks have access to clean water, textbooks and reliable transportation? Who’s telling the stories of people who aren’t being asked what they need?
A Collaborative Approach to Violence Prevention
This conversation reminded me of a video our team produced, We've Got Your Back: How service providers can support Male Survivors of Violence,” with the National Institute of Justice and the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. We need to link survivors of community violence to services that can help them begin to heal and protect them from the risks of victimization. If our youth have the support and resources they need, they will do great things. I only see possibilities.
Disclaimer: This piece was written by Stephanie Hawkins (Vice President, Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE)) to share perspectives on a topic of interest. Expression of opinions within are those of the author or authors.