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1. Articulate how traumatic experiences affect behavior and identify behaviors often seen in individuals with trauma histories.
2. Communicate techniques first responders can utilize to minimize trauma responses during a crisis.
3. Specify how standardized traumainformed practices can positively impact the ability of first responders to respond appropriately in the field.
4. Support how trauma-informed techniques can help de-escalate crisis situations, maintain safety, and expand professional satisfaction.
5. Communicate how to establish collaborations with community resources to effectively respond to the needs of traumatized citizens before and after a crisis.
6. Establish the importance of first responder “self-care” and how to respond when the first responder is affected by trauma.

Psychological Trauma Overview

• Definition of stress and trauma
• Types of trauma people experience
• Impacts on physical and mental health (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study)
• Limits of current research and first responder response

Red Flags for First Responders: How to Identify People Who’ve Experienced Trauma

• Neurobiological survival responses – Fight/Flight/Freeze/Fawn
• When the survival “alarm” is broken
• Psychological stages of trauma
• Challenging behaviors and trauma

The Trauma-Informed Toolbox: Increase Safety, Communication and Cooperation

• Understand cognitive capacity in crisis
• Create a situational alliance
• Utilize crisis communication strategies
• Promote a sense of safety and avoiding escalation of the crisis
• Develop community connections and responses pre and post crisis response

The Self Care Go-Bag: Effective Ways to Help Yourself and Help Your Peers

• Know the signs that someone is in crisis
• Assessing your “baggage” in the field
• Understand your triggers
• Know your strengths and challenges
• Where to go for help

Case Studies

• Sammie – 14-year old female with a long history of abuse and challenging behaviors
• Ms. Hawkins – 28-year old mother of an 8-year old female; requesting intervention

Melinda Gronen, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and certified instructor for several Illinois law enforcement Mobile Training Units (MTU). She has dedicated the past two decades to working with children, teenagers, and families who have been impacted by trauma and has served as a coordinator for the protective service, emergency department, and trauma teams at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Through her decades of experience working with physical and sexual abuse, neglect, interpersonal violence, substance abuse, community violence, traumatic grief, and historical trauma she has mastered the approaches needed to successfully manage the most challenging trauma-related behaviors.

Melinda is the owner and clinician at Melinda Gronen Counseling, owner and trainer at Caped Crusader Consulting, LLC, Clinical Director at Plena Mind Center pediatric mental health facility and is the co-author of the chapter Pediatric Healthcare and Social Work Practice in Social Work Practice in Healthcare: Advanced Approaches and Emerging Trends (2016).

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Melinda Gronen is the owner of Caped Crusader Consulting, LLC. She is the clinical director at Plena Mind Center. Ms. Gronen receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Melinda Gronen is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC); and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

CE Credit is not available for this product.

• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)
• Paramedics
• Law Enforcement
• Firefighters

Other first responder/helping professionals that provide immediate services in the field or on site of a hospital or other agency in times of crisis and trauma including:

• 911 Dispatchers
• Hospital Trauma and Emergency Department staff
• Military Personnel
• Crisis Support Teams in Schools
• Disaster Response Teams
• Child Welfare Investigators
• Crisis Hotline Workers