Responding to Domestic Violence:

1. Responding to Domestic Violence: CII’s Integrated Wellness Approach to Group Treatment for Adult Survivors and Their Children Leslie Anne Ross, Psy.D. Children’s Institute, Inc.

2. ITCT-A and CII’s Three Rs CII helps children in Los Angeles’ most challenged communities heal from the trauma of family and community violence, build the confidence and skills to break through the barriers of poverty, and grow up to lead healthy, productive lives CII achieves this mission by offering a strategic, interrelated set of services and supports that contribute to CII’s organization-wide outcomes Readiness for success in school, work, and life Healthy relationships Goal-directed behavior Educational/occupational achievement  Ability to envision a positive future   Recovery from adverse childhood experiences Resiliency and prevention Safety and stabilization Reduced adverse affects of trauma Improved functioning  Ability to cope with past, present and future adversity  Connection to a strong, stable support system

3. Many children in Los Angeles grow up in extremely difficult circumstances, facing abuse, neglect, poverty, and violence in their families and communities 13 up to 90% 33% thousand of children in some L.A. middle schools have been victims or witnesses of violent crime1 referrals to Child Welfare Services are made every month in L.A. County, primarily for allegations of neglect or abuse2 of children in foster care in California live in L.A. County3 Source: 1) Stein, B.D., Jaycox, L.H., Kataoka, S.H., Rhodes, H.J., & Vestal, K.D. 2003. “Prevalence of child and adolescent exposure to community violence.” Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 6(4), 247-264; 2) County of Los Angeles, Department of Children and Family Services. (February 2011); 3) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010); California Department of Social Services and University of California, Berkeley (2011); Needell et al (2011)

4. Children & DV • Children living with domestic violence often have complicated feelings about their parents • Domestic violence affects every child. However, each child reacts in a different way • Children often worry that they are responsible for the violence in their homes

5. Responding to Domestic Violence: CII’s “Whole Person” Approach • This treatment approach is: • A model that works to resolve the impact of domestic violence and develop skills that support resilience, coping and wellness. • The focus of the curriculum is: • On strategies that have been tested across multiple years in diverse settings with mothers and children in domestic violence shelters and outpatient facilities. • The methods used involve: • Somatic, affective, wellness, and cognitive processes that are integrated to support whole person learning.

6. Impact of Exposure to Domestic Violence on Children and Adults • Posttraumatic stress disorder • Depression • Substance abuse • Behavioral problems • Anxiety • Traumatic grief • Suicidal ideation • Nightmares • Academic/Job difficulties • Poor relationships • Problems with attachment • And Systems of Meaning

7. ERIN DV Families: Children • 72% of the clients had children Percent of homes that had children ages: • 4.6% of clients were pregnant at the time of the abuse • Infants: 13% • 1-2 years: 23% • 3-4 years: 20% • 5-7 years: 26% • 8-10 years: 17% • Teens ages 11-18 years: 24%

8. How does DV Impact Children? 20% of DV Children Ages 5-10 Meet Diagnostic criteria for PTSD20% of DV Children Ages 5-10 report:“I do things to hurt other people”40% of DV Children Ages 5-10 report:“I think about dying or being dead”

9. “I have seen my father get arrested”(step-father, mother’s boyfriend, etc.) • More than ½ of all children and adolescents witnessed police coming to their home • 33% of children and 51% of adolescents have witnessed their father be arrested by police 84% of children reported witnessing the perpetrator being arrested by police

10. MOTHERS – Prior Trauma • Sexual abuse as a child: 40% • Sexual assault as an adult: 24% • Physical abuse as a child: 32% • Physical assault as an adult: 44% • 37% of women witnessed their father hit their mother as a child • 47% of women witnessed their parents constantly arguing • 40% of women had parents who also hit their siblings

11. Resources & Contact Information • Children’s Institute Inc. • www.childrensinstitute.org • National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) • www.NCTSN.org • A Thousand Joys • www.athousandjoys.org • Leslie Anne Ross, Psy.D. • lross@childrensinstitute.org • Follow me: • @LeslieAnneRoss