LIVE THE QUESTIONS
      - Rainer M.Rilke


Dear  Walden Colleagues,

I have had the opportunity to interview the director of psychology at the Edmund N. Ervin Pediatric Center in Augusta Maine to gain more insight into childhood trauma experienced by children who are in the Foster Care System.  The Edmund N. Ervin Pediatric Center offers specialized services for children with a mission to "help children and families to experience their world as a better place."

There are three focus area clinics at the Edmund Ervin Center; The Developmental Evaluation Clinic (DEC) The Pediatric Behavioral Medicine clinic (PBMC), and the Pediatric Rapid Evaluation Program (PREP).

The Pediatric Rapid Evaluation Program is devoted "to meeting the medical and psychological needs of children in foster care and have designed a partnership with Department of Health and Human Services." One major learning that I have taken away from Dr. Nancy (2014) is that trauma is a family issue.

My second interview will be with a child case manager who works for an national organization called Providence Service Cooperation.  Providence offers direct services and case management to children, adolescents and adults with behavioral and medical health needs. The overall mission of Providence is to offer an alternative to traditional institutional care in order to strengthen families, build skills,  reduce out of home placements. Providence Service Cooperation is offered in 44 states with offices located in Hallowell, Brunswick, and Bangor Maine.

Although I have not completed my second interview, I have found the interview process to be eye opening and helpful.  I have automatically discovered that I have so much more to learn and more questions to ask!

Not only has the interview process opened new doors of learning, but also the literature review that I am currently taking part in. I have read over twenty research articles on trauma and the foster care system. I am finding reoccurring themes throughout the literature.

Some of the themes revolve around the theoretical framework of behaviorism, attachment, and bio ecological systems. Additional themes are evidence based interventions, tools for assessing, screening or evaluating trauma,  foster family and foster child perceptions, barriers and systematic breakdown, and teacher perceptions on overall mental health concerns in public schools.

Additionally, I have learned throughout my literature review that children who are currently in the foster care system is internationally on the rise.

I now ask myself the question; if all perspectives are heard,  is there greater chance of shifting out what is not working with the ideas and perceptions of what could work?


Robin