“Children are the seeds of our future.
Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life’s lessons.” -unknown
Children are innocent; to give them a chance at a healthy life with good opportunities kids need the following: security, stability, consistency, emotional support, love, education, positive role models, and structure per Children’s Hospital Colorado. Sometimes, difficult situations arise even when kids are protected. That leads to the question, how do we deal with trauma? Specifically, for children, how do we help them navigate trauma or learn how to overcome abuse they may experience? Why is it important to ensure children properly deal with their negative experiences? Remember, we were all children at one point; children grow up to become our present day reality. When teens need help, it’s important that people know there are places able to offer support. Beacon Specialized Living has one location in Michigan: Sandhurst, that can help with individuals who need crisis services.
Trauma: an emotional response that can have a lasting effect harming an individual’s sense of self, their emotions, relationships, and an ability to feel safe.
According to sbtreatment.com, five million young adults experience a traumatic event, with 25% involving sexual violence before the age of 18. Many cases are not reported “with an estimated 86% of sexual attacks and 65% of physical assaults on teens left unsaid.” This leaves behind pain, embarrassment, guilt, shame, and it can become very difficult for Individuals to reach out for help. If people do not get the proper help it can lead to: emotional outbursts, health disorders, dangerous and risky behavior. Young men tend to turn to substance abuse while young women tend to turn to sexual behavior. Children may attempt to run away, withdrawal, or lash out. This leads parents and guardians struggling to figure out how to guide or cope with the situation at hand. At this point, seeking professional help is advised.
When children go into a hospital as a crisis patient one of two things will happen: #1.the child may need to stay in the hospital overnight for medical watch or #2. The child will be released into a Crisis Residential Unit (CRU). When the child goes into a CRU, it is a voluntary program where they will stay anywhere from 1-10 days. A short stay is 3-5 days; a long stay is 8-10 days. Before arriving at a CRU home, the individual and family will speak with a medical team that develops a treatment plan specifically created for that person. Then, when they arrive at the home there are trained staff who are prepared to begin teaching and creating new beginnings to help the individual grow and overcome the abuse they have endured.
Why join a CRU home for a few days in Michigan if a child is emotionally struggling? Jacob Barr said it’s “naturally rewarding, especially with kids lacking support, to see them grow and improve” in a short time they are at Sandhurst; the Program Director has a background working with kids.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” -Malcolm X
