Law enforcement learn about trauma-informed care from CASA

CASA of South Mississippi is hosting a two-day training session with area law enforcement agencies to teach them about trauma-informed care.

It’s all part of the organization’s continuing mission to help vulnerable children in south Mississippi.

These officers are learning trust-based relational intervention through a program developed by TCU’s Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development.

TBRI focuses on four main skills – understanding trauma, empowering, connecting, and correcting principles.

Essentially, officers learn how to see trauma, help a child through traumatic events, and understand behaviors linked to childhood trauma.

Amanda Purvis, training and consultation manager of the program, explains how trauma-informed care can impact a child’s life into adulthood and Captain Shane Ogburn shares his takeaways from the program…

“What we want to focus on is the prevention of repeating that cycle, right, of trauma. Because what we know is because of the changes in the brain and the body and the biology, of course, you’re going to see a change in behavior,” Purvis said. “Often times we are taught societally to look at behavior and punish bad behavior, and this kind of flips the script on that. It says ‘What is the need behind this child’s behavior and let’s meet that need. Then, teach them better ways to get those needs met in the future.”

“It’s reinforced the role that we as officers play in this larger picture,” said Captain Ogburn. “Once we can make that initial contact, let them know that we are on their side and then reach out to our partners in the various other aspects of our community, we can certainly make this better.”

These officers will go through one more full day of learning before returning to their stations to share with their departments.