OSF HealthCare's Strive program, which provides trauma-informed mental health services for victims and witnesses of violent crime in Peoria, is adding access for more people.
Previously for those 14 and older in certain areas of the city, the program is now open to youth and individuals as young as 6 years old. Additionally, the program is now open to anyone residing in Peoria County.
Brooke Escobar, the clinical supervisor of trauma recovery at OSF Strive, said this is a goal they have had since the program began.
"Research shows that the younger we can reach children who have been exposed to trauma, the better. It's better for their brain development, their child development and provides them access to begin to process what they went through," Escobar said.
Strive offers a variety of services, including coordinated case management, outreach and evidence-based mental health services for victims and witnesses of violent crime and their families.
Escobar said violence carries a ripple effect beyond only the person most directly involved.
"It not only affects the individual, but it affects the families, the community, your friends, because of the hypervigilance you may be feeling, or the anxiety you may be seeing," Escobar said.
Additionally, the Strive team is interdisciplinary, with psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers who specialize in trauma-informed care.
The program does not require physician referral for anyone seeking services, and it conducts outreach with therapists at three Peoria area schools as well. The service also often receives referrals from area law enforcement when violent trauma incidents occur.
June is PTSD awareness month, and according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, PTSD in youth can be triggered by stress due to exposure to a traumatic event.
Recent crime stats from the Peoria Police showed that gun violence continues to be an issue for the city. Through the end of May, year-to-date stats show 22 victims of violent crime, including four homicides.
