At Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center, we pride ourselves on providing support and services in an effective and time-sensitive manner. Our Family Advocacy department provides ongoing support to clients by providing the following:
- Education
- Referral Services
- Crisis Intervention to the child and their non-offending family members
- Follow-up contact with all families at a minimum of six weeks and up to six months after contact has ended with DCAC
- Serve as a liaison between Law Enforcement, Lexington One School District and DSS
- Provide support to the families by attending court proceedings, if requested
Our child and family advocates are able to connect you and your child to resources in the community, answer any questions you may have about any court proceedings or investigations concerning your child and connect or reconnect you with counseling services.
MENTAL HEALTH FAQs
Click on a question below for the answer.
If you need more information, please contact us.
What is trauma?
Trauma is any experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing. Traumatic events don’t always yield the same reactions in everyone. Some individuals might recover quickly, while others may feel the impact of the incident for months or years to come. Traumatic events might cause a person to fear for their personal safety, health, or life as well that of others. Some common types of trauma are:
- Physical, psychological, or sexual abuse
- Physical or emotional neglect
- Witness to domestic violence
- Loss of a significant loved one
- Natural or man-made disaster (e.g. flood, fire, or mass shooting)
- Serious accident, injury, or illness
What are common reactions to trauma?
-
Each individual reacts differently to trauma due to many factors, including the severity of the incident, age, and personal history. Possible symptoms or effects of trauma include:
- Difficulty thinking or talking about the event
- Feelings of shame or guilt
- Sleep disturbances (trouble falling or staying asleep, sleeping too much)
- Increased fear in both safe and unsafe situations
- Difficulty concentrating
- Decreased performance at school or work
- Mood swings, irritability, angry outbursts
- Avoiding people or things that trigger memories of the traumatic event
Often responses to trauma can be confused or attributed to behavior problems or to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It’s important to consider that children exhibiting these symptoms may be reacting to a traumatic event and may need help processing the related thoughts and feelings. Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center offers therapeutic support for families in crisis and can help to identify if behavioral concerns are in relation to trauma.
What if my child isn’t experiencing trauma symptoms?
If your child doesn’t show symptoms or doesn’t wish to begin therapy, we will gladly provide recommendations for how you can support them. We are available at any time you need us, even if it is months or years after the incident has passed.
