>>> "THE BERKSHIRES."
THE PHRASE MIGHT EVOKE IMAGES OF BEAUTIFUL ROLLING HILLS AND
WORLD-RENOWNED ARTS VENUES, BUT SOME RESIDENTS SEE A MORE
WORRISOME ASPECT OF THE REGION -- THE TRAUMA THAT MANY
RESIDENTS LIVE WITH.
IN A NEW FIVE-PART SERIES, NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC RADIO'S KAREN
BROWN REPORTS ON THE "TRAUMA-INFORMED BERKSHIRES"
CAMPAIGN, WHICH I ASKED HER ABOUT IN THE STUDIO.
>> WELL, I HAVE BEEN COVERING MENTAL HEALTH FOR
MANY YEARS AND I FIND THE CONCEPT OF TRAUMA VERY
INTERESTING AND COMPELLING BUT ALSO TRAUMA HAS BECOME, AS OUR
CULTURE HAS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PHRASE, LIKE PEOPLE ARE
NOT EXACTLY SURE AND HOW IT IS DEFINED IN PEOPLE'S VIEWS AND
HOW TO HELP PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS WAYS OF TRAUMA.
SO IF I TOOK THE PEOPLE IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, ASKING THEM
QUESTIONS AND LETTING IT UNFOLD AND TAKE IT WITH MY TAPE
RECORDER.
THEN I CAN GET A SENSE OF HOW WELL THE QUESTIONS ARE BEING
HELD.
>> THE PEOPLE IN THE BERKSHIRES LOOKED INTO THIS IN 2016 TO LOOK
AT THE TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY.
WHERE ARE THEY IN THAT PROCESS?
>> AND THEY WORK WITH THE BERKSHIRES STATE COUNTY.
THEY HAVE BEEN ROLLING OUT VOTE.
TO TAKE AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THAT -- COMMUNITY
AND MAKE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND.
IT IS A TALL ORDER AND I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THEY HAVE NOT
SUCCEEDED TO MAKE EVERY PERSON IN BERKSHIRES COUNTY
TRAUMA-INFORMED BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, EBB AWAY AT
THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND THE MORE PEOPLE, THE MORE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THEN TALKING TO THEIR EMPLOYEES OR
THEIR CLIENTS OR THE STUDENTS ABOUT HOW BEST TO ADDRESS PEOPLE
WHO MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH TRAUMA.
HOW TO BE MORE EMETHETIC, MORE PASSIONATE.
WHEN FACED WITH BEHAVIOR THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ANGRY ABOUT,
NOW THEY STEP BACK AND THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE
TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY SAY. >> IS IT NOT THAT QUESTION OF
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU VERSUS WHAT IS WRONG ARE YOU AND WHAT DOES
THAT AFFORD PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED?
>> IT AFFORDS A LITTLE MORE PASSION, LESS BLAME, LESS GUILT.
THE IDEA THAT OUR BEHAVIORS, OUR FEELINGS ARE THE SUM EXPECT OF
OUR EXPERIENCES AND NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE HAVE
DONE ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE WRONG IN SOME WAY OF NARROWLY DEFINING
THAT BEHAVIOR BUT THERE IS AN EXPLANATION FOR IT AND MEANT TO
TAKE SOME OF THE BLAME OFF THE INDIVIDUAL AND MAYBE PUT IT MORE
ON SOCIETY.
LIKE HOW ARE WE ALLOWING THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE?
HOW CAN WE STOP CHILD ABUSE AND VARIOUS OTHER FORMS OF TRAUMA
THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH, THE ADDITION.
HOW CAN IF YOU WORK ON THE TRAUMA AND REALIZE THE BEHAVIOR
MAY BE THE OUTCOME OF TRAUMA.
>> SO IN FACT IT HAS COME OUT AND TRAUMA SUFFERED EARLIER IN
LIFE SHOWS UP LATER AS PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS,
RIGHT?
>> RIGHT, FOR SOME BUT NOT RECENTLY BUT IT WAS THE FIRST
TIME SCIENTISTS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TRAUMA YOU MAY HAVE
EXPERIENCED -- AND THAT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM DIVORCE, SERIOUS
ILLNESS, ABUSE -- IT CAN LIVE IN YOUR BODY AND THEN COME OUT AS
PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS OR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.
AND IT IS JUST MORE OF A COMPASSIONATE WAY OF LOOKING AT
HOW WE END UP AS ADULT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALSO DO IN THE SERIES IS LOOK AT
DIFFERENT GROUPS WHO ARE ADDRESSING THIS.
YOU OBVIOUSLY -- MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS
ISSUE BUT INTERESTINGLY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS WITH
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT IN THE BERKSHIRES.
SO HOW IS IT THEY ARE LOOKING AT GO STRENGTHENING THIS ONE AREA
IN A TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE
ENOUGH PEOPLE TO WORK THOSE HOURS.
>> THAT IS A HUGE CONUNDRUM AND SO I CHOSE IN THIS STORY NOT TO
BILL INTO THAT ISSUE.
IN MOST COMMUNITIES, THERE'S CAN A SET PROBLEMS TO GETTING THE
KIND OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE YOU MIGHT NEED TO TREAT TRAUMA.
SO THIS CAMPAIGN IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT IT IS MORE HOW
TO BECOME AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE TRAUMA IN YOUR COMMUNITY AS
TO HOW ARE WE SPECIFICALLY GOING TO TREAT TRAUMA, THOSE SUFFERING
WITH IT.
>> BOTH OF WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
>> SO YOU CAUGHT UP WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT IN PITTFIELD FOR HOW
HE WAS HANDLING IT, RIGHT?
>> HE IS A VERY INTERESTING CASE IN HIMSELF, A SURVIVOR OF
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA.
AND VERY SYMPATHETIC.
AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT APPEARED WITH HIM WHEN I WENT ON A
RIDE-ALONG.
AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUSPECTED
OF A CRIME, HE DOESN'T JUMP ON THEM RIGHT AWAY AND SAYS WHAT IS
WOULD GO WITH YOU AND -- WRONGU AND WHY ARE YOU BEHAVING THIS
WAY AND HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIFE SITUATION BETTER SO YOU DON'T DO
THIS ANYMORE.
INTERESTINGLY, HE AND HIS MISCHIEF FULLY CAN A KNOWLEDGE
THAT THERE IS SOME VIOLENT ASSAULT THAT JUST HAPPENED OR A
TYPE OF EVENT, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY WELL,
LET'S SEE WHAT YOUR CHILD WHO HAD A -- WHO
HAD A PROBLEM EXPERIENCED.
AND IT IS A CHANCE TO STEP BACK A LITTLE MORE AND LOOK AT THE
TRAUMA THAT THEY RECEIVED ON THE JOB BUT WHAT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY ARE DEALING WITH WHEN WE GO OUT ON THOSE CALLS.
>> YOU PALE SPOKE WITH A PRINCIPAL FROM THE Le
ELEMENTARY -- ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH A PRINCIPAL ON THE TRAUMA
CAMPAIGN AND HOW WAS THAT APPROACHED?
>> WELL, THERE WERE A LOT OF HAPPY KIDS, TRAUMA CAUSED, MAYBE
REALIZING ADDICTION ISSUES, RISING POVERTY RATES AND IT WAS
COMING OUT IN NOT JUST THEIR BEHAVIOR BUT THEIR ABILITY TO
FOLKS AND COMING OUT IN THE STRESS LEVEL OF TEACHERS.
SO SHE BROUGHT IN CONSULTANTS TO SAY HOW CAN WE CHANGE HOW
WE'RE -- NOT JUST KIDS WITH DIRECT TRAUMA BUT WITH EVERYBODY
ELSE TO CREATE A COMPASSIONATE ENVIRONMENT AND HAS DEVELOPED
THINGS SUCH AS SELF-ESTEEM QUESTIONS.
FOCUSING MORE ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS, RELATIONSHIPS THAT
MIGHT BE PROTECTIVE WHEN THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLES AT HOME.
>> AND IN THIS CAMPAIGN, RECOGNIZING THERE IS STILL WORK
TO DO.
WHERE DO THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO FOCUS THE MOST MOVING FORWARD?
>> THE ORGANIZERS HAVE EXPRESSED TO ME THAT AS THEY ARE WORKING
ON THIS, THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THEY CAN'T REACH.
MAYBE THEY ARE NOT GETTING CALLS BACK OR MAYBE IT IS JUST THAT
EVERYBODY IS SUPER BUSY SO TO SIGN ON TO THIS CAMPAIGN, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED WAY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE DAUNTING BUT
THEY ARE SLOWLY GETTING THERE.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, BE MORE EMBEDDED IN
HEALTH SYSTEMS, CITY GOVERNMENT, JUST TO KIND OF GET THAT MESSAGE
OUT THERE BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A SMALL CAMPAIGN AND A VERY LARGE
SITUATION.
>> YOU CAN EXPLORE KAREN BROWN'S LATEST SERIES ON NEPR.NET.