Boost Your Mood:
Addressing Trauma and Violence
Network of Neighbors
As Philadelphia strives to decrease incidents of violence, many people struggle with feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety.
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event.
Trauma is an overwhelmingly stressful experience that can shatter a sense of choice, safety, and trust.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms can happen within hours or may take as long as weeks to months after the incident. Although some people recover quickly, you may require additional help and support. Seek support if you frequently experience:
- Confusion, trouble paying attention
- Overwhelming anxiety, fear, grief, guilt
- Bursts of anger, crying spells
- Helplessness, hopelessness
- Excessive smoking, drinking, or drug use
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Trouble eating, trouble sleeping
- Loss of interest in normal activities
Tips for Wellbeing
Ask for Additional Support
Seeking support to manage difficult emotions is a normal part of the healing process. Consider reaching out for professional advice and support.
Take a Break from the News
Too much news can cause negative emotions to resurface and increase stress and anxiety.
Stay Connected with People
Reach out to your support system and talk if it makes you feel better.
Relieve Stress
It’s normal for traumatic events to leave negative feelings. Take time to think about happy moments and special events. This helps shift your thinking and balance your thoughts.
Get Connected
CBH Member Services 888-545-2600 24/7, trauma-informed care and supports
Philadelphia Crisis Line 215-685-6440 24/7, mental health crisis/emergency
Community support after a traumatic event, call 267-233-4837 or email NetworkofNeighbors@phila.gov
To talk or join a support group, visit NAMIphilly.org
For behavioral health screenings and training, visit HealthyMindsPhilly.org
For more resources, tips, and tools visit, DBHIDS.org/Boost
It’s okay to not be okay. You are not alone. Help is here!
Experiencing and witnessing violence is challenging.
It impacts everyone in the community’s health and wellbeing.
Community-based programs build safe, resilient, and trauma-informed communities.
Community Wellness Engagement Unit
DBHIDS supports programs that build and promote community resilience.
Find us in your neighborhood supporting the efforts of local existing organizations. We are committed to helping communities thrive.
We promote wellness and value culture. We connect you to education, employment, and housing to help improve your health. Our efforts are driven by the community’s voice.
To contact us, email CWEU@phila.gov.
Network of Neighbors Trauma Response Network
Trauma is an overwhelmingly stressful experience that can shatter a sense of choice, safety, and trust.
Network of Neighbors is a free, community-driven trauma response network. We work to reduce violence and trauma by responding more effectively to it — by working alongside the community to address their experience, defining needs and boundaries, and putting community safety and choice first.
- Impact and needs assessment in collaboration with the community
- Group discussions and community meetings that create safe spaces to come together, receive accurate information, tell your story, share thoughts and reactions, and explore ways of supporting yourself and your community
- Free training in trauma-informed approaches, including Psychological First Aid and Post-Traumatic Stress Management
- We bring support, presentations, courses, and resources to you.
Contact the Network to discuss support for your community, free training, a community information session, and information about becoming a Community Trauma Responder.
For more information, call 267-233-4837, email NetworkofNeighbors@phila.gov, or visit DBHIDS.org/networkofneighbors.
PACTS
The Philadelphia Alliance for Child Trauma Services (PACTS) is a city-wide child trauma initiative. It’s our mission to serve all youth who have experienced trauma in Philadelphia with a focus on the most vulnerable and underserved young people, including:
- Young children
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex (LGBTQIA+) youth
- Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC)
- Intentionally Injured Youth › Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth
- Children of military families
We Are Here To Help. Our mission is to increase the number of children who receive effective trauma-focused and trauma-informed care in Philadelphia. PACTS does this by increasing the capacity of behavioral health, pediatric, educational, and other child-serving systems to utilize trauma screenings and assessments and provide Evidence-Based Practices to youth and their families.
Network of Neighbors Trauma Responders Network
Trauma is any overwhelmingly stressful experience that can shatter a sense of choice, safety, and trust.
Network of Neighbors is a free, community-driven trauma response network. We work to reduce violence and trauma by responding more effectively to it — by working alongside the community to address their experience, defining needs and boundaries, and putting community safety and choice first.
Network of Neighbors offers support to reduce stress and isolation, encourage social connection, tap into the natural strengths of the community, and begin the healing process.
- Impact and needs assessment in collaboration with the community
- Group discussions and community meetings that create safe spaces to come together, receive accurate information, tell your story, share thoughts and reactions, and explore ways of supporting yourself and your community
- Free training in trauma-informed approaches, including Psychological First Aid and Post-Traumatic Stress Management
- We bring support, presentations, trainings, and resources to you.
How It Works
Creating Choice at Every Level
Communities that have been impacted by trauma are at greater risk for not receiving the resources and supports they need. The ASK Model requires an invitation from the community to begin re-establishing choice and safety and ensure that the community’s voice drives the process. By requiring a Community Connector before providing support, the ASK Model works to encourage collaboration and align local and citywide response efforts to meet the needs of the community.
Community Connectors are members of the community who work alongside the Network to organize responses within their neighborhood or community.
Community Trauma Responders are members of the community trained in Psychological First Aid and Post-Traumatic Stress Management who support or facilitate interventions within neighborhoods and communities.
Who We Serve
Network of Neighbors supports the entire community. Community includes neighborhoods, blocks, social groups, schools, recreation centers, workplaces, agencies, libraries, etc. These supports are appropriate for ages 9 years and older. Referrals are provided for individuals and families.
Any group of people with a connection is a community.
Connect
Contact the Network to discuss support for your community, free training, a community information session, and information about becoming a Community Trauma Responder.
267-233-4837
Evidence-Based Practice & Innovation Center
EPIC was established in 2013 to advance system-wide strategies that support the implementation, sustainability, and accessibility of behavioral health evidence-based practices in Philadelphia.
Over the past several decades, researchers have identified a growing number of practices that are effective in supporting people with behavioral health challenges. These evidence-based and innovative practices are important components of resilience and a recovery-oriented behavioral health system. Therefore, DBHIDS has partnered with researchers, treatment experts, and providers to promote the delivery of behavioral health evidence-based practices throughout Philadelphia.
What are EBPs?
EBPs or Evidence-Based Practices are treatments supported by research that has been proven to help people thrive.
Why are EBPs important? Just like doctor’s offices look for the best treatments for physical health concerns, we do the same for behavioral health concerns. EBPs provide hope to families by offering the most effective treatments.
Where can I find EBP providers? Visit our website, DBHIDS.org/EPIC, or call Member Services at 888-545-2600.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
A Treatment Approach For Individuals With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Evidence-Based Practice & Innovation Center (EPIC)
Effective Practices that Support People with Behavioral Health Challenges
For more information, visit philadelphiapacts.org.
The Porchlight Program
Mural Arts Philadelphia
We have seen, through many collaborative projects and a focused study with Yale School of Medicine, that art succeeds in opening doors to healing in the aftermath of trauma. The Porch Light program focuses on achieving universal health and wellness among Philadelphians by offering opportunities to contribute to meaningful works of public art. Thanks to year-round workshops, community meetings, health forums, and paint days, the Porch Light program has produced an ongoing list of brilliant murals and transformed public spaces, challenging social stigmas around mental and behavioral health.
For more information, visit porchlightvirtualtour.org.
Intensive Behavioral Health Services Providers
A treatment program for children and adults up to age 21 with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
The IBHS treatment team works with you and your family in your home, in the school, or in other community settings.
To learn more, call 888-545-2600 or talk to your school counselor, mental health provider, or pediatrician.
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has established new regulations for Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) to replace Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (BHRS) for the delivery of child and adolescent services in the home, school, and community.
Community Behavioral Health
At Community Behavioral Health (CBH), we aim to make sure all Philadelphians are able to receive high-quality, cost-effective, and recovery-oriented services that meet all their needs. We have a full team of member services representatives that will help guide you through the process of accessing behavioral health services in Philadelphia.
For more information, visit CBHPhilly.org.
Cure Violence Philadelphia
This structured violence intervention program is based on the premise that violence is a public health issue. The program is designed to reduce the spread of violence through interrupting its transmission, concentrating on those at highest risk, and changing social norms that propagate violence. As a replication site of the global Cure Violence model created in Chicago, our adapted model works to reduce the level of violence, particularly shootings and homicides, in Philadelphia. Trained outreach workers identify and mediate conflicts in the community. They work with high-risk individuals — meeting them where they are and helping them obtain the social services they need — making them less likely to commit violence.
For more information, email Peter Simonsson, PhD, MSW, LCSW.
CeaseFire
CeaseFire is a structured, deliberate, and disciplined violence intervention that was developed in Chicago based on the premise that violence is a public health issue and can be prevented. The program in Philadelphia is one of the national replication sites of the Cure Violence (formerly known as Chicago CeaseFire) public health model and focuses its efforts to stop shootings and killings in hot spots in the 22nd and 39th Police districts in North Philadelphia. The approach includes efforts to heighten community awareness about gun violence and encourage area residents, community, business, and faith-based leaders to work together and get involved.
For more information, visit philaceasefire.com/about.