Introduction to the special issue on the consequences of immigration policies on children, youth, and families who experience migration-related trauma.

We are excited to introduce this special issue on the consequences of immigration policies on children, youth, and families who experience migration-related trauma. International migration has increased over the last 5 decades. Recent estimates suggest that 281 million people live in a country other than the one in which they were born (McAuliffe & Triandafyllidou, 2021). These migratory patterns are complex and present both challenges and opportunities for trauma psychologists and professionals from diverse disciplines who approach their work with immigrants from a trauma-informed perspective. In this 21st century, a variety of stressors and crises continue to propel the movement of children, youth, and families across the globe. Trauma often pervades the experiences that cause people to leave their homes. They may need to escape oppressive political systems; criminal gangs, war, or disasters; or simply to survive. Migration itself can lead to exposure to additional traumatic events, such as physical and sexual violence, kidnapping, and trafficking. Finally, upon arrival in a host country, individuals may experience further stressors as they struggle to navigate immigration systems with discriminatory processes and inadequate resources. In this special issue, 14 articles illustrate various ways by which migration-related traumatic experiences can inform assessment and treatment, public health policy, and human rights advocacy. Focusing primarily on children and families, unaccompanied youth, and adult migrants from Latin America and other regions, the authors explore premigration, migration itself, and postmigration issues that arise when individuals migrate to survive. The articles highlight how the resiliency and strength of individuals and families can be called upon to empower them in their journey toward healing and the critical need for cross-disciplinary treatment and advocacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Trauma-informed care for unaccompanied children: Lessons learned for practice and policy development.

INTRODUCTION: The number of unaccompanied children (UC) arriving in the United States has increased significantly in recent years. UC often encounter traumatic events in their home country, during their migration journey, and upon resettlement. This article describes a congressionally-funded initiative to provide trauma-informed mental health services to UC and children separated from their parents upon arrival in the United States. It also identifies facilitators and barriers to working with UC and offers lessons learned to help inform future practice and policy development aimed at assisting this vulnerable population. METHOD: Data were derived from qualitative interviews and a survey administered to grantees. RESULTS: In total, grantees served 1,195 youth and families across 11 states, including UC, asylees, and new immigrants during the period of December 2018 through September 2019. Youth and families served spoke 16 languages and originated from diverse nations. Services provided included direct services to youth and families; training for providers and community members; partnerships and collaborations; and resource/product development or adaptations. DISCUSSION: Lessons learned and recommendations derived from this initiative can assist others interested in promoting trauma-informed practice and policies for migrant children and their families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Screening for consequences of trauma - an update on the global collaboration on traumatic stress.

This letter provides an update on the activities of "The Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress" (GC-TS) as first described by Schnyder et al. in 2017. It presents in further detail the projects of the first theme, in particular the development of and initial data on the Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS), a brief instrument designed to screen for the wide range of potential outcomes of trauma. English language data and ongoing studies in several languages provide a first indication that the GPS is a feasible, reliable and valid tool, a tool that may be very useful in the current pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Further multi-language and cross-cultural validation is needed. Since the start of the GC-TS, new themes have been introduced to focus on in the coming years: a) Forcibly displaced persons, b) Global prevalence of stress and trauma related disorders, c) Socio-emotional development across cultures, and d) Collaborating to make traumatic stress research data "FAIR". The most recent theme added is that of Global crises, currently focusing on COVID-19-related projects.

Trauma is a public health issue.

Exposure to trauma is pervasive in societies worldwide and is associated with substantial costs to the individual and society, making it a significant global public health concern. We present evidence for trauma as a public health issue by highlighting the role of characteristics operating at multiple levels of influence - individual, relationship, community, and society - as explanatory factors in both the occurrence of trauma and its sequelae. Within the context of this multi-level framework, we highlight targets for prevention of trauma and its downstream consequences and provide examples of where public health approaches to prevention have met with success. Finally, we describe the essential role of public health policies in addressing trauma as a global public health issue, including key challenges for global mental health and next steps for developing and implementing a trauma-informed public health policy agenda. A public health framework is critical for understanding risk and protective factors for trauma and its aftermath operating at multiple levels of influence and generating opportunities for prevention.

La exposición al trauma es general en las sociedades de todo el mundo y está asociada con costos sustanciales para el individuo y la sociedad, lo que la convierte en un importante problema mundial de salud pública. Presentamos evidencia del trauma como problema de salud pública al destacar el papel de las características que operan en múltiples niveles de influencia -individuo, relación, comunidad y sociedad- como factores que explican tanto la ocurrencia del trauma como sus secuelas. En el contexto de este marco multi-nivel, destacamos objetivos para la prevención del trauma y sus consecuencias posteriores, y ofrecemos ejemplos de los casos en que los abordajes preventivos de salud pública han tenido éxito. Por último, describimos el papel esencial de las políticas de salud pública a la hora de abordar el trauma como problema de salud pública mundial, incluyendo los retos clave para la salud mental global y los próximos pasos para desarrollar e implementar una agenda de políticas de salud pública. Un marco de salud pública es fundamental para comprender los factores de riesgo y de protección para el trauma y sus secuelas, que operan en múltiples niveles de influencia y generan oportunidades de prevención.