The Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS)

As a caretaker, you play a vital role in your child’s healing after a potentially traumatic experience. Your Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is here to help you move forward as a family, and support your child’s long-term well-being. National Children’s Alliance is pleased to introduce you to the Care Process Model for Pediatric Stress (CPM-PTS), which is a brief screening and decision framework that helps identify symptoms, and connects children to supports they might need after a potentially traumatic experience.

The Care Process Model was developed by Pediatric Integrated Post-Trauma Services (PIPS) at the University of Utah, a Category II Center of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).

Why and how your CAC is using the Care Process Model

1 in 2 young people who come to a CAC has significant traumatic stress symptoms.

According to PIPS, child traumatic stress (click here for the Spanish version) can look like many common child and adolescent mental and behavioral health concerns. Symptoms follow exposure to a potentially traumatic event or experience, and often include: intrusive thoughts or memories, strong feelings of anxiety or stress, negative thinking about self or the world, heavy feelings of sadness or loneliness, and sleep problems.

These symptoms can affect their mental health, ability to do well in school, and even their future success.

Your CAC will use the Care Process Model to see if your child has these symptoms.

If they do, the CAC can help manage them today, and connect you with support for the future. If your child is not showing these symptoms, the CAC can lean into their strength and resilience to make sure they continue to do well.

How your CAC identifies and addresses your child’s symptoms

• You or your child will be asked 15 questions about their safety and their symptoms. Here are a few examples:
  • Youth Self-Report
  • Child-Parent Report
• The responses will be used to guide the CAC’s conversation with you about next steps and resources that will fit your family best.
• The CAC will talk to you about your safety concerns to make sure your child and family are safe from ongoing harm, as well as thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
• The CAC will talk to you and your child about your child’s symptoms of trauma, like trouble sleeping or eating, frequent thoughts about the traumatic event, sadness, or behavior concerns.

Depending on whether your child has symptoms, and what those symptoms are, the CAC may offer some exercises they can do to help them feel calmer and safer, and they could connect you with trauma-specific treatment providers for ongoing support.

For children experiencing traumatic stress

After a potentially traumatic event or experience, all children benefit from parental and family support, including reassurances, return to routine, and regulation – the American Academy of Pediatrics 3 Rs (Click here for the Spanish version).

Coping skills can help children manage their specific symptoms of traumatic stress.

• For sleep problems and/or high levels of anxiety, stress, and recurring traumatic memories, children can be taught or helped to practice:
  • Deep or belly breathing
    • Sesame Street on belly breathing
    • Veterans Health Administration on focused breathing
  • Guided meditation
  • For low/depressed mood, negative thinking, and avoidance of trauma reminders, children can be taught or helped to practice:
    • Behavioral activation
    • Parent-child time for:
      • Children
      • Teens
  • Other resources to consider:
    • For younger children, Sesame Street explores traumatic experiences
    • For older children and teens, the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder’s PTSD Coach Online

You are not alone on this journey.
Your CAC is here for any questions and support you need.