Learn more about our work to advance trauma-informed systems of care.
Child Trauma Screen Validated in Pediatric Primary Care Settings
Pediatric primary care providers have an important role in addressing the health effects of trauma, yet routine screening is rare. A study published in Clinical Pediatrics found that the 10-item Child Trauma Screen (CTS) could accurately identify youth suffering from PTSD symptoms, and may be particularly feasible to implement in busy primary care practices. The article, "Validating the Child Trauma Screen Among a Cross-Sectional Sample of Youth and Caregivers in Pediatric Primary Care," was co-authored by CHDI's Jason Lang, together with Penn State's Christian Connell, and Susan Macary, formerly of CHDI.
CHDI developed the CTS in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and Yale. It being used by behavioral health providers, pediatricians, school staff, child welfare workers, and juvenile justice staff to identify children who may be suffering from trauma exposure and need more comprehensive assessment or treatment. The study published in Clinical Pediatrics is the third peer-reviewed study indicating that the CTS is reliable and has good to excellent psychometric properties as a brief screen. The CTS is available at no charge to providers. Learn more at www.chdi.org/cts.
CHDI is also developing training in best practices for trauma screening in pediatric primary care and other settings through the ScreenTIME project.
