Trauma ScreenTIME
Trauma ScreenTIME courses provide staff in child-serving systems with best practices for trauma screening so that they can identify and support children experiencing traumatic stress as early as possible - and connect those in need with effective services.
Why screen a child for trauma?
Research shows that childhood trauma is common. About 70% of children will be exposed to trauma - such as violence, abuse, accidents, illnesses, and other events - by age eighteen. Many will recover with the support of family and friends, but some will experience traumatic stress symptoms and may develop difficulties in school, at home, or with their relationships.
Trauma screening is an efficient way to identify children and youth who need support related to the effects of trauma exposure. It is a crucial first step towards connecting children and families who have experienced trauma with evidence-based treatment and other services. Screening can also facilitate engagement with children and families to discuss trauma in a supportive and helpful way.
View our infographic on childhood trauma + the role of screening
Helping child-serving professionals confidently provide trauma screening
Child-serving professionals and organizations - such as schools, pediatric primary care, juvenile justice, early childhood, child welfare, and others - can provide more effective services if they are aware of the trauma experienced by the children they serve. And the earlier a child gets support, the better their outcomes will be. But because it's not always obvious, many children are left to cope with the effects of trauma alone.
Many professionals in child-serving systems are also reluctant to implement screening due to a lack of knowledge about how to do it effectively, concerns that it would take too much time, and uncertainty about what to do with screening results.
CHDI partnered with families and national experts to develop the Trauma ScreenTIME courses with the goal of helping child-serving professionals confidently conduct trauma screenings using best practices and evidence-based screening measures. ScreenTIME is part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), funded through a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant.
Trauma ScreenTIME Courses
All courses are available at no cost to child-serving professionals nationwide.
Core Course
Appropriate for staff in all child-serving settings, including juvenile justice, child welfare, mobile crisis, care coordination, and behavioral health.
Schools Course
Appropriate for staff in school settings, including teachers, school administrators, school mental and physical health staff, and office staff.
Pediatric Primary Care Course
Appropriate for staff in pediatric primary care settings, including pediatricians, nurses, mental health specialists, medical assistants, intake specialists, managers, and directors.
Early Childhood Course
Appropriate for staff working with children ages 0-6 in childcare, early education, home visiting, and other early childhood programs.
Additional setting-specific courses, including child welfare (coming this July!) and juvenile justice, are in development.
What do Trauma ScreenTIME courses cover?
Why screen for trauma and traumatic stress?
How do you develop a screening process for your program or organization?
How do you select a screening measure?
How do you screen a child for trauma?
How do you use the screening results?
What are the benefits of taking a ScreenTIME course?
- Developed in partnership with families and national experts based on best practices
- Step-by-step practical guidance for doing trauma screening
- Practical tools for sensitive and accurate screening
- Save your progress and complete the course at your own pace
- Accessible for any child-serving professional - not just those with clinical training/roles!
Professional development opportunities
- The Trauma ScreenTIME Core Course is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886487827-7626) for 4 continuing education contact hours. Course approval expires on 5/31/2026.
- The Trauma ScreenTIME Schools Course is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval #886487827-3793) for 4 continuing education contact hours. Course approval expires on 2/28/2026.
- The Trauma ScreenTIME Early Childhood Course is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval #886487827-8439) for 4 continuing education contact hours. Course approval expires on 9/30/2025.
- Learners taking the Trauma ScreenTIME Pediatric Primary Care Course have the option to take what they have learned into their workplace to create a Quality Improvement (QI) Project. Approved QI projects will earn 25 points of MOC Part 4 credit through the American Board of Pediatrics. Full details and a sample QI project are included in the Course Resource Center.
Testimonials
Register for a Trauma ScreenTIME course
Learn to effectively screen children and youth for trauma by taking a free, self-paced Trauma ScreenTIME course.
About Trauma ScreenTIME
Trauma ScreenTIME is a five-year initiative funded through a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Category II grant to improve child trauma screening across child-serving systems.
Trauma ScreenTIME is developed and managed by CHDI staff with support from a Connecticut-based Advisory Board and Content Experts with expertise in child trauma and each of five child-serving systems (schools, early childhood, pediatric primary care, child welfare, and juvenile justice).
Learn more about Trauma ScreenTIME
Related Resources
Trauma
ScreenTIME
Infographic
Learn more about childhood trauma and the role of trauma screening in this interactive infographic.
Evidence-Based Treatments for Trauma
Learn about trauma-focused evidence-based treatments available in Connecticut and beyond.
Kids
Mental Health
Training
View other courses on children's behavioral health topics developed by CHDI at KidsMentalHealthTraining.org.