DFWHC Foundation to work with Dallas County on “ReJuvenATE” program

The DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation, in collaboration with Dallas County, the City of Dallas, Dallas County Juvenile Department, the Caruth Police Institute and UT Southwestern University Hospitals, was awarded a federal grant this month from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide trauma response training over the next two years to a wide variety of community residents.

Termed “ReJuvenATE,” or Revitalize Juveniles through Acknowledgement, Training and Empowerment, the grant was one of two awarded nationwide to communities suffering the recent trauma of events involving mass shootings, in the case of Dallas, the attack of police officers on July 7, 2016.

During the two-year span of ReJuvenATE, more than 3,500 people will be provided the skills and access to resources to appropriately respond to traumatic events within the community.

“We hope ReJuvenATE can inspire youth, their families, first responders and local community organizations through evidenced-based training to recognize those who have experienced trauma due to civil unrest,” said Dr. Sushma Sharma, director of public and population health research at the DFWHC Foundation. “This is a great opportunity to promote healthy responses by the community to events that could potentially cause anxiety, aggression and other consequential behaviors.”

ReJuvenATE team members are expected to collaborate with local governments, health systems, law enforcement agencies, academic institutions and other community-based organizations to help residents suffering from the complex traumatic effects caused by civil unrest.

For information, please contact Shay Cathey at shay.cathey@dallascounty.org or 214-653-6587; or Ruby Blum at ruby.blum@dallascounty.org or 214-653-7829 in the office of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins; or Dr. Sushma Sharma of the DFWHC Foundation at ssharma@dfwhcfoundation.org or 469-648-5031.