ROANOKE, Va. – Dozens of local organizations are teaming up with regional experts to discuss developing a network that will help families and kids who have experienced trauma.
"Trauma is an event in your life where are you feel your life is at risk and you feel like you might pass away, you might die,” Benjamin Jones, social work supervisor of the Roanoke County Department of Social Services said.
This is something Jones says many families in Roanoke are experiencing.
Thursday’s trauma summit, which drew in more than twenty public and private organizations was intended to design a trauma-informed network.
“This is a network of organizations and individuals coming together to identify stress, and build resiliency in a way that gives them hope," judge Frank Rogers III of Roanoke County said.
The summit addressed how much unresolved trauma can impact every part of a person's life from birth into your golden years.
“This summit is really important because Roanoke County is taking the initiative to offer more services and more collaboration between the existing services to try to address these trauma needs,” Jones said.
Jones added that it will be important for these organizations to keep up with current research.
The potential to create a trauma-informed network is to serve kids and their families, and help them succeed.