Project Harmony Brings Awareness to National PTSD Awareness Day, June 27

Project Harmony (projectharmony.com) reminds the community that, in order to bring greater awareness to the issue of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the United States Senate designated June 27 as National PTSD Awareness Day. In addition, June has been designated as PTSD Awareness Month by the National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD).

PTSD is a mental health problem that can occur after someone has been exposed to a single traumatic event or multiple traumatic events, such as sexual or physical assault, natural or man-made disaster, and war-related combat stress. Often times, PTSD is associated with adults, specifically war veterans, however children are just as likely to suffer from PTSD. More than 60% of all children and adolescents are victimized by violence each year. This can cause trauma and toxic stress, leaving victims to suffer in silence or act out. Despite this, only 20% of children with mental or behavior disorders are identified and receive mental health services.

All children and adolescents deserve a healthy, happy, and safe upbringing. Project Harmony exists to provide support and help to children and adolescents who are victims of abuse and neglect, but as crucial as it is to protect victims and prosecute offenders, prevention is just as important.

Connections at Project Harmony, a voluntary program based on parent consent, was founded on the idea that when mental health or trauma symptoms can be identified early in a child’s life, a wide range of problems can be prevented, including child maltreatment. Through Connections, Project Harmony links children and families to preventative and early intervention mental health services. Their focus is to help children get back on track developmentally, function better at home and in the classroom, and be safer at home and in the community.

Project Harmony is currently working with four local school districts to help identify and refer students to Connections. To learn more, contact Jude Connelly at jconnelly@projectharmony.com or go online to projectharmony.com