Systems of care for traumatized children: The example of a school-based intervention model

In this chapter we will describe the development of a system of care for children through educational systems. Providing a continuum of trauma services for Israeli school children during long periods of exposure to trauma focuses on an array of services ranging from prevention to intervention. The school-based intervention model incorporates principles of both community and clinical psychology. Traditionally, services have focused on those who have been identified as suffering from posttraumatic stress disorders or other clinical diagnoses. The continuum of trauma services model recognizes the importance of treating those who are suffering, while not overlooking the large, silent majority of the population who cope reasonably well through other trajectories. The provision of a range of services, from community interventions to clinical interventions within one system of care, forms one of the touchstones of this model.