By Tim Mastro

DOVER — To combat the mental health crisis, Delaware is attempting to cast a wide network of prevention services and treatment for the youth of the state.

The Delaware Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services has programs geared toward bullying, substance abuse and suicide. The division also has services for those in crisis and offers outpatient services and treatment.

“Ideally, we can engage a youth and their family in prevention services and eliminate the need later for any higher-end treatment services,” said the division’s deputy director Dr. Stephanie Traynor.

The state offers a 24/7 Child Crisis Hotline with mobile response and stabilization services, which can be reached by dialing 1-800-969-HELP (4357).

There is also a prevention helpline (302-633-2680) or email (PBHS_Prevention_Inquiries@delaware.gov), which operates Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. This hotline allows callers to learn about free services for substance use, trauma, mental health, stress relief, healthy relationships, caregiver support and more.

Dr. Traynor said all of the state’s prevention programs are done through contractors.

These contractors, such as YMCA Delaware, Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Inner City Cultural League in Dover, Pathways of Delaware in Wilmington and Dover, the University of Delaware, New Castle County PAL Centers, Duffy’s Hope Inc. in Wilmington and others, offered a variety of programs this summer. The programs featured services from suicide awareness and prevention to anti-bullying and life skills.

Dr. Traynor said the number of youth receiving services and treatment from the state decreased during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers are increasing again but are still below pre-pandemic numbers, she said.

“Kids weren’t at school, which means fewer adults monitoring, assessing or making a referral,” Dr. Traynor said. “It also may mean that when a youth was at home, there wasn’t as much stress and they had their family as support. So even though there may have been absence of friends, social isolation, fewer activities and other things that might have a negative impact, there may have also been things that had a positive impact at the same time.

“One thing that may keep our numbers from going all the way back up to where they used to be a few years ago is that now kids have way more resources in school. So they may not need to come to us because kids are able to find a support person like a counselor at school.”

One of those new resources is Take Care Delaware — a trauma-informed initiative which launched statewide this year. It was piloted in the Smyrna School District in 2019 and based on a West Virginia program called Handle With Care.

The program partners with local law enforcement so if an officer encounters a child during a call, that child’s information is forwarded to the school before the next day starts. The school then implements “individual, class and whole school trauma-sensitive curricula,” according to Take Care Delaware’s website. If a child needs more intervention, on-site trauma-focused mental health care is available at the school.

Take Care Delaware Director Pat Chapman said nationally 60% of American children have been exposed to violence, crime or abuse in their home, school or communities, according to a Department of Justice survey. The survey also found 40% of children were direct victims of two or more acts of violence.

“Studies really showed us that prolonged exposure to trauma can impact a child’s ability to thrive in school or cause behavior and other learning issues,” Ms. Chapman said. “Those issues can manifest to more serious problems, such as truancy, expulsion or even involvement in the juvenile justice system.”

To highlight the need for schools to participate in Take Care Delaware, Ms. Chapman shared law enforcement sent 754 notices that affected 1,039 students during the 2021-2022 school year. Not all of those notices would have gone to schools with Take Care Delaware programs as law enforcement sends them regardless of whether a school is participating.

Ms. Chapman said more schools should be joining Take Care Delaware in the coming months and the program’s goal is to have every public and charter school participating.

“What schools are really saying is that when you provide these interventions that we encouraged through Take Care Delaware, that you are seeing that there are less students that have to go out of the classroom or to the principal’s office,” Ms. Chapman said. “It’s all about being proactive. So we are keeping kids regulated and when we’re keeping them regulated, then they’re able to stay in the classroom and learn.”

Schools interested in joining can email: TakeCareDE.DSCYF@delaware.gov.

Dr. Traynor said the state will continue working to add more providers and services to its network. She said some of the current providers have waitlists while others are having a tough time recruiting and retaining clinicians.

“I think progress for us would  look like families have more options with regard to providers available, and that they could get services quickly, where they live that meet their needs,” Dr. Traynor said. “We’d like to have more providers available quickly where a client is, to reduce any kind of need to travel, who are a good fit for what they need in the moment.”