DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Hearing about violent events like Wednesday’s mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine can bring up trauma, especially for some in the Miami Valley who lived through its own similar experience.
As stories of mass shootings become more common, the Montgomery County ADAMHS Board is working to address that trauma so Dayton can continue moving forward.
“The more commonplace it seems to become for people, the more of a stressor it actually is,” ADAMHS Executive Director Helen Jones-Kelley said.
Jones-Kelley said these tragedies have an impact on everyone, and the first step is to recognize the trauma its caused.
“In some ways, we’re all survivors of that because it had this profound impact on our community and our sense of safety,” Jones-Kelley said.
Jones-Kelley said it’s time to reach out for help when you notice it impacting your day-to-day life.
“We become fearful to go places and we restrict our own activities as a result of that and hearing about it, those are the times we need to look for the resources in the community that are available,” Jones-Kelley said.
She said it’s especially true for children and teens, who process these traumatic events differently.
“If they’re not sleeping well or that things are happening with grades, things of that nature, we need to pay attention, that we need to immediately begin to help them get connected,” Jones-Kelley said.
There are a number of ways to find those resources. You can reach out to your child’s school talk to your doctor, or use the Local Help Now app.
Since 2019, Jones-Kelley said ADAMHS expanded its services and added a team of crisis responders. Now they’re turning their focus to building a trauma informed community that’s ready for a crisis of any kind.
“Being prepared and knowing what to do and what to say in that moment can make all the difference in the world so that people know that there’s a caring community around them,” Jones-Kelley said.
If you are experiencing a crisis, call the Montgomery County Crisis Call Center at 1-833-580-2255.
