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square bulletYouth Engagement in the Emergency Room

July 30, 2017

From Oregon Trauma Advocates Coalition

Hello there! This is Trauma Informed Oregon’s youth-led advisory board, the Oregon Trauma Advocates Coalition (OTAC). We are an advisory board comprised of young adults aged 16-26 from all over the state. Although recently formed in the spring of 2016, we have been hard at work completing our goals for the year and developing tools to improve systems that serve youth. We have just finished one awesome tip sheet for use in emergency rooms and have a draft of another being vetted with other youth groups!

New Tip Sheet

The first tip sheet is directed towards medical care providers and staff throughout emergency rooms and is called “Youth Engagement in the Emergency Room.” This tip sheet aims to equip medical workers with various techniques to engage youth, build self-worth, restore power, and help create feelings of safety in what may be an intimidating and confusing situation.

Another One on the Way!

The second tip sheet that we have created (and is currently being vetted) flips the script, giving young adults in emergency rooms suggestions on how to make their voice heard. Topics include how to collaborate with doctors to get the best care, what a young adult can say to their provider to restore their power, and ideas for engaging with doctors. This will be provided in two different formats—an 11”x17” poster for emergency room walls, as well as a wallet card for young adults to carry wherever they go. We plan to rollout this tip sheet for youth by youth in early Fall 2017.

Interested in Joining OTAC?

Lastly, if you know a young adult who may be interested in joining OTAC, please ask them to contact Lee Ann Phillips at lphil@pdx.edu or call 503-725-9618 for an application. If you would like to learn more about who we are, go to https://traumainformedoregon.org/about/ and look at the list of OTAC Members.

We hope you find this tip sheet useful, and please disseminate it in emergency rooms everywhere!