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Treating Traumatized Children after Hurricane Katrina: Project Fleur-de Lis™

Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review volume 12, pages 55–64 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Project Fleur-de-lis™ (PFDL) was established to provide a tiered approach to triage and treat children experiencing trauma symptoms after Hurricane Katrina. PFDL provides school screening in schools in New Orleans and three tiers of evidence-based treatment (EBT) to disaster-exposed children utilizing a public health approach to meet the various needs of students referred to the program, some stemming from the disaster itself, some related to prior exposure to violence, and some relating to preexisting conditions and educational delays. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is funding a research project conducted in collaboration with PFDL, to examine two evidence-based practices for child PTSD in order to guide child treatment decisions after future disaster situations. This article describes the need for mental health services for children following disaster, the structure and purpose of PFDL, design of the NIMH project, two case descriptions of children treated within the project, and preliminary lessons learned.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Supplemental Grants Numbers R01 MH 72590 S1 and R01 MH 072591 S1 from the National Institute of Mental Health, Grants Numbers SM 54319 and SM 57283 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and a grant from the Sisters of Mercy of New Orleans.

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Affiliations

  1. Center for Traumatic Stress in Children & Adolescents, Allegheny General Hospital, Drexel University College of Medicine, 4 Allegheny Center, 8th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, USA

    Judith A. Cohen & Anthony P. Mannarino

  2. RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA, 22202, USA

    Lisa H. Jaycox

  3. Mercy Family Center, Project Fleur-de-lis™, 110 Veterans Blvd.; Suite 425, Metairie, LA, 70005, USA

    Douglas W. Walker

  4. UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 1315, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Audra K. Langley

  5. Project Fleur-de-lis™, Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Fellow, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 236 Douglas Road, Warwick, RI, 02886, USA

    Jennifer L. DuClos

Authors
  1. Judith A. Cohen
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  2. Lisa H. Jaycox
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  3. Douglas W. Walker
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  4. Anthony P. Mannarino
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  5. Audra K. Langley
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  6. Jennifer L. DuClos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa H. Jaycox.

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Cohen, J.A., Jaycox, L.H., Walker, D.W. et al. Treating Traumatized Children after Hurricane Katrina: Project Fleur-de Lis™. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 12, 55–64 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-009-0039-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-009-0039-2

Keywords

  • Children
  • CBITS
  • Disaster
  • PTSD
  • TF-CBT
  • Violence