OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A recent study on the level of violence and its impact on citizens in areas of North Omaha reveals the need for mental health services for adults and children.<\/p>\n
The study indicates more than 17% of adults and more than 24% of young people meet the clinical threshold for post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.<\/p>\n
More than 400 people were surveyed in the study. They answered questions about what was going on before police arrived on the scene in their northeast Omaha neighborhood.<\/p>\n
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES NEEDED FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN<\/p>\n
\u201c25% of respondents reported having been shot or shot at, 29% seeing someone else get shot, 12% witnessing someone being shot and killed by another person,\u201d said Dr. William Reay, president of Omni Inventive Care.<\/p>\n
Reay and Dr. Kris Tevis presented the study that determined the extent of PTSD in one area of northeast Omaha.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe prevalence of post-traumatic stress in the pilot area is no less than 300% greater than what one would expect in research in the general population,\u201d Reay said. \u201cIn fact, the pilot area prevalence is similar to what you would expect in an active war zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reay told members of the Douglas County Commissioners that there are not enough mental health services in the study area and recommended expanding the study.<\/p>\n
\u201cExpanding the use of the survey of the exposure to community violence across the North Omaha community would give Region Six and mental health providers and various community service providers a more granular appreciation of post-traumatic stress,\u201d Reay said.<\/p>\n
COUNTY BOARD QUESTIONS STUDY<\/p>\n
Some Douglas County board members had questions about the survey and the study results.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho authored this? Where was the survey of exposure to community violence developed or who authored it?\u201d asked Douglas County Commissioner Brian Fahey.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, the decision to use it in this context was yours, yes, sir, OK,\u201d Fahey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we\u2019re trying to get at answers, but this feels like you\u2019re trying to get at an agenda,\u201d said Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not new information we know about this, we\u2019ve known for decades,\u201d said Terri Crawford.<\/p>\n
ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES<\/p>\n
Terri Crawford is a professor at UNO and the second vice president of the Omaha NAACP. Crawford says we must first recognize and discuss the racial issues and poverty that exist in northeast Omaha and other urban areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo until we address those issues as to how families find themselves under these circumstances, we have to address that first and then we can get to the family issues, the personal issues and then just their daily lived experiences,\u201d Crawford said.<\/p>\n
Crawford hopes this survey sparks deeper conversations that leads to providing trauma services to families. Dr. Reay believes something has to be done to deal with the issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe also that the study shows that what\u2019s been done is not working and to do more of the same is just foolish,\u201d Reay said.<\/p>\n
The survey cost $500,000 and took a month to complete. The project was funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services American Rescue Plan Act through the Nebraska Legislature.<\/p>\n
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