This is another installment in Birmingham Times/AL.com/CBS42 joint series “Beyond the Violence.”
Amid a violent year in Birmingham, local children may need additional resources and safe outlets.
The city saw 151 homicides in 2024, including the deaths of 10 children. Many children also have been injured in shootings. Violence can leave friends, family and community members with lasting trauma and fear.
“When young people have to navigate life with the reality that their family member, friend is potentially going to die from violence… that trauma and grief is really profound and sometimes not tended to, so making sure that there is a trauma informed, culturally responsive approach on top of structural changes is important,” Stephanie Hawkins, vice president of the Transformative Research Unit for Equity at RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, said.
Kamarion Morris joined his school’s Creative Minds club when he was in high school to open up with his peers about tough topics.
“I have personal experience with gun violence. There’s not a day where we’re not talking about it,” Morris said. “I joined the Creative Minds club when my friends told me it was a place where I could express myself freely and with positivity.”
There are multiple local resources children, teens and families can turn to after something scary happens.
How to help a child after a traumatic event
Traumatic events can take various shapes and forms, but loved ones should be on alert after something dangerous or violent happens to or around a child.
Robert Smith, executive director of the Amelia Center, a comprehensive grief counseling center at Children’s of Alabama, said when a traumatic event occurs in a child’s life, parents and loved ones should make sure that the child has:
- a stable routine including balanced meals,
- regular school attendance, and
- ample time with friends to process their emotions.
“One of the things I would stress after a trauma is that what children and teens probably need the most is a sense of stability and safety and structure. Their world, their reality, everything has been upheaved and challenged,” Smith said.
“Sometimes we move a little too fast and try to insist on them getting help when what they’re focused on is getting some calmness, normalcy and predictability.”
How to know if a child needs professional help
Cynthia Jones, director of the Children’s of Alabama Psychiatric Intake Response Center, said community violence can cause stress responses in children such as appetite and sleep changes, lack of motivation and hopelessness.
Jones said that after a traumatic event, parents and adults should reassure children that they are safe. An expert professional can help navigate emotions and feelings, too.
“Kids’ reaction to traumatic events is not very predictable for them. There’s no timetable, and their healing occurs over periods of months, and years and decades. So it’s just being patient with them. Let them know that there’s opportunity for them to recover from this traumatic event and that there is help out there,” Jones said.
While it is normal for children to express sadness, grief and even anger after a traumatic event, if a child’s behavior becomes abnormal to their character, reckless or dangerous, experts advise seeking out additional mental health support.
If months after a traumatic event occurs and a child shows signs of depression, anxiety, or persistent and worsening feelings of isolation, fear, irritability, stress or begins to self harm, misuse alcohol and substances, seek professional help.
“Knowing what your child has experienced and what their level of coping skills are helps. Give them some faith and some time to balance and then we intervene when we recognize that that’s not happening the way it should,” Smith said.
Alabama youth support and mental health resources
Across Alabama, community members have launched initiatives for area children and teens to curb violence and support youth mental health. Experts say giving children and young adults safe spaces to open up can be vital to overcoming grief and fear after a traumatic event.
Community based programs such as the Surge Project, Kings Kids Outreach, Renew Birmingham, the ZeroZero Foundation and The Bridge Educational Philanthropy provide Birmingham area youth with mental health resources, transportation, food, academic support, career opportunities and community support.
AL.com’s Education Lab created a toolkit to assess more options in Alabama if a child needs long-term mental health support.
United Way created a resource guide with additional mental health resources and services.
The Amelia Center specializes in providing services for children and teens who experienced a significant death and offers free mental health resources and counseling for those who are grieving after a tragic event. Counselors for adults, teens, and children can be reached at (205) 638-7481.
Children’s of Alabama Psychiatric Intake Response Center has a resource line available at (205) 638-7472 providing callers with a database of community-based resources, mental health agencies and services tailored to a child’s needs. Certified counselors also are available to answer questions about mental health concerns.
Additional resources for families, including talking about death, how to cope with loss, child trauma and bereavement, can be found on the Children’s of Alabama website.
“Our hope is that we can make some impact on some kids out there,” Smith said.
Crisis information for immediate help
The National Suicide Hotline, 988, is available 24/7 in both English and Spanish.
