Pennsylvania's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Project

In 1999, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention committee (JJDPC) of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency identified Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as a significant health problem for girls in the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System. To address this issue, the JJDPC established the Pennsylvania Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Project, with the following goals:

• To create a treatment program for girls in the juvenile justice system who have experienced PTSD.
• To develop a statewide training program for juvenile justice professionals on understanding and assessing posttraumatic stress disorder.
• To develop an educational program on stress and trauma for girls placed in juvenile detention centers, for girls placed on juvenile probation and to develop an education program for girls in alternative educational settings.
• To create a demonstration site for the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Project.

Demonstration Site Selection

Westmoreland County has been involved in the Pennsylvania PTSD Project since its inception. According to the chairperson of the JJDPC, Dr. Ronald Sharp, “Westmoreland County’s response to the PTSD Project was immediate, intense and sustained. When it came time to select a demonstration site for the project, Westmoreland County, through its support of the project, was the perfect site.”