NWI IMPETUS

The Northwest Indiana (NWI) Identification and Management of Pediatric Experiences of Trauma and Underlying Stress (IMPETUS) program seeks to increase and enhance prevention child trauma prevention and intervention efforts throughout Northwest Indiana.

Happy child giving high five to his pediatrician after medical examination at doctor's office.

NWI contains the second largest county in the state, spans both urban and rural counties, and records disproportionately high rates of poverty, food insecurity, and child maltreatment fatalities relative to state averages.

Recognizing that pediatric primary care clinics have become a key entry point for trauma-exposed children and families, the Purdue Northwest Psychology Department will partner with several of the primary pediatric healthcare providers in the region over the next 5 years.

Together, with our pediatric healthcare partners, we will change the trajectories for NWI’s most vulnerable youth and families.

Questions? Email the NWI IMPETUS team.

PNW receives $3 million federal grant to increase services for NWI children exposed to trauma

Purdue Northwest’s department of Psychology was awarded a $3 million federal grant to support mental health services and interventions for child traumatic stress.

Read the story

Our Primary Goals

implementing routine child trauma and mental health screenings into pediatric visits
providing immediate access to brief in-office interventions and parent and adolescent group interventions
increasing access to longer-term interventions by providing cutting-edge training and certification in evidence-based trauma treatments for local mental health clinicians and scaling up capacity for outpatient referrals in NWI