Evidence-based treatments for youth suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a variety of severe traumatic experiences are often not readily available in the most vulnerable and underserved populations, where they are particularly needed. This presentation will report on two examples of successful dissemination of prolonged exposure (PE) treatment in children and adolescents by task-shifting to and training of nonexpert providers within the local communities: 1) Treatment of children and adolescent survivors of the 2008 devastating earthquake in China’s Szechuan province by teachers; 2) A randomized controlled study and long-term follow-up assessments proving evidence-based treatments to adolescents suffering from PTSD as a result of interpersonal physical and/or sexual assault in low-income sections of Cape Town, South Africa by non-specialist nursing students. The enduring effectiveness of these interventions in these populations, as well as the qualitative analysis of their palatability and tolerance both by the participants and by the previously novice treatment providers, highlight the promise of an option to more widely disseminate evidence-based treatments that have not been previously easily accessible. This relatively cost-effective approach offers effective treatment where it is clearly much needed, as well as training of para-professional personnel in treatment modalities that would otherwise require many years of specialization.

Elna Yadin was awarded her PhD in May 1979 from Bryn Mawr College and her postdoctoral studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a clinical faculty member at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and an affiliate in Psychology at Bryn Mawr College. Elna Yadin has extensive experience in the treatment of anxiety, stress and obsessivecompulsive disorders, and has provided disability support and advocacy. She continues to train and supervise healthcare professionals both nationally and internationally in the practice of Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD and Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ERP) for OCD.