Social Worker's Quick Response After Brown Shooting

On December 13, licensed social worker Rachel Caruso was on patrol with police when a shooting occurred at Brown University's Barus & Holley engineering building. Her organization, Family Service of Rhode Island, embeds social workers with police to provide immediate mental health support to survivors of violent events. Caruso's unit was able to coordinate a trauma response team quickly after the incident.

Once cleared by police, Caruso entered the athletic facility designated as a reunification space. She joined twenty other mental health professionals, focusing on maintaining a calm environment and offering support to distressed students and their families. The immediate availability of embedded social workers proved crucial for rapid activation and response.

Caruso shared that while responding to such difficult events is challenging, she finds peace in being part of a multi-agency team dedicated to helping individuals in crisis. The program's success hinges on its integrated approach, allowing for timely interventions when they are most needed.