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GREENSBORO — Since 2008, Greensboro Police have referred more than 1,600 children and families to the Child Response Initiative, which provides early intervention to children who have been exposed to trauma.

The program is expanding to include the growing numbers of victims. Experts with Greensboro Police, North Carolina A&T University, and Cone Health are pooling their efforts with 10 mental health providers and 30 community based agencies.

Leaders hope early intervention will help children later in life.

"We can help kids closer to the time of the event, rather than closer to adulthood when they're continuing to have challenges,” said Rachel Hutto with Family Solutions Counseling.

Many of the cases are of children exposed to violence or crime. Police say a greater number of families are coping with those experiences, so the program is now expanding to include a second child advocate.

"Unfortunately, many of the cases were not repeat cases. So we know we have a large pool of children and families that are being exposed," said Dr. Kelly Graves with NC A&T Center for Behavioral Health.

Victim referrals to the program can come from either the Greensboro Police Department after a violence-related call or by someone at their school.