Introduction
The experience of trauma has widespread impact on the lives of those we serve, leading to or exacerbating mental illnesses, substance use, and physical health conditions. In a truly integrated whole health system of care, effectively treating behavioral and physical health conditions must involve addressing the impact of trauma.
If you’re working towards becoming a trauma-informed organization (or just want to learn more about trauma-informed care), this resource hub will help you understand the basics of trauma, the TIC framework, and how to care for your staff.
Importance of Trauma Informed Care
Trauma-informed care (TIC) has become a widely recognized paradigm for creating safe spaces for individuals who have experienced trauma and reducing the likelihood that accessing services would cause re-traumatization. The impact of TIC on individuals and organizations is powerful, and this approach has shown to be effective in reducing trauma-related symptoms.
Trauma-Informed care is not a “hot topic” or a “fad” in behavioral health. It is becoming a standard practice across all of healthcare. National Council for Behavioral Health shares the value of trauma-informed care and the impact it has on clinical outcomes and staff engagement in the video below:
Getting Started with Trauma-Informed Care
Integrating trauma-informed care is a journey, not a destination. It involves understanding the people you serve, how staff are affected by their work, and how to create safe and nurturing environments that allow you to provide care in a trauma-informed way.
The following resources will give you a better understanding of what trauma is and how it can present itself in various populations.
Webinar
Trauma-Informed Care 101: Basics of Trauma and the TIC Framework
Trauma-informed care (TIC) has become a widely recognized paradigm for creating safe spaces for individuals who have experienced trauma and reducing the likelihood that accessing services would cause re-traumatization. But what exactly is trauma and the trauma-informed care framework? Watch this on-demand webinar to learn more about the TIC framework.
Course Preview
Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care
Being a trauma-informed organization isn’t a one time implementation or the responsibility of a committee. Preview our introduction to TIC course.
Understanding Racial Trauma
Webinar
What Is Racial Trauma? Understanding How Trauma Affects the Black Community
Hear Dr. Jamila Holcomb, Ph.D., LMFT discuss how racial trauma affects the Black community and ways both clinicians and organizations can better connect with Black clients.
Webinar
Addressing Racial Trauma in the Clinical Setting
In addition to knowing the impacts of racial trauma, clinicians should know best practices for addressing racism and racial trauma from the minute they enter the practice to when they go into the therapy room (whether in-person or through telehealth). Watch this webinar to hear Jamila Holcomb, Ph.D., LMFT, continue the conversation on racial trauma and how clinicians can help Black clients in the clinical setting.
Webinar
Leveraging Protective Factors to Help Mitigate the Effects of Racial Trauma in 2021
In this webinar Jamila Holcomb, Ph.D., LMFT discusses the use of protective factors to help mitigate racial trauma and racism in 2021 and beyond.
Research Brief
What Is Racial Trauma? Understanding Race-Based Traumatic Stress
One aspect of trauma-informed care that is beginning to gain more awareness is the effect of racial trauma among people of color. This white paper provides an overview of how race-based trauma can impact individuals.
Trauma 101 Articles
Trauma 101: The Basics of Trauma and Its Impact
Trauma-informed Care is a model that has long been promoted in healthcare and social service settings. However, there are still many providers who struggle to implement it.
Addressing Trauma in Individuals with IDD
Recognizing whether an individual with IDD has experienced trauma can be difficult for caregivers. This blog looks at how organizations can address this challenge.
What Are the Social Determinants of Trauma?
Many healthcare leaders have heard of trauma-informed care as well as social determinants of health, but the intersection of the two is rarely considered.
6 Tips to Help Your Nonclinical Staff Practice Trauma-Informed Care
In a trauma-informed organization all staff should be working from the same vision. In tis blog we share six ways to help nonclinical staff practice trauma-informed care.
A Survivor’s Story: Why Trauma-Informed Care Is Crucial in Treatment
Misdiagnosed and treated for bipolar disorder, Lorilee Binstock was in fact experiencing PTSD as a result of childhood trauma. A trauma that she kept a secret until her fifth suicide attempt.
Creating a Trauma-Informed System of Care: New Tools to Help Your Organization
Any organization can implement and benefit from a trauma-informed system of care, this blog looks at some of the basic principles to take into account.
COVID-19 and Trauma: How a Pandemic Affects Our Mental Health
Epidemics have been shown to create general stress across the populations they affect, and we are yet to see the long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health.
Implementing TIC at the Organization Level
The trauma-informed care framework involves recognizing, understanding, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. Rather than seeing trauma reactions as pathological, it reframes these reactions as adaptive.
Implementing the trauma-informed care framework requires the entire organization to shift their thinking and mindset on how to address trauma in all persons served. From your board of directors and leadership team to clinical and non-clinical staff, everyone plays a role when delivering TIC.
Leverage these resources to learn the critical elements involved in leading this type of transformational change at your organization:
Webinar
What Does Becoming Trauma-Informed Mean for Non-Clinical Staff?
Watch this webinar to get a look at what “becoming trauma-informed” means for direct care behavioral health and community providers.
Webinar
Trauma-Informed Supervision: It’s for Everyone
Learn how trauma-informed care principles can be infused into your supervision work to increase your staff’s job satisfaction and engagement.
Research Brief
5 Key Elements to Trauma-Informed Care
Download this white paper to receive resources and assessment tools to help your organization become more trauma-informed.
Research Brief
5 Key Elements to Trauma-Informed Care for IDD Organizations
Download this white paper to learn more about how trauma-informed care can positively impact persons served and staff at IDD organizations.
Trauma-Informed Care and Your Staff
Self-care is a top priority in trauma-informed care initiatives. The effects of working in behavioral health and human services can take its toll on the body and mind. It’s important for organizations to support their employees to prevent compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, burnout, and moral injury. By taking care of your staff, you’ll strengthen the quality of services you provide and improve outcomes for your clients.
Webinar
Trauma-Informed Care and the Focus on Staff
The effects of working in behavioral health and human services can take its toll, and working in a trauma-informed way requires focus and positive energy.
Webinar
Compassion Fatigue, Secondary/Vicarious Trauma and the Importance of Self Care
How do we go from compassion fatigue to compassion satisfaction and regain the love for the work we do?
Webinar
What Does Becoming Trauma-Informed Mean for Non-Clinical Staff?
Watch this webinar to get a look at what “becoming trauma-informed” means for direct care behavioral health and community providers.
Additional Resources
What Is Trauma Sensitive Language?
Explore questions from a recent webinar on using trauma sensitive language, facilitated by the experts at the National Council for Behavioral Health.
Trauma Informed Care and Clinical Practice: Top Questions Asked by Professionals
Your top questions on trauma-informed care best practices answered by our answered by our panel of experts at National Council.
Course Preview
Trauma and the Brain
Enhance your staff’s knowledge of how trauma affects the brain and continue to reinforce the trauma-informed approach at your agency.