Trauma Informed Care

What is trauma informed care?

Trauma Informed Care is an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. Trauma Informed Care also emphasizes physical, psychological and emotional safety for both consumers and providers, and helps survivors rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.

How to become trauma informed:

• A trauma-informed agency incorporates knowledge and education about the impact of trauma into its culture, is mindful of trauma histories and effects of trauma, and does more than just offer services or therapy that treats trauma
• Is welcoming and engaging and enables healing, recovery, and empowerment
• Everyone is involved – leadership, clinicians, maintenance, receptionists, community, transportation

Recorded Webinar

• Trauma Informed Practices 101 webinar
• Trauma Informed Practices 101 slides

Additional Resources

• Trauma-Informed Organizational Toolkit for homeless service, 2009
  This toolkit will provide programs with a roadmap for becoming trauma-informed, it offers concrete guidelines for how to modify their practices and policies to ensure they are responding to the needs of families who have experienced traumatic stress.
• A Trauma-Informed Care Approach to Supporting Foster Youth in Community College (2018 Journal Article)
• A Trauma-Informed Model for Empowerment Programs Targeting Vulnerable Youth (2016 Journal Article)
• Developing a Trauma-informed Mental Health Group Intervention for Youth Transitioning Out of Homelessness (2018 Book Chapter)
• “Project Awareness:” Fostering Social Justice Youth Development to Counter Youth Experiences of Housing Instability, Trauma and Injustice (2018 Journal Article)
• Trauma-informed Care for Street-involved Youth (2018 Book Chapter)
• What About You? A Workbook for those Who Work With Others, The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2008
  Are you burnt out, stressed, dealing with vicarious trauma? This workbooks helps you identify the signs and address self-care.
• Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence Among Poor and Homeless Women By Sharon M. Melnick, PhD Ellen L. Bassuk, MD, 2000
  Although this guide was designed for working with women, it includes multiple tables and real, practical examples of language and common trauma victim experiences.
• A Long Journey Home: A Guide For Creating Trauma-Informed Services for Mothers and Children Experiencing Homelessness
  Another guide designed for mothers and children but with valuable recommendations on language and response to trauma.
• Childproofing Checklist for Housing and Homeless Service Providers | SchoolHouse Connection
  This tool has been designed to ensure that no matter where children and their families are living, the conditions under which they are living are safe.
• National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network