What is Trauma-Informed Care?

“Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.”
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

What does it mean to be trauma-informed?

“A program, organization, or system [or person] that is trauma-informed realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.”

When we build our capacity to be trauma-informed, it changes how we approach working with people. A trauma-informed approach looks like:

  • Safety

  • Trustworthiness & Transparency

  • Collaboration & Mutuality

  • Empowerment, Voice & Choice

  • Peer Support

  • Understanding Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues

Trauma-informed care can help improve health outcomes for those struggling with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Trauma-informed care approaches people as individuals within their environment/context, and views trauma as an injury that requires healing.

Read more research here:

Bergen-Cico, D., Elmner, J., & Keefe, J. (2019). “Supporting Children & Families Through Trauma.” Health Foundation for Western and Central New York. Link to CCWB Presentation Slides: https://tinyurl.com/y788sv68

Cohen, S. (2017). “Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families.” Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Accessed 10 June 2019: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/three-early-childhood-development-principles-improve-child-family-outcomes/

Daminger, A., Hayes, J., Barrows, A., & Wright, J. (2015). “Poverty Interrupted: Applying Behavioral Science to the Context of Chronic Scarcity.” Ideas42. Link to White Paper: https://tinyurl.com/ybt3ghos

Delima, J., & Vimpani, G. (2011). “The neurobiological effects of childhood maltreatment: An often overlooked narrative related to the long-term effects of early childhood trauma.” Family Matters. (89): 42. https://tinyurl.com/ycyapnru

Felitti, V., et al. (1998). “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 14(4): 245-258. https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(98)00017-8/abstract

Mendel, W., & Sperlich, M. (2018). “Children, families, and trauma: What we need to know to support healing and resilience.” Health Foundation for Western and Central New York. Link to CCWB Presentation Slides: https://tinyurl.com/y9q5rybh

NICABM. (2018). “How a Caregiver’s Trauma Can Impact a Child’s Development.” National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. Link to Infographic: https://tinyurl.com/y9xty6zy

SAMHSA. (2014). “SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach.” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf

Sedlak, A. J., et al. (2010). “Fourth national incidence study of child abuse and neglect (NIS-4).” Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services. https://tinyurl.com/qm74kd2

Teicher, M. H., & Samson, J. A. (2016). “Annual research review: enduring neurobiological effects of childhood abuse and neglect.” Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26831814

Torchalla, I., et al. (2015). “Like a lots happened with my whole childhood: Violence, trauma, and addiction in pregnant and postpartum women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.” Harm Reduction Journal. 11(1). https://tinyurl.com/y8qde7cg

van der Kolk, B. A., et al. (2014). “Original research yoga as an adjunctive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial.” J Clin Psychiatry. 75(6): e559–e565. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25004196