Becoming a TraumaInformed Organization Gladys Noll Alvarez LISW

Becoming a Trauma-Informed Organization Gladys Noll Alvarez LISW Trauma Informed Care Project Coordinator Orchard Place/Child Guidance Center

Understanding trauma is not just about acquiring knowledge. It’s about changing the way you view the world. Sandra Bloom, 2007

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

Trauma Informed agencies……. . • Avoid re-traumatizing • Foster relationships that respect, teach, reinforce, and encourage the family’s competence • Screen for trauma-exposure prior to providing services. • Collaborate across agencies to produce better placement and process determinations for maltreated young children. • Train and sustain staff • Set program policy and evaluate the effectiveness of those programs using a trauma-informed perspective

Resource for child welfare…. • http: //www. nctsn. org/products/child-welfare-traumatraining-toolkit-2008 updated in 2013 Ø The Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit, 2 nd Edition is designed to teach basic knowledge, skills, and values about working with children who are in the child welfare system and who have experienced traumatic events. Ø The toolkit teaches strategies for using traumainformed child welfare practice to enhance the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families who are involved in the child welfare system. Ø The toolkit can be accessed at the NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma 5

Essentials of TIC • Connect – Focus on Relationships • Protect – Promote Safety and Trustworthiness • Respect – Engage in Choice and Collaboration • Redirect (Teach and Reinforce) – Encourage Skill-Building and Competence N. , 2009 Hummer, V. , Crosland, K. , Dollard, 6

Steps towards * BECOMING * Trauma Informed • • • Administrative Commitment to Change Universal Screening Staff Training and Education Hiring Practices Review of Policies and Procedures Marsenich, L. 2010, CA Institute of Mental Health (also: next five slides)

Tools for Agency Self Assessment • “Creating Trauma-Informed Care Environments Organizational Self-Assessment” from University of South Florida • “The Trauma-Informed Organizational Self. Assessment” from the National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH) • “Creating Cultures of Trauma-Informed Care (CCTIC): A Self-Assessment and Planning Protocol” By Roger Fallot Ph. D and Maxine Harris Ph. D 2011 8

Environmental Assessment tool 5 pg. Behavioral Health Services, Kearney, NE 9

Core Principals revisited 10 (Fallot & Bebout; APA Convention 2013) Consumers: ask these 5 questions • Safety- physical/emotional safety • Trustworthiness-maximize, make tasks clear; appropriate boundaries • Choice-enhance consumer choice and control • Collaboration-max and share power • Empowerment- prioritize and skill building every opportunity Staff: ask these 5 questions • Safety-ensure for staff • Trustworthiness- maximize as administrators and supervisors; make tasks and procedures clear; be consistent • Choice- enhance staff choice/control in their day to day work • Collaboration- max and share power with staff members • Empowerment-prioritize staff skill building; provide resources

The Basic Lesson Fallot & Bebout 2013 APA Convention • Staff members—all staff members– can only create a setting of, and offer relationships characterized by, safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment only when they experience these same factors in the program as a whole. It is unrealistic to expect it to be otherwise.

Orchard Place • October 2010 Trauma Informed Care Project • TIC Stakeholder’s group formed • Annual Psychological Trauma & Juvenile Justice conference— 2011, 2012 and 2013 • Training of ALL STAFF from 2011 to now; have incorporated into new staff orientation. • Provide trainings to community agencies on impact of trauma and trauma informed care • www. traumainformedcareproject. org

Contact Information • Gladys Noll Alvarez, LISW Trauma Informed Care Project Coordinator Orchard Place/Child Guidance Center 808 5 th Ave Des Moines, Iowa 50309 – 515 -244 -2267 – galvarez@orchardplace. org – www. traumainformedcareproject. org 13