Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care is based on a framework that recognizes people’s lived experiences can affect how they engage with the health care system. It shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a full understanding of a patient’s life situation in order to provide effective health care services. The Trauma-Informed Care toolkit provides curated tools and resources to help organizations and health professionals apply trauma-informed principles in the care of people living with a serious illness.
What’s in the Toolkit
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care
These articles and resources provide an overview of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the negative effect they can have on one’s health, and how trauma-informed care can promote positive outcomes.
Dr. Edward Machtinger, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Women's HIV Program at UCSF, shares insight from his work in trauma-informed care, which can incorporated across disciplines and specialties. In this interview, we learn about the impact of one’s emotional, psychological, and social history, and how trauma underlies and perpetuates many serious illnesses.
The importance of providing trauma-informed care to achieve equitable care. Family & Community Health, 2019.
General overview of ACEs and their impact on health and well-being. Medical News Today, 2020.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares resources around risk factors and prevention strategies to avoid ACEs and help all children reach their full potential.
A seminal article highlighting the relationship between exposure to abuse or household dysfunction during childhood and adult health status. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1998.
A study demonstrating association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and increased risk of premature death during adulthood. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2009.
Resources for Organizations and Leaders
A compilation of organizational best practices and policy considerations that can be implemented across all health care sectors
A practical framework to implement across the healthcare sector. Center for Health Care Strategies, April 2016.
The Center for Health Care Strategies compiles resources from trauma-informed care leaders across the country.
A framework for becoming a trauma-informed organization. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2014.
Resources for Clinicians
Watch, listen, and read about using a trauma-informed care approach for self-care; and recommended clinical assessment tools to use in practice.
How to move beyond surviving to thriving by incorporating the meaningful practice of trauma-informed care. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 2021.
The benefits of using a trauma-informed approach to self-care and how to apply them. Episode 3: Trauma – Informed Self Care Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 2021.
Strategies for trauma-informed nursing practice and organizational considerations for the nursing workforce. Journal of Issues in Nursing, 2019.
A call to action for Social Workers to become trauma informed. Social Work, 2019.
A manual to help behavioral health professionals understand the impact of trauma on those who experience it. “Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services” Chapter 2, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014.
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire is a validated tool used by trained providers to measure the impact of childhood abuse and neglect on health and wellbeing. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1998.
Developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this checklist has been adapted for use in the general population. National Center for PTSD, 2003.
Addressing Health Equity through Trauma-Informed Practice
Articles that highlight the relationship between racism and trauma; and strategies to incorporate a focus on racial equity to enhance trauma-informed care efforts.
How racial discrimination can impact one’s overall health and wellbeing. Psychology Today, 2020.
Considerations for health systems and provider practices to enhance trauma-informed care approaches and promote racial justice. Center for Health Care Strategies, 2021.
Best Practice Models
Case studies and disease specific care models for integrating trauma-informed care into the care of people living with a serious illness.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital shares how the patient experience can improve when applying trauma-informed care.
This article reviews research on trauma at end of life, provides an overview of trauma-informed principles, and explores possibilities for applying trauma-informed care through an illustrative case study of a patient at end of life. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 2020.
A scoping review of published literature on the use of trauma-informed care in cancer care settings. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 2022.
A short essay from the lens of trauma-informed care as a provider turned patient. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2023.
Addressing trauma and supporting healing within the HIV care delivery system. National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), 2022.
Faculty
-
Sherika Newman, DO
Associate Medical Director
CenterWell Primary Care Anywhere-Georgia -
Zara Cooper, MD, MSc, FACS
Kessler Director, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Med…
-
Karen Bullock, PhD, LCSW, APHSW-C
Endowed Professor of Social Work at Boston College
-
Andrew E. Esch, MD, MBA
Senior Education Advisor
Webinars
Trauma-Informed Care: Why It’s Important and How to Implement It into Practice
Free and open to all
