Services designed to support families in crisis must operate through a trauma-informed lens, as trauma and oppression are common drivers of the complex challenges people may face across the lifespan, beginning in childhood. This lens must be considered in outreach strategies, accessibility of programs, the design of physical and virtual spaces, the intake process, the delivery of services, and community partnerships alike.
But organizations who wish to embody trauma-informed services must begin by looking inward to their infrastructure, policies, and staff culture. Building trauma-informed organizations internally, that acknowledge and support staff with lived experiences of trauma, is the way to truly demonstrate and model this commitment with the families you serve.
The resources in this section provide tools and strategies to support both internal and external capacity to provide trauma-informed services to young people in settings including domestic violence shelters, child welfare agencies, youth centers, and therapeutic environments designed to prevent suicide and address substance use.
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The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (NCDVTMH) designed the tool Becoming Accessible, Culturally Responsive, and Trauma-Informed Organizations for organizations serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their children. Its purpose is to support organizations in their efforts to become more accessible, culturally responsive, and trauma- informed (ACRTI) in their approach and services.
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Building Dignity from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence explores design strategies for domestic violence emergency housing. Each tab has a “Parent” section, with helpful information and strategies for supporting a trauma-informed environment for children.
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The Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network supports caseworkers, supervisors, and all other levels of the child welfare workforce in implementing trauma-informed knowledge and skills in their daily interactions, professional services and organizational culture. The third edition of the Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit (CWTTT) incorporates two foundational trainings, a specialized skills training for supervisors and caseworkers, and a supervisor consultation series to enhance transfer of learning into day-to-day practice. Note that you have to create account to view the content.
NRCDV’s Runaway & Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit was developed by and for advocates in the runaway and homeless youth (RHY) and domestic violence and sexual assault fields to help programs better address relationship violence with runaway and homeless youth.