WHAT IS TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE?

THERE IS NOTHING WroNG WITH YOU.

Trauma-informed care strives to understand the whole of an individual and shifts the focus from “What is wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

MercyFirst utilizes trauma-informed models to help improve client engagement, treatment involvement and permanency outcomes.

A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that MercyFirst needs to have a complete picture of a client’s life situation — past and present — to provide effective services with a healing approach. Adopting trauma-informed practices improves client engagement, treatment involvement, and permanency outcomes.

MercyFirst is committed to a trauma-responsive approach to the organizational stress often seen within child-welfare systems.  In addition to client well-being, the focus also becomes that of employee and care-provider wellness.  

Trauma-informed care seeks to:

  • Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for healing

  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma and chronic stress in our clients, families, and staff

  • Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and

  • Actively avoid re-traumatization and secondary traumatic stress.

Currently, MercyFirst has implemented and practices the following trauma informed models, which guide our service delivery:

·        Sanctuary® Model

·        Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC)

·        Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS)

·        Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

CORE PRINCIPALS

  • Sharing of power between staff and children and families to support shared decision-making.

  • Recognizing and validating strengths to build on skills, and the individual’s resilience and ability to heal from trauma.

  • Recognizing and addressing biases, stereotypes and historical trauma.

  • Individuals with shared experiences are part of the organization and are integral to service delivery.

  • Youth, families and staff throughout the organization feel physically and psychologically safe.

  • Decisions are made with transparency and with the goal of building and maintaining trust.