Building a trauma-informed organization

What is a trauma-informed organization?

"A trauma-informed organization is one that operates with an understanding of trauma and its negative effects on the organization’s employees and the communities it serves and works to mitigate those effects." (Source: Harvard Business Review)

Trauma-informed organizations...

• Realize the impact of trauma
• Recognize the signs and symptoms
• Respond by integrating this knowledge into policies, procedures, practices
• Resist re-traumatization

How organizations respond by integrating knowledge into policies, procedures, practices

Crisis management

Being prepared to handle crisis situations is a crucial part of the organization’s commitment to protecting the physical and emotional well-being of its staff.

Conveys a strong message that staff safety is a top priority.

Before the crisis (preparedness)

1. Determine what types of crisis events might be faced by an organization, and develop a list of potential risks.
2. Gain an understanding of how staff respond to crisis events and what stress reactions they might have before, during, and after such events.  This will help determine what strategies might be useful to individuals or groups
3. Create a staff support plan that can be used in the event of a crisis.
4. Create a crisis response team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. It is crucial that the crisis team understands the psychosocial and mental health effects of trauma, how to provide support, and the options available to staff requiring specialized assessment and care.
5. Prepare a list of internal and external resources available to staff in the organization. Ensure that these lists are reviewed regularly and kept up to date.
6. Develop communication plans that include how to inform staff members immediately about the nature of the event, how to protect themselves in case of danger, and how to keep them informed about the crisis.
7. Practice responding to different crisis scenarios with all staff members.

During the crisis

Look

1. Identify people who need immediate attention or support.
2. Focus on safety.
3. Pay attention to physical and emotional reactions.
4. Be attentive to staff members who want to share their reactions.
5. Assess how the crisis is impacting staff members’ decision making and abilities to fulfill their given roles and responsibilities.

Listen

1. Listen with your eyes, ears and heart
2. Pay attention to body language and words
3. Validate staff reactions to the crisis
4. Provide comfort and reassurance where possible
5. Obtain multiple perspectives on the situation if possible

Link

1. Remind staff members about the internal and external resources available to them if they need support
2. When you suspect any staff member is having a difficult time dealing with his or her situation or having severe symptoms, recommend that they seek professional support
3. Give permission for anyone who is severely impacted to step away from their responsibilities if possible and get the support/rest that they need.

After the crisis

1. Debrief the event as an organization. Analyze how the incident occurred, how to prevent it from happening again, and what measures must be taken in the meantime to control the risk.
2. Consult with staff members about the effectiveness of the existing plan. Update the procedures and protocols as necessary.
3. Follow-up with staff about how they were impacted by the incident, and what ongoing needs them might have.
4. Make adjustments to work schedules according to staff capacity and needs.

Resources for building a trauma-informed organization

Assessment resources

Trauma-Informed Workplace Assessment by the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute

Organizational Self-Assessment: Adoption of trauma-informed care practice by the National Council for Behavioral Health

Trauma-Informed Organization Assessment Manual(PDF) by National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (NHCHC), 2020

Creating Cultures of Trauma-Informed Care (CCTIC): A Self-Assessment and Planning Protocol - This assessment tool provides guidelines for agencies or programs interested in facilitating trauma-informed modifications in their service systems. For use by administrators, providers, and survivor-consumers in the development, implementation, evaluation, and ongoing monitoring of trauma-informed programs. (Source: Community Connections; Washington, D.C. Roger D. Fallot, Ph.D. and Maxine Harris, Ph.D., 2009)