Posts Tagged ‘trauma’

Trauma-Responsive Care: Beyond Mental Health

In a disaster, the psychological “footprint” greatly exceeds the size of the medical “footprint” (J.M. Shultz, 2010). While much of the United States is focused on “reopening” and going back to in-person work, school, and social activities, with images in the news of joyous reunions of...

Facilitating Trauma-Informed Organizational Change: OASAS Trauma-Informed Care Champions

Last June of 2020, Arlene González-Sánchez, LMSW, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) announced a partnership with the Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (ITTIC) at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. The goal of the...

Five Lessons Learned in National Trauma-Informed Care Training

Over decades of practice-informed research, clinical support, and advocacy, a gradual embrace of trauma-informed care as a fundamental component to quality health service delivery has emerged. Every patient has a story - a context, and a set of experiences- that impact their health and wellbeing,...

On Becoming Trauma-Informed: It Takes a Village

Healthcare and social service providers who aim to promote optimal health and wellness among the populations they serve cannot achieve their objectives unless they address the impact of traumatic life events (both past and recurring) on vulnerable individuals. The landmark Adverse Childhood...

Housing and Mental Health Services Are Key to Recovering from Trauma

This article is part of a quarterly series giving voice to the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences as they share their opinions on a particular topic. The authors are served by Services for the UnderServed (S:US), a New York City-based nonprofit that is committed to giving every New...

Secondary Traumatic Stress: A Key Piece of the Conversation

The personal impact of being in the helping profession never crossed my mind when I was in graduate school on my way to becoming a social worker. My focus was on gleaning what I could from my professors and building what I hoped would be the most complete set of clinical skills. I was unaware at...

Responding to the COVID Pandemic and Racial Injustice

One of the truths that have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic is that while the trauma and grief of COVID-19 and the accumulated racial injustices have been widespread, the impact has been felt more strongly in some communities. COVID-19 has been much more harmful to Black and Brown communities...

Helping People Cope with Grief During COVID-19

In these uncertain times of physical distancing, grievers are feeling more alone and isolated than ever. Many are craving physical closeness that is an integral part of the grieving process – a hug from a family member, lunch with a friend, someone dropping by to check on them. The...

A South Asian Perspective on COVID-19 Trauma: A Short Overview

On May 4th, 2020, The Washington Post published an article titled as follows, “The coronavirus pandemic is pushing America into a mental-health crisis.” It talks about the rise in the mental health needs of communities and the increased call for tele-mental health services while mental health...

Priming for Post-Traumatic Growth

There is no shortage of media attention to the mental health impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is so important to raise awareness of this, in order to diminish the stigma, normalize the experience, and help give people the tools they need to navigate through these challenging and...