Creating your team
It can be overwhelming to know where to start your organization’s trauma-informed journey. Assembling the team to lead the initiative is an important first chapter. Here is a step-by-step guide to developing your organization’s own team.
Step 1: What do we call this team?
Organizations might call the team:
- Trauma-Informed Leadership Team
- Trauma-Informed Change Team
- Trauma-Informed Champions
Many health and human services sectors have found it essential to convene and empower a diverse, representative internal team to guide and sustain a trauma-informed approach.
Step 2: Who makes up this team?
Generally, a best practice is establishing an independent group of 5-10 people rather than add on tasks to an existing team or workgroup. Reflect on who within your community already shows interest in championing trauma-informed care, workforce wellness, resilience, and culture change. When considering who in your organization to include in this workgroup, think about the many stakeholders for your community:
- Administrators
- Board members
- Family members
- Residents
- Volunteers
- Staff from all areas of the organization.
Step 3: What will this team do?
The roles and activities of this team might include:
- Building trauma awareness and competency as a group through training, reading, and discussion
- Examining your organization’s mission, vision, and values statements for alignment with the principles of trauma-informed care
- Arranging for and scheduling a trauma-resilience 101 campaign for all staff that might include basic training, recurring messaging, and strategies for promoting and measuring trauma awareness within your organization
- Assessing your community through a trauma-informed lens
- Developing a trauma-informed care strategic plan that aligns with the self-assessment results
- Ensuring ongoing training and technical assistance for specialized needs and interests
- Building linkages across roles and teams within your organization
- Conducting a staff survey
- Collecting residents’ stories about resilience, strength, and wellbeing from their experiences and cultures
- Reviewing the CMS regulations and surveyor guidance relative to trauma-informed care
Step 4: What's a good first step for the team?
Conduct a “walk-through” from the perspective of a new resident, using the lens of the trauma-informed principle of safety. This principle takes into consideration both physical and emotional safety. Then, have your group conduct a “walk-through” from the perspective of a newly on-boarded staff member or a resident family member. In both of these walk-throughs, consider:
Physical Environment
The group will want to visit common areas such as parking lots, entrances and exits, the lobby, dining areas, and rest rooms. Consider noise level, cleanliness, warmth and comfort in color, sound, and smell. Notice how group members feel in each space.
Social-Emotional Environment
Consider how the organization’s processes and practices help residents, family members, and staff feel welcomed and like each person belongs. Think about internal and external communication with regard to transparency, timeliness, compassion, privacy, and confidentiality. Identify how the organizational culture manages conflict.
Supporting Residents with Dementia
When conducting the "walk-through," pay special attention to areas and practices that might affect residents with dementia. Consider whether environments are calming and supportive and whether routines and practices are consistent and predictable to help these residents feel secure.
Integrating DEIB Principles
Ensure the integration of DEIB activities and principles. This integration includes being mindful of cultural differences in trauma responses, ensuring inclusive communication practices, and fostering a sense of belonging for all community members.