Resource Round-Up: Trauma-Informed Care

Over the years, federal partners have developed many resources that support broad understanding and implementation of trauma-informed approaches. Some are already adapted to our work to end homelessness. Here are several key resources that can be used to strengthen existing efforts:

• HHS SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach is intended to support a working concept of trauma and a trauma-informed approach, and to develop a shared understanding of these concepts.
• HHS Administration for Children and Families’ Resource Guide to Trauma-Informed Human Services provides an introduction to the topic of trauma, a discussion of why understanding and addressing trauma is important for human services programs, and a “road map” to identify other relevant resources.
• HHS SAMHSA and HRSA’s Center for Integrated Health Solutions Webpage on Trauma is geared towards health, behavioral health and integrated care leadership, staff, and patients/consumers.
• HHS’s Disaster Response for Homeless Individuals and Families: A Trauma-Informed Approach provides an overview of high rates of past trauma among people experiencing homelessness and tips for planning and delivering trauma-informed approaches to this group during a disaster.
• HUD’s Webinar Series on Trauma-Informed Care, Housing First for Youth, Positive Youth Development, and Family Engagement for YHDP Grantees provides an array of resources to YHDP recipients, including a deep-dive on trauma-informed approaches for young people.
• VA’s Trauma-Informed Care: Awareness and Education in Homeless Programs links to a series of resources developed by VA to support VA-funded homeless programs to serve Veterans using Trauma-Informed approaches. For more information, go directly to the Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) page of the Resource Center.
• USICH’s Focusing on the Needs and Strengths of Women Will Help End Homelessness recognizes that while rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are higher for all families experiencing homelessness, women report experiencing PTSD and/or psychological trauma over twice as much as men in families. In addition to the trauma of homelessness, studies show that among women and children experiencing homelessness, more than 80% have experienced domestic violence.