Building a Trauma Informed System of Care Toolkit

Building a Trauma Informed System of Care Evaluation: Reach, Effectiveness, Successes, & Barriers

As mentioned earlier in the toolkit, developing a trauma informed organization or community is a process – not a destination. At times, it will seem like you make two steps forward, only to take a step backwards, and the best way to remind yourself of that progress is to evaluate all along the way. The goal is the same as with anything worth achieving and that is to stick with it. The greatest challenges facing your city today have their roots in trauma so you cannot afford to become discouraged and give up. Your community needs this message and the trauma informed multi-disciplinary teams you will create. The work will grow as you follow the steps laid out in this toolkit, but it will take some time, and above all, commitment. The term trauma informed is not a magic wand that instantly changes everything. When we envision a trauma informed school, we may imagine children’s successes are celebrated, classrooms where staff members help students learn emotional regulation, and a decreased number of school-wide fights. All of these can be expected, but along with them will likely come challenges. Teachers will still get frustrated, kids will still fight or swear, and children will still struggle to manage the toxic stress and household dysfunction surrounding their lives outside of school. This does not mean trauma informed efforts are not working - it is simply a reminder that becoming trauma informed is a process. The first time a child does not respond the way we hope, we should not give up. We need to understand that mistakes will be part of the journey, that becoming truly trauma informed takes time, as does healing in the individuals whom you serve. Even if safety and trustworthiness are present, it may take time for individuals to believe it. We must focus on the long-term goals. Trauma informed care is also not about fixing the behavior in front of us, but rather creating safety and calm to provide an environment where trauma survivors can heal, which will ultimately result in behavior changes, but also many benefits beyond behavior change. Creating a trauma informed system of care is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes determination to keep going, but in the end, it will be worth it. In order to document changes over time, you should be committed to an evaluation plan, which we describe in this chapter. We have included sample instruments in the Appendix that you may tailor to be most helpful in your setting.

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