Huron County Guidance Assessment for a Trauma-Informed Approach

Developing a trauma-informed approach requires change at multiples levels of an organization and systematic alignment with the six key principles described above. The guidance assessment provided here builds upon the work of Harris and Fallot and in conjunction with the key principles, provides a starting point for developing an organizational trauma-informed approach.
The following questions are adapted from SAMHSAs “Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach,” Individuals with experiences of trauma are found in multiple service sectors, not just in behavioral health. While the language may seem more familiar to behavioral health settings, organizations across systems are encouraged to adapt sample questions to best fit the needs of the agency, staff and individuals being served.  For example, a juvenile justice agency may want to ask how it would incorporate the principle of safety when examining its physical environment.  A primary care setting may explore how it can use empowerment, voice and choice when developing policies and procedures to provide trauma-informed services (e.g., explaining step by step a potentially invasive procedure to a patient at an OBGYN office). 
This assessment is for guidance to move an agency toward being trauma-informed.  It is not necessary that every section be completed; for example, many agencies or organizations may not use peers in their service delivery. 

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* 1. Agency Name

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* 2. Agency Address

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* 3. Agency Website

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* 4. Contact Name

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* 5. Contact Email

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* 6. Population Served

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* 7. Total Number of Staff

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* 8. Brief Service/Support Description

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* 9. Governance and Leadership: Please respond to the following questions regarding: Leadership communicates its support and guidance for implementing a trauma-informed approach

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* 10. Mission statement and/or written policies and procedures include a commitment to providing trauma-informed services and supports.

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* 11. Leadership and governance structures demonstrate support for the voice and participation of people using their services who have trauma histories.

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* 12. Policy: Written policies and procedures include a focus on trauma and issues of safety and confidentiality.

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* 13. Written policies and procedures recognize the pervasiveness of trauma in the lives of people using services, and express a commitment to reducing re-traumatization and promoting well-being and recovery.

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* 14. Staffing policies demonstrate a commitment to staff training on providing services and supports that are culturally relevant and trauma-informed as part of staff orientation and in-service training.

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* 15. Human Resources policies attend to the impact of working with people who have experienced trauma.

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* 16. Policies and procedures are in place for including trauma survivors/people receiving services and peer supports in meaningful and significant roles in agency planning, governance, policymaking, services, and evaluation.

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* 17. Physical Environment: Physical environment promotes a sense of safety, calming, and de-escalation for clients and staff.

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* 18. Staff members recognize and address aspects of the physical environment that may be re-traumatizing, and work with people on developing strategies to deal with this.

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* 19. Agency provides space that both staff and people receiving services can use to practice self-care.

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* 20. Agency has developed mechanisms to address gender-related physical and emotional safety concerns (e.g., gender specific spaces and activities)

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* 21. Engagement and Involvement: People with lived experience have the opportunity to provide feedback to the organization on quality improvement processes for better engagement and services.

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* 22. Staff members keep people fully informed of rules, procedures, activities, and schedules, while being mindful that people who are frightened or overwhelmed may have a difficulty processing information.

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* 23. How is transparency and trust among staff and persons receiving services promoted? Please describe. 

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* 24. Strategies are used to reduce the sense of power differentials among staff and persons receiving services.

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* 25. Staff members help people to identify strategies that contribute to feeling comforted and empowered.

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* 26. Cross Sector Collaboration: There is a system of communication in place with other partner agencies working with the individual receiving services for making trauma-informed decisions.

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* 27. Are collaborative partners trauma informed? Please describe. 

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* 28. How does the organization identify community providers and referral agencies that have experience delivering evidence-based trauma services?  Please describe. 

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* 29. What mechanisms are in place to promote cross-sector training on trauma and trauma-informed approaches? Please describe. 

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* 30. Screening, Assessment, and Treatment: Individual's own definition of emotional safety included in treatment plan.

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* 31. Timely trauma-informed screening and assessment is available and accessible to individuals receiving services.

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* 32. Organization has the capacity to provide trauma-specific treatment or refer to appropriate trauma-specific services.

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* 33. How are peer supports integrated into the service delivery approach?

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* 34. Agency addresses gender-based needs in the context of trauma-screening, assessment, and treatment.

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* 35. Staff members talk with people about the range of trauma reactions and work to minimize feelings or fear or shame and to increase self-understanding.

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* 36. How are these trauma specific practices incorporated into the organization's ongoing operations? Please describe. 

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* 37. Training and Workforce Development: Agency addresses the emotional stress that can arise when working with individuals who have had traumatic experiences.

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* 38. Organization ensures that all staff (direct care, supervisors, front desk, reception, support staff, housekeeping, and maintenance) receive basic training on trauma, its impact, and strategies for trauma-informed approaches across the agency and across personnel functions.

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* 39. Ongoing workforce development/staff training provides staff supports in developing the knowledge and skills to work sensitively and effectively with trauma survivors.

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* 40. Are training and resources provided to staff and supervisors to incorporate trauma-informed practice and supervision in their work? Please describe what training and resources. 

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* 41. Workforce development strategies are in place to assist staff in working with peer supports and recognizing the value of peer support as integral to the organizations workforce.

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* 42. Workforce development/staff training addresses the ways in which identity, culture, community, and oppression can affect a person's experience of trauma, access to supports and resources and opportunities for safety.

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* 43. Progress Monitoring and QA: System in place that monitors the agency's progress in being trauma-informed.

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* 44. Does agency solicit feedback from both staff and individuals receiving services? Please describe how. 

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* 45. What strategies and processes are used to evaluate whether staff members feel safe and valued at the agency? Please describe.

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* 46. How does agency incorporate attention to culture and trauma in agency operations and quality improvement processes? Please describe.

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* 47. Mechanisms are in place for information collected to be incorporated into the agency's quality assurance processes.

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* 48. How well do these mechanisms address creating accessible, culturally relevant, trauma informed services and supports? Please describe. 

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* 49. Financing: Agency's budget includes funding support for ongoing training on trauma and trauma-informed approaches for leadership and staff development.

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* 50. Does funding exist for cross-sector training on trauma and trauma-informed approaches? Please describe. 

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* 51. Does funding exist for peer specialists? Please describe. 

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* 52. Does agency budget support provision of a safe physical environment? Please describe. 

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* 53. Evaluation: Agency conducts trauma-informed organizational assessment or has measures or indicators that show the level of trauma-informed approach.

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* 54. Does the perspective of people who have experienced trauma inform the agency performance beyond consumer satisfaction surveys? Please describe. 

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* 55. Are processes in place to solicit feedback from people who use services and ensure anonymity and confidentiality? Please describe. 

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* 56. What measures or indicators are used to assess the organizational progress in becoming trauma-informed? Please describe. 

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