Across the country, health care providers, systems, and policymakers increasingly recognize the negative effects of trauma on the health and wellbeing of children and adults. Exposure to trauma — including abuse, neglect, systemic discrimination, and violence — increases an individual’s risk for serious health issues and poor health outcomes throughout life.
 

This website, developed by the Center for Health Care Strategies, provides resources from trauma-informed care leaders across the country to help improve patient outcomes, increase patient and staff resilience, and reduce avoidable health care service use and costs. While the site is geared toward health care settings, many of the lessons herein can be applied elsewhere, including in child welfare services, community-based organizations, and educational settings.

Key Ingredients for Successful TIC Implementation
 

As the connection between exposure to trauma and long-term health conditions becomes clear, the health care sector is beginning to focus on how to best care for patients with a history of trauma. For many people, trauma may increase their risk of serious health issues leading to poor health outcomes and higher medical and social service costs.

Health care providers can address patients’ traumatic experiences and their associated health effects by implementing trauma-informed approaches to care. Changing organizational culture and clinical practice to reflect trauma-informed principles has the potential to improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, health outcomes, and provider and staff wellness. This brief outlines a practical implementation framework and policy considerations for instituting trauma-informed approaches to care in health care settings.
 

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