The San Diego Trauma Informed Guide Team (SD-TIGT) meets bimonthly to share and learn about best trauma-informed practices throughout the San Diego region. The Trauma Informed Journey presentation is a highlight of each meeting. A team member volunteers to share their experience as to how they began implementing trauma-informed practices, challenges that they have overcome, lessons learned, and examples of their successes. A common denominator for all presentations is demonstrated advocacy and commitment to promoting resilience and wellbeing.
In September, Heidi Echeverria, MPH, Harmonium’s Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC) Project Manager presented Harmonium’s Trauma-Informed Journey. Harmonium, a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency, was established in 1975 as the need arose for juvenile diversion services in the Mira Mesa neighborhood of San Diego. Today, Harmonium serves 5,000 children youth and families throughout San Diego County each day. The organization focuses on promoting well-being and self-sufficiency through education, intervention, and prevention services for children and youth ages 0-25 and their families. The Agency has grown to become a modern, multi-dimensional human care organization with before and after school care programs, youth entrepreneurial and youth diversion programs, community-based counseling, and family strengthening and youth support services.
One of the programs Harmonium provides is the Family Youth Partner Program (FYPP). Early in its 15 year history of serving the Southeast San Diego neighborhood, staff raised concerns when they recognized that several of the primarily African American and Latino children they served had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder. Family Youth Partner Staff hypothesized that behaviors might be a result of complex dynamics, family and community trauma, and other realities that may not have been considered when diagnosed.
As a result, funding was secured to create a project that integrated the concepts of trauma, safety, and resilience for youth and families served within a culturally-appropriate context. Learnings from this project have been permanently incorporated into the program. This program influenced the entire Agency in valuable lessons learned for providing strength-based culturally appropriate interventions, leading to self-sufficiency and resilience. The CEO and the Executive Team have established an organizational cultural commitment to integrate trauma-informed practices throughout the entire Agency.
Agency-wide activities have been taking place over the years that include training the Harmonium Board and staff, reviewing the Agency’s policies and procedures, and creating safe and welcoming work environments. Harmonium has created an Agency Initiatives Committee. One of its tasks is to identify strategies to implement trauma-informed programs, policies, and practice throughout the Agency. The team consists of program staff across all programs and services areas. Harmonium recognizes that becoming trauma informed is an ongoing process and continues to collaborate with others to share and learn as the Agency continues on its trauma-informed journey.
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