Acknowledge, Respond, Refer Campaign

The Acknowledge, Respond, Refer campaign was designed to help healthcare providers respond to patient’s trauma disclosures in a therapeutic method.  Studies, including the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experience Study, continue to show the link between trauma and negative health outcomes.  Due to the link between trauma and health, healthcare facilities across the country are implementing trauma screening questionnaires for patients.  However, many healthcare providers do not feel properly trained or prepared to respond to trauma disclosures.  This program was developed from my own experience working as a registered nurse in hospitals and clinics where I was supposed to ask each patient about any history of trauma.  However, many of my colleagues and I felt that we were not properly prepared or professionally trained to respond in a therapeutic manner.  We often feared that we would not say the correct thing and then damage the patient-provider relationship or further traumatize the patient. 

In an effort to assist healthcare providers to respond to a trauma disclosure in a therapeutic manner, the Acknowledge, Respond, Refer campaign includes three materials: a poster, an infographic, and a PSA.  A poster and infographic were chosen as the print materials for this resiliency campaign because they can be easily placed in healthcare facilities and referenced by healthcare providers.  The poster includes background information on ACEs, the impact of ACEs on health, and trauma resources available at the local, state, and national level.  The infographic provides a guide for providers to utilize when responding to a trauma disclosure to help healthcare providers respond in a therapeutic manner.  The final component of the campaign is a PSA that is meant to bring awareness to healthcare providers about the need to discuss trauma with their patients.  Healthcare providers have an important role to play in helping to build resilience at the community level.  By bringing trauma awareness to healthcare providers, we can help build a more resilient community.