National Multi-Site Demonstration Launched to Advance Trauma-Informed Care

Hamilton, NJ, December 10, 2015 – The Center for Health Care Strategies today announces the launch of Advancing Trauma-Informed Care, a national initiative aimed at understanding how health care settings can implement trauma-informed approaches to improve patient outcomes and decrease costs. The multi-site pilot demonstration is made possible through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Exposure to trauma — including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; neglect; discrimination; and violence — increases an individual’s long-term risk of serious physical and behavioral health problems, often leading to costly health care utilization. Adopting trauma-informed approaches to care can potentially improve patient engagement, enhance health outcomes, and reduce avoidable care utilization and excess costs in both the health care and social service systems. “Health care providers and policymakers are increasingly aware of the harmful consequences of trauma, yet strategies for best serving patients with a trauma history are not clear,” said Allison Hamblin, vice president of strategic planning at the Center for Health Care Strategies. “Advancing Trauma-Informed Care will work with innovators across the nation to help foster and spread promising practices for addressing trauma with the goal of improving outcomes and reducing unnecessary health care costs.” Six competitively selected pilot sites – representing a range of delivery systems and populations – will each receive funding support and participate in a two-year learning collaborative where they will vet new approaches, exchange best practices, and advance practical strategies for implementing trauma-informed care. The pilots will test the potential of trauma-informed approaches to improve patient outcomes, decrease costs, and increase staff resiliency. The pilot sites are:
-  Center for Youth Wellness, San Francisco, CA
-  Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition, Newark, NJ
-  Montefiore Medical Group, Bronx, NY
-  San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), San Francisco, CA
-  Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services, Philadelphia, PA
-  Women’s HIV Program at the University of California, San Francisco (WHP), San Francisco, CA

*Note three of these sites are right here in the Bay Area!

See attached the full press release on this initiative.