Trauma-Informed Care: Behavioral Health Overview
There are hundreds of thousands of women and men who pass through behavioral health programs every day with painful histories of personal trauma — including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and witnessing interpersonal violence. The good news is that people with behavioral health conditions and trauma histories can and do recover. But we can and must do more. Our success in helping to improve their health, the health of our organizations, and the health of the nation depends on it.
Manage Trauma Infographic
Trauma Survivors Bill of Rights
Does Your Organization Measure Up: Are You Really Trauma-informed?
Cheryl Sharp and Linda Ligenza, October 18, 2012
Mobilizing a Community to Address the Impact of Childhood Trauma
Teri Barila and Mark Brown, September 17, 2012
Trauma from Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Hidden Epidemic
Vincent Felitti, August 27, 2012
Engaging Women in Trauma-Informed Peer Support
How the National Council Supports Trauma-Informed Care
The National Council is committed to helping behavioral health organizations create and sustain trauma-informed systems of care and trauma-informed best practices. We believe we have much to contribute to leadership in the area of trauma-informed care. We are working with you address this compelling public health issue. This is only a start of our journey together to raise awareness and improve clinical outcomes for trauma survivors nationwide. We will continue our efforts to educate, encourage, and facilitate the change process, not only for members, but also for the communities you serve, and the clinicians, peer workers, and auxiliary staff you employ. Here is what we are doing and have done so far:
National Council Mental Health and Addictions Conference
Training on practice developments and implementation of trauma-informed care models will feature prominently at our 2012 conference in Chicago.
Adoption of Trauma-Informed Care Practices Learning Community
In 2011, the National Council offered a Learning Community for Adoption of Trauma-Informed Practices. The learning community was funded by SAMHSA, and consisted of 21 carefully selected organizations committed to creating environments and services that address the needs of trauma survivors.
National Council Magazine on Trauma-Informed Behavioral Healthcare
We dedicated an entire issue of National Council Magazine to the issue of Trauma-Informed Behavioral Healthcare. The magazine contains over 20 cutting edge articles from leading researchers, policy specialists, administrators, clinicians, and peer representatives in the field of trauma-informed behavioral health. It also contains nearly 30 interviews and accounts from organizations and communities seeking to make the transition to a trauma-informed culture of care.
National Council Consulting and Technical Assistance
The National Council offers technical assistance custom designed to meet the needs of your organization. We can help you assess your organization, provide consultation to support you through the culture change process or you can participate in one of our trauma-informed care learning communities. Find out more.
Special Advisor for Trauma-Informed Services
Cheryl Sharp, MSW, is the special advisor for trauma-informed services at the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. The National Council expressly created this position last year in order to address the needs of members on this critical practice area.
Cheryl holds the unique perspective of a person with lived experience as a consumer and family member, as well as a provider of services. As a consultant to the NASMHPD/ SAMHSA’s Promotion of Alternatives to Seclusion and Restraint, Cheryl trains and speaks nationally on trauma-informed care. She is an advanced level WRAP facilitator, a Mental Health First Aid USA instructor, and a trainer of Intentional Peer Support.
Cheryl practices as a life coach/ mentor and is an ordained minister. She has worked as a hospice/ medical social worker and as a director of social services for a skilled nursing facility. She received the Lou Ann Townsend Courage Award for her contributions to persons with psychiatric disabilities.
Questions about trauma-informed care? Contact Cheryl Sharp at CherylS@thenationalcouncil.org or 202.684.5427, ext. 254.
