Trauma-Informed Practice Guide

1 Trauma-Informed Practice Guide Acknowledgements This Guide was developed on behalf of the BC Provincial Mental Health and Substance Use Planning Council in consultation with researchers, practitioners and health system planners across British Columbia. Cristine Urquhart and Fran Jasiura of Change Talk Associates prepared the initial draft of this Guide . The further development of the Guide , as well as the consultation process, has been led by the TIP Project Team and supported through the advice, input and editorial suggestions of the TIP Advisory Committee. TIP Project Team Emily Arthur, BC Ministry of Health, Mental Health and Substance Use Branch Amanda Seymour, Formerly with BC Ministry of Health, Mental Health and Substance Use Branch Michelle Dartnall, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Youth and Family Substance Use Services Paula Beltgens, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Youth and Family Substance Use Services Nancy Poole, BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH).

2 Diane Smylie, BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH). Naomi North, BC Ministry of Health, Mental Health & Substance Use Branch (until February 2012). Rose Schmidt, BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH). Consulting Psychologist Elizabeth Hartney, , , BC Ministry of Health , Mental Health and Substance Use Branch TIP Advisory Committee Evan Adams, BC Ministry of Health, Office of the Provincial Health Officer Gayle Read, BC Ministry of Children and Family Development Shabna Ali, BC Society of Transition Houses Rod Macdonald, Fraser Health Authority, New Westminster Mental Health & Substance Use Services Robert Twiddy, Fraser Health Authority, Maple Ridge Treatment Centre Allan Clarke, Interior Health Authority, Mental Health & Substance Use Services Kerry Mclean-Small, Interior Health Authority.

3 Mental Health Substance & Use Services Aaron Bond, Northern Health Authority, Mental Health & Substance Use Agnes Snow, Northern Health Authority, Aboriginal Health Denise Bradshaw, Provincial Health Services Authority, BC Mental Health & Addictions Services Jane Collins, Provincial Health Services Authority, BC Mental Health & Addictions Services Rosalind Catchpole, Provincial Health Services Authority, Youth Concurrent Disorders Program Jo-Anne Kirk, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Mental Health and Substance Use Services Mary Marlow, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Mental Health and Substance Use Services Production of the Organizational Checklist has been made possible in part through a financial contribution from Health Canada.

4 The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada. Trauma-Informed Practice Guide The Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) Guide and TIP Organizational Checklist are intended to support the translation of Trauma-Informed principles into Practice . Included are concrete strategies to Guide the professional work of practitioners assisting clients with mental health and substance use (MHSU) concerns in British Columbia. The TIP Guide is based on: findings from current literature; lessons learned from implementation in other jurisdictions; and, ideas offered by practitioners who participated in focus groups and interviews in 2011 in each of the BC Health Regions.

5 In these 2011 consultations, practitioners described the work they were already doing to address the needs of clients with trauma concerns and provided insights on what else might be useful at Practice and system levels. In 2012, the BC TIP Project Team again gathered feedback from practitioners and leaders in Health Regions in BC on this TIP Guide and the TIP Organizational Checklist. An important goal of the TIP Guide and Checklist is to build on what is already working for individuals, practitioners and programs. It is not about replacing existing good practices ; rather, it is about refining existing practices and informing mental health treatment professionals about Trauma-Informed approaches.

6 The project has the full endorsement of the Provincial Mental Health and Substance Use Planning Council and leadership at all levels of the BC MHSU system of care. The TIP Guide is built on the important distinction between Trauma-Informed and trauma -specific services. Trauma-Informed services trauma -specific services Work at the client, staff, agency, and system levels Are offered in a Trauma-Informed environment from the core principles of: trauma awareness; and are focused on treating trauma through safety; trustworthiness, choice and collaboration; therapeutic interventions involving practitioners and building of strengths and skills. with specialist skills.

7 Discuss the connections between trauma , Offer services that are based on detailed mental health, and substance use in the course assessment to clients with trauma , mental health, of work with all clients; identify trauma symptoms and substance use concerns that seek and or adaptations; and, offer supports and strategies consent to integrated treatment. that increase safety and support connection to services. Trauma-Informed Practice Guide Contents Trauma-Informed Practice in Three Settings .. 2. 1. Overview .. 4. Project Objectives .. 4. The Foundations of the TIP Guide .. 4. Intended Audience .. 5. The Benefit of this TIP Guide .. 5. 2. Understanding trauma .

8 6. Definitions .. 6. Effects of trauma .. 7. Connections to Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns .. 9. trauma and Potential for Misdiagnosis .. 11. 3. Trauma-Informed Approaches .. 12. Trauma-Informed Services .. 12. trauma -Specific Services .. 13. principles and practices of Trauma-Informed Approaches .. 13. Trauma-Informed Approaches with Different Populations .. 14. Trauma-Informed Approaches in Different Settings .. 16. 4. Implementing Trauma-Informed Approaches .. 17. Preparing for Trauma-Informed Practice .. 19. Engaging .. 25. Asking About trauma .. 32. Making the Links with trauma .. 36. Skill-Building and Empowerment .. 40. Appendices.

9 42. References .. 93. Appendix 1 Info Sheet on Self-Care for Practitioners .. 42. Appendix 2 Trauma-Informed Practice Organizational Checklist .. 45. Appendix 3 Info Sheet on Trauma-Informed Engagement Skills .. 58. Appendix 4 Info Sheet on Asking About trauma and Responding to Disclosure .. 66. Appendix 5 Info Sheet on Strategies for Sharing Information About trauma .. 73. Appendix 6 Info Sheet on Grounding Skills and Self-Care Strategies .. 76. Appendix 7 Trauma-Informed Practice Related Resources .. 86. Trauma-Informed Practice Guide | 1. Trauma-Informed Practice in Three Settings To bring Trauma-Informed Practice to life, we begin with three service examples illustrating different aspects of implementing Trauma-Informed Practice in Canada [7].

10 SETTING: Women's SETTING: Community Based Residential Substance Use Services Linking Training Treatment Program and Cross Referrals In the early 1990s, the Jean Tweed Centre in The Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre Toronto began to incorporate a Trauma-Informed (VWSAC) in Victoria, BC has a mandate of approach after clinical reviews confirmed that healing, education, and prevention of sexualized more than 80% of their clients had experienced violence and has provided intervention and abuse. The Centre began by providing training prevention services since 1982. They have on trauma and its connection to substance use undertaken community liaison through educational problems.