Resource

In a trauma-informed approach, a behavioral health organization understands and develops a framework to best serve clients with histories of trauma. The system, and all employees in the system, understands the role that trauma can play in each person’s care and recovery. With trauma-informed care, the organization develops safeguards to ensure that the setting in which services are delivered, and the particular services offered are competent, safe, evidence-based, patient-centered, and do not re-traumatize individuals with histories of trauma. The input of those with lived trauma experience is essential in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services.  The Zero Suicide approach frames care for those at risk for suicide in much the same way that trauma-informed care provides a framework for serving those with histories of trauma. Many of the principles are similar: provide timely, effective, competent, evidence-based services that consider the individual’s history and relies on the input of those with lived experience to improve the agency’s care. Given the similarities between these two frameworks and the overlap in clients presenting with both trauma and suicide, several organizations have begun to pair Zero Suicide with their trauma-informed care initiatives. During this webinar, we will explore the relationship between trauma-informed care and Zero Suicide, and hear about two organizations that have designed training and policies using both frameworks. 

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to (1) Explain the prevalence and impact of traumatic stress and its relation to suicide; (2) Describe the similarities of Zero Suicide and trauma-informed care; and (3) Discuss ways to embed a Zero Suicide approach in an organization that has already adopted a trauma-Informed care culture.