The following resources help administrators and managers implement changes in policies and procedures and work collaboratively with other service providers to make systems more trauma-informed. Resources include State and local examples.
Advancing Trauma-Informed Care Within and Across Child-Serving Systems
Brennan, Guarino, Axelrod, & Gonsoulin (2020)
Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago
Presents a guide, in partnership with the American Institutes for Research, for child welfare agencies and community partners to develop a multisystem, coordinated response to child trauma. The guide concludes with recommendations for practice improvement.
Creating Trauma-informed Systems
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Provides explanations for the importance of trauma-informed child- and family-service systems, including resources.
| Series Title | Issue Briefs |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 412KB) |
| Year Published | 2020 |
Going Beyond Trauma-informed Care (TIC) Training for Child Welfare Supervisors and Frontline Workers: The Need for System-wide Policy Changes Implementing TIC Practices in All Child Welfare Agencies (PDF - 179 KB)
Heffernan & Viggiani (2015)
The Advanced Generalist, 1(3/4)
Reviews current efforts to train child welfare workers in trauma-informed practices and argues that trauma-informed care adaptation and training must transcend case workers and supervisors in order for true systemic change to occur. This article asserts that trauma-informed care agencies will result in better outcomes for children and families served while preventing vicarious traumatization of agency staff.
Harnessing the Learning Community Model to Integrate Trauma-informed Care Principles in Service Organizations (PDF - 166 KB)
Morrison, Alcantara, Conover, Salerno, Cleek, Parker, McKay, Sharp, & Ligenza (2015)
McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, New York University Silver School of Social Work
Discusses the development of the Learning Community and the effectiveness of the training. Information is provided on the components of Trauma-informed care (TIC), core principles of TIC, the prevalence of trauma and its effects, and implications for service organizations.
Preparing for a Trauma Consultation in Your Juvenile and Family Court (PDF - 468 KB)
Marsh, Dierkhising, Decker, & Rosiak (2015)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Explains why juvenile and family courts should be trauma-informed and describes the conceptual and operational framework of the Trauma Consultation Team. Questions are then posed that courts can consider in deciding whether their juvenile or family court is ready for a trauma consultation.
SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (PDF - 789 KB)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2014)
Presents a working concept of trauma and a trauma-informed approach that is acceptable and appropriate across an array of service systems. This paper utilizes research, practice, and survivor knowledge to generate a framework for improving the capacity of multiple service systems and public institutions to better address the trauma-related issues of their communities.
A TARGETed© Approach to Working With Traumatized Youth and Families Program Manual
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (2016)
Details the implementation process of the Illinois Trauma Focus Model for Reducing Long-Term Foster Care project in order to assist others in adapting the process for local use. This manual discusses staff and client recruitment strategies as well as data-driven decision-making related to program implementation.
What Is a Trauma-informed Child and Family Service System?
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2016)
Details essential components of a child and family service system that incorporates trauma-informed practices.
State and local examples
Advancing Trauma-informed Systems for Children (PDF - 3,994 KB)
Lang, Campbell, & Vanderploeg (2015)
Impact: Ideas and Information to Promote the Health of Connecticut's Children
Provides a framework for developing a comprehensive and integrated trauma-informed system of care for children and is intended to help child-serving systems advance trauma-informed care in order to provide more effective and cost-efficient services that result in better outcomes for all children. Examples and recommendations are provided from Connecticut's child-serving systems for implementing and improving trauma-informed programs and services.
Building Trauma-informed Systems of Care for Children in Ohio (PDF - 1,116 KB)
Children's Defense Fund Ohio (2014)
Provides an overview of trauma-informed care and examples of screening/identification, assessment, and evidence-based treatment—three key elements that have been found to mitigate and prevent trauma symptoms. The brief highlights examples of some of the many promising trauma-informed initiatives taking place in Ohio and gives recommendations for how communities and child-serving institutions can work together to build trauma-informed systems of care throughout the State.
Going the Distance: Implementing Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit in Three Organizations [Webinar]
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) (2016)
Provides information about experience of three child welfare organizations in adapting the NCTSN trauma training toolkit to their locality and population.
Implementation of a Workforce Initiative to Build Trauma-informed Child Welfare Practice and Services: Findings from the Massachusetts Child Trauma Project (PDF - 296 KB)
Fraser, Griffin, Barto, Lo, Wenz-Gross, Spinazzola, Bodian, Nisenbaum, & Bartlett (2014)
Children and Youth Services Review, 44
Describes the development and implementation of the Massachusetts Child Trauma Project, a statewide initiative to enhance the capacity of child welfare workers and child mental health providers to identify, respond, and intervene early and effectively with children traumatized by chronic loss, abuse, neglect, and violence. The article addresses key lessons learned.
Multiplying Connections
Health Federation of Philadelphia
Offers tools to help organizations build trauma-informed systems of care that respond to children suffering from trauma in ways that "do no further harm."
Trauma-Informed Innovative Practices: Insights From Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grantees on Addressing Trauma in Child Welfare
Murphy & Ingoldsby (2020)
James Bell Associates
Highlights common approaches, successes, and lessons learned from 20 Children’s Bureau discretionary grantees that received funding to identify and support children in the child welfare system who are impacted by trauma. The report highlights the grantees’ activities and innovations across five core programmatic components: universal screening, functional assessment, child- and system-level monitoring, service array expansion, and data-driven implementation.