Phase 4: Trauma Informed

In this final developmental phase, the organization will be implementing trauma informed care. Policies and practice will support the principles of TIC and should create a culture and environment that feels safe, empowering, trustworthy, and welcoming. This is an ongoing process of continuous improvement and monitoring. The steps for this phase include Implement & Monitor, and Adopt Policy and Practice.

Implement and Monitor

Because trauma informed care (TIC) is unique to each setting, individual, and agency there is no standardized curriculum or implementation manual. However, it is important that organizations do something. After an organization has gathered information and prioritized needs, the next step is to implement the work plan and monitor the impact.

Adopt Policy and Practice

As agencies identify, prioritize, and pilot trauma informed changes to policy and practice, it is important to adopt the changes that make a difference. Whether these are micro level changes that involve individual practice or meso and macro level changes that target policy and practice of an organization or community, it’s important to build support so that TIC changes are institutionalized and sustained.