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Re-Centering Trauma Informed Work in the New Year: Assessing Progress in Your Organization’s Journey in Implementing TIC
From Ingrid Anderson, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Practice, Trauma Informed Oregon
During this season, we often reflect on the past and look forward to the new year. It’s a time for renewal, both personally and professionally – a chance to pause, recalibrate, and align our actions with our values. For organizations committed to trauma informed care (TIC), the winter season can offer an opportunity to reflect on progress and look ahead to the coming year.
At Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO), we recognize the importance of creating spaces for intentional reflection and planning, especially when navigating the complexities of implementing TIC principles. Whether your organization is well along its trauma informed journey or just beginning, this is a good time to revisit the foundations of TIC and recommit to embedding these principles across all aspects of your work.
One powerful resource to guide this process is the Trauma Informed Care Implementation Tool. This tool serves as a compass, helping organizations assess their current practices and identify actionable steps to deepen trauma informed approaches. By taking the time to work through this tool, leadership teams can refresh themselves with the core principles of safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural humility, ensuring that these values remain at the center of every decision.
Re-centering Trauma Informed Work
Trauma informed care is not a one-time achievement; it is an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and growing. During this reflective season, consider the following questions to recenter your TIC efforts:
- How is our leadership demonstrating a commitment to TIC principles? Are these values visible in our decision-making processes, policies, and community partnerships?
- Do our policies and practices reflect the voices of those with lived experience? Have we created avenues for meaningful engagement and feedback?
- Are we investing in the well-being of our staff and the communities we serve? How are resources allocated to support specialized training, employee wellness, and peer support roles?
- Have we addressed gaps in equity and inclusion? Are our TIC efforts rooted in cultural humility and responsive to the unique needs of diverse populations?
Using the Implementation Tool
The Trauma Informed Care Implementation Tool offers a structured way to evaluate these questions. It invites organizations to:
- Identify strengths and areas for growth across four domains outlined in SAMHSA’s TIC guidance: (1) Governance and Leadership, (2) Policy, (3) Financing, and (4) Engagement and Involvement
- Map out practical next steps for aligning operations with TIC principles.
- Ensure that the voices of staff, clients, and community members are included in the planning and implementation process.
This process is not only a practical exercise, but also a chance to assess and plan for the coming year.
Checking Progress on Your Trauma Informed Care Journey
Take some time to explore the Trauma Informed Care Implementation Tool, and let it guide your organization’s next steps. This tool is designed to help organizations evaluate their current practices, identify areas for growth, and map out actionable strategies to deepen their commitment to trauma informed care. Whether you are assessing progress on long-standing TIC initiatives or revisiting early implementation efforts, the tool provides a structured framework to support reflection and planning.
This winter season is an opportunity to revisit your efforts with the principles of trauma informed care, ensuring that safety, trust, empowerment, and equity remain at the heart of your work. By using the Implementation Tool to assess where you are and where you want to go, you can continue to create meaningful change and strengthen your organization’s foundation for the year ahead.