This course is designed for healthcare providers (HCPs) working with diverse populations, which can include other providers who may have experienced trauma — either before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Throughout this course, “trauma” refers to psychological trauma.)
Trauma and its mental health impacts can significantly affect a person’s ability to access and use healthcare services. However, since most healthcare assessments do not routinely screen for a history of trauma, its impacts on survivors may be missed by providers.
Trauma-informed care provides HCPs with practical guidelines to help them ensure patients’ sense of safety during their services.
The goal of this introductory course is to increase awareness and competency, and to provide resources to healthcare providers who wish to engage in trauma-informed care.
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Trauma-informed care resources
- Trauma Informed Care | Alberta Health Services: Includes free e-learning series on Trauma-Informed Care for health professionals
- Manitoba Trauma Information and Education Centre: Resources and information on trauma and recovery, including The Trauma-Informed Toolkit, a resource for service organizations and providers to deliver services that are trauma-informed
- Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: Practical tools and strategies for healthcare providers, leaders, and organizations for implementing workplace strategies for mental health
US-based resources
- Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services: From Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Centre for Substance Abuse (SAMHSA) Treatment Improvement Protocol, a comprehensive resource providing information on trauma, its impacts, and implementing trauma-informed care in health programs and organizations
- Self-compassion.org: Evidence-based information on self-compassion. Courses available
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Jointly coordinated by UCLA and Duke University. Has resources on creating trauma-informed systems, the way trauma intersects with culture, history, race, etc. Includes a Trauma-Informed Organizational Assessment
- Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Centre: Information and resources on topics related to trauma and trauma-informed care
- The National Council for Mental Wellbeing: Resources on trauma-informed, resilience-oriented, equity-focused systems