The Community Alliance for Trauma-Informed Care developed from a group of 12 organizations that began convening in 2016 as part of a POINT/Basic Needs Partnership action team, chaired by United Way Fox Cities. Since its inception, the Alliance has developed into a network that has brought transformation and growth to its founding members and to countless other organizations within the region.
Organizations in northeastern Wisconsin are transforming their cultures so all people in the region are treated with and experience the empathy, safety, respect, and compassion they need to thrive.
The Community Alliance for Trauma-Informed Care supports organizations with adopting and implementing trauma-informed care principles and practices through community engagement and training.
To create the Trauma-Informed Roadmap, several local agencies assembled important principles, elements, and activities to becoming trauma-informed, based on a review of the current literature and existing models. The intent of the Roadmap is to give organizations interested and willing to start the important journey of becoming trauma-informed a compilation of resources and assessments to advance in those efforts.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a complete guide of how to become trauma-informed. The Roadmap represents our best effort at a compilation of existing practices and resources along with our ideas on how to become more trauma-informed. It is, by no means, exhaustive.
Download the Trauma-Informed Roadmap toolkit
The free, downloadable toolkit includes:
Questions? Contact Tenley Koehler – Director, at tenley@communityalliancefortic.org
In February of 2016, United Way Fox Cities convened twelve other agencies to work on implementing Trauma-Informed Care community-wide. The Trauma-Informed Roadmap Team had a vision for the Fox Cities that, “Everyone in our community is treated with compassion and respect, which allows them to thrive regardless of circumstances.”
Using the continuous improvement model, representatives from the twelve organizations identified five common principles of Trauma-Informed Care:
The Trauma-Informed Roadmap Team created and tested assessment tools for each principle, developed an educational PowerPoint to help introduce Trauma-Informed Care to an organization’s board, staff and volunteers and created an introduction/overview to help guide the implementation process. They also created an organizational readiness self-assessment tool.
All materials developed through by the Trauma-Informed Roadmap Team are free of charge and can be used by any organization wishing to implement Trauma-Informed Care.
Q: Do we need to have any training or basic understanding of Trauma-Informed Care prior to using the Roadmap?
A: Yes, it is highly recommended that:
Wisconsin has a cohort of trainers authorized to present ACEs Interface. The project is co-sponsored by Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board and SaintA and administered by SaintA.
Q: What is Trauma-Informed Care?
A: Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is not something to be achieved or completed; it is the way we strive to do business. When we understand that individuals who have been exposed to trauma and stress are responding in the way that feels safe for them, we are able to take a more compassionate approach to their experiences with us. TIC requires ongoing critical assessment of policies, staff, training, and hiring policies to create environments where individuals feel safe and empowered.
Q: Why is Trauma-Informed Care important?
A: Trauma-Informed Care is important because:
