PRESENTATION

A Blueprint for Sustaining Trauma-Informed Care

Thursday, December 4 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Trauma-informed care is hard to implement. It is even harder to sustain. Many forces pull our staff back to punitive approaches, including fear, exhaustion and discouragement caused by staff shortages and system changes. This presentation offers specific actionable steps towards sustaining a deeply embedded trauma-informed approach, recognizing that long-term success hinges on both ongoing organizational commitment and a fundamental integration of social justice and equity principles. We will explore practical strategies to move beyond initial implementation, combat staff burnout and turnover, and actively challenge punitive practices. By examining the intersection of trauma and equity, participants will gain actionable insights to cultivate a culture of compassion and understanding that not only honors individual experiences of trauma but also actively addresses bias, promotes equitable practices, and fosters healing within a framework of social justice. All staff feeling welcome and connected is necessary for all to be safe enough to treat our clients with compassion. This contributes to financial stability because it decreases staff turnover and produces better outcomes. This integrated approach ensures a more supportive and just environment for both clients and staff, leading to truly sustainable and impactful trauma-informed care.

Learning Objectives: 

• Analyze the key organizational factors (leadership, equity, training, policies, evaluation) essential for the long-term sustainability of trauma-informed care.
• Evaluate the intersection of trauma, social injustice, and systemic inequities and their impact on clients and staff within service delivery. 

• Develop concrete strategies for ongoing staff support and training that reinforce both core trauma-informed principles and practices for promoting equity and addressing bias.

About the Presenters

Patricia D. Wilcox, LCSW, is Klingberg’s Vice President of Strategic Development. She specializes in improving systems that treat traumatized children and their families. She created the Restorative Approach™, a trauma- and relationship-based treatment method. She is a Faculty Trainer for Risking Connection® and an Adjunct Faculty at the University of CT School of Social Work and the University of St. Joseph’s School of Social Work. She trains internationally on trauma-informed care, has presented at many national conferences and has recently been offering training with her colleague Aminah Ali on topics supporting full inclusion in the workplace. She was the 2011 Connecticut Social Worker of the Year and in 2022 was designated a Soroptimist Exceptional Woman. She is the author of Trauma Informed Care: The Restorative Approach published by Levellers Press, as well as several articles.
Aminah Ali, LMSW is the Therapeutic Clinical Supervisor for Klingberg Family Center’s TFC and PPSP programs. She has been a valued member of the Klingberg Family Center staff for almost 18 years and has been an RC training for 6 of those years. Aminah has a combined 19 years of experience in community service, the child welfare system, home based therapy, and as a 3-5-7 clinician. She has committed her career to helping youth tell their stories and fill in the blanks on their journey to full and integrated lives. As co-chair of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Awareness & Sensitivity (IDEAS) committee, she is a Diversity Trainer and promotes an inclusive and culturally informed culture at KFC. Aminah received her social work degree from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.