Trauma Informed Curriculum
Supplemental Curriculum Resource Reviews: Trauma-Informed Services and Systems
Introduction & Review Rubric
This document provides description of key curricular resources that instructors may obtain for integrating content on trauma-informed practice in undergraduate or graduate courses in professional schools or applied sciences and arts programs. The curricula resources were selected based on four criteria:
- accessibility (e.g., free or low cost, easy to obtain)
- ease of use
- focus on child welfare as well as trauma-informed practice in child-welfare related contexts (such as dependency courts)
- utility for both discipline specific and interdisciplinary courses in academic setting
The reviews provide detailed information that will allow instructors to select and obtain materials that may be suited to their courses. Our intention in structuring this resource review is to facilitate the instructor’s ability to include content on trauma-informed practice in academic courses. Additionally, it is intended to strengthen curriculum and skill building goals in preparing students for working with children and families with histories of trauma.
The review assumes instructors have fundamental knowledge with the literature on trauma and trauma-informed practice. The materials here may be easily adapted for classroom use. Some resources, such as online trainings, may be assigned as a special project or assignment. Types of resources reviewed are clearly identified with a table at the beginning of the review.
| Type of Resource: | |
| X | Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) |
| X | Includes case studies and/or discussion questions |
| X | DVD or online video |
| X | Online training |
Each review includes an evaluative statement about the appropriate audience for the training materials.
- Introductory. Includes materials that provide foundational knowledge about trauma, the impact of trauma, and basic elements of trauma-informed practice. Materials are appropriate for BA level students or foundation year Master of Social Work students.
- Intermediate. Materials and activities are appropriate for advanced year Master in Social Work (or other Masters level students) with some foundational knowledge in trauma-informed practice and trauma-specific services. May also be appropriate for training in practice settings for review and practice of theories, skills, and models for trauma-informed practice.
- Advanced. Designed for professionals in practice settings interested in developing more advance practice skills, developing skills for supervision, and/or advancing trauma-informed systems changes.
I. Begin Curriculum Review
Title: Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit, 2nd Edition
Author/Organization: National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – Learning Center
Availability: http://nctsn.org/products/child-welfare-trauma-training-toolkit-2008. NOTE: Download for free with registration
| Type of Resource: | |
| X | Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) |
| X | Includes case studies and/or discussion questions |
| X | DVD or online video |
| X | Online training |
Audience: The Special Topics section of the NCTSN website is designed to provide free resources for students, mental health and other helping professionals, researchers and other interested professionals.
The materials available in the NCTSN Learning Center provide educational and training resources aimed at improving standards of care and services for children and families who have experienced trauma. The Child Welfare Training Toolkit is designed to help professionals and students develop knowledge, skills and values to work effectively with children who have experienced trauma and who are involved in the child welfare system
The Trainer’s Guide is divided into 14 modules supported by information found in the Comprehensive Guide. The 14 modules vary in length, and together total approximately 13 training hours. The curriculum can be presented in two full days, eight hours each day (including a one-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks); in four half-day sessions; in seven two-hour sessions; or as stand-alone modules (as a multi-session in-service training). The Trainer’s Guide contains tips and guidance for presenting the content and conducting training activities, as well as materials that instructors may use in the training ( PowerPoint slides, audio clips, video clips, and supplemental handouts).
The website provides access to live training sessions in each of the seven topic areas outlined above. (See “Train the Trainer” video section). In addition to providing a valuable resource to prospective teachers or trainers, students could be assigned to view specific training segments on-line.
The toolkit was developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, in collaboration with the following organizations:
- Rady Children's Hospital, Chadwick Center for Children and Families
- Child and Family Policy Institute of California (CFPIC)
- California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC)
- California Institute for Mental Health (CIMH)
Level: Intermediate and advanced.
Titles: Three online courses focused on domestic violence
Course Topics:
- Trauma and trauma informed care
- Cultural competency
- Working with undocumented survivors.
Author: Office on Violence Against Women
Availability: Free. Access through the Office on Violence Against Women and Witness Justice:
http://www.trainingforums.org/lms/index.php
| Type of Resource: | |
| Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) | |
| Includes case studies and/or discussion questions | |
| DVD or online video | |
| X | Online training (certificate upon completion) |
Audience: Social work, health, mental health, occupational therapy, and other social service providers.
Description:
Three e-learning courses may be taken on-line and documented through a certificate when the online course and quizzes are complete. The Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care course explores the causes, impact, experience, and types of trauma as it relates to domestic violence survivors, and delves into the nature, application and implementation of trauma-informed care. The Cultural Competency course covers how culturally appropriate and effective services can be created and provided by professionals in domestic violence service settings and covers the importance of mastering culturally sensitive attitudes, skills, and behaviors. The Working with undocumented survivors: Focus on Domestic Violence and Immigration Law course addresses specific issues for undocumented survivors of domestic violence. Special attention is placed on the unique needs and considerations of immigrants.
These training models are well-designed and provide an outstanding overview of each of the selected topics. Each on-line training provides a narrated PowerPoint presentation that is advanced at the students’ preferred pace. Students are afforded an opportunity to respond to quiz questions at the end of each segment of the modules to both test and reinforce understanding of content. A final test is available for each course and a certificate is available for students who successfully complete the course. Each of the courses may take between one to two hours to complete, depending on the pace of individual students. This online resource may be an excellent adjunct to courses in human services, health, and justice studies. Material is relevant to, but does not focus extensively, on cross-systems collaboration.
Level: Intermediate
Title: Trauma-Informed Care: Perspectives and Resources
Author: Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development - National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Availability: Free. http://gucchdtacenter.georgetown.edu/TraumaInformedCare/
| Type of Resource: | |
| Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) | |
| Includes case studies and/or discussion questions | |
| X | DVD or online video |
| Online training (certificate upon completion) | |
Audience: Local and state child-serving systems (including early childhood programs), providers, families, youth, and young adults.
Description:
A web-based, video-enhanced resource tool designed to augment the ongoing efforts at the federal, state, local, and provider levels to support leaders and decision-makers at all levels (national, state, tribal and local) to create trauma-informed services and systems. This tool is comprised of issue briefs, video interviews, and resource lists and tells a story of implementation of trauma-informed services and offers guidance and resources to help you on your implementation journey. The video interviews are of national, state, tribal, and local leaders in many child-serving systems; developers of evidence-based treatments and practices; physicians; researchers; administrators of provider organizations; clinicians; youth and young adults; families; and advocates who share lessons learned and identify remaining gaps. Youth and their families provide client perspectives on the need for trauma-informed practices and the impact of trauma-informed care on their lives. Stakeholders in selected states share lessons learned over a 1-year period of intensive efforts to become more trauma-informed. The issue briefs provide an introduction and overview for each of the tool’s eight modules. The comprehensive resource lists support users in understanding how to build trauma-informed systems and organizations.
The resource contains eight modules:
- Module 1: Understanding the Impact of Trauma
- Module 2: Trauma-Informed Child-Serving Systems
- Module 3: Creating Trauma-Informed Provider Organizations
- Module 4: Evidence-Based Treatments Addressing Trauma
- Module 5: Public Health Approach and Cost-Benefits of Trauma-Informed Care
- Module 6: Youth and Family Perspectives on Trauma-Informed Care
- Module 7: One Year Later
- Module 8: What’s Next? The New Frontier for Research and Practice in Trauma-Informed Care
Level: Intermediate and advanced. Many of the module materials or brief videos could easily be integrated into assignments or lectures for classes. Overall, the materials are suited to leading or participating in systems improvement efforts. Other archived webinars and resources on this site may be of interest to instructors.
Title: Creating Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Systems
Author: Chadwick Trauma Informed Systems Dissemination and Implementation Project (CTISP-DI)
Availability: Free. https://ctisp.org/
| Type of Resource: | |
| Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) | |
| Includes case studies and/or discussion questions | |
| X | DVD or online video |
| Online training (certificate upon completion) | |
Audience: Child welfare professionals and students training for work in professional child welfare.
Description: This eLearning course teaches the basics about trauma-informed child welfare and is a good introduction to the concept for those who have not delved into the resources included in the Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice Toolkit (summarized below). It was developed by CTISP-DI and the Public Child Welfare Training Academy in San Diego, CA. The module can be completed online in approximately 90 minutes and addresses the following objectives.
- Define Child Traumatic Stress and recognize factors that contribute to a child’s experience and reaction to trauma
- Define the 7 Essential Elements of a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System
- Explain the process for assessing children exposed to trauma
- Describe the core elements of evidence-based trauma treatment
- Recognize the signs of secondary traumatic stress in professional staff and caregivers in the child welfare system, and identify personal and systemic strategies in managing secondary traumatic stress
- Identify resources for creating trauma-informed child welfare systems
The authors also provide a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice Toolkit designed to assist both individuals and greater systems in their efforts to create a more trauma-informed child welfare system. It includes a variety of tools and resources that are designed to provide guidance, support, and practical suggestions that can be utilized across service systems. The toolkit consists of five documents:
- Creating Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Systems: A Guide for Administrators (2nd Edition ).
- Desk Guide on Trauma-Informed Child Welfare for Child Mental Health Professionals.
- Desk Guide on Trauma-Informed Mental Health for Child Welfare. This 20-page guide, plus 2 pull-out inserts, is designed to assist child welfare workers and supervisors in understanding mental health services that are available for children and families in the child welfare system.
- Guidelines for Applying a Trauma Lens to a Child Welfare Practice Model. Designed to be a resource for child welfare agencies as they update or articulate their current practice model.
- Trauma System Readiness Tool. A community assessment tool that can be completed by individuals within the child welfare workforce to determine the trauma-informed nature of their system.
Level: Intermediate and advanced.
Titles: Varied titles from inSocialWork Podcast Series
Author: Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development - National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Availability: Free. inSocialWork® Podcast Series
| Type of Resource: | |
| Print curriculum (available in print or pdf format) | |
| Includes case studies and/or discussion questions | |
| X | DVD or on-line video (NOTE: AUDIO) |
| On-line training (certificate upon completion) | |
Audience: Social work students, educators and professionals.
This Podcast series (http://www.insocialwork.org/) features conversations with prominent social work professionals, interviews with cutting-edge researchers, and information on emerging trends and best practices in the field of social work. Several of the podcasts below are relevant to address secondary trauma among social service providers and models for trauma-inform
- Episode 162 - Ellen Fink-Samnick: Fostering Professional Resilience: The Professional Resilience Paradigm - Reviews 6 building blocks for professional resilience.
- Episode 157 - Dr. Joanne Cacciatore and Kara Thieleman: Witness to Suffering: Mindfulness and Compassion Fatigue Among Traumatic Bereavement Professionals and Volunteers - A resource for when there is the death of a child
- Episode 148 - Dr. Erin Kelly: Workplace Violence and Staff Well-Being: Everyday Hassles and Acute Crises
- Episode 133 - Elaine Hammond: Burnout and Self-Care in Social Work
- Episode 117 - Kori Bloomquist: Social Worker Self-Care: Practice, Perceptions, and Professional Well-Being
- Episode 98 - Professor Susan Green and Dr. Thomas Nochajski: The Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (ITTIC)
- Episode 79 - Brian Farragher: The Sanctuary Model: Changing the Culture of Care - Transforming Human Services (part 2 of 2)
- Episode 77 - Brian Farragher: The Sanctuary Model: Changing the Culture of Care - It Begins with Me (part 1 of 2)
- Episode 74 - Dr. Brian Bride: Collateral Damage: The Impact of Caring for Persons Who Have Experienced Trauma
- Episode 65 - Marion Bogo: Doing, Thinking, Then Doing Again: Reflective Practice in Field Education
- Episode 50 - Dr. Judith Herman: Justice from the Victim's Perspective
- Episode 11 - Dr. Shelly Wiechelt: Cultural and Historical Trauma: Affecting Lives for Generations
- Episode 10 - Dr. Sandra Bloom: The Sanctuary Model: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Treatment and Services
Level: Intermediate
II. Links to Additional Curriculum and Training Resources
Trauma-Specific Organizations
| ORGANIZATION | RESOURCES |
| The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/nctic/default.asp | The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care is a part of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Center is focused on providing technical assistance, training and information to promote trauma-informed care in a variety of human service organization. In addition to key information about principles for trauma-informed care, the site includes useful links to information about trauma-informed interventions. Materials from the site could be used in course lectures or assignments (e.g., summary and evaluation of trauma-specific interventions). |
Trauma-Informed and Trauma Specific S
ORGANIZATION | RESOURCES |
Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study http://www.prainc.com/about-us/ | The Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study focused on developing and evaluating services for women with co-occurring disorders. This website contains Publications page (http://www.prainc.com/?s=publications) that contains a variety of reports from the study. |
National Child Traumatic Stress Network http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=hom_main | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network was established by Congress in 2000 and includes partnerships between academic and community-based organizations with the goal of improving the access and quality of services for children who have experienced trauma. This website contains information on definitions and descriptions of types of trauma, and a Products page (http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_rsch_prod) containing reports and publications that are categorized by audience, including information for: educators, the general public, juvenile justice professionals/law enforcement or first responders, the media, mental health/medical professionals, parents and caregivers, and policy makers. |
Child Trauma Institute | The Child Trauma Institute is a non-profit organization that provides training, consultation, information, and resources for those who work with trauma-exposed children, adolescents, and adults. This website contains information for parents and youth on trauma, parenting and treatments for child trauma. Abstracts for published peer-reviewed journal articles by Ricky Greenwald (the organization’s founder) are available, addressing topics such as the impact of trauma on children’s behavior, and approaches to treatment of child trauma, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. |
ORGANIZATION | RESOURCES |
Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study http://www.prainc.com/about-us/ | The Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study focused on developing and evaluating services for women with co-occurring disorders. This website contains Publications page (http://www.prainc.com/?s=publications) that contains a variety of reports from the study. |
National Child Traumatic Stress Network http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=hom_main | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network was established by Congress in 2000 and includes partnerships between academic and community-based organizations with the goal of improving the access and quality of services for children who have experienced trauma. This website contains information on definitions and descriptions of types of trauma, and a Products page (http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_rsch_prod) containing reports and publications that are categorized by audience, including information for: educators, the general public, juvenile justice professionals/law enforcement or first responders, the media, mental health/medical professionals, parents and caregivers, and policy makers. |
Child Trauma Institute | The Child Trauma Institute is a non-profit organization that provides training, consultation, information, and resources for those who work with trauma-exposed children, adolescents, and adults. This website contains information for parents and youth on trauma, parenting and treatments for child trauma. Abstracts for published peer-reviewed journal articles by Ricky Greenwald (the organization’s founder) are available, addressing topics such as the impact of trauma on children’s behavior, and approaches to treatment of child trauma, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. |
Child Welfare Resources that Include Trauma
ORGANIZATION | RESOURCES |
Children and Family Futures | Children and Family Futures consults with service providers and government agencies to promote effective practices with children and families impacted by substance use disorders. This website contains presentations and reports related to cross-system collaboration among substance abuse and child welfare fields, and information on the impact of substance use disorders on child welfare systems. Webinar repositories include useful trainings on trauma-informed systems change initiatives:
|
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare | The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is cooperatively funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Children's Bureau's Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN). The goal of the Center is to gather and disseminate knowledge to promote effective practice with children and families involved in the substance abuse and child welfare fields. Pages include information about in-depth technical assistant services and other resources to support effective cross-systems collaboration. Archived webinar and conference resources are also available. The site includes a page with links to trauma-specific resources and webinar links, which may be used or adapted in courses: https://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/resources/trauma/default.aspx |
Child Welfare Information Gateway | The Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides research, resources, and information to the child welfare professional community. This website provides research and information on a variety of child welfare topics, including family-centered practice, preventing child maltreatment, supporting families, out-of-home care, achieving and maintaining permanency, adoption, and system-wide issues and information. Educators and community providers may find training curricula, tools and materials: http://www.childwelfare.gov/management/training/curricula/ The site includes links to resources related to creating trauma informed child welfare systems, which may be used for both practice and policy courses in child welfare: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/trauma/building/ |
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement | The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement is a part of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the Center is to provide research, training, technical assistance and evaluation to child welfare organizations. This website contains a publications page (http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/improving/default.aspx) that includes reports, teleconferences, videos, and newsletters on a variety of child welfare topics from an organizational perspective, including domestic violence, interagency collaboration, human resource development, and trauma. |
California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) | CalSWEC provides a wide array of resources for educational institutions, with a special focus on training professionals for work in public child welfare. CalSWEC also offers resources related to educating professionals working with aging and elder abuse issues. The web site offers links to research reports and access to CalSWEC events and webinar trainings. The California Child Welfare Resource Library offers a menu of curriculum materials designed for educators, which can be downloaded at no cost. Curricula include topics related to collaboration in addressing family violence. Online curriculum products may be accessed at: http://www.csulb.edu/projects/ccwrl/CalSWEC_curriculum_products.htm |
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare | The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) is a collaboration between the California Department of Social Services, the Chadwick Center for Children and Families – Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, and the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center. The goal of the Clearinghouse is to identify and disseminate evidence-based information on practices related to child welfare. This website contains reports on a variety of child welfare practice topics, including parental substance abuse services, family reunification services, parent training, trauma treatment for children, domestic violence services and other topics. Each program in a topic area is reviewed and rated according to a scientific rating scale developed by the CEBC that ranges from 1 (well-supported by research evidence) to 6 (a concerning practice). |
Cultural Competence
ORGANIZATION | RESOURCES |
Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services | The Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate services is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs and the U.S. Department of Education. The Institute is a collaborative effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Council for Exceptional Children, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. This website contains a Technical Reports page (http://www.clas.uiuc.edu/techreports.html) that contains a variety of research review reports on effective early childhood intervention and education services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. |
National Center for Cultural Competence | The National Center for Cultural Competence is funded through a Cooperative Agreement administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The Center focuses on disseminating research information and facilitating its use in promoting cultural and linguistic competency in policy and practice in health and mental health systems. This website contains a Promising Practices page (http://nccc.georgetown.edu/resources/practices.html)that contains a series of Promising Practices briefs that describe specific programs and their impacts. |
These materials were produced by the Child Welfare Partnership for Research and Training (CW-PART) at San Jose State University School of Social Work. CW-PART is funded, in part, through support from the California Social Work Education Center. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of CalSWEC.
4.24.2016