This page contains real-world examples of social planning work that is supporting children and youth that are affected by trauma. Social planning refers to the planning of social services or efforts to improve the quality of life in communities (Weil, 2013). It is typical for social workers to engage in social planning at the agency level when designing new programs or writing a funding proposal.
The Trauma-Informed Care Project
A great example of social planning is the Trauma-Informed Care Project. This project was started by Orchard Place in Des Moines, Iowa. The mission of the project is to make trauma-informed care training more accessible across Iowa and to increase the understanding and use of the trauma informed care approach with children and adolescents effected by trauma. This is an example of larger-scale social planning, because its effects are being seen across the state (Weil, 2013). According to The Trauma-Informed Care Project website, “Trauma Informed Care is an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. Trauma Informed Care also emphasizes physical, psychological and emotional safety for both consumers and providers, and helps survivors rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.” http://www.traumainformedcareproject.org/index.php
For more information about creating trauma-informed spaces, visit The National Child Traumatic Stress Network website. https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care
Analysis
The theories and strategies demonstrated through the Trauma-Informed Care Project are empowerment theory, social constructionism, and structural theory. This project strives to educate schools and organizations about becoming trauma-informed. This empowers helping professionals that work with individuals that are affected by trauma and helps shed light on what they are going through. Knowledge and understanding is power. Social constructionism is sociocultural and historical contexts that shape individuals and the creation of knowledge. Especially with children and youth demonstrating challenging behaviors, gaining knowledge around trauma helps reframe our mindsets, understanding, and attitudes about those children. The Trauma-Informed Care Project works to address the broader issue of ACEs and the effects of trauma on individuals. This project could be seen through structural theory by looking at the larger system and trying to address where the system needs to change in order to support those living with and impaired by trauma.
I believe that the system levels that would make the most impact from The Trauma-Informed Care Project are at the individual, organizational, and at the policy level. For Chloe, becoming trauma-informed herself could empower her by giving her the knowledge to understand her reactions to the hardships and ACEs she has experienced. With the proper training and awareness, schools and other institutions would be able to identify the risks and warning signs of trauma and can appropriately intervene. This can also be incredibly useful at the policy level. There is significant research showing the children with an ACEs score of 4 or more are at significant risk for health risks. The Ted Talk below further explains ACE and the serious effects that it has on the body. If all policy makers understood the significance of trauma, then that could lead to more mental health funding to support individuals who have experienced childhood trauma. There are many ways that the Trauma-Informed Care Project would benefit Chloe.
My experience with Trauma-Informed Care trainings is that it is effective in engaging diverse clients and constituencies at multiple levels. Even though I have not received training through The Trauma-Informed Care Project, I have been trained in trauma-informed care, have attended conferences, and have taken a Trauma-Informed Family Practice course at the University of Iowa. In each setting, culture and diversity was a very important topic but I believe that in order to see the most benefits from this philosophy, there also needs to be ongoing cultural competency training. All races and cultures experience trauma but can often show signs of trauma very differently. Cultural competency is a live-long journey and without this crucial piece, I believe that we are missing opportunities to support those affected by trauma. Even though The Trauma-Informed Care Project does not clearly identify one of their missions as fighting against oppression, I believe there is an indirect affect. Minority populations continue to be marginalized in this country and have experienced historical and ongoing trauma. A combination of this trauma and cultural misunderstanding in the school system, for explain, is a large factor contributing to students of color being suspended at disproportionate rates (Peterson, 2018). Iowa schools having a better understanding of trauma and culture could improve this social problem.
Current Social Workers Working Towards a Trauma-Informed Iowa Community
I found two current social workers in the field that have spent their career working with individuals experiencing trauma and educating helping professionals to become trauma-informed.
Gladys Noll Alvarez, LISW has worked at the Orchard Place Child Guidance Center since 1985 when she received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Iowa. She began her career working with youth and families at risk in 1976 when she was a counselor with the Upward Bound program at Coe College. She has worked with victims of sexual abuse in individual, family and group therapy and is the co-founder of the Young Children’s Sexual Abuse Treatment Group at the Child Guidance Center. She is the recipient of the Al Shutlte Award in 2000, the Voices for Children Award in 2008 and the Michelle A. Moore Award in 2012. In her current role as the Trauma Informed Care Project Coordinator, Ms. Alvarez works to educate the larger system on the importance of changing the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”. She coordinates the work of the Trauma Informed Care Stakeholders group and provides in-service trainings to Orchard Place and the community while still maintaining an active case load of trauma clients (Trauma Informed Care).
Yvonne Farley, LISW, is a professor at the University of Iowa School of Social Work program in Des Moines, Iowa. In 2010, Yvonne joined the National Center for Social Work Trauma Education and Workforce Development through their National Collaboration for Trauma Informed Care. Over the last 4 years, she has been helping to train Iowa’s workforce in trauma informed practice and to prepare MSW students through the trauma informed class. Yvonne has also expanded into the area of Mindfulness, a cutting-edge topic in the helping professions. She has done presentations on the topic and incorporated meditation and mindfulness into every class she teaches. She is now conducting a research project on the effects of the mindfulness practice on her students. Her final area of focus is on combat veterans and the challenges they and their families face. Yyonne is working to do more education and research for this population (School of Social Work).
I am incredibly inspired by both Gladys and Yvonne’s careers. I do not see myself being a clinical social worker or a full time professor and researcher. My passions are in program development and administration within either a non-profit or a school setting. I would miss having contact with clients and being within an organization that directly works with the community. I could certainly see myself doing a roll similar to Gladys and as an adjunct professor later in my career. There are many professionals that teach one or two subjects a year to pass on their wisdom and help shape the next generation of workers in the field. I am very interested in a career working with trauma and expanding awareness of trauma-informed care.
References
Peterson, S. (2018, May 25). Trauma-Informed Care. Retrieved from https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care.
School of Social Work. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://clas.uiowa.edu/socialwork/people/yvonne-farley.
Trauma Informed Care. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.traumainformedcareproject.org/index.php.
Weil, M., Reisch, M., Ohmer, M. L., & Weil. (2012). The Handbook of Community Practice (Second Edition). Sage Publications.
Integrated Theory and Practice 