Trauma-Informed Resources
Trauma-Informed Resources
In line with Citywide goals toward a Trauma-Informed Chicago, the Office of Violence Prevention and Behavioral Health Bureau aim to support individuals, advocates, and practitioners to create responsive systems and healing-centered communities across Chicago. Below is a compilation of trauma-focused resources, tools, and educational opportunities from Chicago partners and from trauma-informed initiatives across the country. Resources are grouped below by category.
Trauma & Healing-Centered
- What is Trauma?
User-friendly overview on trauma, how it impacts health and relationships, and why it affects some people more than others.
via the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center - What is Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)? FREE Learning Modules
Free, self-paced modules on Trauma Informed Care and how to practice it as individuals, organizations and systems. Requires basic registration but is FREE.
via Trauma Informed Oregon - Guided Questions for Trauma Healing
SELF (safety, emotion, loss, future) is from The Sanctuary Model by Sandra Bloom. SELF gives pathways for understanding, processing, and envisioning healing after traumatic experiences.
via the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County (Healing Hurt People Chicago) - Healing-Centered Practice: How it Complements Trauma-Informed Care
Describes 'trauma informed' vs. 'healing-centered', and the importance of uplifting community-centered healing practices.
via The Praxis Project
Resources by Audience
- Trauma-Informed Care Champions: From Treaters to Healers
Short videos featuring practitioners across multiple cities, who are leading a movement to improve health care for patients who have experienced trauma.
via the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center - Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma-Informed Care Implementation
Draws on interviews with national experts on trauma-informed care to create a framework for organizational and clinical changes that can be practically implemented across the health care sector to address trauma.
via the Center for Health Care Strategies - Be a Trauma-Informed Supervisor
A toolkit with practical guidance for anyone who manages or provides supervision, on practicing Trauma Informed Care in action.
via the Movement for Access, Safety, and Survivors Collaboration (content is relevant for all forms of trauma) - Approaching Substance Use in a Trauma Informed Way (in Workplaces)
Learn how to approach drug and alcohol-related considerations in a trauma-informed way that supports staff wellbeing and safety.
via the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
- LGBTQIA+ Identity Factors in Trauma-Informed Care
For anyone who collects clients' medical and/or mental health history. Provides guidance on a universal trauma-informed approach, factoring in considerations for respecting transgender and gender-diverse persons' needs.
- What is Secondary Trauma?
Resources on secondary trauma, especially for doctors, nurses, EMT, police, fire, and other emergency responders. Secondary trauma describes emotional distress from exposure to others' traumatic experiences.
via the THEN Center: The Center for Collaborative Study of Trauma, Health Equity, and Neurobiology
- Age-Based Signs of Trauma (Birth - Age 22)
Describes frequent signs of trauma at each age in child development: body, brain, emotions, behavior, and relationship/attachment.
via the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma - A Guide for Youth: Understanding Trauma
Helps youth make a connection between stressful events and the potential lasting impacts. understand trauma, have a framework to talk about past experiences to process and ask for help.
via the Youth M.O.V.E. National - Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies (Kindergarten - High School)
Models how teachers can apply trauma-informed strategies in real-life classroom situations from kindergarten through high school.
via the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development - Resources to Support Young Children (Prenatal - Age 6)
Toolkit of resources for people who work with children prenatally through age 6 and for their families.
via the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health - FREE Learning Modules: Safe Spaces Trainings to Support Ages 0-18
Free, self-paced modules filled with case examples, videos, strategies and practices. Divided into 3 age subgroups: 0-5, 5-11, or 12-18.
via the Office of the California Surgeon General - FREE Learning Modules: Supportive Adults for Strong Resilient Youth
Free, self-paced modules for educators and supportive adults, who play a critical role in helping children and youth thrive. This free training enhances knowledge and skills to support children and youth who have experienced trauma.
via the Strong Resilient Youth (Cincinnati Children's Hospital & McKinsey Health Institute)
Trauma-Informed Concepts
- How Connection to Culture and Community Can Heal Wounds
Reconnecting people to the vibrant strengths of their ancestry and culture, helping people process the grief of past traumas, and creating new historical narratives can have healing effects for those experiencing historical trauma.
via the University of Minnesota Extension
- Preventing and Healing Trauma
A curated set of resources for preventing and healing trauma.
via the THEN Center - The Resilience Tree
A 90-minute webinar that dives into using “The Resilience Tree” as a tool to frame, implement, and measure community-level resilience and positive childhood experiences. Links include a worksheet and tutorial.
via the Center for Community Resilience
- Whole Child Task Force Report
Provides recommendations for establishing an equitable, inclusive, safe, and supportive environment for every student at all Illinois schools.
via the Illinois State Board of Education
