Trauma Informed Care: Understanding and Implementing Culture Change

Trauma Informed Care: Understanding and Implementing Culture Change

Author:

Debbie Zwicky, director of quality assurance and program development, St. Rose Youth & Family Center

Nobody understands trauma better than the person who has experienced it, and only that person knows how best to heal. That’s the philosophy behind trauma informed care, which has been and is continuing to be adopted by human service agencies across the country.

Implementing this philosophy requires much more than changes in practice. It truly involves a change in agency culture; the significance of this shouldn’t be underestimated.

For the past 18 months or so, the agency I work for has been undergoing this culture change ourselves. St. Rose Youth & Family Center, an Alliance for Children and Families member in Milwaukee, is doing so as part of a statewide initiative to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint in youth treatment programs.

‘What Happened to You?’

In order to understand whether your organization is ready to change its culture and adopt this philosophy, you need to understand three of its central tenants: relationship building, skill training, and safety.

Latest News

Ok its' finally official! Ranch Good Days organization has made the much anticipated move to their new perminant diggs in Florence Texas. Please take this time to welcome Dr. Donna and the girls to the area. If you are in the Florence area please give them a call and head up to the ranch. I know that getting everything settled in is going to be a great task so if you have the time or know of someone that does please volenteer to give them a hand.

Secondly, I know that Donna has been trying to get some donations for the horses, so if you know of anyone that has an extra stock tank, or extra round bail, please let Donna know, and let them know about Dr. Donna and Ranch Good Days.

PS: Ranch Good Days web site will be getting a face lift this weekend, so when you come back things will look different. Let us know what you think.

To contact Dr. Donna please e-mail her at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A message from our founder

Ranch Good Days was created to be a safe haven for teen girls in the Rocky Mountains, especially serving those youngsters of the Mountain Indians, now the Ute nations of Colorado and Utah. The Ute Indians are matrilineal and a people from the horse culture. But they have very little support for their teen girls to mature happy, healthy, and college eligible. Our school's culture was emboldened by this situation and our program was designed to inform our teen girls about their heritage and encourage them to identify with leaders in which they are alike. We also wanted them to learn about the accomplishments of their people, to recognize their language and also to understand their history. We have since served girls from other tribes and nations, always maintaining the spiritual and cultural base to our program.