Trauma-Informed Model of Service Delivery
What is Trauma?
Trauma happens when a person goes through something very scary, dangerous, or upsetting. It can be one event or many over time. The experience can cause lasting problems with how they feel, think, act, or get along with others. It can also affect their body, mind, emotions, and beliefs.
What is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care is a way of helping people that considers that many people have been through something very scary, harmful, or upsetting and then uses this understanding to give better support. It focuses on making people feel safe—both in their bodies and in their emotions. It also tries to make sure nothing is done that could make them feel unsafe again.
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with you?” trauma-informed care asks, “What happened to you?” This often helps people feel safe and supported.
Tools and Training
The Virginia HEALS Trauma-Informed Model of Service Delivery was developed to help people who work with children and families provide trauma-informed care. This toolkit shares guides, tools, and free online lessons to help people learn when someone has been through trauma and how to work together to support them in caring and respectful ways.
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Community Resource Mapping Facilitation Guide
The Resource Mapping Guide helps people who work in human services find out what resources their community already has, where there are missing services, and how to build better connections with between groups and programs. An online course is available.
Family Engagement Guide
The Family Engagement Guide helps leaders and teams involve families and young people in choices about care, planning, and referrals. An online course supports this guide.
Referral and Response Protocol
The Referral and Response Protocol is a guide that shows leaders and teams how to take strong, clear steps for connecting children and families to the right help. An online course supports this tool.
Screening for Trauma
Trauma-informed screening helps people who work in human services spot signs of trauma and create a safe space when a child or young person shares something hard. An online course is available.
The Screening for Experiences and Strengths (SEAS) is a tool that helps find signs of trauma and strength in children and young adults. An online course is available.
