IHR works to incorporate an understanding of the impact of violence/trauma in the design and delivery of human services.
To this end, Trauma Integration Specialists:
- Provide training on trauma, domestic violence, and sexual assault and how to integrate knowledge of these issues into the provision of substance abuse, mental health and other human services, as well as corrections services, both locally and nationally.
- Provide technical assistance to service providers including:
- Developing a Trauma Integration Strategic Plan that will guide an organization through the process of gradually integrating an understanding of trauma into all of an organization’s activities.
- Integrating trauma/violence screening and assessment into existing assessment procedures.
- Reviewing/revising policies and procedures to make them more trauma-informed.
- Helping select a trauma-specific group curriculum appropriate for a program.
- Training/supervising staff who run trauma-specific groups.
- Helping develop relationships with providers of trauma/violence services.
- Helping identify/develop psycho-educational modules and curricula on trauma, domestic violence, sexual assault or other relevant topics.
- Locating other relevant services or resources.
- Providing consultation on work with individuals with trauma histories.
Examples of agencies that have received trauma integration services include:
- Substance abuse treatment programs
- Department of Corrections
- State operated mental hospitals
- Organizations that provide basic services, such as housing and fuel assistance
- Domestic Violence agencies
- Children’s service providers
- Participate in interagency task forces and coalitions, including :
- Chairing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Subcommittee of the Survivor Services Committee of the Governor's Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence ( 2002–2004)
- Participating in the Dedicated External Female Offender Review of the Governor’s Commission on Corrections Reform (2005)
- Participating on the Advisory Committee of the Department of Mental Health’s Restraint and Seclusion Reduction Initiative (2006–2010)
- Participating in the Self-Inflected Violence and Healing Committee of the Department of Mental Health (2009-2010)
- Participating in the Massachusetts Women in Prison Resource Coalition (2009-2010)
For more information, please contact Laurie Markoff, Ph.D., Director of Trauma Integration Services, at (617) 661-3991 or lauriemarkoff@healthrecovery.org.