Compare and contrast a trauma-informed organization with your  organization (or a previous organization). Is your organization  trauma-informed?

Do you think organizations should be trauma-informed? Why or why not?

As an OD consultant, what would be your first two  steps/recommendations in assisting an organization with the cultural  change of becoming “trauma-informed”? Explain your rationale.

Trauma Informed
Organizations

www.scanva.org

A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed follows SAMHSA’s four “Rs”:

What does it mean to be trauma informed?
Trauma informed organizations make a commitment to understand trauma, how to
respond to trauma, and how it affects those they work with. Being trauma informed is an
organizational cultural change.

Organizations that are considered trauma informed, have these things in common:

REALIZES the widespread
impact of trauma and
understands potential paths
for recovery

RECOGNIZES the signs and
symptoms of trauma in clients,
families, staff, and others
involved with the system

• Provide a safe environment, everything from
well-lit parking lots and visible directions/
signage to natural light, soft furniture, etc.

• Offer effective peer supervision
• Encourage all to find balance in

life and work
• Promote self care
• Work to be transparent

• Ask, “What happened to you?”
— not, “What’s wrong with you?”

• Continually offer professional development
opportunities

• Value confidentiality
• Promote recovery and resiliency
• Continually change to meet the needs

of those they serve

natural disasters
witnessing abuse

accidents
violence

bullying
loss of a loved one

abuse and/or neglect,
as a child or adult

generational trauma

long-term
health problems

RESPONDS by fully
integrating knowledge
about trauma into policies,
procedures, and practices

Actively seeks to RESIST re-traumatization

1 2 3

4

Keep in mind: Trauma can be caused by many things. Keep in mind: Trauma is common.
Trauma is a nearly universal human experience, so
it makes sense that everyone working with kids and
families should be trauma-informed.

Nationally, more than 46 percent of U.S. youth—
34 million children under age 18—have had at
least one ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience.)

Guidelines for a Vicarious
Trauma-Informed Organization

Human Resources

WHAT IS A VICARIOUS TRAUMA

–

INFORMED ORGANIZATION?
Vicarious trauma (VT), the exposure to the trauma experi-
ences of others, is an occupational challenge for the fields
of victim services, emergency medical services, fire services,
law enforcement, and others. Working with victims of vio-
lence and trauma changes the worldview of responders
and puts individuals and organizations at risk for a range of
negative consequences (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003;
McCann and Pearlman, 1990; Newell and MacNeil, 2010;
Vicarious Trauma Institute, 2015; Pearlman and Saakvitne,
1995; Knight, 2013). A vicarious trauma-informed orga-
nization recognizes these challenges and proactively
addresses the impact of vicarious trauma through policies,
procedures, practices, and programs.

For more information on vicarious trauma and its effects,
visit https://vtt.ovc.ojp.gov/.

The Role of Human Resources in
Addressing Vicarious Trauma
Experiencing VT may result in reduced work performance and
productivity, increased absenteeism, and low morale, some
or all of which may impact the quality of care individuals
and organizations provide to those they serve (White, 2006).
Human resources policies and procedures provide a frame-
work for an agency to follow to become a vicarious trauma-
informed organization.

Management and Supervision
• Ensure that supportive, respectful, and effective supervision

includes open discussion of VT, strategies for addressing it,
and compliance with relevant policies (Bell, Kulkarni, and
Dalton, 2003; White, 2006; Bednar, 2003; Slatten, Carson,
and Carson, 2011).

• Actively promote a flow of direct and clear communication
between frontline employees and upper management.

• Provide positive and constructive feedback to staff; deliver
it in a manner that is in the staff member’s interest.

• Explain employees’ roles and responsibilities and clar-
ify performance expectations (Bednar, 2003; Adams,
Shakespeare-Finch, and Armstrong, 2015).

Personnel Policies and Procedures
Hiring Policies
• During job interviews—

o educate applicants about VT to ensure that they are
aware of the potential risks associated with working
with victims of trauma (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton,
2003; Urquiza, Wyatt, and Goodlin-Jones, 1997); and

o incorporate questions for applicants that assess their
knowledge of VT and their awareness and use of cop-
ing strategies (Urquiza, Wyatt, and Goodlin-Jones,
1997).

• Assess the job candidates’ level of education, training,
and preparation for their assigned role (Bednar, 2003).

Employee Health and Wellness
• Raise employees’ awareness of professional and per-

sonal self-care strategies for addressing VT (Newell and
MacNeil, 2010).

• Encourage employees to practice self-care both on and
off work time (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003; Slatten,
Carson, and Carson, 2011; Meichenbaum, 2007).

• Include coverage for mental health services in employee
health benefits (Bell, Kulkarni, Dalton, 2003).

• Identify an experienced, trained, accessible, and
approachable manager to provide employees with confi-
dential support and referrals to helpful services.

Evaluation
• Assess the negative impact vicarious trauma may have

across your organization and implement strategies to
help reduce that impact (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003;
Meichenbaum, 2007). You can do this through informal
discussions with staff and in debriefing sessions, or by
using assessment tools such as the Professional Quality of
Life Scale (ProQOL) and the Secondary Traumatic Stress
Scale (STSS) (Bride et al., 2004; Stamm, 2010).

• Evaluate interventions aimed at reducing the negative
impact of VT among current and new personnel (Bell,
Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003; White, 2006; Meichenbaum,
2007).

• Regularly administer employee performance evalua-
tions that include questions pertaining to VT and assess

https://vtt.ovc.ojp.gov/

employees’ perceptions of which organizational efforts to
reduce the impact of VT are helpful.

• Implement a survey to elicit employees’ feedback, and
assess their satisfaction with the organization.

• Conduct exit interviews, and inquire about recommenda-
tions for improving the organization’s response to VT and its
impact on employee well-being, turnover, and other aspects
of the work (United States Fire Administration, 1999).

Variation of Job Responsibilities
• Create opportunities and procedures for employees to vary

their duties and alleviate heavy caseloads (Bell, Kulkarni,
and Dalton, 2003; White, 2006; Slatten, Carson, and
Carson, 2011).

• Rotate frontline and coverage responsibilities (Bell, Kulkarni,
and Dalton, 2003; White, 2006; Slatten, Carson, and
Carson, 2011).

Employee Empowerment and Work
Environment
• Ensure that employees have a safe and comfortable physi-

cal environment in which to work (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton,
2003; White, 2006).

• Promote a culture of caring and emotional and social sup-
port from peers and supervisors (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton,
2003; Meichenbaum, 2007).

• Implement support measures that foster connection and
cohesion among employees. These may include formal
debriefing (e.g., critical incident stress management),
informal debriefing, peer or professionally facilitated peer
support groups, and planned social interactions, among
other activities (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003; Adams,
Shakespeare-Finch, and Armstrong, 2015).

• Develop a diverse workforce whose members value and
respect differences and enhance peer resources for employ-
ees.

Training and Professional Development
• Include education about VT during new staff orientation

(Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003).

• Provide ongoing education to new and current employees
about VT, including its negative consequences and strate-
gies for addressing them (Bell, Kulkarni, Dalton, 2003;
Newell and MacNeil, 2010; White, 2006; Meichenbaum,
2007; Guarino et al., 2009).

• Encourage and support employee participation in continuing
education opportunities, including workshops and conferences
to strengthen professional practices and to improve responses

to vicarious trauma (Bell, Kulkarni, and Dalton, 2003; Bell and
Jenkins, 1993; Pearlman and McKay. 2008).

• Promote collaborations with other organizations working with
victims of trauma and violence for additional information shar-
ing and social support (McCann and Pearlman, 1990).

References
Adams, Kaye, Jane Shakespeare-Finch, and Deanne

Armstrong. 2015. “An Interpretative Phenomenological

Analysis of Stress and Well-Being in Emergency Medical

Dispatchers.” Journal of Loss and Trauma: International

Perspectives on Stress & Coping 20(5): 430–448.

Bednar, Susan G. 2003. “Elements of Satisfying Organizational

Climates in Child Welfare Agencies.” Families in Society 84(1):

7–12.

Bell, Carl C., and Esther J. Jenkins. 1993. “Community

Violence and Children on Chicago’s Southside.” Psychiatry

56(1): 46–54.

Bell, Holly, Shanti Kulkarni, and Lisa Dalton. 2003.

“Organizational Prevention of Vicarious Trauma.” Families in

Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services 84(4):

463–470.

Bride, Brian E., Margaret M. Robinson, Bonnie Yegidis, and

Charles R. Figley. 2004. “Development and Validation of the

Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale.” Research on Social Work

Practice 14(1): 27–35.

Guarino, Kathleen, Phoebe Soares, Kristina Konnath,

Rose Clervil, and Ellen Bassuk. 2009. Trauma-Informed

Organizational Toolkit. Washington, DC: U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, National Center on Family

Homelessness. Accessed May 30, 2016. www.air.org/resource/

trauma-informed-organizational-toolkit.

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Self-Care, Supervision, the Organization, and the Academic

Institution.” The Clinical Supervisor 32(2): 224–243.

Meichenbaum, Donald C. 2007. “Self-Care for Trauma

Psychotherapists and Caregivers: Individual, Social and

Organizational Interventions.” Presented at the Annual

Conference of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and

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McCann, Lisa, and Laurie Anne Pearlman. 1990. “Vicarious

Traumatization: A Framework for Understanding the

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Traumatic Stress 3(1): 131–149.

Newell, Jason M., and Gordan A. MacNeil. 2010. “Professional

Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and

Compassion Fatigue.” Best Practices in Mental Health 6(2):

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–

Pearlman, Laurie Ann, and Karen Saakvitne. 1995. “Treating
Therapists With Vicarious Traumatization and Secondary
Traumatic Stress Disorders.” In Compassion Fatigue: Coping
With Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat
the Traumatized, edited by C. Figley, 150–177. New York:
Brunner/Mazel.

Pearlman, Laurie Anne, and Lisa McKay. 2008. Vicarious
Trauma: What Can Managers and Organizations Do? Accessed
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trauma-handout_for-managers_85189 .

Slatten, Lise Anne, K. David Carson, and Paula Phillips Carson.
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Stamm, Beth Hudnall. 2010. “The Concise ProQOL Manual,”
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This product was produced by Northeastern University’s Institute on
Urban Health Research and Practice, in collaboration with William
James College, and supported by grant number 2013-VF-GX-K011,
awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those
of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official posi
tion or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

For more information about vicarious trauma,
visit https://vtt.ovc.ojp.gov/.

http://www.proqol.org/uploads/ProQOL_Concise_2ndEd_12-2010

http://www.proqol.org/uploads/ProQOL_Concise_2ndEd_12-2010

http://www.naemt.org/docs/default-source/Member-Resources-Documents/Emergency_Medical_Services_EMS_Recruitment_and_Retention_Manual

http://www.naemt.org/docs/default-source/Member-Resources-Documents/Emergency_Medical_Services_EMS_Recruitment_and_Retention_Manual

http://www.naemt.org/docs/default-source/Member-Resources-Documents/Emergency_Medical_Services_EMS_Recruitment_and_Retention_Manual

http://www.vicarioustrauma.com/whatis.html

https://vtt.ovc.ojp.gov/

http://www.headington-institute.org/files/vicarious-trauma-handout_for-managers_85189

http://www.headington-institute.org/files/vicarious-trauma-handout_for-managers_85189