Integrating Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Approaches
Trauma-informed and healing-centered care are critical for care delivery. This approach builds safety, minimizes harm, and encourages empowerment. It shifts the traditional model of “what’s wrong with you” to ”what happened to you and what’s strong with you.”1
| Dimension | Trauma-Informed Care | Trauma-Responsive Care | Healing-Centered Engagement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Awareness and prevention of retraumatization across care delivery | Action and adaptation in day-to-day practice | Restoration, well-being, and transformation beyond trauma |
| Orientation | “Do no harm” and promote psychological safety | “Respond effectively” to trauma as it shows up in care encounters | “Build what is strong” in individuals and communities |
| Level of Action | System‑wide mindset and policy foundation (MCPs, providers, vendors) | Practice-level behaviors, workflows, and environments | Community, organizational, and structural change |
| Role in MCP Strategy | Baseline expectation for equitable, person-centered care | Quality and access improvement lever | Equity and population health advancement strategy |
| Equity Lens | Cultural, historical, and gender considerations acknowledged | Bias and power dynamics addressed in practice interactions | Explicit focus on structural inequities and cultural assets |
| Example MCP Application | Universal staff training; member‑centered communication standards | Flexible workflows; trauma‑responsive screening and follow-up | Community-informed programs; survivor‑ and community‑led design |
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD, 2014. ↩︎