Thanks to a Violence Prevention Grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), Family Services of NW PA was able to intensify efforts to become a trauma-informed agency. The result will be a better client experience and treatment environment, which will result in better outcomes.
The grant allowed us to contract with the National Council for Behavioral Health to assist in this process. This included a comprehensive evaluation of current practices and an agency-wide trauma training for all employees. Our management team also received training on trauma-informed supervision.
Out of this process came the creation of a cross-sectional employee-driven team called SEEDS, Supporting Empathy and Engagement to Drive Success. This team is leading the implementation of efforts to improve the use of trauma-informed principles across the agency. Most recently, the SEEDS team identified the need for training about historical trauma and social equity.
