Trauma-Informed Care for COVID
How the TIC Quick Toolkit will help Albertans cope
Trauma: An experience or set of circumstances so overwhelming that it incapacitates an individual’s ability to cope.
In the midst of a pandemic, Albertans are feeling the stress. And with increased stress comes an increased sense of trauma. While we all feel varying degrees of stress and trauma, we know that those who are already living in a crisis and dealing with past trauma and/or poverty are most at risk of falling even deeper into despair. The right supports are critical for these individuals and families. And they’re even more impactful when they are trauma-informed.
Trauma-Informed Care CollectiveThe Trauma-Informed Care Collective (TIC) is a network of social service agencies from across Calgary. United in their commitment to promote trauma-informed care, the collective applies their considerable experience and expertise in working with vulnerable individuals and families to deliver programs that build resilience and drive self-sufficiency. As we come together facing this global pandemic and are all experiencing a collective trauma, the TIC Collective has developed a toolkit with information and resources to help Calgarians cope.
A Toolkit to help with COVIDThe goal of the toolkit is to provide a better understanding of what trauma is, how trauma affects our thoughts, our actions and our behaviours. It explains that when we come together as a community, even in a pandemic like COVID, there is solidarity and hope. The toolkit topics include:
Stress and resilience
The path to wellness
Enhanced learning resources
Further readings and videos
Trauma-informed needs to start nowIt’s a time of uncertainty and anxiety. What’s more, a down-turned economy in Alberta and real threats to public and personal health have led to widespread trauma in a variety of forms, beyond COVID. Trauma-informed care has never been more important — for all of us — and the time is now to consider it as a serious step in building resilience.
After all, consider the following:
The prevalence of trauma within the general population of Alberta is extremely high. Approximately 1/3 of individuals have experienced recent abuse.
16 per cent of Albertans have experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences, including neglect, abuse and household dysfunction.
Within the vulnerable population the TIC Collective jointly serves, there are high incidents of past related traumas and, subsequently, behaviour and health impacts that make them vulnerable to being re-traumatized.
Shifting to a more trauma-informed organizational culture saves organizations from the experience of staff burnout and gives frontline staff the necessary tools to improve client outcomes.
With a trauma-informed approach, the TIC Collective believes we can improve service, efficiency and achieve better outcomes. Most importantly, it can help vulnerable Albertans move towards self-sufficiency and independence, with less reliance on social systems. It’s about elevating our community through COVID and beyond.
Interested in getting involved at CUPS? Click here.