Introduction
Youth experiencing homelessness often remain hidden from the public and report being unable to find the support they need. Annually, one in 10 young adults ages 18-25 and one in 30 youth ages 13-17 experience some form of homelessness. Experiences of psychological trauma (e.g., abuse, neglect, violence, or sexual victimization) are often a common reality for youth who have experienced homelessness. In addition, once they become homeless, many youth become re-traumatized. Research has found that approximately 83% of youth experiencing homelessness report exposure to at least one form of victimization while homeless, including sexual assault, robbery, physical beating, and assault with a weapon.[1] Their responses to these events are shaped—at least in part—by age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
This history of trauma causes significant mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, attachment issues, and substance abuse disorders. Trauma-informed programs can help mitigate these adverse outcomes for youth and young adults. All systems that serve youth who have experienced homelessness must understand the basic principles of trauma to serve youth appropriately.
Maxine Harris describes a trauma-informed service system as “a human services or health care system whose primary mission is altered by virtue of knowledge about trauma and the impact it has on the lives of consumers receiving services.” [2] This means looking at all aspects of programming through a trauma lens, and constantly considering how traumatic experiences impact consumers.
This toolkit was developed to introduce community-based organizations that serve youth who have experienced homelessness with resources to understand Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). The toolkit focuses on how service providers can support youth’s wholeness by cultivating safety, awareness, trust, and empathy.
Adopting a trauma-informed approach is not accomplished through a particular technique or checklist. Instead, this approach requires constant attention, caring awareness, sensitivity, and a cultural change at an organizational level.
Becoming a Trauma-Informed Organization
Working with youth who have experienced significant trauma can be overwhelming for some organizations, but understanding the importance of promoting intentional healing is critical. So often, youth are overlooked and overshadowed. At the same time, many organizations have policies and guidelines that cause youth to “fail.” Organizations need to establish a balance between power and bring youth to the table to help shape the culture shift.
Staff at the organization should be trained in interventions based on the best available empirical evidence and science. They should be culturally appropriate and include principles of a trauma-informed approach. When trauma-specific services are unavailable within the organization, there should be a trusted, effective referral system to connect individuals with appropriate trauma treatment.
The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health has created a self-reflection tool this tool is best used as part of an organization’s larger self-reflection process. This tool can also be useful to program managers and staff of youth-serving agencies to begin identifying strengths and areas of improvement for the organization to respond to traumatic exposures experienced by clients and staff.
References
1. Bender, K., Ferguson, K., Thompson, S., Komlo, C., & Pollio, D. (2010). Factors associated with trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder among homeless youth in three U.S. cities: The importance of transience. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(1), 161–168. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20501
2. Harris, M. (2004). Trauma Informed Services. The evolution of a concept. Retrieved from the internet at https://slideplayer.com/slide/1692656/
