Pathways to Resilience is pleased to announce the release our first major publication, a National Compendium of Trauma-Responsive Policies and Programs. The compendium summarizes a wide range of interventions, policies, programs, and governing bodies that states and communities are leveraging to prevent and address trauma and promote healing across the country. This document is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers and community leaders seeking to advance trauma-responsive efforts that improve outcomes for children and families.
The Pathways to Resilience team conducted an extensive review of state legislation, executive orders, reports, research, and case studies, and conducted interviews with dozens of state and local government employees, community organizations, researchers, professional associations, and people with lived experience. We also solicited input from members of our Expert Advisory Committee and participants at the State Policy Roundtable that Pathways to Resilience hosted in September 2022.
Following are several themes that emerged from our review:
- No effort is too big or too small. Trauma-responsive policies and programs can be implemented in any state or community, as evidenced by the broad array of states, sectors, and branches of government represented in this compendium. Many people refer to this work as a “movement” – all true systemic change requires time, leadership, and endurance.
- Communities are laboratories of innovation. Every state, locality, tribe, and community differs in its geography, populations served, and resources available. The examples included in the compendium should be considered in the context of the local setting and policymakers can also consider modifications or best practices that might bring successful strategies to scale. Pathways to Resilience is committed to assisting states and communities in scaling their efforts.
- Systemic change requires cross-sector collaboration. This compendium intentionally includes numerous policies and programs that touch multiple sectors. While policymakers may need to begin their trauma-responsive efforts in one sector or agency, seeking out cross-sector and community collaboration as early as possible can help state and local leaders align their initiatives and provide services efficiently to community members.
- There is no wrong door. This document can serve as a resource for policymakers regardless of how far along they are in their trauma-responsive journey. The examples in the compendium can be used as a reference for policymakers whose goals may include infusing trauma-responsive principles into existing state programs, linking and transforming systems of care, training service providers and employees who work directly with children and families, and collecting data to monitor these efforts and improve outcomes.
Pathways to Resilience will continue to update our Resource Library as we identify new policies, programs, and governance models that prevent and address trauma. Stay tuned for additional publications and new sessions in our Pathways Learning Network series as the work progresses!
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