1. Making the Case: Organizational Shift to Trauma-informed Schools
Presented by Deitra Bryant-Mallory, MA, LCSW-C

2. What is Organizational Change? Why change?
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
What is Organizational Change? Why change?
Organizational change is usually precipitated by three factors:
Failure
Unstable systems and processes
Culture
Generally, organizations want to do what they do well. When they recognize problems and want to do something about them, the change process begins.
Time- limited or continuous process
3 motivations for change

3. Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Integration of Organizational Change Theory Application for child and family serving organizations
Psychology
Sociology
Political Climate
Economics
Management

4. Sounding the Alarm for Schools
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Sounding the Alarm for Schools
Why Change?
Achievement Gap
Suspensions, Attendance, Dropout
Public Health
Administrators, teachers, school resource officers, related service providers all agree that the challenges children face before they get to school influence their ability to learn.
Prison pipeline - Student Engagement
We’ve tried everything else….what precipitates organizational change…FAILURE, UNSTABLE SYSTEMS, NEED TO IMPROVE CULTURE

5. So Let’s Talk About Trauma
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
So Let’s Talk About Trauma
Childhood trauma is a public health issue; the impact follows young people into adulthood.
Traumatic experiences often inhibit children from learning; the areas of the brain that access learning become impaired following a trauma.
Manifestations of trauma are often mistaken as bad behavior and learning disabilities

6. The Case for Trauma-Informed Organizations
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
The Case for Trauma-Informed Organizations

7. Childhood Trauma Major Research: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study
Trauma exposure affects health and wellbeing across the lifespan
Communicable Disease Control (CDC) and Kaiser conducted a study of 17,000 of their members in Southern California receiving physical exams ---
Asked them about their childhood experiences and health status (surveys)
Almost two-thirds of the study participants reported at least one ACE
More than one of five reported three or more ACE

8. Other ACEs Study Major Findings
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Other ACEs Study Major Findings
ACES study revealed that there is a relationship between childhood stressors and adult risk-taking and chronic illness.
As the number of ACEs increase, the risk for certain health and behavior problems increases
Findings suggest certain experiences are major risk factors for leading causes of illness and death and poor quality of life in the United States.
Quality of life…shortened life… (poor academic achievement, incarceration, unemployment, poverty, disability, early death)
What does adversity mean for inner city communities?
More recent studies have identified a broader set of ACES for low-income urban children. They are:
Community violence
Peer victimization
Impaired parents
Poverty/economic hardship
Substance abuse
Child welfare/juvenile justice systems

9. Principles for Trauma-Informed Organizations
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Principles for Trauma-Informed Organizations
Six Principles
Physical and Emotional
Transparency
Empowerment, voice and choice
Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues
Mutuality
Peer Support

10. NEW and IMPROVED PURPOSE
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
NEW and IMPROVED PURPOSE
To provide a world-class education for all students in a positive and thriving school climate, that is sensitive to the influence of trauma and fosters high academic and social success. Question: How does this address the three organizational change motivators?

11. Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Mission Statement
DC Public Schools believes that healthy children are most successful at school and actualizes this important belief by:
Developing effective systems and structures that are physically and emotionally safe for all staff and students.
Cultivating healthy relationships that integrate awareness and knowledge of trauma through policies and practice.
Providing social emotional learning opportunities

12. Getting the Organization Ready for Change
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Getting the Organization Ready for Change
Preparation
Exploration and Implementation
Sustainability

13. Preparation Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Development of a Change Team
Assess Strengths
Assess Challenges
Assess Need
Next Steps

14. Preparation: Assess Strengths
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Preparation: Assess Strengths
What do we currently offer or have within our system that supports our vision for trauma-informed care?
What effective systems and structures do you have in place both school-wide and classroom specific that support the development of an efficient and safe learning environment?
What assets or skills exist within your school staff to support the development of positive relationships with students and among colleagues that promote a healthy school climate?
What opportunities exist for families, students, and staff to provide feedback and engage in the teaching and learning process within the school?

15. Preparation: Assess Challenges
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Preparation: Assess Challenges
What challenges have we encountered that inhibit our ability to implement a trauma-informed model?
What challenges exist that contribute to a decline in the following: systems and routines throughout the building, healthy interactions between stakeholders, and minimal opportunities for SEL with students?

16. Preparation: Assess Need
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Preparation: Assess Need
What do we need to move us forward to become a trauma-informed organization?
Categories of Need:
Staffing
Structural decisions
Policies
Training

17. Preparation: Next Steps
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Preparation: Next Steps
What tasks do we need to do to bring us closer to implementing trauma-informed care across the system?
What are the short-term, medium-term, and long-term action items?

18. Exploration and Implementation
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Exploration and Implementation
Design for Trauma-Informed Organizations
Steps for Implementation
Define Resources
Decision Points

19. Sustainability Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Long-range Implementation Plan
Long-range Funding
Identification of Expected Outcomes
Tracking and Publicizing Results

20. Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Sustainability
Adopting the concept of universal precaution: trauma informed classrooms
Annual Quality Service Review (QSR); Annual School Climate Report Card
Integration of universal precaution as a consideration in policy development and educational planning
Adherence to the staffing model formula for school mental health  

21. Sustainability Core skills training plan Identification of champions
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Sustainability
Core skills training plan
Identification of champions
Needs assessment
Identification expected outcomes
Screening
Formalize a district-wide referral process
Increase access to evidence-based treatments and services
SEL programming
Track results
In-School Core Skills Training- All schools receive whole school professional development on a set of core foundational skills:
Using the Trauma Lens in the Classroom
Emotional Constancy
Positive and Reinforcing Language
The Labeling Trap
Problem-Solving Options

22. Is Your Organization Ready?
Making the Case for Trauma-informed Organizations
Is Your Organization Ready?
Let’s assess new MINDSET!
Talk about buy-in and resistance