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EFFECTIVE APPROACHES FOR ADDRESSING STS

Multi-level Prevention and Intervention Strategies

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Prevention Strategies

– Psychoeducation – – Preparedness Planning 

Intervention Strategies

– Personal and professional 

Organizational

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/publications/ CW360_2012.pdf

Multi-level Prevention and Intervention Strategies

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

Prevention Strategies

– Psychoeducation – – Preparedness Planning 

Intervention Strategies

– Personal and professional 

Organizational

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/publications/ CW360_2012.pdf

Personal self care

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   Awareness – Recognize and identify STS symptoms – Supervision and consultation addressing STS – Know and monitor change in functioning Balance – – Make personal life a priority Attend to your physical health Connection – Make relationships with family and friends a priority – Honor you connection to your community – Revitalize your sense of life’s purpose and meaning http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/events/SecondaryTrauma/PDFs/BrianBride_PPT.pdf

Professional self care

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   Awareness – Recognize and identify STS symptoms – Supervision and consultation addressing STS – Know own triggers Balance – Balance caseload, time, tasks Connection – – – Develop a professional connection Develop and utilize a professional support network Remember why you do this work http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/events/SecondaryTrauma/PDFs/BrianBride_PPT.pdf

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Domains of Self-Care

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Physical

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Psychological

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Emotional

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Spiritual

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Workplace

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/publications/ CW360_2012.pdf

Organizational Strategies

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 Provide opportunities for – Education and training – – Supervision and consultation Safe and pleasant physical setting   – Reasonable/balanced workload – Ensure adequate coverage and back-up Develop caring and supportive organizational culture – acknowledge STS is reality of work, encourage ongoing and open discussion of STS among staff and administrators Facilitate opportunities for peer support  Create a protocol for debriefing when needed  Ensure quality mental health coverage and EAP program http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/events/SecondaryTrauma/PDFs/BrianBride_PPT.pdf

CWLA Survey

Of the 32 states surveyed, many recognized the importance of addressing secondary trauma in their workers.

Most States: Reported that they have no protocol to address this issue, are only providing debriefings after major crisis events, and/or offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

Some States: Reported that they provide one time trainings to caseworkers on what secondary trauma is, how to recognize it, and prevention tools for individuals to utilize.

Few States: Reported a multileveled systems change approach that included numerous supervisory and caseworker trainings, ongoing support groups, debriefings after major crisis events, and individual supports such as EAPs and one-on-one supervisory support.

Examples – Connecticut

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  Department of Children and Families has focused its efforts on both training and organizational-level infrastructure that provide supports to address the impact of STS.

– – training is focused on helping workers know what [work-related stress resulting from STS] is, and what the signs are and effective ways to protect themselves Developed an approach that teaches strategies on three levels: professional, personal, and organizational. http://www.cwla.org/voice/0903stress.htm

Examples – Connecticut

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 Professional strategies are described as the “ABCs”: awareness, balance, and connection. – – Participants learn to recognize STS as an occupational hazard; focus their empathy on strengths and resilience; – – – – fully utilize supervision; build an internal support team; limit exposure to traumatic material outside of work; and acknowledge the importance of aligning their choice of workplace with their professional values . http://www.cwla.org/voice/0903stress.htm

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Examples – Connecticut

 Personal strategies include: – – – – nurturing healthy relationships outside of work; seeking activities that instill beauty, comfort, hope, meaning, and joy; being aware of the individual’s threshold; learning to respond rather than react; and – focusing on self-care and self-nurturing activities.

http://www.cwla.org/voice/0903stress.htm

Examples – Connecticut

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  Organizational strategies require management and leadership buy in, which sends the message that the agency recognizes the hazards of the job. Organizational strategies reflective of this are: – – – – having balanced caseloads for workers; cultivating a team-oriented working environment of competency, safety, and trust; providing effective and respectful supervision and consultation; cultivating healthy community partnerships and joining in actions to prevent abuse and neglect; and offering access to flexible scheduling and adequate vacation, sick time, and personal leave for workers to deal with stress .

http://www.cwla.org/voice/0903stress.htm

Examples – Multi-state

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 In Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, Arizona and other western states, David Conrad from the University of Colorado provides both individual/group consultation to child welfare staff directly impacted by fatalities, staff assaults and other critical incidents, and secondary traumatic stress training seminars focused on preparing staff for coping with the work on an ongoing basis

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http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/addressing_sts_among_child_welfare_staff_practice_brief_0 .pdf

Examples – NCTSN

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 National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative focused on using trauma-informed child welfare practice to improve foster care placement stability Los Angeles, Massachusetts and several other jurisdictions are addressing the stressors experienced by child welfare staff and/or foster parents through: – on-site group sessions; – integrating resilience-focused activities into staff meetings, group supervision and ongoing trainings; and – other activities.

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/addressing_sts_among_child_welfare_staff_practice_brief_0 .pdf

Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress:

The Resilience Alliance

Resources

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     http://www.cwla.org/voice/0903stress.htm

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/ad dressing_sts_among_child_welfare_staff_practice_b rief_0.pdf

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/ publications/CW360_2012.pdf

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/re silience_alliance_training_manual.pdf

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/re silience_alliance_participant_handbook.pdf