Trauma Informed Care
According to the Service and Housing Interventions for Families in Transitions (SHIFT) study done by the American Institutes for Research, 93% of mothers experiencing homelessness have experienced at least one trauma and 79% experienced the trauma as a child.
Trauma is linked to higher rates of mental health disorders and substance abuse. These disorders compromise a mother’s ability to form safe and trusting relationships, maintain employment, and parent effectively. BHA is committed to bridging the gap to support families on their journey to reach their full potential. This commitment propels us to constantly evaluate our services and work to improve their quality. This ensures that we are changing with the population we serve to best meet their needs.
Trauma is the Root.
We realize the need for our organization to assess and provide support to address trauma and facilitate healing. Most often economic barriers are thought to be the main cause of homelessness, and while it plays a large role, it is not the sole reason.
BHA uses a holistic approach to address the underlying issues of trauma as well as economic and housing barriers to improve the quality of life and the likelihood of family stability.
Trauma-Informed Organization
To better serve the participants in the Transitions Program, BHA has worked diligently to become a Trauma-Informed Organization and remains committed to the on-going training and evaluation process. We have completed trainings, conducted surveys, and worked with consultants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Through an “Upstream” grant from The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, all staff completed a Trauma-Informed Certification through the University of Buffalo’s Social Work Department.
We were also awarded a grant from The Fund for Women and Girls of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities to hold a peer support group. During this group, participants use the psycho-education curriculum SELF (safety, emotions, loss, and future) which is designed to provide a framework to create change. It is a way to address the problems associated with exposure to violence and trauma without the need to focus on an individual’s experience.
