Virginia statewide Trauma-Informed Community Networks

I would like to join the Greater Charlottesville area group. Please tell me how to join

This is all really exciting. Having only been in Virginia for a little over a year, I'm impressed with how developed the TICNs are here. I'm looking forward to getting more involved and thinking about how I can share best practices with groups in Montana, where I was most recently involved with trauma-informed work. 

Hi, Cristy: I was able to open it in Word. The whole thing is embedded below:

Summary of Virginia TICNs from 9.19.17 VA Statewide TICN Meeting

Fairfax TICN

• # of members, # organizations, examples of organizations represented: The Fairfax TICN is a network of over 75 individuals representing over 25 partner organizations to include Fairfax County Public Schools, the faith community, private and non-profit providers, and county government human services agencies (courts, social services, health department, etc.). The TICN aims to create community awareness about trauma and its impact, to organize and formalize the dissemination of training, and to create a support structure for the implementation of the principles of trauma-informed care across our system.
• Frequency of meetings? Structure? The full network currently meets every other month, with the leadership team and the training subcommittee meeting on an as needed basis. Much of the work is done via e-mail and through a SharePoint page. Other workgroups/committees are formed and disbanded on an as needed basis (ex: workgroup formed to plan a film screening for a large audience). Many county government agencies have their own trauma workgroups, who consult with, support, and continually communicate with, the larger network.
• Membership & Recruitment Process: Folks learn about the TICN in a variety of ways. Many members join as a result of having attended a training or film screening hosted by the TICN, or because they saw some of our printed materials, or stumbled across our web page. There is a “contact us” link on our website that connects folks to the coordinator, whose information is also on all printed materials. Anyone can join the e-mail list and attend the large network meetings. Folks are oriented to the TICN and its purpose and goals through a general e-mail if they ask to join the mailing list. Occasionally people will call for more in depth information.

When we first started, we did some targeted recruitment, and invited folks from all of our human services agencies, key leadership from the school system, and representatives from our common non-profit partners. Those folks did, and continue to do, some additional word of mouth recruitment. In terms of recruitment needs, we are currently working on a plan to engage local pediatric medical practices. When it comes to challenges, we are also always working to maintain consistent engagement from some of our larger county agencies (CSB, DFS) who play key roles in this work, but struggle with competing demands/priorities and staff turnover.

• Tiers of membership? We do not have any formal tiers of membership aside from the leadership team, and the general membership. Folks who have been trained to facilitate our trainings tend to have a higher level of engagement.
• Current goals / plans / highlights –
• Our goals are officially stated as:
• Creating a mechanism for information sharing, collaboration, and the sharing of resources
• Telling the story of trauma-informed efforts across our community, increasing awareness, and identifying areas that the group can collectively build upon
• Increasing the capacity of county government, FCPS, and their partners to implement the principles of TIC and to build resiliency in the individuals, families and communities that they serve
• Trauma Awareness and implementation of the principles of TIC do not belong to any one agency or discipline. The TICN aims to provide:
• Opportunities for cross agency workforce development
• The adoption of core competencies for the child/youth serving workforce
• A comprehensive Systems of Care approach/response to trauma
• The development of a shared language across Human Services Agencies and their partners as it relates to trauma, its impact, and creating a culture of trauma-informed care.

The TICN hosts film screenings, develops educational materials for dissemination, has developed and hosts a series of free trainings, and offers technical assistance to groups trying to implement trauma-informed care in their service settings. We rely on internal expertise, the leveraging of existing resources, and collaborative effort to create sustainable support structures to increase trauma awareness in our community, and within the human services workforce (public, private, non-profit & school-based).

Goals and plans for the immediate future include continuing to offer trainings and film screenings (with a new course focused on Secondary-Traumatic-Stress and Self-Care being rolled out this month),  supporting our System of Care office with their strategic plan goals of implementing trauma screening in primary care & increasing the capacity of our private provider network to offer evidence-based trauma specific treatments, planning some community awareness events to coincide with an upcoming (date TBD) resolution from our Board of Supervisors recognizing our work to become a trauma-informed system, and supporting all of our county human service agency and school system partners with technical assistance as they work to implement organizational change strategies following the training we hosted for senior leadership in November 2016.

• Communication / Messaging / Marketing – In terms of communication and marketing, network members are tasked with bringing relevant information and opportunities back to their agencies or programs. We have an e-mail list that we use to communicate with folks, as well as a bare bones web page housed within the county’s website where folks can learn the basics in terms of what we are doing and when our meetings are, and can request or register for training. We do have an official logo that we use on all printed materials, and are working on integrating into all of our training slides.
• Barriers and Challenges - One of our biggest challenges (also an opportunity) centers on making the connection between TIC and lots of other existing initiatives at the system, agency and program levels. Helping folks understand that this is not “one more thing” they have on their plate so much as this IS THE PLATE upon which so much of their other work can rest. In a time of lots of competing demands and budget strain, how can we build trauma awareness and trauma-informed care into existing trainings, work plans, strategic goals, etc.?
• Additional info: The following language regarding highlights was pulled from the annual report of the Partners in Prevention Fund (our TICN funding source). This fund is something that all county government human services agencies contribute to at the beginning of every year, and funds a variety of initiatives that have some connection to “prevention” and population level outcomes for children and youth.

“Launched in early FY 2016, the Fairfax County Trauma-Informed Community Network has over 75 members representing more than 25 different organizations, including county human services agencies, Fairfax County Public Schools, and representatives from the faith, non-profit, and private provider communities. The network continued to focus their efforts this year on the development of training, on increasing communication and collaboration among organizations involved in the network, and on beginning to create support structures for the effective implementation of the principles of trauma-informed care across the human services system. The PIPF sponsored trainings and materials for TICN.

TICN hosted 40 sessions of their 90 minute Trauma Awareness 101 Training, reaching approximately 1,000 people. This year, two webinar versions of the Trauma Awareness 101 Training were made available, one focused on the child & youth serving workforce, and one focused on staff working in housing locator roles. These webinars have been viewed by over 250 individuals. The TICN also hosted four full-day sessions of their Trauma-Informed Supervisor Training, reaching over 80 supervisors from county human services agencies and their non-profit partners, as well as two training sessions focused on Secondary-Traumatic-Stress and self-care for over 175 FCPS staff.  All TICN trainings were developed collaboratively by cross agency and cross disciplinary teams, and were offered free of charge to participants.

The TICN worked to increase community awareness of trauma and its impact by continuing to distribute the Trauma Awareness Fact Sheet that they developed and published, supporting mass printing of a trauma infographic poster from the National Council for Behavioral Health that was also widely distributed, and hosting two screenings of the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope, attended by approximately 250 staff and stakeholders. Additionally, the TICN purchased a copy of the documentary and a license to screen it in a variety of settings. They have supported 15 screenings using this license, giving over 375 additional stakeholders an opportunity to view the film.

New this year, the TICN developed and published a Facility Review Checklist tool focused on creating Trauma-Informed Spaces across the county. To date, the tool has been used at 17 different service delivery sites across the county using a process that brings together small interdisciplinary teams to review each service environment with an eye on creating spaces that promote recovery and healing for survivors of trauma, and on creating work spaces that support the health and well-being of the staff who work in them.

The TICN continues to be a “go-to” network, and is the lead partner for multiple trauma-related initiatives in the new Children’s Behavioral Health System of Care Blueprint. As an action step on one of the Blueprint goals, the TICN sponsored a training for 60 senior leaders from County Human Services and Fairfax County Public Schools with an international expert on developing strong leadership in trauma-exposed work environments. The TICN is offering coordination and technical assistance to all of the agencies that participated in the training as they work to develop plans to implement the principles of trauma-informed care.”

Greater Charlottesville TICN

• # of members, # organizations: We have 190 names on our distribution list. Thirty-one organizations are represented. The Steering Committee has members from 15 organizations.
• Examples of organizations represented: Departments of Social Services, Foster care providers, School systems, Region Ten, Blue Ridge Detention Center, Mental health providers- children, families and adults, and Service providers- children, families, adults.  Partnerships with United Way, Early Education Task Force and CACHY- Charlottesville/Albermarle Coalition for Healthy Youth.
• Frequency of meetings: The Steering Committee and the Network meet on alternating months
• Structure - A work in progress. The Steering Committee is still the locus of activity.
• Current goals / plans / highlights - We have a strategic plan. The self-assessment was completed. Our focus is on training now.
• Membership and Recruitment - Membership has grown largely through word of mouth. Individuals and organizations contact us. We do have several targets.
• Orientation process? Nothing formal
• Recruitment needs/challenges - We will invite representatives from the following once the Network is more structured: law enforcement, medical, UVA
• Tiers of membership? Steering Committee, everyone else
• Communication/Messaging/Marketing - We send a bi-monthly newsletter that includes relevant links, articles along with the agenda for the next meeting and the registration link.
• Barriers and Challenges - Identifying and connecting all the discrete trauma informed projects that are currently underway. Contributing to the community healing process in the wake of August 11 and 12.

Greater Piedmont TICN:

• # of members, # organizations:  We have about 10 people on the board representing various different organizations
• Examples of organizations represented: including RRCSB, private providers, faith based organizations, the legal community, court system, and schools.  
• Frequency of meetings: We try to meet once a month, but that does not always happen due to conflicts.  We are an official 501c3 nonprofit organization that has provided TI-RB training to various community organizations.  We have also launched the Strong and Healthy Initiative through which we have raised funds to purchase hygiene supplies that we then donate to area schools for students to have access to, no questions asked.  
• Tiers of membership: We don't have "tiers of membership" or an orientation process.  We just include anyone who wants to be included.  
• Additional info: Currently, we have written for several small local grants to cover the Strong and Healthy Initiative.  We have also written a grant in conjunction with the school system to be able to provide a wellness day for families identified at a specific elementary school here in Culpeper.  The particular school has the highest rate of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch (about 70% of the students qualify).  The wellness day would include age specific activities for adults/caregivers and kids and would focus on educating on building resilience and creating community connections.  GPTICN is moving in the direction of partnering with organizations to implement resilience based programs in addition to the trainings we have done, moving from "why" to "how".  We have a FB page through which we share everything, but have little else for marketing and communications.  However, our local paper has run a few articles highlighting our work.  Obstacles have included the abstract nature of "resilience" and trying to make our message more concrete and applicable across the board.  We also highlight for the community when other organizations are building resilience and recognizing them for doing so.  For example, our town police department does a great job of community policing.  They are always doing fun and free activities within the community and building relationships with the public.  While, as police officers, they don't realize they are "building resilience", we highlight these programs through sharing on our own social media and citing them as examples of resilience building activities.  We try to recognize when programs are already in place that we can partner with/support/supplement and help the community to see concrete examples of what "building resilience" looks like. 

Greater Richmond TICN:

• # of members, # organizations – 240 members, 106 organizations
• Examples of organizations represented – see MEMBER LIST
• Frequency of meetings: – Large group meets every other month and committees generally meet on the alternating months
• Structure (types of workgroups / committees) – Backbone organization is Greater Richmond SCAN, Committee Chairs serve as leadership team, Committees
• Brief Screening Tool Committee – This committee initially examined trauma screening measures to determine recommendations for a screening measure for local child welfare workers within Depts of Social Services agencies. Discovered NC Project Broadcast Brief Screening Tool when mentioned during the Child Welfare Trauma Toolkit training. Brief pilot at the Henrico CAC of the Project Broadcast tool. Recognized need for training, completed all day training by Duke faculty for 100 CW workers in September 2017. New pilots now underway in three counties. Goals: support pilots by gathering data and providing additional training and join learning collaborative with counties in pilot.
• Healthcare Committee - 25 members – This committee is comprised of professionals from various healthcare settings (hospital systems, community health, private pediatric practices, public health, home health etc.). This committee is being utilized as a learning collaborative for organizations from various healthcare organizations to discuss their process, share successes, obtain resources, discuss challenges / barriers as they begin process of implementing trauma informed and trauma sensitive practices and policies into their various settings. We are currently providing consultation to 3 hospitals from 3 separate healthcare systems, as they begin to develop Trauma Informed Leadership Teams (TILTs) in their Pediatric Departments. We are beginning to create a monthly E-note to disseminate information and resources related to trauma informed practice and healthcare.
• Legal/Courts Committee – 31 members – Began with training on vicarious trauma for CA’s and LE. Trauma assessment beginning with focus groups following National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges documents. Created wellness project in Richmond Police Department (enotes, yoga, stress balls, now Road to Resilience (RPD R2R) and department wide. TICN training committee completed recent Trauma & Resilience Basics training for 300+ officers.  Sending monthly enotes, coordinated 3 months of free yoga, assembled and piloting car kits with items for stress relief, wrote mini grant and set up wellness room at RPD headquarters.  Goals: committee is continuing assessment through focus groups, working of the development of a framework for others to copy efforts and exploring implementation of Trauma Informed Leadership Teams within courthouses.
• Trauma-Informed Outcomes Committee – The outcomes committee researched best practices for evaluating coalitions and worked on a logic model for the TICN. Committee members met with committee chairs to gather information about specific outcomes for their committees to determine what is being measured and what else needs to be measured. Committee members plan to provide feedback and recommendations to committee chairs. Committee members also plan to gather information from agencies that the TICN is working with and look at case studies to see how the TICN and the agency work together and the outcomes of the work.
• Trauma-Informed Policy Committee – The policy committee convened this year and began by discussing the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) model. This model helps guide organizations to create policy change within a community.  They identified local and state trauma champions and reviewed efforts that other states have made.  The committee collaborated with other TICN’s around the state. The committee also discussed ways to engage key policy makers and drafted two resolutions for the January 2017 General Assembly session.  One resolution recognized the work of TICNs and the second acknowledged the prevalence of trauma and the need for trauma-informed work. Committee members planned for Legislative Action Day for Monday, January 30^th. The Trauma-Informed Policy Committee was successful with the passing of Resolution 653 to recognize TICNs across the state. Committee members continue to look at other states that have been successful in proposing and passing legislation for trauma-informed care. In addition, members reviewed information sheets developed by Voices for Virginia’s Children about trauma that will be used in election guides for upcoming Virginia elections.
• Trauma-Informed Schools Committee – The Pre-K-12 work group met throughout the year to determine training outcomes and to recommend minimum qualifications of individuals to conduct school-based training, and it met both goals. The Universities work group met with the new Dean of the VCU School of Education, Andrew Daire, to inform him of the committee’s work and to explore opportunities around trauma-informed education and research.  The Universities workgroup began work to schedule a training seminar for university faculty and staff to help them incorporate trauma-informed practices within their classes.  The Schools Committee provided support to the Richmond Public Schools Resiliency Partnership. One specific example is that the leader of the pre-K – 12 workgroup provided training and technical assistance to participating schools.  Based on discussion among the committee, three new workgroups were added near the end of the past year. The new groups are Trauma-Informed Practices and PBIS, Mindfulness and Yoga, and Restorative Justice. Each group has a charge and a product to deliver.
• Training Committee - 30 members – This committee is focused on creating a shared language amongst the community as it relates to trauma and resilience. We have created our own speakers bureau, where committee members volunteer their time and take turns facilitating a 3 hour Trauma and Resilience Basics training every other month. These trainings are offered for free all over the community, and consistently fill up. We encourage organizations to send their new staff, volunteers, interns, board members etc. so that everyone has a strong foundation in understanding the impact of trauma, the ACE Survey, and strategies to build resilience at the individual and community level. We have created a training guide for facilitators, which serves as a “must have” list of objectives and information that is to be covered in every training and assures consistency with our message. Our committee also facilitates these trainings upon request as well, for individual organizations. We are in the process of developing a training guide for training on Impact of Trauma Exposure on the Professional, so that we can offer these trainings on a more routine basis as well.
• Workforce Development – This committee gathered data from a survey to local licensed providers to determine what trainings are needed to assist with expanding the provider network of trauma-informed therapists. Committee members also developed recommendations for VCU School of Social Work as they undergo curriculum transformation for including trauma-informed care information into coursework and program overall. Goals: Development of a survey for non-licensed providers to assess any trainings or resources needed to implement trauma-informed care, development curriculum and certification programs for universities and organizing workshops for TICN supervisors to promote wellness and resilience.
• Current goals / plans / highlights – Committee goals are listed above. The GRTICN is developing a Community Resilience Committee and working to include consumer/community/caregivers in the network. 

Highlights:

• Providing consultation and technical assistance to organizations on process of becoming more trauma-informed: Child Welfare, Law Enforcement, J&DR Courts, Schools, Healthcare, etc.
• Leading Richmond City Police Department’s Road 2 Resilience (RPD R2R) initiative which consists of creating a wellness room, coordinating yoga classes, distributing monthly e-mails with information about trauma exposure & building resilience and assisting with trauma training for sworn officers and new recruits.
• Facilitating bi-monthly Trauma & Resilience Basics trainings
• Coordinating training, pilot and implementation of the Brief Trauma Screening Tool. Training provided for 100 Child Welfare workers in the Greater Richmond area.
• Hosting monthly screenings of Resilience and Paper Tigers documentary films (over 3000 people have attended screenings).
• Leading efforts with three major local healthcare systems (Bon Secours, VCU Health and HCA) to create Trauma-Informed Leadership Teams (TILTs) within Pediatric Departments.
• Providing consultation across Virginia on the development of TICNs and convening a statewide network (currently 9 TICNs statewide).
• Facilitated training in a one year learning collaborative for 25 local clinicians in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics with Dr. Bruce Perry.
• Led efforts for new language in VA State Board of Education regulations requiring trauma-informed courses as a requirement for university K-12 teaching programs.
• Led efforts for Resolution in General Assembly recognizing TICNs as a best practice model.
• Membership and Recruitment Process - Much of our recruitment has been through word of mouth, and having members bring others to the table. Presently, our most effective recruitment tool has been utilizing the Resilience Documentary, and previously using Paper Tigers Documentary. We hold frequent screenings of the film followed by a post-film discussion. We have been able to generate tremendous awareness, and have seen our membership numbers double in the past year after screening the film to over 2000 people throughout the community.
• Orientation process – Initially contact via e-mail, send thank you and include annual report & document written about our history, moving to quarterly orientation meetings that people register for, meet for approx. 1 hour – 1 ½ hours to provide overview and highlight work of committees to invite them to join.
• Recruitment needs / challenges - Inclusion of community members/consumer who have been impacted by issues the TICN is working on (we recognize that people within the group have been impacted by trauma but are typically identifying in their professional role). We plan to invite folks from faith communities and invite youth to join.
• Tiers of membership – None developed at this time. Review of San Diego Trauma-Informed Guide Team tiers. Committee chairs recently discussed implementing tiers for GRTICN.
• Communication / Messaging / Marketing – Monthly eNote, special announcements/questions for network via e-mail as needed, attended vendor fairs and provide gave away items, discuss benefits of membership when out, Paper Tigers and Resilience are largest marketing events, use Yammer and GRTICN community on ACES Connection.
• Barriers and Challenges –Need to continue look address historical, generational and community trauma. TICN’s work being integrated within existing initiatives and coordination/collaborating these efforts. Demonstration of the impact of the TICN within organizations and on client levels and challenge of measuring the work.

Harrisonburg TICN:

• # members: 70, # organizations: 25
• Examples of organizations represented: Harrisonburg City Schools, Department of Social Services, Rockingham County Schools, Collins Center (Child Advocacy Center)
• Frequency of meetings: Was once every 6 weeks, now monthly
• Structure: Executive committee with 3 focus/work groups: community education, resilience building, interagency collaboration
• Current goals: Develop our structure; facilitate focus group meetings across the region. planning a community-wide screening of Resilience in November.
• Membership and recruitment process: Right now, whoever wants to be involved is welcome!
• Orientation process: None as of yet
• Recruitment needs/challenges: Haven't encountered this yet owing to our relative youth as a group
• Tiers of membership: None as of yet
• Communication/messaging/marketing: By email currently. exploring a website, FB page, and listserv
• Barriers and challenges: capacity/time. Lead contact is completely volunteering; others are coming from related jobs to meetings during the day

Southside TICN:

• # of members/organizations: We currently have about 30-35 members who show up to the monthly meetings, but over 100 on our email/distribution list. Our last count had over 40 organizations represented on the STICN.
• Examples of organizations represented: social services, public sector, schools, health department, non-profits, domestic violence shelter, Juvenile Justice, faith-based, community members and VSU
• Frequency of meetings: : We currently meet monthly
• Structure: Currently we have four workgroups (training, funding, early childhood strategies and community outreach). We had a fifth workgroup that was helping with the Beyond ACEs Summit, and will now work to sustain momentum
• Current goals: We are hoping to establish additional workgroups (schools & attendance and reconvene the Summit workgroup)
• Membership: We currently have open recruitment. Members are encouraged to invite members to attend and join the STICN.
• Orientation: We are currently working to develop an orientation process. It’s another goal of the STICN.
• Tiers of membership: We currently don’t have any tiers of membership. Currently we lead the STICN, and convene one meeting with all members.
• Communications: We currently have an ACEs Connection Group, we send out reminders for meetings and share relevant information/resources with our email list

Did anyone else have trouble opening the attachment? It is telling me the URL no longer exists or the document is not publicly accessible . . .

Hi, Lisa: What exciting work is going on in VA!  I don't see an attachment -- will you post it?

Thanks!