Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Among Child Service Providers

Despite increasing evidence in the public health field about the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the general population, little is known about the prevalence of ACEs among social service providers. Trauma backgrounds may influence both worker susceptibility to vicarious traumatization as well as clinical decision making. Similarly, individuals with trauma backgrounds are vulnerable to re-enactment of their history. With pressure on social service agencies to demonstrate successful client outcomes, it is critical that agencies explore factors that influence high-quality care. This exploratory study is the first investigation of ACE prevalence among workers in an agency that provides residential treatment, day treatment, and schooling for children with histories of trauma. Study results suggest a high prevalence of ACEs among these workers

An Exploratory Study of Employee Engagement in Human Service Agencies

Given research suggesting that engaged employees demonstrate greater workplace performance, employee engagement has been one of the highest trending topics in the management and human resource literature over the past 20 years; yet there is minimal empirical research focused specifically on employee engagement in nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this study was to explore antecedent factors that contribute to employee engagement in the human services sector, using a convenience sample of staff in human service agencies in the New York City region. Organizational trust, satisfaction with supervisor, and coworker support were significant predictors of employee engagement

Next Steps: Applying a Trauma-Informed Model to Create an Anti-Racist Organizational Culture

Although there has been a significant increase in the delivery of evidence-supported, trauma-informed care over the past few years, there has been less discussion around the consideration of the broader cultural, political, and societal factors that contextualize client trauma and that also need to be recognized and understood to promote healing and prevent future trauma. In support of sharing some best practices and lessons learned, this article provides a case study of one agency that has used the Sanctuary Model®, an evidence-supported, trauma-informed organizational change model, to introduce the practice of cultural humility with staff as a facilitator of improved service delivery for clients from culturally marginalized communities. The model supports these endeavors through the adherence to the seven commitments, a set of organizational values for creating a trauma-informed community, allowing for all voices to be heard and considered and providing opportunities to begin the repair of previous experiences of inequity and suppression. Through the board of directors, leadership, and staff, the organization transformed its culture into one that truly supports and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion in its operation for the benefit of both staff and clients alike

Organizational climate and burnout among home visitors: Testing mediating effects of empowerment.

While a large body of literature exists regarding the negative effects of burnout among human service workers, less is known about the organizational strategies that may play a role in its reduction or prevention. Using data from a survey of 179 home visitors in a statewide voluntary child maltreatment prevention program, we use hierarchical regression and structural equation models (SEM) to examine the processes of burnout. We found significant direct effects of a positive organizational climate predicting lower levels of burnout as well as mediating effects of worker empowerment on burnout. Findings suggest that research and practice would benefit by focusing on improving the work environment and empowering workers

The Sanctuary Model: Theoretical framework. Families in Society: The

impliCations For praCtiCe • emerging research suggests the importance of organizational culture in the delivery of evidence-based mental health services and, thus, the need for organizational interventions such as the sanctuary model. • By creating a restorative culture through the sanctuary model, service providers can be emotionally available to each other and their clients, resulting in positive relationships that create the conditions for resilience

The Sanctuary Model: Theoretical framework. Families in Society: The

This article provides a theoretical framework for the Sanctuary Model. The Sanctuary Model is a trauma-informed organizational change intervention developed by Sandra Bloom and colleagues in the early 1980s. Based on the concept of therapeutic communities, the model is designed to facilitate the development of organizational cultures that counteract the wounds suffered by the victims of traumatic experience and extended exposure to adversity. Details of the Sanctuary Model logic model are presented. Implications for Practice • Emerging research suggests the importance of organizational culture in the delivery of evidence-based mental health services and, thus, the need for organizational interventions such as the Sanctuary Model. • By creating a restorative culture through the Sanctuary Model, service providers can be emotionally available to each other and their clients, resulting in positive relationships that create the conditions for resilience. The Sanctuary Model represents a theory-based, trauma-informed, evidencesupported (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2008; The objective of such a change is to more effectively provide a cohesive context within which healing from physical, psychological, and social traumatic experience can be addressed. As an organizational culture intervention, the Sanctuary Model is designed to facilitate the development of structures, processes, and behaviors on the part of staff, clients, and the community as a whole that can counteract the biological, affective, cognitive, social, and existential wounds suffered by the victims of traumatic experience and extended exposure to adversit