Creating a Trauma-Informed System of Care for Formerly Incarcerated Dads
Evidence | Publications

Creating a Trauma-Informed System of Care for Formerly Incarcerated Dads

OPRE Report 2019-62
Published: May 30, 2019
Publisher: Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Human Services Family Support Strengthening Families and Responsible Fatherhood Justice Reentry
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Associated Project

Parents and Children Together (PACT)

Time frame: 2011–2020

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Clients
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Authors

Robin Dion

Melissa Azur

Michaella Morzuch

Lareina LaFlair

Key Findings
  • Key elements of a trauma-informed system of care are: an organizational commitment to a trauma-informed system of care, staff training in awareness of and appropriate response to trauma, and practices to foster healing and avoid further traumatization.
  • Fatherhood programs can conduct screenings to identify fathers who may benefit from clinical mental health services, and refer fathers who need further mental health assessments or clinical treatment to “in-house” clinical providers or external partners.
  • Fatherhood program staff could implement several nonclinical trauma-specific programs that support fathers with a trauma history. These programs are described in the brief.
  • Several tools and training resources, including trauma screeners, organizational assessments, and agencies that provide trainings, are available to fatherhood programs interested in implementing a trauma-informed system of care. These resources are described in the brief.
The purpose of this brief is to describe how fatherhood programs serving men in reentry can infuse their programming with the principles and elements of a trauma-informed system of care to support fathers and staff who have experienced trauma. The brief also identifies resources that may help fatherhood programs implement a trauma-informed system of care.

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