Healing Hearts, Promoting Health

Healing Hearts, Promoting Health (HHPH) was an intensive pilot project that addressed the trauma and related nutrition, health, and wellness issues of recently displaced families and children, with particular focus on Haitian earthquake evacuees in Southern Florida. The main goal of HHPH was to improve the health and well-being of displaced families and children by equipping second responders with concrete tools and strategies. We aimed to build the capacity of local community organizations to implement trauma-informed programs and practices focused on culturally appropriate family health and well-being strategies.

Through an innovative partnership with SantLa, The Haitian Neighborhood Center, The National Center provided intensive training to a broad array of nonprofit providers working with displaced and traumatized populations including Haitian evacuees. The goal was to engage providers in a learning experience that would allow them to adapt knowledge of trauma-informed care in a way that is relevant to their local culture and communities and builds local capacity. The National Center also developed a guide for providing trauma-informed care for displaced populations. Project partners included OrganWise Guys, Inc. and Dr. Danielle Hollar.