Trauma-Informed Care and Trauma-Specific Services: A Comprehensive Approach to Trauma Intervention

Historically, health and human service systems have served people who have experienced trauma without acknowledging, understanding, or addressing its impact and the need for tailored responses. But why? To study or treat those affected by traumatic stress entails engaging with the reality and magnitude of interpersonal violence and abuse in our society; the reality is often too much to bear.

This brief addresses the need for a comprehensive approach to trauma intervention across service settings. In doing so, the authors define these complementary approaches, identify core principles, and current practice for each, and discuss how both are being integrated across service sectors. Finally, they identify next steps for providers, researchers, and policymakers to ensure that all service systems are prepared to sustain this comprehensive approach to trauma intervention.