Trauma-Informed Care

Collection of implementation guides on evidence-informed best practices in HIV care delivery.

Examination of potential areas for bi-directional sharing between the U.S. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

To better integrate primary care with behavioral health services, providers were trained on trauma-informed care and contracts and standards of care were modified to require that medical providers conduct mental health screenings. As a result, receipt of mental health services and care retention rates improved.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Through individual or group sessions of CPT, clients learn to recognize and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs related to trauma. Positive Impact Health Centers and Western North Carolina Community Health Services implemented CPT as part of E2i, an initiative funded by the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017 to 2021. While not statistically significant, CPT participants had increased engagement in care and retention in care from enrollment to 12 months.

Lehigh Valley Health Network Comprehensive Health Services implemented a trauma-informed approach to care delivery, including training staff on how trauma can affect people’s health and how microaggressions in healthcare environments can potentially trigger trauma responses. This approach positively impacted care delivery and the program’s retention in care rate.

Extramural dental clinics implemented the medical home model, with integrated trauma-informed care, to expand oral health care services for people with HIV, and saw increases in referrals from partner organizations and the number of new clients.

Seeking Safety helps people who have experienced trauma and/or substance use disorder gain safe coping skills through a flexible 12-session intervention. The University of California, San Diego Mother Child Adolescent HIV Program and the Multicultural AIDS Coalition implemented Seeking Safety as part of E2i, an initiative funded by the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017–2021. Participants had higher rates of retention in care and viral suppression after 12 months of the intervention.

Seeking Safety is an evidence-based coping skills intervention that helps people attain safety from trauma and/or addiction.

Description of a communication-centered approach to service delivery that provides a compassionate and supportive environment to promote intrinsic behavior change among youth 16 to 29 with newly diagnosed HIV.

Trauma-Informed Approach & Coordinated HIV Assistance and Navigation for Growth and Empowerment (TIA/CHANGE) was developed by HIV experts in collaboration with community members to improve health outcomes among people with HIV. Using a strength-based approach to HIV service provision, TIA/CHANGE offers guidance and structure for an organization to become trauma-informed. TIA/CHANGE includes enrollment of clients in trauma-informed intensive case management services. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium implemented TIA/CHANGE as part of E2i, an initiative funded by the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017–2021. Among clients participating in TIA/CHANGE there were improvements in prescription of ART and viral suppression.

TIA/CHANGE is an evidence-informed and resilience-focused intervention that provides guidance and structure for becoming a trauma-informed HIV service organization.

Review of the basics of trauma and modules on trauma-informed approaches in the delivery of HIV care.

Guide on how to coordinate HIV/HCV treatment with substance use treatment and recovery.

Web-based toolkit on ways for agencies to establish partnerships to address intimate partner violence (IPV).

Recordings of the TAP-in webinars on topics critical to the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative.