A Trauma-informed Ministry…       

• Knows what trauma is
• Realizes how trauma affects people & understand paths to recovery
• Recognizes the signs of trauma
• Responds by changing practices
• Resists re-traumatization by addressing trauma and toxic stress in the lives of both church leaders and congregants

The Process starts with a free of charge 20-minute phone consultation. Once a decision is made to proceed an in-person or Face Time/Zoom consultation will be scheduled. You will be provided a contract with terms of agreement for your approval. This will include costs, and timeframe for the assessment. After the comprehensive assessment, an assessment report including resources and where necessary referrals will be submitted at least one month after the assessment is completed.

The Trauma-Ministry Assessment Tool will be focus on five (5) main domains:

Domain 1: Program Procedures and Settings – To what extent are program activities and settings consistent with five guiding principles of trauma-informed practice: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment?

Domain 2: Formal Service Policies – To what extent do the formal  ministry policies reflect an understanding of trauma survivors’ needs, strengths, and challenges? Of staff needs? Are these policies monitored and implemented consistently?

Domain 3: Trauma Screening, Assessment, and Service Planning – To what extent does the program have a consistent way to identify individuals who have been exposed to trauma and to include trauma-related information in planning services with the members?

Domain 4: Administrative Support for Ministry/Program-Wide -Trauma-Informed Services – To what extent do agency administrators support the integration of knowledge about trauma and recovery into all ministry/program practices?

Domain 5: Staff Trauma Training and Education – To what extent have all staff members received appropriate training in trauma and its implication for their work?

Scale focuses on the following…

• Administrative Commitment to Change – a commitment by the “powers that be” – those who are in positions of power and control in the church.
• Universal Screening – in the church this could take the form of a brief, uncomplicated screen that members can be asked to complete at certain convenient times such as at new member’s class or church retreats.

• Training and Education – training all leaders/staff using an interactive workshop such as our Healing Churches in Trauma Awareness Workshop
• Hiring Practices/Staff appointments/Nomination for Ordination – designing or selecting trauma assessments to be used when evaluating individuals for positions throughout the church. This would assess basic knowledge of trauma and trauma-informed care and possibly also administering the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Score instrument to assess exposure to childhood trauma.

• Review of Church Policies, Practices and Procedures – carefully assess all policies and practices, especially those related to church discipline, to ensure that they are sensitive to survivors of trauma to reduce potential harm and re-traumatization.

The benefits are summed up in a question asked by Deborah v Deusen Hunsinger:

“As caregivers in the Church who seek to help others, how can we be sure that we will first do no harm…as witnesses to the trauma of others or as persons afflicted by trauma ourselves, where do we turn for help?”

Most churches and social agencies help people deal with pain and overcome adversities. Our system-wide assessment will further equip your organization – church or social agency – to “do no harm” in your mission to help others. You will become more knowledge about how unresolved traumas impact a person’s current functioning, be able to adopt trauma-informed practices and policies to avoid unintentionally re-traumatizing the people you serve. Thus, your church or social agency can become more healing places.

The cost is negotiable, based on the size of the church or agency and ability to pay.

All information obtained from the assessment is password protected.

Data Storage to Protect Confidentiality:

Your privacy will be maintained during data analysis and presentation and publication of results by the following means: (1) Names will not be recorded. (2) Only leadership and authorized members of the church/agency will view collected data in details. (3) Information will be stored on a password-locked USB drive, limiting access to assessment data and properly disposing of unwanted data sheets.

Contact Dr. Carol Mills Kamara at healingjoywellness@yahoo.com