What is Trauma-informed care?

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is an approach to providing support, services, and treatment that recognizes and responds to the impact of trauma on individuals. The basis is understanding the impact of trauma, recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma, and integrating this knowledge into practices and interventions.

Key principles of trauma-informed care include:

• • • Safety: Ensuring physical and emotional safety for individuals receiving services.
    • Trustworthiness: Building trust and establishing clear expectations for interactions and relationships.
    • Choice: Empowering individuals to have control and autonomy in decision-making.
    • Collaboration: Involving individuals in the planning and implementation of their care.
    • Empowerment: Supporting individuals in building strengths and resilience.

Our providers understand trauma can have profound and lasting effects on individuals’ physical health, mental health, behavior, and relationships. They seek to create environments that are sensitive to these effects and avoid re-traumatization.

TIC at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center

At Yellowhawk, trauma-informed care aims to promote healing, recovery, and resilience among individuals. It involves creating supportive and culturally suitable environments, and adapting policies and procedures to meet the needs of our patients.

Standard care for Yellowhawk is patient centered and relationship based. By helping patients make informed decisions and being respectful of their decisions, we strive to foster a mutual relationship of trust and partnership between patients and health care provider teams. We are committed to providing high quality health care through evidence based practices, coordination of care, continuity of care and community response.

Primary care providers recognize the challenges of wellness.  Whether it’s minor or major lifestyle changes, both impact our community’s health. By being attuned to the strengths of our patients, and as a team are able to focus on how to progress towards or enhance wellness.

Yellowhawk staff want patients to have a sense of safety when visiting with any of our healthcare workers. We want to be sensitive to current or past experiences that have an effect on mental and physical health today. We aspire to lessen further harm and support individual growth and healing.

As a tribal clinic, the community’s culture is instilled in the organization.  Knowing the local community and culture helps improve or develop appropriate evidence based care.  It is the hope by taking and sustaining a culturally grounded approach to care there is patient trust and engagement.