Choose a person who has experienced a crisis or trauma. It could be you, a family member, friend or someone in a movie or on TV. Using trauma informed practices, create an individualized Service Plan. Resources that are different places that demonstrate knowledge of trauma-informed approaches (not just one treatment center).
Identify someone in need (you, a friend, family member, classmate, co-worker or movie/TV character) and create a "Case Study" by providing information about your client as a whole person (not just their traumatic experience, but also their likes, hobbies, hopes, etc.).
Evaluate their needs from a human services standpoint. How did they get into their current situation? What about their life do they want to change? What can you as the human services professional do to help them?
Create a Service Plan by creating 5 goals for your client, assigning a local organization who will assist with each goal and a date this will be accomplished by. For example, "Goal #1: Link client to yoga classes to be taken once per week to practice breathing and body awareness. This will be done by referring her to Sports Yoga M2 by the end of next week". The goals can be in "list format" (instead of paragraph format).
Discuss any ethical issues that you may experience with your client (for example, "my client told me that she has a crush on me, this is how I handled it), how you will ensure confidentiality (for example, "I informed my client that anything we discuss stays between us unless she in danger, wants to hurt herself or someone else), limits of competency (for example, "My client wanted my help processing her past sexual abuse but because I'm not qualified as a counselor, I referred her to someone who CAN help her") and your continuing professional development (for example, "I will keep myself updated in the field by attending seminars on proper ethics, procedures, etc.").
You can submit this assignment by creating an organized Word document and be sure to address each bolded prompt above.
Grading Scale:
__/50 Analysis and Evaluation
Was the general content of the service plan appropriate to the topic and thorough? Was it thoughtful, considerate and trauma informed? Was it written using appropriate language?
__/30 Goals
Did each of the 5 goals include a time frame, place of referral and rationale? Was it clear, organized and understandable to the client?
__/20 Ethical Issues, Confidentiality, Limits of Competency and Professional Development
Was each topic clearly, thoroughly and correctly addressed?
Full Answer Section
Personal History: Sarah is a bright and talented young woman. She is a gifted artist and musician. She is also a kind and compassionate person. She loves animals and enjoys spending time outdoors.
Goals: Sarah's goal is to heal from the trauma of her assault and live a full and meaningful life. She wants to be able to feel safe and secure, and to enjoy her hobbies and interests without being triggered by her trauma.
Service Plan: Sarah's service plan will be based on the principles of trauma-informed care. This means that her treatment will be tailored to her individual needs and experiences. She will be provided with a safe and supportive environment where she can feel comfortable sharing her story. She will also be offered a variety of treatment options, including individual therapy, group therapy, and medication management.
Treatment Options:
- Individual therapy: Sarah will meet with a therapist on a regular basis to discuss her trauma and its impact on her life. The therapist will help her to understand her symptoms and to develop coping mechanisms.
- Group therapy: Sarah will participate in a group therapy program with other survivors of sexual assault. This will provide her with an opportunity to share her experiences with others who understand what she is going through.
- Medication management: If necessary, Sarah may be prescribed medication to help manage her symptoms of PTSD.
Resources:
- The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): https://www.rainn.org
- The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) website provides a wealth of information and resources for survivors of sexual assault. The website includes a national hotline, a chat function, and a library of articles and videos.
- The National Center for PTSD: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
- The National Center for PTSD website provides information about PTSD, including treatment options and research updates. The website also includes a directory of PTSD treatment providers.
Conclusion:
Sarah's case study illustrates the importance of trauma-informed care. By providing Sarah with a safe and supportive environment and by offering her a variety of treatment options, she has a good chance of healing from her trauma and living a full and meaningful life.
In addition to the resources listed above, there are a number of other organizations that provide trauma-informed care. These organizations include:
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): https://www.nctsn.org/
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/
These organizations can provide information about trauma-informed care and can help people find providers who offer this type of care.