Tailoring Care: A Collaborative Trauma-Informed Approach Within Lisbon's Homeless Shelters – Integrating HR Training
The collaborative Harm Reduction (HR) training model, initiated in 2021, targets different teams within Lisbon's homeless shelters operated by the Vitae Association. Acknowledging the intricate life stories of individuals experiencing homelessness, often marked by trauma, highlighted a pressing need for the development of a collaborative Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) training model. This short communication introduces the tailored TIC training model, embedded within the HR collaborative framework, designed by the HR team of the Division of Intervention in Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies of the Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and specifically tailored for the team's intervention in homeless shelters, along with its subsequent evaluation.
TIC Training consists of seven collaborative sessions, organized into four mixed groups, involving the entire team, from cooks to directors, in Vitae's homeless shelters. Covering the seven fundamental areas of TIC, including Safety, Trust and Transparency, Collaboration and Choice, Empowerment and Voice, History, Culture and Identity, Resilience and Recovery Skills, and Diverse Sensitivity within an HR framework. It encourages collaboration and reflection based on participants' lived experiences. The impact of the intervention will be assessed using the Portuguese version of the ARTIC scale (Assessment of Trauma-Informed Care) pre and post-training, complemented by content analysis from the participant's final feedback.
Preliminary insights into the collaborative integration of TIC training will be shared, with a specific focus on its implementation within Vitae's homeless shelters. The Training Model, initial outcomes, and participant feedback will be presented, offering a glimpse into the potential effectiveness of this approach within the unique context of homeless populations. This submission provides a comprehensive overview of TIC training within the collaborative HR model, delivering a thorough examination of the impact of collaborative TIC training.
By highlighting the transformative effects on team members, particularly within the specific context of homeless shelters operated by Vitae, we aim to demonstrate how this approach contributes to a more trauma-sensitive organizational intervention within addiction-related fields. The combination of quantitative assessments and qualitative analysis offers a thorough evaluation of the training's impact, providing valuable insights to enhance trauma-sensitive practices. This short communication contributes to the discourse on innovative training models in addiction-related fields, specifically tailored for homeless populations, and aims to inform future strategies for enhancing trauma-sensitive practices.
