Individuals with complex health and social needs often have a history of exposure to traumatic events, which can have lasting adverse effects on their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being. Trauma-informed care, a person-centered approach to health care, acknowledges that providers should have a more holistic picture of patients’ life situations to provide quality care. Adopting a trauma-informed approach to care has the potential to improve patient engagement, enhance health outcomes, and prevent staff burnout.

This implementation tool, produced by the Better Care Playbook, is intended to help practitioners understand potential organizational-level steps to begin incorporating trauma-informed care into a health care organization. The tool is based on a Center for Health Care Strategies brief that offers practical recommendations for providers and other health care organizations interested in taking foundational steps to become more trauma-informed.