DOMAIN 4: SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS–INFORMED LEADERSHIP
Item 11
Strategies for Leaders:
- Regularly perform a thorough needs assessment of workplace supports for employee health and well-being and update these supports with input from staff to ensure that they meet their needs.
- Review the mental health coverage that is available for staff. Does it meet their needs? If not, then explore why not and what options there are to better meet their needs.
- Review the EAP (Employee Assistance Program) supports that are available and ensure that they are trauma informed and understanding of the type of work that is done at the CAC. Explore whether these are being accessed and if not, talk with staff about why not.
- Review what supports are in place for debriefing after difficult cases and if these are being utilized. If not, talk with staff about why not.
- Review what supports are in place for debriefing about the cumulative effects of trauma exposure on the job and if these are being utilized. If not, talk with staff about why not.
- Make sure that the messaging around time off is STS informed. Encourage staff to take time off and ensure that there is appropriate coverage so that they do not return to crises.
- Review what resources are available to encourage staff to take breaks throughout the day. Is there centralized information about stretches, meditations, affirmations, etc. and physical props for staff to use, like stress balls, etc., that are easy to access?
Implementation Resources:
Podcasts and Videos
- “Utilizing Your EAP for Secondary Traumatic Stress” (6 minutes), from the Well@Work podcast series, produced by the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma & Children. Dr. Jessica Eslinger talks about Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and how they can be a support for staff who are experiencing STS. She provides guidance as to questions to ask a provider to ensure that they are STS informed.
Publications
- “Psychological First Aid for Children’s Advocacy Center Supervisors,” from Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, is NCTSN’s Psychological First Aid framework adapted for CACs to be used in the immediate aftermath of a critical incident to support staff and partners and to promote organizational well-being.
- “Secondary Traumatic Stress in Child Welfare Practice: Trauma-Informed Guidelines for Organizations,” Second Edition, from The Center for Child Welfare Trauma-Informed Policies, Programs, and Practices. Refer to page 76 for information on how individuals can choose an EAP therapist. Your organization should ensure that there are EAP therapists available who will meet these criteria.
Websites/Apps/Posts
- “Resources on Psychological First Aid (PFA),” from the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma & Children. PFA is a model that can be used for debriefing after a single critical incident or cumulative trauma exposure.
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