Solution-Focused Trauma-Informed Care (SF-TIC): An Integration of Models

ABSTRACT

Trauma-informed care is a rapidly emerging approach in child welfare and is significantly aligned with the core tenets and techniques of solution-focused practice. The integration of solution-focused practices and trauma-informed care offers an alternative to the problem-solving method frequently employed in child welfare. This paper describes and demonstrates how using a Solution-Focused Trauma-Informed Care (SF-TIC) approach can shift individuals and systems from a problem-solving focus to solution building. SF-TIC provides individuals with concrete skills, language and knowledge to effectively avoid inadvertent re-traumatization. Evaluation of this approach is in its infancy and future research is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Child welfare
• organization
• solution-focused practice
• trauma-informed care

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Denise J. Krause

Denise J. Krause, MSSW, is the Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Alumni Relations at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Ms. Krause has been involved in several ongoing teaching and training initiatives to integrate solution focused approaches in trauma- informed systems of care in New York State. At UBSSW she has developed and teaches seated, hybrid and online practice courses. She regularly offers workshops and presentations on solution focused practice and teaching at the university, community, national, and international levels. Ms. Krause works with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, county-level social service departments, and voluntary agencies to train administrators, supervisors, and direct care providers.

Susan A. Green

Susan A. Green, LCSW, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. Susan is committed to integration of theory with practice as she combines full-time teaching with clinical practice with individuals, families and organizations. She is the co-director of The Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care within the Buffalo Center for Social Research at the School of Social Work, which began in the Fall of 2012. Susan is a certified in the following: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR); Advanced Critical Incident Stress Management, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).

Samantha P. Koury

Samantha P. Koury is a licensed social worker and the Project Manager at the Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care, which is part of the University at Buffalo School of Social Work and Buffalo Center for Social Research. Samantha has two years of experience training and coaching staff on trauma and Trauma-Informed Care in a variety of service sectors across New York State, including: addiction, mental health, medical, education, refugees and HIV/AIDS. She has studied solution-focused practice for three and half years and regularly uses solution-focused skills when working with staff to create trauma-informed environments. Samantha’s research and practice interests are creating trauma-informed organizational change and the integration of Trauma-Informed Care with solution-focused practice.

Travis W. Hales

Travis W. Hales is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work. He has worked as a research assistant at the Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care since 2012. Travis has experience evaluating organizations on their consistency with Trauma-Informed (TI) approaches. Travis’ research focuses on the impact of implementing TI approaches on a variety of organizational, staff and client outcomes.