We just finished a Joint Commission survey. We did very well. One
of my best moments was when the surveyor remarked that this was a special
agency. A staff member asked him what he saw that made it special. He replied,
"many agencies teach their staff about trauma-informed care. In this
agency, that approach is deep in the culture."
So I have been thinking: what did the surveyor observe that
enabled him to know that?
He experienced:
The outpatient therapist talking about how the mother of her
client had suffered early trauma, and how this was complicating her response to
her daughter.
An in depth discussion of a diabetic girls' eating a large muffin
snack at school, that included systems issues, peer issues, biological factors,
her loneliness and hopelessness, and the pediatrician's personal experience
with diabetes and eating muffins.
A group home therapist who was worried that a client who was
" doing everything right" still wasn't letting any one get close to
her.
Leadership response to discovered problems that focused on
systems issues rather than scapegoating.
A discussion of whether a girl with a self- harm history should
be allowed to work with knives in the kitchen that reject the simplistic solution
of trying to keep her away from any sharp objects.
Group home staff sharing the pain of watching a girl make plans
to live with her father and being afraid he will disappoint her.
An in home service discussing their struggles to implement an
evidence based practice while maintaining the provision of concrete help they
know makes such a difference to families- even when getting new beds is nowhere
in the formula.
The longevity of staff at the agency.
The willingness of a program to take a kid back after a lengthy
hospitalization despite their doubts to save her from placement in a shelter.
Foster parents who readily related the behavior of their foster
son to his past experiences of being hurt.
The warmth and connection between staff, and staff with clients.
And there are probably many more things. I felt proud observing
all this. It was one of those times when I could appreciate all that we have
accomplished.
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