Exposure to trauma, particularly in childhood, can notably increase the risk of serious physical and behavioral health problems throughout life — an idea that health care providers increasingly recognize. Health care providers can address patients’ traumatic experiences and their associated health effects by implementing trauma-informed approaches to care.

Securing time and resources for staff wellness is an essential element to trauma-informed care, because supporting staff well-being helps them provide high quality care. This brief outlines the impact of chronic work-related stress and provides examples of two organizations that prioritize staff wellness: Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services of Drexel University.

This brief is part of a technical assistance series from Advancing Trauma-Informed Care, a national initiative supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by the Center for Health Care Strategies. The series focuses on practical strategies for fostering trauma-informed approaches to care.