Effective trauma-informed care leads to more person-centered care and improved outcomes for patients. True trauma-informed care requires a clear understanding of not only how trauma affects the lives and care of patients, but also of the root causes behind it.

This brief spotlights two federally qualified health centers in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. that are being intentional in their focus on racism as a source of trauma in patients’ lives. Both health centers successfully implemented strategies that advance racial equity as part of their trauma-informed care delivery model.

Discover key considerations for embedding equity into trauma-informed care:

• Define what a racial equity focus in trauma-informed care looks like
• Involve leadership from the beginning
• Build organizational knowledge of racism and trauma
• Elevate patient and community voices to disrupt existing power structures
• Establish accountability metrics to track progress
• Support staff of color