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Conference Summary

Revolutionizing Mental Health and Human Services

Following up the dynamic and catalyzing July 2008 Dare To Transform conference in Washington DC, the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) thanks all conference participants and other interested people for coming together to revolutionize mental health and human services. Interest in the conference topics and in trauma-informed care and implementation was overwhelming, exceeding our ability to accommodate attendance for all at the conference. However, many presentations from the conference are available at www.daretotransform.ning.com. For instance, you can learn about:

• The importance of addressing gender in developing models of healingdiscussed by Stephanie Covington in her plenary presentation on Gender Matters: Creating Services for Women and Girls. Dr. Covington offers a definition of gender-responsive services and discusses trauma through the lens of gender differences: risk, response, and clinical implications. She also provides an overview of a model of healing based on the process of transformation.
• A new model for public education and crisis response developed by Dan Fisher, Lauren Spiro and the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations (NCMHCSO). Emotional CPR (eCPR) bridges the worlds of "mental illness," trauma, and disasters by showing that the universal principles of hope, empowerment, peer support, self-determination, and reintegration into community life are of equal importance in assisting persons in each situation.
• Current state mental health system and organizational activities geared toward developing trauma-informed mental health systems and implementing emerging best practices in trauma-specific services. Anne Jennings' 2007-2008 Blueprint for Action: Building Trauma-Informed Mental Health Systems describes trauma-related activities, programs, services, written documents and resources-organized by state-within a series of 16 Criteria for Building a Trauma-Informed Mental Health Service System.
• New approaches for healing among refugees discussed by Andrea Blanche in her presentation on Transcending Violence: Emerging Models for Trauma Healing in Refugee Communities. The workshop paper provides a framework for deeper understanding of culture, context, and the refugee experience. It outlines how a public health approach applies to refugee trauma, looking at current models for addressing trauma within refugee populations, as well as emerging new approaches for healing stemming from work with refugee communities.
• The development of an innovative peer-driven, community-based intervention for women with histories of trauma, and co-occurring substance abuse and mental health histories, as told by The Women's Resource Centers of Western Massachusetts' workshop on Model of Growth and Recovery - A Peer to Peer Program. The model focuses on relationship as the cornerstone of recovery. Built on key components for healing and recovery of women, it can be utilized by individuals, by organizations developing trauma-informed programs, and by communities creating conditions to support healthy families.

DareToTransform.ning.com also features discussion forums and exchanges on topics of interest to the trauma and trauma-informed care arenas. For instance, you can join an exchange on establishing "safety" in TIC programs for clients, staff and administrators; or on trauma, healing, and media arts in therapy; or even on person-first approaches to trauma-informed services and care. DareToTransform.ning.com is place where you can connect with other leaders and visionaries for transforming mental health and human services under trauma-informed gold-standard for approaches to healing. Whether you're interested in creating cultural competence in trauma-informed programs/systems; developing trauma-informed services for justice-involved men; or exploring the capacity for Healing Invisible Wounds and the human capacity for self-healing, as discussed by Richard Mollica, DareToTransform.ning.com provides a venue for networking, dialog, and mutual exchange on the many topics relevant to trauma-informed care, healing, and systems change.

H.O.P.E. Award Ceremony - Recipients and Recognition by Congressman Poe

Recapping other highlights of the 2008 Dare to Transform Conference, we would like to commend recipients of the first-ever Healing Ourselves through Promises of Empowerment (H.O.P.E.) awards. The H.O.P.E. Awards honor innovative programs, systems, and leaders that promote trauma-informed care and their approaches to transform public mental health systems. Among numerous-and competitive-submissions from community members across the country:

• Patricia Sandoval and Molly Smith of the Stoney Creek Club of Ashland, Ohio, were awarded the 2008 Emerging Leader H.O.P.E. Award for their innovative, truly community-based "sanctuary" dedicated to empowering and mentoring at-risk young people in their neighborhood.
• Maxine Harris of Community Connections in Washington, DC, was recognized through the 2008 Pioneer H.O.P.E. Award for her rich and ground-breaking contributions to the field of trauma, including the development of evidence-based and emerging best practices in trauma-specific and trauma-informed models of care.
• The State of Maryland received the H.O.P.E. Award's State Commendation for its statewide effort-spear-headed by Maryland's Mental Hygiene Administration and Office of Special Needs Populations-to implement the Trauma, Addictions, Mental Health, And Recovery (T.A.M.A.R.) Program in eight detention centers and one state hospital and to continue its funding through Fiscal Year 2009. The T.A.M.A.R Program is designed to educate and treat those who have a history of physical and/or sexual abuse and a recent treatment history for a mental health condition as well as an alcohol or drug use or abuse disorder.

During the H.O.P.E. Awards ceremony, a letter of recognition from Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) was shared, applauding the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC), and other sponsoring organizations involved in the planning and presentation of Dare to Transform. The letter commended the management team of NCTIC for its continued effort and commitment in raising awareness about the nature and impact of trauma, as well as fostering change. Poe also acknowledged that "The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) has been the leading federally-funded initiative facilitating the implementation of trauma-informed care, and we recognize the commitment and tremendous effort of NCTIC in bringing key constituents together for this meeting to promote change that will improve the lives of millions of Americans."

Reflections From Richard Mollica, MD: author of Healing Invisible Wounds and Plenary Speaker at Dare to Transform

Recently, we had a thought-provoking dialogue with Richard Mollica about the nature of healing and Dr. Mollica's newest projects seeking to bring what he has learned about healing in the refugee population to other audiences, and in exchange, to learn more about their experiences as well. Dr. Mollica is working on a new book on the "healing environment" and is most interested in dialoging with people about two key questions. The first has to do with "healing forces" that Mollica believes have not been well described. The second has to do with how memories of loved ones have helped people in their own recovery. So, we thought we'd pose Dr. Mollica's questions directly to you for reflection and on-going dialog.

1. Can you share with me the impact of empathy and the divine in healing (that is, where a spirit force has aided recovery)? I'm looking for stories where these forces have aided recovery. (For instance, some people in their healing try to find a real or imagined place where they were maximally loved as a child or young person.)
2. Do you have any examples where the wisdom or memories of the father/mother or other loved ones have helped in recovery?

If you would like to share your stories, please e-mail them to Dr. Mollica at: rmollica@partners.org and also consider posting them on Ning.