Massachusetts DCF Trauma-Informed Leadership Teams (TILT)
To launch the Trauma Informed Leadership teams, we held Kick-Off events- in February 2013 for the Northern and Western regions and in November 2013 for the Boston and Southern regions. Next steps were for offices to determine DCF participants and identify community members to invite, including mental health providers being trained in Evidence Based Treatments for trauma through the Mass Child Trauma Projects and to plan for their first meeting within a couple months of the Kick-Off event for their region. A
fter completing the self assessment, teams began identifying shifts in practice, “innovations”, to implement in their office. The following are some of the innovations that have been implemented:
Cambridge: -Development of an informational hand out to be provided to parents
following a Care and Protection petition
-Creation of book with description and pictures of foster families to be
shared with children/youth prior to being placed in their home, whenever possible
Cape Ann: - Providing strategies and tools to foster parents to help them better meet
the needs of children in their care
Framingham: - Incorporating questions from Reflective Supervision into supervision
Harbor:- Created a staff wellness area
Haverhill: - TILT members conducted training on trauma for school administrators
Lawrence: - Organized staff appreciation gathering
- Sponsored meet and greet for workers and foster parents
- Developed tip sheets for school on working with children/youth who have experienced trauma
Lowell: - Created resource guide of trauma-informed therapists in area
- Organized viewing of documentary about vicarious trauma for office
Malden: - Created tip sheet for workers on trauma informed practice
North Central: - Conducted training on conducting a trauma screen
Pittsfield:-Conducted a training on trauma at conference
- Included ice breakers during staff meetings
South Central: - Developed tip sheet of best practices when children/youth enter and
different schools
Springfield: - Renovated waiting room to be more family friendly and included books that parents can read to children during visits
Worcester East/West: - Development of webinars to provide information about what
mental health providers wanted to have a better understanding about DCF practice and what DCF workers wanted to know more about the work of mental health providers
Information about TILT innovations is shared statewide, so that all offices can benefit.