Psychiatrists often serve in a collaborative role with primary care providers and other healthcare professionals. A trauma-informed approach to medical treatment and understanding the biological, psychological, and sociocultural responses to trauma exposure related to all health concerns is imperative.
Pediatricians encounter children that have experienced trauma in over 60% of their patient interactions and serve a critical role in screening and identification of trauma-related symptoms, along with associated physical and mental health conditions. Primary care and other pediatric health providers often collaborate with other members of the treatment team, including case managers, nurses, and social workers to coordinate services to address trauma-related concerns.
Models for supporting the collaboration of child and adolescent mental health professionals and pediatric providers include educational support, clinical access to consultation by a mental health professional via phone or e-communication, onsite consultation by an embedded mental health provider, and traditional referral for mental health assessment.
When considering the provision of trauma-informed healthcare, SAMHSA identifies six guiding principles of trauma-informed care:
- Safety – Insuring psychological, emotional and physical safety
- Trustworthiness and Transparency – Providing truthful information clearly and consistently
- Peer Support – Identifying social support or resources that align with individual’s community or peer group
- Collaboration – Working in partnership with family and individual toward identified goals
- Empowerment – Supporting autonomy of individuals and families by facilitating development of skills and connecting to resources related to identified goals
- Cultural and Historical Awareness – Recognizing current and historical marginalization and traumatic experiences of individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and class.