Building Resilient Communities: A Trauma-Informed Care Approach to Interrupt the Co-Occurring Cycle

Wednesday, December 17, 2025
10:00 AM - 01:00 PM
This is a Virtual Classroom event.

This workshop provides a foundational and practical overview of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) principles, specifically tailored to the context of co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Participants will learn how trauma's widespread impact influences vulnerability to, and the manifestation of, co-occurring disorders across different populations.

Workshop Objectives:

  • Define trauma and its four 'R's (Realize, Recognize, Respond, and Resist Re-traumatization) within a TIC framework.
  • Identify the strong linkages between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the development of co-occurring disorders later in life.
  • Recognize how a trauma-informed lens shifts the focus from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" in prevention planning.
  • Apply the core principles of TIC (Safety, Trustworthiness, Peer Support, Collaboration, Empowerment, and Cultural/Historical/Gender Issues) to enhance the effectiveness and reach of existing prevention programs.
  • Define co-occurring disorders (COD) and differentiate between substance-induced symptoms and independent psychiatric conditions.
  • Describe the high prevalence and complexity of the interaction between substance use disorders (SUDs) and major mental illnesses.
  • Identify common risk and protective factors for COD across diverse populations.