The aim of Think Trauma: A Training for Working with Justice Involved Youth to make creating trauma-informed juvenile justice systems easier to implement. Many youth in the juvenile justice system have survived horrific traumatic experiences including chronic exposure to violence that have profoundly shaped how they think, behave, and respond. Direct care professionals working with youth in juvenile justice-related facilities have very challenging and emotionally draining roles; they are responsible for preserving their safety and the safety of others and serve as parent, counselor, mentor, role model, disciplinarian, and advocate.

Think Trauma provides a comprehensive modularized, skills-based, interactive trauma-focused training curriculum designed to help direct care staff and organizational leadership make sense of potentially trauma-related behaviors and incorporate procedures and policies that promote safer facilities and communities, rehabilitated youth, and staff with reduced stress and increased job satisfaction. Learning how trauma affects youth and the staff—its impact on thoughts, attitudes, and actions—will give staff practical tools to make a real difference in the lives and future of these youth and their families while also maintaining personal well-being and public safety. 

This training provides an overview for juvenile justice staff on how to work towards creating a trauma-informed juvenile justice agency. Creating a trauma-informed setting is a process that requires not only knowledge acquisition and behavioral modification, but also cultural and organizational paradigm shifts, and ultimately, policy and procedural change at every level of the facility. This training is an initial step that facility leadership and administration can take in developing a trauma-informed staff and facility milieu. It is an introduction to the process of providing direct care staff with trauma-informed awareness, knowledge, and skills to more effectively support the youth they serve.

Goals of the Training 

• To educate juvenile justice professionals about the impact of trauma on the development and behavior of youth in the juvenile justice system. 
• To provide juvenile justice professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to: 
  1. Respond appropriately to the behavioral and emotional challenges of traumatized youth 
  2. Help traumatized youth develop the ability to recognize trauma or loss reminders 
  3. Help traumatized youth recognize and develop their strengths 
  4. Help traumatized youth recognize survival coping strategies and develop positive coping strategies needed to grow into healthy, productive, and functional adults 
  5. Take care of themselves and seek support from others 
• To learn strategies for supporting youth reintegration into the community
• Understand the role of intergenerational, historical, and system-induced trauma on youth behavior 
• Develop strategies for adjusting agency practices and procedures to more effectively address the impact of trauma on youth, their families, and staff 
• Review the role of youth cultural experiences for building resilience among traumatized youth 

Join us for four sessions in this training series:

April 11 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
April 13 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
April 25 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
April 27 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

*Please note that you must attend each of the four 3-hour virtual trainings in their entirety in order to receive credit. 12 CEs will be available for social workers, addiction professionals, and nurses at the conclusion of the Think Trauma Training.

The topics of each training session are:

Module One: Trauma and Justice Involvement
Module Two: Understanding Trauma’s Impact on Development
Module Three: Coping in Context
Module Four: Staff Wellness and Addressing Organizational Stress

Virtual Event: This is a series of live daily webinars. No pre-event review of course materials required for participation.

Event format: Live, interactive webinar series: 4 days, 3 hours/day; Interactive discussions and Q&A opportunities available.

System Technology Requirements:

Please ensure your viewing device complies with the following:

• Must be on a device that allows you to view MP4 files
• Ensure you have a strong enough internet speed to stream
• Ensure you don't have firewalls blocking the video (some firewalls block some HTTP addresses)

We will be using Zoom for the viewing of our live sessions. In order to have the best experience for Zoom, please download the application here: https://zoom.us.

If you would like accommodations to participate in any of our events, please contact us at [email protected].