Case Study: Childhood Trauma Informed Network

TCA worked extensively with the rural communities of Clatsop County, Oregon, that have taken a multitude of steps in the past in addressing chronic issues related to child access to services critical to alleviating the effects of neglect, abuse, poverty, caregiver attachment, and food insecurity. A key area of continued development identified by community leaders was the design and implementation of a sustainable Childhood Trauma Informed Network (CTIN) focused on children aged 0-18 and their parents.

As in many communities, the existing network of support and services for parents and children essential to disrupting the tragic trauma cycle has few formal pathways for effectively facilitating service coordination. Additionally there have been no formal or sustainable investment processes in place to support the needed services to reduce adverse childhood experiences. Given the high levels of community engagement there has been an exceptional opportunity available for developing an innovative approach to significantly reduce risk and enhance healthy resiliency for children.

An effective solution to this challenge requires better leveraging of existing resources combined with creativity to fill gaps in vital services through the attraction of new investment to improve access and services. Using the collective impact approach, TCA implemented a highly interactive process to engage a wide range of key community stakeholders in a positive and collaborative way. The process included nearly 50 interviews, which was an essential element of designing a new future direction that would be both practical and deliver positive results quickly and continue to expand over time in a sustainable way.

TCA’s engagement was sponsored by Care Oregon (Columbia Pacific CCO) and began in the fall of 2016 and was completed in 2017. The work TCA completed resulted in a comprehensive strategic plan - including a 90 day QuickStart detailed tactical plan - for a new Childhood Trauma Informed Network of services across six key sectors (education, healthcare, child welfare, criminal justice, economic development, community services). In early 2019 Care Oregon moved forward with full implementation of the plan, including the hiring of a senior program development coordinator to provide leadership and support.