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Posted on by OregonISP

Trauma-Informed ISP Meetings

Trauma-Informed ISP Meetings

Lindsay Dutton | The Arc Oregon

Trauma-Informed Care & ISP Meetings

People have many different experiences with ISP planning meetings. Some people look forward to their meetings. For others, these meetings may be a source of anxiety. Some may not want to attend their meeting at all.

Recognizing that many people have experienced trauma is an important step in being able to create more trauma-informed meetings and conversations. We do not need to know the details of a person’s trauma history to be trauma informed. The goal is to create an environment that promotes a person’s well-being and reduces the risk of re-traumatization. remaining

SAMHSA’s 4 Rs of Trauma-Informed Approaches

Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand the potential paths for recovery

Recognize the signs of trauma in people, families, staff, and others involved in systems

Respond by integrating knowledge about trauma into all areas of practice and policy

Resist re-traumatization

SAMSA outlines 6 principles of trauma informed care.

Safety

Trustworthiness & Transparency

Peer Support

Collaboration & Mutuality

Cultural, Historical & Gender Issues

Empowerment, Voice & Choice

These principles each can give us ideas of how to make ISP meetings more trauma informed. Consider the questions below. 

1. Safety

  • Does the person feel safe at the meeting? 
  • Are they comfortable with the people that are in the room? 
  • Do they have items that would help make them more at ease (fidgets, coloring pages, drinks, snacks)?
  • Can we start the meeting with something positive or fun (one page profile, icebreaker, etc.)?  

2. Trust & Transparency

  • Does the person know what will be discussed? Have they been provided with an agenda?
  • Does the person know why we are asking specific questions? Do they know that they do not need to answer every question?
  • Have we offered the option to end the meeting at any time or take a break? 

3. Peer Support

  • What options have been provided about who can attend the meeting?
  • Would connecting with an advocate or someone with lived experience be helpful? 

4. Collaboration

  • What would it look like for the person to lead their meeting? What parts of the meeting might the person be interested in taking charge of?
  • Does the person have the support they need to lead part or all their meeting (extra time, communication support, support to prepare, etc.)?
  • Are we planning WITH the person or FOR the person? 

5. Voice & Choice

  • When planning, does the person have real choice about where they want to live and how they want to be supported? Are we taking the time to ensure the person understands their choices? How they communicate these choices?
  • Have we asked the person what they want their meeting to look like? How they want to be involved? What support they want?
  • Does the person know that they can make changes to the plan at any time? Do they know who to talk to if they want a change?
  • Is there anything the person does not want to discuss? What topics are off the table?

6. Cultural Awareness

  • Is the person’s identity being honored and respected?
  • How does the person engage with their culture? Is this reflected in the way we plan together?
  • How can we recognize and address challenges faced by people from diverse cultural, historical, and gender backgrounds?