TRAUMA INFORMED CARE IN DENMARK - DREAM OR REALITY

Background: Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is an approach that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. It is therefore necessary to avoid re-traumatising in mental health care settings. TIC is implemented at many mental health hospitals across the US. Research shows that TIC have a positive effect on the use of coercive measures and staff injuries. In Denmark no mental health hospital has implemented TIC, even though a large group of Danes (Hvidhjelm & Bak), in line with the US (Kessler, 1995; Breslau, 1999) have experienced at least one traumatic life event. Aim: The aim of the workshop is to discuss how and in which way TIC can be transformed into a Danish and European Context Method: Authors behind this workshop have taken the initiative to start up a national network that together will work on transforming TIC to a danish context. The network participates with service user, mental health workers and researchers. The idea is to collaborate across disciplines; sectors; hospitals and staff/patients positions to generate knowledge about how a little Danish country, with own language, culture and organizations can make use of this new caring approach. The workshop contains: A brief introduction to TIC A survey amongst workshop participant using the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) Authors research about experiences of at least one traumatic life event among mental health workers and patients Group discussions where each group reflects upon and discuss the six principles Safety Trustworthiness and Transparency Peer support Collaboration and mutuality Empowerment, voice and choice Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues References: Breslau N, Chilcoat HD, Kessler RC, Davis GC. Previous exposure to trauma and PTSD effects of subsequent trauma: results from the Detroit Area Survey of Trauma. American journal of Psychiatry 1999;156(6):902-7. Hvidhjelm J, Bak J. Trauma among staff and patients on a mental health center in Denmark. Work in progress. Kessler RC, Sonnega A, Bromet E, Hughes M, Nelson CB. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of general psychiatry 1995;52(12):1048-60. Schnurr P, Vielhauer M, Weathers F, Findler M. The brief trauma questionnaire. White River Junction, VT: National Center for PTSD 1999.