Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Trauma-Informed Approaches for Pennsylvania Children, Youth, and Families

    Trauma-Informed Care in the Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) emphasizes the importance of Trauma-Informed Approaches in providing technical assistance, training, policy, guidance, support and monitoring procedures with a growing focus on establishing trauma-informed care in Pennsylvania's Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice communities.

    About Trauma Informed Care

    The Office of Children, Youth and Families has developed and collected many trauma tools and resources that may be helpful for child welfare stakeholders and providers as they proceed on their trauma informed care continuum.  These resources may be used for creating and sustaining trauma-informed programs, policies, and practices across the state, as well as improving collaboration with families to improve their involvement. These resources may also be useful to families that are served through the child welfare and juvenile justice community. 

    Creating a Trauma Sensitive Space

    More information coming soon...

    The OCYF Trauma Team presented a Trauma Sensitivity Suite during the 2024 Statewide Permanency Conference. 

    The team offered items for activity tables including coloring Self-Care Tip Sheets, rock painting, pipe cleaners as fidgets, sensory stickers, a jar of care (mindfulness, self-care, and encouragement notes in a jar that participants could take while passing by), scent stickers, and printed brochures of mindfulness and grounding techniques. 

    Activity tables including coloring Self-Care Tip Sheets, rock painting, pipe cleaners as fidgets, sensory stickers, a jar of care (mindfulness, self-care, and encouragement notes in a jar that participants could take while passing by), scent stickers, and printed brochures of mindfulness and grounding techniques.
    Denise Sheffield and Dawn Trail in the Trauma Sensitivity Suite.
    Wide view of activity tables including coloring Self-Care Tip Sheets, rock painting, pipe cleaners as fidgets, sensory stickers, a jar of care (mindfulness, self-care, and encouragement notes in a jar that participants could take while passing by), scent stickers, and printed brochures of mindfulness and grounding techniques.

    Downloadable TIC Tools & Resources

    A diverse group of adults.

    Trauma-Informed PA Plan

    The Trauma-Informed PA Plan makes recommendations and actionable steps to make Pennsylvania a trauma-informed state.

    Trauma-Informed PA Plan (PDF)
    Counselors filling out forms

    Trauma Informed Care Tool for OCYF

    The following assessment form was developed to provide a monitoring tool for use in assessing the progression of PA's County Children and Youth, foster care, and adoption agencies along the Trauma Informed PA (TIPA) Continuum.

    Download the TIC Tool for OCYF
    The word Survey, surrounded by a keyboard, eye glasses, and a magnifying glass.

    Survey (OCYF version)

    The survey is designed to help organizational leaders assess and tell us about the organization's efforts to develop and sustain trauma informed practices.

    Download the Survey

    Trauma Tip Sheet - September 2024

    Dr. Dan Siegel developed the window of tolerance to illustrate a person’s ability to regulate their emotions and not become overwhelmed.

    Read September 2024 TTS
    Trauma Tips Sheet thumbnail

    The Trauma Tips Sheet provides practical, monthly insights, resources, and strategies for trauma-informed care.

    Free Trauma Trainings for Providers and Resource Families

    Developed in collaboration with the OCYF Trauma Team

    A smiling little girl standing in doorframe at home holding a doll.

    Raising Trauma Awareness in child welfare casework practices in PA

    A counselor comforting a child.

    Developing Trauma Sensitivity in Therapeutic Foster Care

    A counselor speaking with a child.

    Developing Trauma Sensitivity for OCYF

    The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), which is in part comprised of the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.