Trauma-Informed System Integration (TISI) for the County of San Diego

In 2014, the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) committed to becoming a trauma-informed system. HHSA formalized this commitment in 2015 by establishing the Trauma-Informed System Integration (TISI) policy. In 2016, the TISI Team, including representatives from divisions throughout HHSA, wrote its charter which expanded membership to other County departments. The TISI Team has grown to include participants from across County departments. TISI’s ongoing work focuses on supporting the delivery of trauma-informed services and the development of a trauma-informed workforce in San Diego County.

According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, seventy percent of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. And according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, programs that are trauma-informed realize widespread impacts of trauma and understand potential paths for recovery and responds by fully integrating that knowledge into policies, procedures, and practices which seek to actively resist re-traumatization. TISI’s continued outreach and collaborative efforts to train, support, and increase awareness of trauma-informed approaches throughout the County.

Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Highlights:

• The Knowledge Center (TKC) deployed the Compassionate Leadership through a Trauma-Informed Lens training and Tool Kit was to support leaders in engaging their teams through the core principles of trauma and resilience informed care. 

• TKC developed the Live Well through Self-Care Wellness Workshops. Focusing on employee wellness, HHSA staff learned healthy coping strategies while facing trauma, loss and burnout. Workshops included Grief and Gratitude: Finding Meaning Through Loss; Trauma and Healing: An Introspective Overview; and Burnout and Renewal.

• TKC collaborated with departments in creating accessibility sub-committees to make the events more accessible, inclusive and welcoming; providing trauma-informed language trainings; developing a Peer Council for the purpose of receiving feedback on systemwide services from those with lived experience and their family members; and training staff in compassionate leadership and trauma.