Trauma-Informed & Culturally Responsive Care addresses two realities of substance use treatment: most clients have trauma histories, and every client brings a culture and identity that shapes their recovery. Care that ignores trauma can re-injure, and care that ignores culture misses the person. Both are essential to effective, ethical treatment. This course covers what trauma is and how it connects to addiction, the principles of trauma-informed care, avoiding re-traumatization, cultural humility and responsiveness, addressing disparities and historical harm, language access, and caring for staff who carry secondary trauma. It builds on the recovery and ethics content elsewhere in the course. The throughline: trauma-informed, culturally responsive care assumes trauma may be present, honors each client's culture, and builds safety, trust, and choice — turning treatment into healing.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the link between trauma and addiction
• Apply the principles of trauma-informed care
• Avoid practices that re-traumatize
• Practice cultural humility and responsiveness
• Recognize and manage secondary traumatic stress