Trauma-Informed Care

Experiencing any form of trauma can have serious and lasting effects on both physical and mental health. It can happen at any point in life. Examples include, but are not limited to intimate partner violence, sexual violence, abuse, systemic racism, acts of terrorism, war, and natural disasters. Trauma-informed care (TIC) is a whole-person approach to health care that acknowledges the impact of trauma on health and supports safe, respectful patient centered care, which does not require individuals to disclose their specific histories. Instead, trauma-informed care emphasizes approaches that minimize the risk of re-traumatization and promote safe care interactions. Care teams should approach TIC itself as a universal precaution, incorporating trauma-informed practices into all patient interactions, even when trauma histories are unknown. Trauma-informed care can improve patient engagement, strengthen trust in the patient-physician relationship, and support more equitable health outcomes, particularly for populations disproportionately affected by trauma, structural inequities, and barriers to care.

Trauma-informed workplace policies can also support the wellbeing and professional satisfaction of family physicians and members of the care team, many of whom may have personal, vicarious, or workplace experiences of trauma. 

The AAFP encourages the establishment of trauma-informed workplace education, organizational policies, and system-level practices that support high-quality, patient-centered care and the health care workforce. This includes training in recognizing and responding to trauma exposure among clinicians and staff, as well as implementing strategies to mitigate burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and moral injury. The AAFP supports the inclusion of trauma-informed care training into medical school and residency programs. This includes applications in patient care and health care workplaces, including recognition of secondary traumatic stress, strategies for resilience and support, and development of trauma-informed clinical and organizational practices.

The key principles of TIC include:

1. Realizing the widespread impact of trauma within the patient population, the health care workforce, and the broader community.
2. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families physicians, and care team members.
3. Responding to the widespread impact of trauma by integrating knowledge about trauma into clinical care, organizational policies, procedures, and practices.
4. Resisting re-traumatization in care delivery by fostering care environments that emphasize safety, trust, collaboration, and respect.

The AAFP urges its members to understand and incorporate trauma-informed principles into clinical practice and organizational culture.

(January 2022 COD) (July 2026 BOD)