Tiered Approach to Trauma-Informed Practices: A Systems Approach Newsletter

With an increase in awareness of trauma and its impact on individuals and communities, trauma-informed approaches have become increasingly popular. A cornerstone of this approach is to develop a trauma-informed lens for everyone that looks to prevent challenges such as re-traumatization and misunderstanding of behavioral challenges as defiance.

A tiered approach to trauma informed practices extends this approach to ensure that trauma-related needs are met across the full continuum of needs, from universal supports that everyone can benefit from (tier 1) to advanced, therapeutic supports (tier 2 & 3) for those that have more intensive and individualized needs. This training will highlight how we can create multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) that are trauma-informed to better meet trauma related needs, from prevention to intervention.

Dr. Imad Zaheer is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology in Department of Psychology, at St. John's University. Dr. Zaheer is a pediatric school psychologist and has worked on numerous projects in clinics, hospitals, and public and alternative school settings that involve direct and indirect (consultation) services across individual, group (classrooms) and systems level. His areas of interest are in emotional and behavioral challenges schools, with a specific focus on implementation science and systems change. This includes implementing comprehensive school-based prevention programs by integrating school mental health (SMH), social emotional learning (SEL) and school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SW-PBIS).

For his work in these areas, Dr. Zaheer was awarded the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Professional Performance Award in 2019. Additionally, Dr. Zaheer sits on the steering committee for the national group, Family School Community Alliance (FSCA), which is an organization dedicated to creating robust collaboration and engagement across schools and families/community settings. Dr. Zaheer is the co-founder of the Nurturing Environments Institute (NEI).

• Article from Wiley Periodicals, Inc: "Addressing trauma in schools: Multitiered service delivery options for practitioners"
• Article from Center for Excellence in Children's Mental Health: "Historical Trauma and Microaggressions: A Framework for Culturally-Based Practice"
• Video from the University of Minnesota Extension: What is Historical Trauma?
• Video from the University of Minnesota Extension: How Do People Experience Historical Trauma?
• Video and slides from the Institute on Community Integration: Trauma: Where does it come from? What does it do? (video), Slides
• Frontline Initiative publication: Trauma-Informed Care
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network publication: Facts on Traumatic Stress and Children with Developmental Disabilities
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network publication: Evidence-Informed Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Problems with Youth Involved in Juvenile Justice System
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network publication: Birth Parents with Trauma Histories and the Child Welfare System: A Guide for Judges and Attorneys
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publication: Essential Components of Trauma-Informed Judicial Practice
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network manual: How to Implement Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (implementation manual)

Visit the mnpsp.org website for additional information on supports.