Building Trauma-Informed Policies: A Compassionate Approach

Instructor: Natalie Shaak, Associate Director of Communication and Administration, Center for Hunger-Free Communities, Drexel University

Date: June 24, 2025

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm EST

Format: In-person

Traditional organization policies often prioritize compliance over care, unintentionally reinforcing punitive structures that can retraumatize staff and clients. This interactive workshop explores how to apply trauma-informed principles to policy development and writing, ensuring policies promote safety, trust, and empowerment while maintaining accountability. Participants will learn practical strategies to revise existing policies and develop new ones that reflect a more inclusive, supportive, and effective workplace culture.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Define the core principles of trauma-informed policy development
2. Identify language and structures that may unintentionally cause harm in policies
3. Apply strategies to revise and create policies that balance accountability with support
4. Develop a plan for integrating trauma-informed policies into their organization’s practices

***Participants are highly encouraged to bring along copies of some of their own organization policies to review

Continuing Education Credits*: 1.5 CEU or 15 CPH 

Host or Publisher Drexel Urban Health Collaborative Summer Institute