Integrating a Trauma-Informed Care Perspective in Baccalaureate Social Work Education: Guiding Principles

• Main Authors: Matthew Lorenzo Vasquez, Shamra Boel-Studt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Indiana University School of Social Work 2017-09-01
• Series: Advances in Social Work
• Subjects: Trauma; trauma-informed care; baccalaureate social work
• Online Access: https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/21243

Over the past decade, there has been substantial growth in empirical evidence supporting that proper assessment and treatment of trauma using evidence-based practices can effectively reduce a wide range of symptoms in both children and adults. Given the complex nature of trauma treatment, trauma-based educational programming in social work is most commonly found at the graduate level. Yet, to date, there has been little discussion calling for the inclusion of trauma content in BSW education. In this paper, we examine the current state of trauma-content inclusion in social work education, and offer a guiding framework for integrating core trauma content into the BSW curriculum that is based on the core principles of trauma-informed care.