The Academy for Community Behavioral Health: Foundations of Care: Part of Racial Equity and Trauma-Informed Care

Foundations of Care is the first in a series of courses to prepare you to advance racial equity and trauma-informed care within organizations. Through co-design with a cross-section of NYC social service providers, the Academy developed this course to help staff orient toward practices for acknowledging and mitigating the harms of persistent systemic inequalities – on yourselves, your organizations, and the communities you serve. Foundations of Care equips staff to protect themselves from stress and trauma impacts. If you have ever felt exhaustion, a lack of motivation, or cynicism; if there is a passion for the work that you no longer feel present to; if you have felt hopeless or helpless as you navigate changes – you are not alone. These experiences are common among care providers who respond to pain and injustice in their communities, often with too few resources. Through this 4-week course, you will gain tools to transform common reactions to stress; develop a personal praxis that supports your work; model healing practices for yourself and others; and connect to both small steps and broader visions for advancing racial equity and trauma-informed care. These skills will leave you better equipped to navigate changing conditions, respond to clients and staff in distress, and lead from a place of compassion. Those who complete Foundations of Care will be eligible for supervisor courses in this series.