Introducing the Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) Scales for DV Programs
Published by: Lisa Goodman, PhD and Cris Sullivan, PhD
Over the past 15 years, domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA) programs have worked tirelessly to bring a trauma-informed approach to their work. This, in turn, has generated a need for tools that programs can use to assess the effectiveness of their efforts. In this webinar, we will describe the development of a new tool to assess trauma-informed practice that DV and SA programs can use to evaluate and improve their work. The Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) Scales measure the degree to which programs engage in trauma-informed practices from the perspective of program participants. The Scales assess six domains of trauma-informed practice, including Environment of Agency and Mutual Respect, Access to Information on Trauma, Opportunities for Connection, and Emphasis on Strengths, Cultural Responsiveness, and Inclusivity, and Support for Parenting. We also present new research to demonstrate the relationship between these aspects of practice and increased safety-related empowerment among survivors.