Trauma-informed teams

Trauma-informed care recognises the widespread impact of trauma and promotes approaches that foster safety, trust, collaboration, and empowerment. This website provides evidence-informed educational materials and practical resources to support collegiate EMS teams in integrating trauma-informed principles into patient care.

Learn the foundational concepts and guiding principles:

"Following a pivotal patient encounter as part of McMaster's Emergency First Response Team (EFRT) in Fall 2023, I recognised a significant gap in my understanding of trauma-informed care. Despite navigating the situation successfully, I felt a profound lack of confidence and wondered if my colleagues felt similarly. After sharing a survey with fellow collegiate first responders, it was evident that I was not alone. With this, I made it my mission to educate myself on recognising and responding to patients with trauma. This framework aims to equip student-led EMS organizations with the tools and confidence to deliver effective trauma-informed care, fostering a lasting positive impact on patients and responders alike."

- Ellika Greaves, Co-founder

This framework is the result of various resources on trauma-informed care, including but not limited to: 

• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

• Crisis Prevention Institute

• Journal of Collegiate Emergency Medical Services

• National Library of Medicine

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

The most significant influence was SAMHSA, with its pillars of safety, peer support, trust, collaboration, cultural awareness, and empowerment. This was then combined with the results of a January 2024 study on collegiate EMS providers, which assessed experience, confidence, and best practices for treating patients with medical trauma.