The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, provides best practice information on providing trauma informed care to homeless people in shelters. Sadly, many homeless services have not availed themselves of this resource, and in the name of structure, have policies and/or staff behavior which can make PTSD worse.

A history of trauma or PTSD can be disabling to people, and homelessness itself is very traumatic. Homeless people deserve care which does not harm them. Providers of homeless services need to be held to the same standard as other care providers — first do no harm!

Ask your elected officials to require that homeless services providers offer trauma-informed care. 

Photo credit: Josep Ma. Rosell