Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
A Shift in Perspective: The Relevance of Trauma-Informed Practices for MDTs:
Some behaviors exhibited by trauma survivors are misinterpreted by MDT members as lying, or somehow inconsistent with how they expect a victim to behave. Lack of understanding of how trauma affects a victim can help determine whether the case even goes forward and thereby becomes an access to justice issue. Recent work on the impact of trauma across the life course underscores the need to recognize trauma and incorporate trauma-informed practices into systems’ responses to elder abuse. In this session, attendees will learn the six principles of trauma-informed practices and the application of those principles to the MDT context, including a discussion of the benefits and challenges of adopting trauma-informed practices.