Trauma-Informed Intervention

What is a trauma-informed specialist?

Trauma-informed specialists perform a number of duties, but primarily, they help professionals understand and adopt a new approach of caring and teaching that recognizes the prevalence of personal trauma in many students’ histories.

A trauma-informed specialist helps by:

• Coordinating workshops and faculty conferences to spread understanding about trauma-informed care.
• Collecting and interpreting data to develop plans relevant to the school environment to avoid re-traumatizing survivors.
• Training and coaching professionals at intervals using nationally recognized concepts in trauma-informed mental and emotional healthcare.
• Advocating for students/families in crisis.
• Building students’ social-emotional competencies.

Who is the trauma-informed specialist at OPRFHS?

Curtis A. Diggs has worked with students over the last 16 years in many different roles, including academic advisor, teacher, mentor coordinator, advocate, school culture coordinator, and now trauma-informed school interventionist. He helps staff and students with developing and implementing social/emotional learning competencies and showing support and empathy through trauma-informed care.

Mr. Diggs is trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid. He is also able to provide the following supports/interventions for students:

• SPARCS (youth stress management)
• Rainbows/Silver Linings (grief/loss)
• Restorative Justice (talking/peace/accountability circles)

He is a certified trainer in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools and CHAMPS (a classroom management approach) to support staff in implementing SEL and restorative practices in the school environment.