Kelly Hayes
Florida State University’s Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy has announced a new partnership with Simply Healthcare Plans to improve treatment of patients with trauma.
The new partnership will provide specialized training and educational programming for Simply Healthcare team members in hopes of improving patient outcomes. The goal: to recognize the role trauma plays in overall health through
“Recognizing early childhood trauma is an important factor impacting health throughout the lifespan, and by learning trauma-informed approaches in health care settings, Simply can more effectively treat patients and optimize health outcomes,” Mimi Graham, director of CPEIP, said in a statement.
The partnership hopes to strengthen Simply Healthcare’s efforts to become a trauma-informed organization and ensure staff members are well-equipped to recognize and properly respond to patients with a trauma history.
“At Simply, we consistently seek innovative opportunities to help us respond to the health needs of all our patients,” Holly Prince, president of Simply Healthcare Plans, said in a statement. “For those who have experienced trauma, it is paramount that team members across our entire organization are well-versed in best practices to identify, respond to and treat these patients to ensure they get the help and support they need. That’s why we’ve partnered with FSU’s nationally recognized program to train our team members and implement a framework that increases awareness, knowledge and skills in trauma and resiliency.”
Two out of three adults report having experienced adversity in their childhood, which is linked to the top 10 causes of death and disability, according FSU CPEIP.
“Adverse childhood experiences and trauma have been shown to lead to negative health outcomes later in life,” Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris said in a statement. “Early intervention and trauma-informed care can change the entire course of someone’s life. I applaud this partnership between FSU and Simply and the positive steps they are taking to enhance patient care.”
FSU will help the organization by teaching a 20-hour training course in trauma and resilience that will allow staff to receive professional certifications on the topic. FSU will also assist Simply Healthcare in developing state-of-the-art policies, practices and trauma support materials to disseminate across Simply Healthcare’s Primary Care Physician provider network and work with the organization to incorporate evidence-based, trauma-informed concepts and language into key documents.
The FSU CPEIP’s work is a nationally organized center of excellence in trauma, spearheading Florida as a trauma-informed state system, as seen in the Showcase of Florida’s Cutting-Edge Trauma Initiatives. The FSU Center’s Early Childhood Health Care Optimization project translated science of trauma and toxic stress and the impact of early mental health into easy-to-use resources for health care professionals and parents.
