Integrating Trauma and Violence informed care Training into an Indigenous Health Clinic: A Quality Improvement Study

BACKGROUND: While a trauma- and violence-informed approach to delivering health care can improve outcomes, it is unclear if training on this approach can promote cultural safety, reduce stigmas, and mitigate disparities for Indigenous populations. AIM: To deliver and evaluate a mandatory trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) training as part of a recently established medical forensic program at Gerald Ignace Indian Health Clinic. METHODS: Implemented TVIC training in early 2023 with 60 participants. Results from pretraining and post-training surveys, as well as a 4-month follow-up survey, were analyzed. RESULTS: Consistent improvements in exam comprehension and patient communication reflect a durable impact of the TVIC intervention, emphasizing long-term provider transformation through education. DISCUSSION: Training in TVIC can empower staff to deliver care to Indigenous patients. Health care staff who interact with Indigenous patients may benefit from the implementation of similar training to help meet their health care needs in safe, trustworthy ways.