Trauma & Gender Initiative (TAG)
Women’s Services Practice Improvement Collaborative (WSPIC)
The Trauma and Gender Initiative (TAG) is a collaboration between the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the Connecticut Women’s Consortium (CWC), and providers. TAG promotes best practices in trauma-informed, gender-responsive behavioral health care in Connecticut by providing training, consultation, and information to behavioral health agencies across the state.
The Trauma and Gender Agencies Project, a specific iteration of the TAG Initiative, was established to encourage trauma-informed practices among DMHAS-funded agencies. Grounded in organizational culture change, this project promotes a recovery-oriented system of behavioral health care through a two-year process. During those two years, participating agencies receive expert training on trauma-informed and gender-responsive care, onsite technical assistance, agency review, fidelity measurement, and progress reporting. Related projects, such as Women and Children’s TAG (funded by hope & grace initiative) and Criminal Justice TAG (funded by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven), provided the same resources, with a furthering focus on incorporating trauma-informed practices into the core dynamics of the agency, to client-specific programs. Nearly 40 agencies have received training through the TAG Initiative since the program’s inaugural year.
Interested in participating in the TAG Initiative?
The TAG Learning Collaborative is a bi-monthly meeting between representatives from various DMHAS-funded agencies which provides learning resources, ongoing consultation, and opportunities for mentorship on becoming trauma-responsive. This collaborative also continues organization engagement in the TAG Initiative and fosters accountability and sustainability.
Interested in attending a meeting?
Women’s Services Practice Improvement Collaborative (WSPIC) is a partnership of the Connecticut Women's Consortium, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and women's specialty service providers funded by DMHAS. Through expert panels and presenters, WSPIC focuses on improving behavioral health services for women.
Trauma & Gender Toolkit
Trauma -Informed, Gender-Responsive
Trauma-informed, gender-responsive best practices come from experience. Services from the TAG toolkit including an overview of trauma-informed, gender-responsive care, screening tools, and agency assessment to help your agency transform its culture. Consultation and private training are available based on these resources and are based on the experiences of transforming agencies in the state of Connecticut.
Interested in getting a grant or starting a project that involves trauma-informed, gender-responsive care? Let us know. We have resources available for training and support and may be able to write a letter of support for your grant.