Trauma Informed Care Certificate

Lead your agency, unit, or team toward becoming a trauma-informed organization.

The Trauma Informed Care graduate certificate provides an in-depth exploration of the impact of trauma on health outcomes. Students will identify clinical and operational practices that may re-traumatize patients and lead to provider burnout, and develop realistic strategies for mitigating or resolving trauma history and compassion fatigue.

The Trauma Informed Care certificate program specializing in Adult care is offered as a stackable credential exclusively to students currently enrolled in the Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree program at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies.

Benefits

Benefits of this certificate include:

Implement a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) model in an organization
Apply a Trauma-Responsive paradigm to your life
Cultivate a transformative understanding of how Adverse Childhood Experiences can affect and influence health and behavior
Learn from national experts in the field and network with peers

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About the Certificate

Certificate Description

This Trauma Informed Care certificate provides an in-depth exploration of the impact of trauma on health outcomes. Students will identify clinical and operational practices that may re-traumatize patients and lead to provider burnout, and develop realistic strategies for mitigating or resolving trauma history and compassion fatigue. Each student will develop and implement a comprehensive trauma-informed treatment plan for a patient case. Because patients are often unaware of the nature or degree of stresses that are responsible for their illness, this certificate will prepare students to detect and use clues that the patient provides to develop a more complete understanding of the patient’s struggles than they are able to perceive for themselves.

Trauma Informed Care Certificate Program Outcomes

Consult effectively with the medical team as a behavioral health expert using knowledge of medical culture and acute, chronic, and comorbid conditions.
Deliver evidence-based screening, assessment, and behavioral interventions appropriate for primary care and specialty medical settings.
Design cost-effective population health approaches to treating chronic and comorbid conditions while addressing social determinants of health.

Program Completion

Completion of this program results in a transcript designation of certificate completion for Trauma-Informed Care in the student’s profession. This signals to prospective employers and professional organizations an advanced level of training in Trauma-Informed Care.

Marketplace Demand

The US healthcare system is the most costly in the world, and providers are under great pressure to systematically approach changing care delivery. CGI non-degree certificate programs provide specific training in patient- and family-centered care, quality measurement and improvement including redesign of primary care services and structures, population health and disease management designs, cost savings and return on investment analyses, and innovative financing approaches. With this incredibly unique skill set, CGI Graduates are in high demand in the healthcare marketplace.

Cummings Graduate Institute cannot assure employment or job placement to graduates upon program/course completion or graduation from the institution.

Graduate Employment Opportunities

The Cummings Institute cannot assure employment or job placement upon graduation, however our graduates will be prepared to work as behavioral health consultants, providers, and/or managers in primary healthcare settings, including hospitals and emergency departments, Primary Care Medical Homes, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Accountable Care Organizations, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, specialty mental health and substance abuse treatment settings, preventative care and disease management programs, and/or new business start-ups.

Curriculum

Curriculum & Training

The Trauma Informed Care certificate program curriculum delivers training that will prepare providers to implement patient-centered care, achieve medical cost savings, and reduce the healthcare provider burnout that is often a result from practices that have adopted the Triple Aim as an operational framework. Certificate program students additionally learn to address the Fourth Aim keeping healthcare provider and staff morale and quality of life in mind as we seek to improve patient experience of care, population health outcomes, and reduce the cost of care.

Students who enroll in and complete non-degree certificate programs must meet the same admission eligibility requirements as the DBH program, and may transfer coursework to a degree-seeking program of study should they decide to continue with their studies.

Graduates will be prepared to work as behavioral health consultants, providers, directors, and managers in primary healthcare settings, including hospitals, Primary Care Medical Homes, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and specialty medical settings.

Upon completion of the certificate program, graduates will:

Develop and implement a comprehensive trauma-informed treatment plan for a patient case
Detect and use clues that the patient provides to develop a more complete understanding of the patient’s struggles than they are able to perceive for themselves
Consult effectively with the medical team as a behavioral health expert using knowledge of medical culture and acute, chronic, and comorbid conditions
Deliver evidence-based screening, assessment, and behavioral interventions appropriate for primary care and specialty medical settings
Design cost-effective population health approaches to treating chronic and comorbid conditions while addressing social determinants of health

Credit Hours

Student will earn one (1) unit for the Foundations course and one (1) to three (3) credits for each required course.

Number of clock and/or credit hours for the Trauma Informed Care certificate program

A total of twelve (12) credit hours will be required for graduation. Required courses will make up twelve (12) credit hours.

Maximum Timeframe

The Maximum Time frame to complete the certificate program is measured in calendar years for the Trauma Informed Care Certificate program. Students must complete the program within two (2) years and are only permitted to attempt 12 credits before program termination. However, if exceptions are granted by the Director of the DBH Program, students may complete their certificate program within three (3) years of enrollment.

Minimum Timeframe

The Minimum Timeframe to complete the program is measured in calendar years for the Trauma Informed Care certificate program. Students enrolling with no transfer credits must participate in the program for a minimum of one (1) year.

Course List and Descriptions

Trauma Informed Healthcare

Foundations Of Doctoral Study – 1 Credit Hour – Required

Course Number: DBH 1000
Course Title: Foundations of the Biodyne Model
Credit Hours: 1
Course Description: The focus of this course is on the Biodyne (Greek for “life change”) Model of brief, focused interventions across the lifespan developed by the renowned psychologist Dr. Nicholas A. Cummings and his daughter, psychologist Dr. Janet Cummings. Emphasis will be placed on the Biodyne assessment and intervention model rather than one-size-fits-all approaches to psychotherapy. This course will focus on use of the Biodyne Model of assessment and intervention for the DBH working in fast-paced primary care settings as well as other models of integrated healthcare delivery. Assessment tools for common chief mental health complaints and comorbid health conditions will be covered, and limitations of these assessment tools will be discussed.
Co-requisite: DBH 9901

Core Courses – 11 Credit Hours – Required

Course Number: DBH 9901
Course Title: Biodyne Model I: The Biodyne Model in Integrated Care Settings
Credit Hours: 3
Course Description: This course is an orientation to the program and to the essential skills needed to pursue a Doctor of Behavioral Health degree. Doctoral level skills, such as academic integrity, time management, effective use of the library, comprehending complex scholarly texts and research articles, and APA form and style in professional communication are also introduced. Students will learn to formulate ideas, search for and appraise text and online resources, and critically analyze and thoughtfully synthesize research findings. The student will become familiar with various writing and communication formats, and practice those appropriate to their degree and career goals. Special attention will be paid to the skill set needed to enter integrated care settings, the use of the Biodyne Model in these environments, and how to market oneself effectively as a new Behavioral Health Consultant.
Co-requisite: DBH 1000

Course Number: DBH 9017
Course Title: Solving Medical Mysteries
Credit Hours: 1
Course Description: This course will familiarize students with a spectrum of innovative trauma therapies that neurophysiological studies have documented to accelerate the treatment of pathologies related to traumatic stress. Course content provides an introduction to the following interventions: EMDR; somatic therapies, including sensorimotor psychotherapy (SP) and somatic experiencing (SE); Internal Family Systems (IFS), Applied Neurofeedback; and Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP).
Pre-requisites: DBH 1000, DBH 9901

Course Number: DBH 9024
Course Title: Leading Edge Trauma Therapies for Integrated Care
Credit Hours: 3
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to learn how to successfully diagnose and treat physical illness caused by various forms of psychosocial stress. Because patients are often unaware of the nature or degree of stresses that are responsible for their illness, emphasis will be placed on learning how to detect and use clues that the patient provides to develop a more complete understanding of the patient’s struggles than they are able to perceive for themselves. A major part of the course will be selecting, assessing and treating a patient known to you who has medically unexplained physical symptoms.
Pre-requisites: DBH 1000, DBH 9901

Course Number: DBH 9026
Course Title: Trauma-Informed Care
Credit Hours: 3
Course Description: This course provides an in-depth exploration of the impact of trauma on health outcomes. Students will identify operational practices that may re-traumatize patients and lead to provider burnout, and develop realistic strategies for mitigating or resolving trauma history and compassion fatigue. Students will pitch ideas for healthcare systems who’ve set out to meet Triple Aim requirements as well as reduce provider burnout and compassion fatigue.
Pre-requisites: DBH 1000, DBH 9901

Course Number: DBH 9028
Course Title: Intergenerational Trauma
Credit Hours: 1
Course Description: This course provides an introduction to intergenerational and racialized trauma. Research in the field of epigenetics illustrates that the untreated effects of trauma suffered by one generation, whether individual or collective, are passed on to up to four subsequent generations. We will explore historical and current research on the transmission of trauma among specific oppressed populations including select ethnic groups and BIPOC. This course will teach DBH-Cs to recognize intergenerational transmission of trauma, understand the mechanisms of transmission as well as implications for integrated care, along with effective treatment strategies.
Pre-requisites: DBH 1000, DBH 9901, DBH 9024, Recommended Pre-req:
DBH 9024

Testimonials

“The totally online DBH program offered by Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies is focused on the professional I have grown into: a synergistic disrupter for the healthcare industry, who is passionate about Wholistic Healthcare (e.g., health, behavioral health, and Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health), rendered skillfully through interprofessional teams. The program pillars of medical literacy, integrated behavioral health interventions, and entrepreneurship resonate loudly with me. The healthcare industry will continue to change, with doctoral level professionals needed to play a major role in any successful transformation. My goal is to further advance my knowledge-base, professional standing, and industry commitment to be part of these transformational efforts. In this way I can heed the Quadruple Aim: assuring quality-driven patient-centric care is rendered at the right time, through the right population-based treatment processes, at the right cost, and by empowered professionals embracing the work and committed to their charge.”
Ellen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 11, 2020

“In the time that I have been a student at CGI, I have learned that integrated healthcare is no longer the exception; providers want behavioral health clinicians on their team. My courses demonstrate that the services that a DBH can offer are valuable and the opportunities abound. I’m learning that as a DBH, I can work to create a new norm in healthcare, one that promotes holistic care provided by a collaborative team delivering diverse services. I now view behavioral healthcare as a crucial piece of the medical care puzzle, rather than a separate entity. I can see the gaps in care that a DBH can fill and why including a DBH in treatment is critical. I am beginning to see how I will play a role in disrupting healthcare to provide quality treatment while advocating for my patients. Although I may still have to explain my role at times, I am learning that once I do, others will seek out my services. I am gaining confidence in what I bring to the medical team and am continuously expanding my knowledge of what else I can do.”
Jennifer KellyDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 26, 2020

“As a Social Worker, I believe my main mission includes advocating for and empowering patients. The DBH degree will allow me to fully integrate the “medical side of the house” with the “behavioral health side”. My experience working side-by-side with medical providers (PCM’s, ED docs, Hospitalists, etc…) has shown that most of them do not understand behavioral health issues nor how medical symptoms or diagnoses can effect a patients’ mental health and vice-versa. Alternatively, I have worked with a multitude of behavioral health providers who have very limited knowledge of how medical issues might affect their clients. I have often wondered how many patients I have had who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety or other DSM-V diagnosis when in reality the origin was medical. Earning a DBH will allow me to push the envelope when it comes to consulting with medical providers and promote the inclusion of “behavioral healthcare” within “healthcare” as its ALL healthcare! As Mahatma Ghandi said “be the change you wish to see in the world”; earning a DBH will enhance my ability to “change the world” – even if it’s one medical provider or one patient at a time.”
Diane Scott, MSW, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - August 7, 2020

“My friend and I were talking about the challenges and frustrations that we face daily in our careers with the clear divide between mental health and physical health and how we wished we had the knowledge and skills to shake up healthcare and bridge the gap. She brought up researching doctorate programs and how interested she was in the DBH. My reponse was, “What on earth is a DBH?” She laughed and said it was a newer doctorate degree in behavioral health, that focused directly on integrated care and doing exactly what we were dreaming of doing….shaking up healthcare and bridging the gap and treating the person as a whole. I had a hard time believing her. It sounded too good to be true. How was there a degree out there that fit my goals and aspirations to a T without me knowing about it? I had been looking periodically throughout my 20 year journey in behavioral health for a program that resonated with me. It was here all this time? How had I missed it? I immediately spent hours scouring the internet to find any crumb of information that I could about the Doctorate of Behavioral Health and the programs associated with it. Then I hit the jackpot. I found the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies.”
Amy McConnell, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 18, 2020

“During my tenure as a student at CGI, I wrote a book review that was published in the International Journal of Integrated Care. One of my papers became a newsletter article, a pitch for my population health class became a poster presented at a CFHA conference, a book chapter was developed based on a paper I wrote for my independent study, and I am submitting my CP project to a journal this weekend. So, everything that you write during the program is potentially publishable! You have the advantage of having faculty read and give you feedback on it before submitting it. Take risks! The worst that can happen if you submit a paper for publication is receiving a rejection letter. Well, if you don’t send it you’re already acting as if the paper had been rejected. 😉 Plus, if you receive a rejection letter, it usually comes with feedback, so you can improve your paper and send it again!”
Dr. Liliane de Aguiar-Rocha, DBH, BCBADBH Alumni, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - October 9, 2020

“There is a substantial need for integrating care between our physical, and mental health. The gap between these domains are more so overlooked among those with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities – the very population I serve as a Behavior Analyst. Filling these gaps entails work that demands for a DBH who is competent, empathetic, and altruistic.”
Pauline Pablo, BCBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 11, 2020

“My interest in a DBH degree grew out of frustration and hope. On one hand, I grew frustrated with the quality of care my clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities were receiving. As members of a marginalized population who lack the skills to advocate for themselves, the clients I serve receive subpar medical care, mental health care, and behavioral health care. Many healthcare providers are not trained to address the unique language and cognitive challenges present when serving a person with Autism and I/DD.

On the other hand, as I learned more about the DBH program, a potential solution came into view. I believe this program will allow me to acquire the knowledge and skills to become a better advocate for my clients, and new job opportunities will open up in positions in which I will be able to make a bigger impact on a system level, thus improving quality of life for many clients. A DBH degree will command interest and respect from other healthcare professionals who are evaluating their practices and noticing areas in which they are not being effective, namely the behavioral health side of the equation. As we are learning in our first classes about the Biodyne Model, the Integrated Care Model is not widely accepted or known in the healthcare field, despite its proven track record. I believe a DBH degree provides the necessary tool to change the landscape of healthcare provision by arming my passion for this topic with knowledge and concrete strategies.”
Valeria ParejoDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 15, 2021

“As a Doctorate of Behavioral Health (DBH) student my vision for healthcare is to disrupt the current model, close gaps to care and create healthcare improvements. In the evolving world of healthcare I believe behavioral healthcare providers (BCP) are essential to the development of integrative healthcare. Once I obtain a DBH degree, I know I will gain a leadership role and be able to add quality to the creation of integration efforts worldwide. I know I will graduate with the essential tools I need to stand at the forefront of integrated healthcare. I want to create healthcare improvements for marginalized populations that are typically underserved or forgotten. As an individual of two minority groups; woman and African American, I am very passionate about helping reduce cultural, ethnic, social economic and geographic disparities within healthcare systems.”
Ebony WatsonDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“Since beginning my studies at CGI, I have been awakened to how much I truly did not know and understand despite my specialty training in Social Work and behavioral health needs. The classes at CGI allow me to explore topics that I may not have thought to investigate and encourage me to question and think outside the “normal” delivery of behavioral health services. Services that I previously thought were quality and designed to meet the needs of special populations, I now believe to be woefully inadequate to serve the needs of the patients. Patients cannot receive the best quality, efficient, and timely care they need and deserve within institutions that are not integrated. Institutions that continue to silo and do not encourage collaboration and integration are not focused on the needs of the patient.”
Amanda BarnardDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“I believe, as a DBH, I will disrupt the current healthcare systemby promotingguaranteed health care for allasa right, not a privilege.I willadvocate fora national, rather than state, licensing of providers. This will allow clinicians (medical,behavioral health, etc…) to provide care across state lines using telemedicine.Finally, the skills I have learned at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies allow me to identify healthcare delivery concerns, propose alternative interventions and cost–effective solutions and evaluate theirreturn on investment.”
Diane ScottDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 29, 2021

“Since entering CGI, I have more confidence in discussing the need for healthcare systems to have a population health approach to care, and to put in place “upstream” programming. I have always been proud of working in a hospital and delivering care, working as a multidisciplinary team member, and making a difference. I now realize I have been part of healthcare’s focus of “treating the sick” rather than being an influencer for preventative care.

Preventative care can be part of service delivery from a hospital system; we should not rely only on public health programs to tackle social determinants of health. COVID-19 is not only impacting mental health but also how we are delivering medical care. Could COVID-19 be an unintended force for healthcare policy change? Apostolopoulos et al. (2020) reports the complexity presented to the health care system by COVID-19 has created change that will continue in healthcare for years to come. The needed changes to delivery and access will require a policy shift in all levels of healthcare (Apostolopoulos et al., 2020).”
Billie RatliffDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 13, 2021

“The DBH is exactly the type of doctorate degree that I’ve been searching for. A doctorate that is clinical focused is where my interest lies. I am motivated to pursue this degree, and courses like Pathophysiology, Psychopharmacology, Neuropathophysiology, only add to that excitement. One must be motivated to complete any degree program. The Doctor of Behavioral Health fits that bill for me. In fact, I would say that I am beyond motivated.”
Arthur Williams IIIDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 8, 2022

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”
Willam ChumDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“Pursuing a doctorate in behavioral health is essential in helping to transform my thinking as a healthcare provider; moving from a more traditional mindset, embracing change and a “different world view” of tools for successful client outcomes. This type of advanced study will equip me with the clinical and leadership skills to be a leader on the cutting edge of behavioral health. This type of training would make me an asset to the healthcare workplace; specifically to function effectively as a change agent for the successful outcomes of the workplace and its clients.”
Judith AllenDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 23, 2022 Previous Slide