Trauma Informed Care
80% of foster youth develop PTSD—double the rate of combat veterans
Imagine being a child who has already lost everything.
You wake up in a stranger’s home, your few belongings shoved into a trash bag.
Every new home, every new school, every new “temporary” placement deepens the feeling that you don’t belong anywhere.
Your brain and your nervous system rewire themselves not for love and trust, but for survival.
This is not just a statistic—this is my reality. I am one of those kids. I have PTSD. I was separated from my family. I was moved from home to home. I carried my life in a trash bag. I am not just advocating—I have lived this. And I know what the trauma has caused.
50% of former foster youth become homeless, incarcerated, or addicted within two years of aging out
This happened to my brother and my sister. What does that mean? It means a child, after being bounced from home to home with no stability, no real parental figure, and no real support system, is handed a trash bag at 18 and told-
“You’re on your own.”
No home. No job. No guidance.
The streets become their reality. Addiction becomes their comfort. Prison becomes their structure.
This is not a coincidence—it is a direct result of a system designed to discard them.
I didn’t age out, but I could have. And I’ve seen firsthand what happens to the kids who did.
The Economic Cost of Ignoring Childhood Trauma
The consequences of childhood trauma extend beyond individual suffering; they impose a significant financial burden on society:
Homelessness: Nearly 90% of homeless adults have been exposed to at least one ACE, with over half experiencing four or more. (maphealth.ca)
Incarceration: Women in the criminal justice system are more likely to have experienced childhood trauma and physical/sexual abuse than women not involved in the system. (nhchc.org)
Substance Abuse: Trauma is a contributing factor for 68% of men and 76% of women who are homeless and in substance abuse treatment. (nhchc.org)
Economic Burden: The CDC estimates that the lifetime cost of child maltreatment in the U.S. exceeds $124 billion annually, encompassing
healthcare, child welfare services, lost productivity, and criminal justice expenses. (stacks.cdc.gov)
The Benefits of Trauma-Informed Therapy: Why Kinship Works
Kinship is not adding trauma-informed therapy to a broken system—it is built on healing from the start.
Kinship creates a foundation of safety, trust, and lifelong care that leads to better outcomes.
Reduction in Trauma Symptoms – Decreased PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Improved Mental Health – Greater resilience and emotional regulation.
Enhanced Treatment Engagement – More adherence and success in treatment.
Lower Use of Crisis Services – Fewer ER visits and inpatient stays.
Breaks the Cycle – Healing prevents future homelessness, addiction, and incarceration.
Current Foster Care Therapeutic Approaches
Lack of Specialized Trauma Training: Caregivers often lack the skills to respond to trauma.
Inconsistent Mental Health Services: Many children go untreated.
Risk of Re-traumatization: Multiple placements and transitions worsen trauma.
Comparative Analysis
Trauma-informed care is holistic, empathetic, and personalized.
Traditional foster care therapy is inconsistent and often harmful.
The contrast shows the need for systemic change.
What Is Trauma-Informed Therapy?
Safety First – Creates an emotionally and physically safe space.
Whole-Person View – Addresses mental, physical, and emotional health.
Diverse Techniques – Custom tools from CBT to somatic healing.
Non-Judgmental Lens – Validates survival responses.
Avoids Re-traumatization – Gentle, client-paced approach.
Trauma-informed care is a compassionate approach that seeks to heal emotional and psychological wounds, equip individuals with tools for lifelong resilience, and empower them to reclaim their sense of power and control over their lives.
Call to Action: Be Part of History
Yes, this is big.
So were the Civil Rights Movement and the Child Labor Law Act.
History is shaped by those who act. This is our moment to end systemic trauma.
Every day, children are being harmed by the system meant to protect them.
Kinship is the solution. But we need you to bring it to life.
The Economic Cost of Ignoring Trauma-Informed Care
The price of childhood trauma isn’t just emotional—it’s financial. And it’s staggering.
Failing to address trauma results in massive costs across healthcare, education, criminal justice, and workforce productivity.
These aren’t abstract numbers. They’re the bill we all pay when children don’t receive the care they need to heal.
Health Care Costs
Individual Burden: Those suffering from PTSD accrue excess health care costs ranging from $12,167 to $13,016 per person per year.
National Burden: In 2018 alone, the total economic impact of PTSD in the United States was estimated at $232.2 billion.
Loss of Productivity & Substance Use
Workforce Impact: Trauma survivors experience reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher unemployment—draining the economy.
Addiction Costs: PTSD dramatically increases the risk of substance use disorders, creating ripple effects in public health and safety systems.
The Cost of Childhood Trauma
U.S. Child Abuse: The Institute for Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care estimates the lifetime cost of child abuse in the U.S. at $5.87 trillion.
UK Comparison: In the United Kingdom, the childhood mental health crisis is projected to cost £1.1 trillion in lost lifetime earnings.
Trauma-Informed Care Is Cost-Effective
Trauma-informed interventions aren’t just compassionate—they’re economically wise.
Therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) have shown high efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Trauma-informed systems reduce reliance on high-cost crisis care, emergency services, and institutionalization.
Outcomes improve, and long-term societal costs decrease.
What This Means
We are already paying the price of untreated trauma—in emergency rooms, prison systems, lost productivity, and human suffering.
But we don’t have to.
Trauma-informed care is a proven investment.
It’s not a luxury.
It’s the only sustainable path forward.
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