Trauma Risk Management Overview TRiM Training, TRiM Assessment
Trauma Risk Management - TRiM by Strongmind Resilience
What is Trauma Risk Management? TRiM Assessment
TRiM is not a clinical intervention or a form of counselling, nor is it psychological debriefing. The system allows peers to understand likely reactions to traumatic incidents and to conduct structured risk assessments, aiming to identify people needing early referral to qualified medical support. Risk assessments are based on structured but informal interviews that look for common risk factors for the development of traumatic stress. TRiM is not a single-session intervention and ongoing monitoring will be put in place to support colleagues.
The system conforms to the National Institute for Healthcare Excellence – NICE guidance on managing traumatic incidents.
Does my organisation need TRiM?
Different organisations work at different levels of trauma risk. If your organisation operates within a high-risk industry, or if your staff are likely to face traumatic situations day-to-day, it is worth considering TRiM from a duty of care perspective.
The system has been used in many industries from emergency services, healthcare, construction, first responders, security, transport, the military, government agencies, social services, and NGOs. It is suitable for direct trauma, and exposure to secondary or vicarious trauma, and can be applied after single events. TRiM is entirely suitable in situations where there are long-term serial or multiple exposures.
TRiM Traing
How does TRiM work?
We know that in the wake of traumatic events, ad-hoc responses can be unhelpful. It is important to ensure that psychologically informed management and careful planning occur. TRiM-trained personnel are taught how to plan coherent responses and how to deliver tailored interventions to those at risk.
Trauma Risk Management is designed to be used in a team environment where there is leadership and low-level supervision. To allow this we train people at two levels – Practitioner and Manager. All managers must first qualify as Practitioners; they are then in a position to run the organisational TRiM program and to ensure coherence and support to practitioners.
TRiM Practitioner Training
TRiM practitioners are trained to deliver psychologically informed responses to traumatic events. They conduct TRiM risk assessments and ensure that colleagues are properly supported after challenging periods where they may have been exposed to trauma.
The course duration is two days and is an intensive package of both theory and practical exercises. Delegates are assessed on practical performance through a series of bespoke role-play scenarios.
The course outcome is a trained practitioner who can understand the characteristics of traumatic events and conduct structured risk assessments to bring about early intervention and ongoing support to colleagues and peers.
Course Content
The following areas are covered:
- Characteristics of traumatic events – identifying potentially traumatic events
- Site management – establishing a TRIM site management co-ordinator is critical to facilitate supervision and liaison with the designated health and wellbeing services professional.
- Trauma Psychology – basic elements of trauma psychology that are required to facilitate response to critical events.
- Planning a psychological response to a critical event
- The concept of psychological risk assessment
- Active listening – the course covers how to effectively and actively listen to provide the best possible support.
- Practical risk assessment – exploring the practical details of risk assessment in critical situations
- Providing post-incident stress education briefs.
- Documentation and recording – this aspect covers the necessary documentation and recording of the critical incident and organisation response.
- Self-care – this aspect covers steps and strategies that affected staff can utilise in the aftermath of critical events.
TRiM Risk Assessments
The risk assessments begin 72 hours after the event – earlier interventions are not advised. These can be delivered one-to-one or in small groups. TRiM practitioners guide the interviewee in a supportive and informal way through a structured process designed to identify risk factors. Trained peers are taught how not to re-traumatise, and on completing the initial risk assessment, scores are recorded against the identified risk factors; the practitioner provides advice on coping and the support mechanisms available.
Most people will not need to be referred to medical support at this stage. However, people who are struggling can be signposted to sources of support. For the next month, active monitoring should be in place. At the one-month point, the TRiM practitioner conducts a second risk assessment and makes a comparison of the 72-hour and one-month scores and how people appear to be coping. Research shows that four to six weeks after a traumatic event most people begin to recover and access coping strategies. Those not doing well are identified and where necessary are referred for specialist support. Further mentoring and management continue from there.
Advantages of TRiM
TRiM benefits both your organisation and its people. In summary, it provides:
- Early identification and intervention for people with difficulty
- Better management and support structures
- Enhanced oversight by management
- Improved staff confidence
- Stigma reduction around mental health
- Demonstration of legal compliance – Duty of Care
Advantages
TRiM benefits both your organisation and its people. In summary, it provides:-
- Early identification and intervention for people in difficulty
- Better management and support structures
- Enhanced oversight by management
- Improved staff confidence
- Stigma reduction around mental health
- Demonstration of legal compliance – Duty of Care
TRiM Managers
Receive an additional 2 days of training. The emphasis of the managers course is on planning and supervising responses to traumatic events and developing risk assessment skills to an advanced level. Learning how to supervise TRiM practitioners, managing their welfare and support is crucial. TRiM managers learn how to build effective and strong teams and how to apply best practice.
Course aim
Provide TRiM Managers trained to ensure the effective implementation of TRiM policy. Develop the supervisory skills to ensure practitioner welfare and the application of suitable post incident management strategies.
Course outcome is to enable delegates to:-
- Develop TRiM risk assessments and active listening skills to advanced level
- Plan and coordinate organisational responses to critical events
- Supervise and monitor the welfare and effectiveness of TRiM practitioners
- Act as the regional/divisional TRiM lead in own area
- Provide low level formal TRiM supervision and act as regional point of contact
- Advise on and monitor management plans after TRiM risk assessments
- Coordinate records, TRiM follow up assessments and liaise with other departments as necessary
Accreditation
The Continuous Professional Development Standards Office – CPD – fully accredits our courses.
Refresher training?
Our expert trainers recommend refresher training annually, although TRiM managers can conduct limited internal training for Practitioners. Because skills can get rusty over time, we offer one-day refresher training. We can usually arrange this at short notice where real-time risk assessments are to follow. This does not affect CPD accreditation and can be done virtually.
Where does training take place?
Strongmind trains across the UK and worldwide. Most importantly, our flexible approach means we will deliver training where you want, this includes e-learning and virtual courses.
Our TRiM Courses
TRiM
We work with a wide range of organisations in the UK and overseas, these include government departments such as the Home Office, police and emergency services. Strongmind is proud to be providing ongoing TRiM support to our NHS staff over the pandemic period and those people working in public services and Non-Government Organisations.
