2021 COMBAT Mid-Year Funding: $48,274.00

In Housing Services's Own Words

Housing Services of Kansas City, a closely held 501(c)3 nonprofit of the Housing Authority of Kansas City, Missouri (HAKC), is creating a new Trauma First Aid Case Worker (TFAC) initiative to treat trauma experienced by Low Income Public Housing residents and break the cycle of domestic abuse and violence in Kansas City’s public housing.

The TFAC Worker will be sited through HAKC’s Resident Services Department and work with HAKC Public Safety officers as they respond to incident reports from HAKC’s Low-Income Public Housing and Senior Developments. The TFAC worker will work intensively for 96-120 hours after a Domestic Violence or other traumatic incident to assist the client with immediate post-traumatic needs, accessing community services, and finding additional therapeutic services. After that time, the client’s case will be transferred to the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency program for follow-up services and case management.

The TFAC worker will also collaborate regarding the mental health of residents who have been placed in HAKC Senior and Disabled Housing by Swope Health and Truman Medical Center Case Managers. This population served by Swope Health and Truman Medical Center case managers have often experienced a lifetime of trauma prior to becoming HAKC residents. As a result, they are also more likely to need the on-going assistance that their Truman or Swope case managers can provide. The TFAC worker will notify the resident’s case manager if the resident appears on a Public Safety report and then conduct regular, monthly follow-up calls and/or meetings to coordinate care and alert the resident’s case manager of any incidents.

This program will fund emergency therapy sessions for Domestic Abuse victims and other people who experience trauma. HAKC’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative utilizes a culturally competent and experienced licensed therapist. HAKC will expand the therapist’s role to provide up to three hours of immediate therapy to the TFAC’s clients. This immediate therapy would bypass weeks-long waits to merely receive an intake, help the client immediately process the situation and make considered decisions, as well as provide additional mental health first aid. As a result, the client will be more likely move away from an abusive situation and towards a healthy one where they and their family can thrive.  

HSKC will also conduct a domestic violence education campaign. The TFAC worker will coordinate with existing domestic violence shelters and healthcare professionals to create two different domestic violence campaigns.

The first will be aimed at HAKC residents. Via posters, literature, cards, programs and other means, the campaign will raise awareness of domestic violence, what individuals can do if domestic violence is occurring, and the use of non-verbal cues that a victim can make to alert HAKC staff of violence and/or exploitation.

The other campaign will consist of trainings for HAKC staff to recognize and receive non-verbal cues that a person is in danger, and the warning signs of domestic abuse that management and maintenance staff can recognize while in a resident’s home.   All HAKC Low-Income Public Housing staff will receive training from the TFAC worker.

The aim of the TFAC program is to break the cycle of violence and trauma in Low-Income Public Housing.

 HAKC anticipates a 10% reduction of repeat calls for domestic violence within the first year, and for 50 residents to make use of emergency therapy sessions. By applying Trauma-Informed Care and Social Work approaches to what has previously been treated with a law enforcement response, we are also hoping to create an innovative approach to the problems of domestic violence and trauma in public housing.