TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES OF NORTH TEXAS

TSSNT's mission is to provide personalized, compassionate care for those affected by trauma. We believe in quality trauma care, comprehensive trauma education, accessibility of trauma services, and community collaborations. TSSNT's strategic goals, based on its 2016 Strategic Plan, include:
1) Explore and obtain additional funding from diverse sources
2) Develop an expanded organizational structure
3) Continue to recruit qualified personnel
4) Obtain needed facility expansion
5) Maintain minimal risks

TSSNT strives to create a better community through quality evidenced based therapy services across the life span, case management, advocacy, and trauma education. TSSNT utilizes the services of licensed therapists willing to provide therapy on a pro bono or contract basis. This strategy allows TSSNT to extend its reach across North Central Texas. Through TSSNT’s partnerships with therapists, clients are able to receive services free of charge close to their own homes, work, or schools for as long as it takes. In return, each therapist has access to free, state-of-the art trauma training and case consultation provided each month by TSSNT’s Trauma Care Institute.

TSSNT provides specialized trauma trainings to mental health professionals, service providers, and community members in North Central Texas. TSSNT established the Trauma Care Institute (TCI) in 2016 to expand awareness about trauma and equip statewide communities with effective services through education. TCI collaborates with agencies, organizations, and schools in Texas to provide state-of-the art, evidence-based trauma education. Therapists and service providers who choose this specialized work must possess skill sets that extend beyond basic mental health education. It is well-established that survivors of crime and other traumatic events, particularly those suffering from complex trauma (repetitive, prolonged trauma involving sustained abuse), require specialized trauma services.

Through therapy, case management, advocacy, trauma education, and community relationships, TSSNT helps meet the needs of its clients.

Therapy cannot wait, clients who experience trauma also experience biological changes such as changes in the limbic system functioning, affects to brain development and an increase in a person’s vulnerability to encountering violence, chronic illness, mental illness, substance use and impairment in functioning as an adult (CDC, 2012). Trauma informed care includes an understanding of trauma and the common responses and stress reactions that trauma causes. When trauma is addressed in therapy a reduction of these symptoms and changes in the limbic system and brain can occur to help clients improve functioning and live fulfilling lives.

Ultimately, providing time-sensitive therapy to families and individuals who have experienced trauma such as a house fire, deadly car accident, death of a loved one, natural disaster, loss of physical mobility, domestic violence and PTSD from military-related incidents, will make our community mentally healthier. By providing access to life-changing counseling, for most free of charge to the clients, for as long as it takes for them to heal is an invaluable benefit to the community as a whole.

Our vision is to have a world where no one suffers alone—we are here to guide people on their journey to healing. Today, free trauma therapy is provided to nearly 1,000 clients in 16 counties in North Texas annually by licensed therapists, who use a multi-faceted approach to provide easy access to therapy to meet their clients’ therapeutic needs. TSSNT’s therapists address the needs of diverse populations by offering mental health services in the communities in which our clients live, work, and attend school. The TSSNT therapy program is like no other in North Texas and is the foundation for everything we do. We unabashedly advocate for the mental health of individuals and families in our community, who have experienced life-changing trauma, by providing free therapy for as long as it takes to heal. In 2019, we provided direct services to over 972 individuals. Currently, TSSNT has a wait list of 119 individuals and/or families (17% of which are children) waiting to receive trauma therapy