Beyond the Checkbox: Making Trauma Screening Meaningful in Long-Term Care

In response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' mandate for trauma-informed care (TIC) in long-term care (LTC) settings, issued in November 2019,1 our team developed and implemented a process to better identify residents' trauma histories and align care with a person-centered approach. Although validated screening tools for elder abuse and trauma exist, evidence is insufficient to recommend a single instrument for LTC residents.2 Despite policy efforts, TIC screening remains limited in LTC settings for several reasons, including staff discomfort with trauma screening and minimal guidance on the optimal timing, method, or follow-up for screening.