Trauma and Powerlessness Among People Experiencing Homelessness: Implications for Administrative Practice

Abstract

People experiencing homelessness are at increased risk of exposure to traumatic events, and face higher rates of suicidal ideation, traumatic brain injury, domestic violence, and sexual assault than the general population. As a result of this trauma prevalence among homeless populations, it is important that human service organizations (HSOs) integrate trauma-informed care (TIC) principles into their service delivery systems. Many HSOs who serve people experiencing homelessness, however, struggle to fully translate TIC principles into administrative practices that are felt as positive at the client level of care. This case study was conducted with focus groups of people experiencing homelessness (n = 13) to investigate the consequences of administrative practice decisions on participants' perceptions of powerlessness and the quality of care they receive from service delivery systems. Study participants repeatedly described their trauma and sense of powerlessness both while experiencing homelessness and while receiving services. Participants' discussion of the service delivery system's staff, policies, processes, and procedures hinged on whether and how they found these service delivery components to make them feel powerless and confused, or not. Study results point towards specific recommendations for how homelessness HSOs ought to implement TIC principles into the homelessness HSO service delivery context, with an emphasis on reducing clients' perceptions of powerlessness within service delivery systems.