Methodist Healthcare Ministries Receives Groundbreaking Initial Trauma Informed Care Certification
San Antonio, TX (August 25, 2021) – Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. – a private, faith-based not-for-profit dedicated to creating access to health care for low-income families and the uninsured – attained its Level 1 Trauma Informed Care Certification through the Ecumenical Center at a special event held Wednesday, August 25.
Reducing trauma and recognizing the influence of childhood trauma on adult violence and health status have been identified by the CDC as crucial strategies for improving the nation's health.
The Ecumenical Center is the certifying entity for the South Texas Trauma Informed Care Crisis Consortium and developed the certifying standards to ensure the highest level of adherence to trauma informed approaches in all interactions with the community. Three pilot organizations, including Methodist Healthcare Ministries, stepped up to help pilot the Level 1 Trauma Informed Certification process. Once the pilot is complete, the Ecumenical Center will begin certifying the 35 organizations on the waiting list to complete Trauma-Informed Care Certification. Methodist Healthcare Ministries was the first of the organizations in the pilot to complete the process and attain the Level 1 certification.
“Methodist Healthcare Ministries has been a longtime supporter of the South Texas Trauma Informed Care Consortium and are honored to be one of the first to sign up for the Level 1 Trauma Informed Care Certification through the Ecumenical Center,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. “By earning this certification, we are enhancing the relationships we build with the patients and clients we see in our own clinics and ultimately, improve their health outcomes, as well as supporting the efforts and well-being of our own team members through a more trauma-informed workplace.”
“As the Trauma Informed Care certifying body in Bexar County, The Ecumenical Center would like to congratulate Methodist Healthcare Ministries on becoming the first San Antonio area organization to receive Level 1 Trauma Informed Certification,” said Mary Beth Fisk, Executive Director/CEO of the Ecumenical Center. Their commitment to training their staff and developing processes utilizing a trauma-informed care approach will enable people who have experienced trauma to feel safe, confident and valued while interacting with their organization. We encourage others – including nonprofits, schools, and businesses across our community- to consider exploring Trauma Informed Certification for their own organizations.”
Trauma Informed Care practices can improve client, patient, and employee relationships, and help organizations avoid retraumatizing of those who have experienced trauma in the past.
Any organization or business, not just those in the health care industry, can become TIC-certified.
For more details on this initiative, please visit the Ecumenical Center’s page at: https://www.ecrh.org/trauma-informed-organizations/ or call (210) 616-0885.
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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. is a private, faith-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating access to health care for the uninsured through direct services, community partnerships and strategic grant-making in 74 counties across South Texas. Guided by its mission of "Serving Humanity to Honor God," Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ vision is to be the leader for improving wellness of the least served. The mission also includes Methodist Healthcare Ministries' one-half ownership of the Methodist Healthcare System, the largest healthcare system in South Texas, which creates a unique avenue to ensure that it continues to be a benefit to the community by providing quality care to all and charitable care when needed. For more information, visit www.mhm.org.
About the Ecumenical Center
In 1967, The Ecumenical Center was founded by a coalition of religious leaders, from all major denominations, to provide counseling, education and mental health and wellness services to the under-served in San Antonio, Texas. Now, 54 years later, The Center provides evidence-based counseling at 37 locations in South and Central, Texas. In 2020, The Center provided direct and indirect services to 26,000 people (13,000 of them children) with 99% of the client’s needing fee assistance. The Center provides the latest evidence-based counseling services provided by licensed clinicians and certified peer support specialists. Services include: EMDR; Children’s Play/Art Therapy; Individual; Family; Adolescent; Geriatric; Couple’s Marital/Relationship and Substance Abuse counseling. Group Education is offered through Parenting Classes and CEUs for licensed clinicians. Support groups are offered for Bereavement, Addiction Recovery and Suicide losses. Therapy using The Expressive Therapeutic Arts (Art, Music, Neurologic Music, Writing, Therapeutic Rhythms), as well as, Psychological Testing and Neurofeedback services are offered. The Center for Trauma Informed Care Certification and The Center for Young Minds are programs of The Ecumenical Center.
