We were recently introduced to Laneita Williamson, founder of 18 Cairns Consulting, who led a system-wide implementation at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, a North Carolina health system. Her recent research article reinforces something we see every day: lasting impact requires more than training; it requires systems change.
The Williamson, et al. (2025) study found the following:
These findings point to the value of a trauma-informed approach in healthcare, which offers healthcare organizations a framework for recognizing how trauma experiences affect wellbeing and intersect with the healthcare system, as well as how to create environments that are supportive of patients, staff, and providers.
This is exactly where the Traumatic Stress Institute focuses our work. Through partnerships like our collaboration with RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH) – one of New Jersey’s largest health systems – we’ve supported trauma-informed transformation across behavioral health units and emergency departments at eight sites using the Risking Connection® Change Model (RCCM).
Want to hear what this looks like in practice?
Join us on May 13, 2026 from 3-4 p.m. ET for a panel discussion with staff who are doing this work every day. Reimagine what’s possible through trauma-informed systems change.
Citation:
Williamson L, Daniel SS, Carter J, Ridenhour A, Pulgar CA, Gay Y and Debinski B (2025) Negative effects of adverse childhood experiences and absence of positive childhood experiences on healthcare employees: survey findings built on 10 years of trauma-informed development. Front. Public Health 12:1494587. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1494587
