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PTSD Awareness Month – June 2025

Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Strategy – PTSD Awareness Month 2025

Hospital Leadership in Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Strategy

Published: June 1, 2025


Each June, PTSD Awareness Month serves as a national call to action, elevating public and institutional awareness around post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), PTSD affects an estimated 12 million Americans annually. It is a complex mental health condition that develops after exposure to trauma, including violence, combat, abuse, disasters, or prolonged medical intervention. For hospitals and healthcare systems, this month presents an opportunity to lead with purpose—by embedding trauma-informed care into clinical operations. From emergency departments to behavioral units, frontline staff encounter trauma survivors daily, often without structured tools or training. Left unaddressed, PTSD increases risks for comorbidities, hospital readmissions, and long-term disability. As noted in a 2023 scoping review of trauma-informed emergency care, the absence of such frameworks may contribute to re-traumatization, missed diagnoses, and poor patient outcomes (Ramos et al., 2023). Health system executives must recognize the intersection of trauma and chronic illness, workforce wellbeing, and patient safety. Embedding screening protocols, care coordination models, and culturally responsive interventions is essential. PTSD care is not only a behavioral health imperative—it is a system-wide accountability. Strategic leadership in this space affirms a hospital’s commitment to healing beyond the diagnosis.

Trauma-informed care begins with recognition and responsiveness. Hospitals must ensure that clinical teams are equipped to identify signs of PTSD in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Symptoms such as hypervigilance, avoidance, flashbacks, emotional numbing, and sleep disruption often go unrecognized—especially in marginalized populations. “Symptoms of PTSD include persistent re-experiencing of the trauma (e.g., intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks), avoidance of reminders, negative changes in cognitive and mood, and increased arousal (e.g. irritability, hypervigilance, sleep disturbances)” (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2015). Routine screening in primary care, oncology, obstetrics, and intensive care units can uncover hidden trauma. Tools like the PCL-5 or PC-PTSD-5 can be integrated into electronic health record (EHR) systems to prompt referrals. Clinical staff should be trained not only in recognizing symptoms but in responding without re-traumatization. Establishing clear referral pathways to licensed mental health professionals—including psychologists, trauma therapists, and clinical social workers—strengthens continuity of care. Leadership commitment must ensure that screening translates into support. Trauma is ubiquitous, but so is the opportunity for healing.

Hospital-based behavioral health infrastructure is instrumental in ensuring PTSD care is comprehensive and accessible. Many trauma survivors encounter fragmented systems, with limited access to evidence-based treatment such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE), or EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Executives must evaluate behavioral health integration across departments and address access gaps—especially in emergency care, surgical follow-up, and oncology support services. Telehealth has opened new channels for trauma therapy, but digital equity remains a challenge. A 2023 study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that “Black and Hispanic patients had lower odds of using video visits compared to White patients,” with language proficiency and Medicaid status further limiting access to video-based care (Zhou et al., 2023). Hospital leaders must advocate for bilingual mental health providers, mobile crisis units, and trauma-informed protocols that prioritize equity. Equally important is ensuring staff well-being. Secondary traumatic stress and burnout among healthcare workers must be addressed through peer support, debriefing, and psychological first aid. Systems that care for the caregivers ultimately strengthen care for all.

Addressing PTSD is not only a clinical obligation but a moral one. Hospitals must adopt policies that prevent retraumatization—from intake forms to discharge planning. Patient feedback should guide quality improvement, especially among high-risk groups like veterans, survivors of domestic violence, incarcerated individuals, and refugees. Organizational leadership must promote environments of psychological safety where both patients and employees feel heard, protected, and empowered. Metrics of trauma-informed care—such as patient-reported experience, engagement in therapy, and timeliness of referrals—should be tied to hospital quality dashboards. As emphasized in recent guidance from SAMHSA and The Joint Commission, leadership accountability is essential to sustainable change. Health equity demands attention to trauma’s disproportionate burden on structurally marginalized groups. By embedding trauma-informed frameworks across service lines, health systems can address root causes of suffering—not just symptoms. “Organizational leadership is ultimately accountable for reducing healthcare disparities, and new requirements stress the need to integrate equity into all levels of care delivery” (The Joint Commission, 2022). This is the essence of value-based care and population health stewardship.

As PTSD Awareness Month unfolds, hospital executives have a strategic window to assess and enhance their trauma-informed systems. Hosting continuing education workshops, expanding behavioral health staff, and investing in patient engagement technologies can accelerate progress. Integrating PTSD awareness into broader behavioral health strategy also supports accreditation readiness and improves public trust (American Hospital Association, 2016). Healthcare executives should view this observance not as symbolic, but operational. Institutional excellence means preparing for complexity, advocating for dignity, and centering empathy in all interactions. PTSD may stem from past events—but responsive care is built in the present. As The Healthcare Executive emphasizes, “Leadership in trauma-informed care is leadership in compassionate, equitable healthcare.” By investing in systems that support both survivors and staff, hospitals build resilience at scale. June is not just PTSD Awareness Month—it’s a reminder of what healing leadership looks like.

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Hospitals are uniquely positioned to lead national progress in trauma-informed care. Use PTSD Awareness Month to assess staff readiness, expand behavioral health partnerships, and reinforce your system’s commitment to equity and compassion. Build a framework where patients feel safe, understood, and supported—no matter their trauma history.

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