by Al Dickenson
The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare has offered the Graduate Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) since 2013, training students to work with clients who have traumatic backgrounds. Those planning to pursue careers in the justice system are increasingly incorporating this certificate into their master’s degree curriculum.
Nearly 20 students have completed the TIC certificate alongside their master’s in criminal justice and criminology since 2022. That’s when Danielle Romain Dagenhardt reached out to the Social Work Department to discuss adding criminal justice courses to their array of electives.
Romain Dagenhardt, who’s now the criminal justice and criminology department chair, said the TIC certificate benefits students interested in law enforcement, corrections, courts or victim advocacy. Criminal justice professionals in those roles will likely encounter individuals managing their current trauma or a trauma history. The certificate offers students an in-depth understanding of trauma and how it may impact those they encounter.
The certificate offers students an in-depth understanding of trauma and how it may impact those they encounter.
While the interdisciplinary certificate program was initially developed for social work graduate students, all graduate students in the helping professions can participate including those in nursing, counseling, and now, criminal justice and criminology.
The TIC certificate requires completion of fifteen credits in trauma-informed care coursework. Each department decides which courses are double counted toward their degrees, explained Kristina Pekulik, a senior lecturer and the Trauma-Informed Care certificate coordinator. The certificate is also open to individuals with a bachelor’s degree who would like to incorporate trauma-informed care knowledge into their career.
Acknowledging clients’ trauma history
Ciara Trunnell, a criminal justice and criminology graduate student, has years of experience working in child welfare. She saw the value in providing resources and services through a trauma-informed lens.
“The populations I work with are more vulnerable and at risk of traumatization or re-traumatization than others,” she said. “I have been able to apply many of the skills and techniques I’ve learned about from TIC classes to the families I support every day.”
Alyssa Sheeran, an assistant professor, explains that the TIC certificate has become popular with criminal justice and criminology graduate students. “Students have had very positive feedback,” Sheeran said. “They are interested in learning more about the theory, practice, and policy of trauma and how they can apply that to their future careers in the criminal justice field.”
Sheeran said graduate students enjoy the required classes, including trauma counseling, victimology, and women and criminal justice.
“Being able to understand someone’s trauma history … is one of the most important things I’ve learned during my time at UWM.”
Trunnell echoed Sheeran’s statement. “Being able to understand someone’s trauma history, no matter how recent, and being able recognize how it may directly or indirectly impact who they are in this moment, is one of the most important things I’ve learned during my time at UWM.”
Upon completion, students receive a certificate document from the UWM Graduate School and a transcript designation showing that they have earned the Trauma-Informed Care certificate. This indicates an advanced level of training to prospective employers and professional organizations.
Students pursuing their master’s in criminal justice and criminology with the TIC certificate will graduate prepared to implement trauma-informed policy, supervision, and intervention within professional criminal justice settings.
“Receiving a Trauma-Informed Care certificate from UWM has made me rethink how my future looks, especially as a current child welfare employee,” Trunnell said.