Trauma-Informed Leadership

Over the past half-decade, an increasing recognition has developed that trauma is a major risk factor for the onset of mental and substance-use conditions. Clearly, disasters can inflict severe trauma on a large number of people simultaneously. The purpose of this article is to explore the leadership needed to respond to such potentially catastrophic events. This is done by examining the steps that will be required to respond effectively to pandemic avian influenza and to respond to the mental health needs of the large number of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The principal conclusion is that effective trauma-informed leadership will require both excellent managerial skills and detailed substantive knowledge about the required response.