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Deborah J. Rinehart, MA, Nancy VanDeMark, MSW, Ann Garrett, MSW, and Danielle W. Toussaint, PhD. Colorado Social Research Associates, Arapahoe House, Inc., 3530 W. Lehigh, Denver, CO 80236, 303-781-1275, nancyv@ahinc.org
Arapahoe House, a not-for-profit substance abuse treatment agency in Denver Colorado, received a grant to study the effectiveness of integrated treatment of substance abuse, mental health, and trauma among adult women. Although the implementation of a trauma intervention was positively received by clients, the clinicians facilitating the groups reported some secondary effects of delivering these services. In an attempt to address this issue, Colorado Social Research Associates (the research department affiliated with Arapahoe House) formed a Steering Committee comprised of clinical staff, researchers, and service consumers to develop and oversee an exploratory study of secondary stress as well as other job-related stress. This sub-study recruited agency clinicians to complete a one-time web-based survey. Three main research constructs of job-related stress were explored: (1) Secondary stress defined as negative symptoms experienced by professionals as a result of working with individuals who have histories of trauma;(2) Burn-out defined as feeling hopeless and unable to deal with or impact the more administrative aspects of the workplace; and (3) Compassion Satisfaction defined as the ability to feel satisfaction with providing care giving services. Risk and protective factors for each construct were derived from linear regressions. In response to the results of this study, a team of clinicians were assembled to review the results and make recommendations to management. Recommendations which centered around training, clinical supervision and support will be presented as well as how these recommendations were incorporated within the agency in an attempt to reduce job-related stress.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am employed by the Agency where the research was conducted.