Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Services: A Multilevel Perspective from Practitioners Serving Latinx Children and Families

Using a multilevel ecological framework, we take a qualitative approach to examining important cultural considerations that support successful implementation of trauma-informed services within the Latinx community. We conducted key informant interviews with community practitioners recruited primarily in the Phoenix, AZ metro area. Themes that emerged from interviews captured societal, community, and individual barriers to effective implementation of a culturally responsive trauma-informed approach. Specifically, multilevel barriers included socioeconomic circumstances, normalization of trauma exposure, and the transgenerational impact of trauma. Practitioners also reported approaching their work using relationship-focused and family-centered frameworks as facilitators to service engagement. We highlight the critical need for a culturally responsive trauma-informed approach that stresses the importance of context, recognizes transgenerational vulnerabilities, and promotes equity and the utilization of cultural humility in order to lessen the multilayered disparities in service accessibility experienced by minoritized communities.