PROUD From Knowing to Doing: Building Trauma-Responsive Systems of Care Conference – 9/25

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) are hosting a conference to wrap up the six-part webinar series PROUD: Trauma-Informed Care, which was held during the summer of 2025.  The conference will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at CHA (110 Barnes Road in Wallingford, CT).

This event brings together thought leadership and practical insight to address the intersection of socio-economic harm, substance use, and maternal health through the lens of trauma-responsive care. The event begins with a keynote address — by Carmen G. Black, MD, MHS, from the Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut, and Yale School of Medicine — that explores how chronic exposure to systemic inequities such as poverty, systemic racism, and community disinvestment, shapes risk factors for opioid and other use disorders, and influences how birthing people engage with health services. The keynote will challenge participants to move beyond individual-level models and embrace equity-centered approaches that honor lived experience, promote structural accountability, and foster resilience.

The keynote emphasizes a commitment to trauma-responsive systems of care and the importance of creating environments that are safe, trustworthy, empowering, and culturally attuned. These values are essential for understanding how individuals perceive and relate to health services, particularly in the context of the maternal health crisis and substance use recovery.

Following the keynote, a panel of interdisciplinary experts will discuss care coordination for parents recovering from opioid and other use disorders and share share real-world perspectives on caring for individuals in recovery. Panelists will include clinicians, behavioral health specialists, and community-based practitioners who will discuss challenges, innovations, and lessons learned in supporting patients from acute care settings to long-term community support.

This conference is designed for healthcare professionals, educators, social service providers, and policy leaders committed to creating systems that recognize and respond to the impact of trauma.

Continuing education (CE) credits are pending approval.

Breakfast and lunch will be served.