Trauma Awareness Month

May 2025

Theme: LIFT Higher: Embrace Unity

Listen to understand
Involve all voices
Foster collaborative partnerships
Trust the process

What is Trauma Awareness Month?

In 2018, Governor Carney issued Executive Order 24 prioritizing efforts for Delaware to become a trauma informed state and incorporating Trauma Awareness Month as a key initiative. The Family Services Cabinet Council and Trauma Matters Delaware are hosting Delaware’s sixth annual Trauma Awareness Month in May 2024. 

This year, we will host a suite of events, learning opportunities and moments for celebration during Trauma Awareness Month. This is a time to celebrate the exceptional work done to date, share best practices and resources for trauma-informed care, and learn how trauma-informed practices can enhance your organization’s services.

Upcoming Trauma Awareness Month Events

Strong Brains…Resilient Communities Webinar Series (2nd Session)

Date: May 8, 2025 at 6:00 pm EDT (1st Session)

Session 2 is entitled Transformed: The Journey from Pain to Power.

Click Here to Register!

Virtual One-Hour Panel: Workplace Wellness

Date: May 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT

Mark Trauma Awareness Month with Trauma Matters Delaware’s one-hour virtual panel on workplace wellness, Thursday, May 9 at 2pm ET. We’ll explore how trauma, stress, stigma, and hustle culture shape entrepreneurial life — for both themselves and their teams.

Click Here to Register!

Cultivating Resilience: Efforts Within and Outside of the Academy

Date: May 14, 2025 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EDT

This event will showcase efforts to cultivate resilience both within and outside of the academic community.

Click Here to Register!

Getting Back in my Body & My Community: Healing with Trauma & the Dissociative Experiences in LGBTQ+ Community

Date: May 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT

This presentation explores the unique challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face in reclaiming their bodies and communities after experiencing trauma and dissociative experiences as a way to survive the unsurvivable.

Click Here to Register!

When Clients Don’t Talk in Session: Now What?

Date: May 28, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT

If you’re a counselor, case manager, teacher, coach, mentor, or anyone dedicated to supporting adults, children, or families, this training is designed for you. You’ll discover the key strategies to effectively engage, communicate, and foster responses when they face challenges in connecting or responding to your guidance.

Click Here to Register!

Cultivating Healing Classrooms: A Trauma‑Informed Schools Panel

Date: May 30, 2025 at 10:00 am EDT

Join Trauma Matters Delaware 10am May 30th for a dynamic Trauma Awareness Month conversation on building school environments where every student can learn, heal, and thrive.

Click Here to Register!

Event Calendar

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The Compassionate Champion Awards

The Compassionate Champion Awards recognize individuals and organizations across the state of Delaware providing trauma-informed services. Categories include community partner, education (P-20), family/caregiver, government agency or department, healthcare, first responder, and other. 

The 2023 nomination period closes at April 7, 2023 at 5:00pm. Nominations can be submitted on the Governor’s Website.

Nominate an individual or organization for a 2023 Compassionate Champion award!

View the State Press Release.

2021 Compassionate Champion Award Ceremony

2021 Compassionate Champion Award Recipients

  • Sarah Pyle Academy
  • New Castle County Division of Police, Hero Help Behavioral Health Unit
  • ChristianaCare, special recognition to Dr. Stacey Boyer, PsyD and Megan O’Hara, LCSW
  • Children & Families First Trauma Response Team
  • Erin Connelly, Victim Services Coordinator, Delaware Department of Correction

Due to the extraordinary nominees this year in the education and first responder categories, we are proud to recognize the Compassionate Champion Award First Runners Up:

  • Education 1st Runner Up: The Bancroft School
  • Education 1st Runner Up: Evan G. Shortlidge Academy
  • First Responder 1st Runner Up: Melissa Pennachi, Newark Police Department

The First Champions

In May of 2019, just before the first annual Compassionate Champion Awards were presented, First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney announced a one-time recognition, the First Chance Foundation awards. The awards were presented to, as Tracey said, “individuals, organizations, and partnerships, who were leading trauma-informed work long before [Governor] John [Carney] and I came on the scene.” 

Several of the recipients were involved in designing the annual Compassionate Champion awards program, and all were essential in building the foundation for trauma-informed work in Delaware.

The First Chance Foundation Honorees (with their affiliations at the time):

Wilmington University

Trauma Matters Delaware

Casey Family Programs

Superintendent, Red Clay Consolidated School District

Office of the Child Advocate/Compassionate Schools Learning Collaborative

University of Delaware

Delaware Department of Education/Compassionate Schools Learning Collaborative

Office of the Governor/Compassionate Schools Learning Collaborative

Polytech High School

Children and Families First

Nemours Children’s Health System

(Student Support Team)

DSEA/Compassionate Schools Learning Collaborative and Compassionate Connections Partnership

Family Services Cabinet Council

GIFT