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Sanctuary Model

Gannondale has been selected by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to implement The Sanctuary Model of Trauma Informed Care. Sanctuary is a clinical and organizational model which recognizes the inherent vulnerability of all individuals and social systems to adversity, loss and change. According to The Sanctuary Model website (http://www.sanctuaryweb.com/), the Sanctuary Model responds with a core belief that every individual and system has the capacity to transcend this vulnerability and overcome the impact of these potentially traumatic experiences.

The Sanctuary Model offers guidance for creating a community that capitalizes on the varied perspectives and strengths of all members, and promotes active participation to confront problems and create solutions.

Sanctuary offers tools for establishing physical, psychological, social and ethical safety within a community, and teaches about managing emotional responses to internal conditions and external circumstances. Within this safe context, people are able to deal directly with issues of loss and change as they take meaningful steps toward positive futures.

Aims of the Sanctuary Model

• Increase perceived sense of community/cohesiveness through the active creation of a nonviolent environment.
• Increase degree of social immunity to the spread of violence.
• Increase capacity for social learning.
• Increase democratic decision-making and shared responsibility in problem-solving and conflict resolution.
• Ability to deal with complexity.
• Provide an opportunity for all clients and staff to experience a truly safe and connected community.
• Reduce episodes of interpersonal violence including verbal, physical and sexual forms of harassment, bullying, and violence on part of staff and clients.
• Reduce critical incidents.
• Improve staff/leader job satisfaction.
• Reduce staff turnover.
• Improve client satisfaction.
• Promote recovery, healing, and growth.