No abstract

No abstract

This article provides a theoretical framework for the Sanctuary Model®. The Sanctuary Model is a trauma-informed organizational change intervention developed by Sandra Bloom and colleagues in the early 1980s. Based on the concept of therapeutic communities, the model is designed to facilitate the development of organizational cultures that counteract the wounds suffered by the victims of traumatic experience and extended exposure to adversity. Details of the Sanctuary Model logic model are presented. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE •Emerging research suggests the importance of organizational culture in the delivery of evidence-based mental health services and, thus, the need for organizational interventions such as the Sanctuary Model.• By creating a restorative culture through the Sanctuary Model, service providers can be emotionally available to each other and their clients, resulting in positive relationships that create the conditions for resilience.

Little is known about black women's perceptions of service barriers in mental health and substance treatment. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study that explored the perceptions of 29 black women who received treatment in a small urban Northeastern city. Findings of the focus group data revealed participants' experiences of services as discussed through the themes of bias and stigma; incompatible perspectives of wellness versus illness between consumer and provider; consumer mistrust; and holistic wellness. Participants endorsed counseling as a treatment strategy but were adverse to the use of medication. Practice and research implications are discussed.