Going Deeper: The Secondary Traumatic Stress Innovations and Solutions Center (STS-ISC)
For organizations ready to move beyond foundational wellness into advanced, supervisor-level secondary traumatic stress work, CTAC's nationally recognized Secondary Traumatic Stress Innovations and Solutions Center (STS-ISC) is the next logical step. Funded by SAMHSA and guided by a National STS-ISC Advisory Board, the center develops and tests workforce development and protection interventions used at National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) centers and other organizations across the country.
Where Well@Work delivers daily-use resilience tools, the STS-ISC delivers the advanced training, supervisory frameworks, and original research that have become benchmarks in the field:
About the STS-ISC — The center's mission, scope, and national advisory board.
STSI-OA: Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organizational Assessment — Developed by Dr. Ginny Sprang, the STSI-OA is a flagship CTAC instrument that allows organizational representatives at any level to evaluate how STS-informed their organization is and to identify specific opportunities to strengthen STS-informed policies and practices. Available in English, Spanish, and French, with a pandemic version (STSI-OAP) also available.
Secondary Traumatic Stress Core Competencies in Trauma-Informed Supervision — Developed by the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children with contributions from Dr. Ginny Sprang and published through the NCTSN, this nine-competency framework includes full training modules, case vignettes, and a Self-Rating Tool available in both Mental Health and Cross-Disciplinary versions.
Online Advanced STS Training: Staying Inside the Window of Tolerance — A self-paced advanced course that uses the Window of Tolerance framework to teach regulation, peer and supervisory support strategies, and personal STS action planning.
Trauma, Stress and Caregiver Well-Being Modules (TCSW) — Training modules designed for resource parents that introduce secondary traumatic stress, the Window of Tolerance framework, and concrete strategies for caregiver well-being. A second version updates Module #8 of the NCTSN's Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma workshop.
STS-ISC Resources — A curated hub of supervision tools, screeners, video podcasts, and partner resources from the NCTSN and the STS Consortium.
Screeners for Secondary Traumatic Stress — Confidential, validated self-screening tools for individuals and organizations:
- Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS)
- Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) — Burnout & Compassion Satisfaction
- Moral Distress Scale – Revised (MDS-R)
- Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
- Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form (SCS-SF)
To explore STS-ISC initiatives or trainings for your team, contact Project Coordinator Alex Clark at Alex-Clark@uky.edu.
