Henry Ford Health in Detroit has opened Michigan’s first Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) at its clinic at One Ford Place, near the northeast convergence of I-94 and the Lodge Freeway.
The TRC connects survivors of trauma (violent crime, car crashes, household accidents, and other traumatic injuries) with mental health services, legal assistance, education, and other resources when they leave the hospital.
Henry Ford’s TRC began to take shape in 2021, when orthopedic surgeon Dr. William Hakeos, trauma surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, and psychologist Dr. David Moore recognized the need for a better way to support trauma survivors, especially in Detroit, which historically has had some of the worst violent crime in the country.
In 2023, Michigan lawmakers passed House Bill 4437, allocating $4 million in federal funds for the establishment of two TRC programs in Michigan, paving the way for the Henry Ford facility.
“It’s been extremely gratifying to see this program take shape because the older I get, the more I realize no matter what I do as a surgeon, I haven’t helped my patients enough because so many of them still have huge challenges and they get caught up in a cycle of violence,” says Johnson, trauma medical director and at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
With the help of state funding Henry Ford has hired a multi-disciplinary team of psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers to staff the TRC and serve survivors throughout their recovery. The TRC team also is recruiting trauma survivors to serve as peer mentors.
One in four Michiganders have been the victim of crime in the past 10 years, and many report experiencing trauma as a result, according to Henry Ford Health. Based on a recently released national report, fewer than one in three crime victims receive help to recover.
Issues related to health insurance or lack of access to behavioral health services and providers tend to be the biggest barrier to mental health services.
Studies have shown crime survivors who receive services at the more than 50 TRCs across the U.S. are 56 percent more likely to return to work, and victims served by a TRC are more likely to file a police report. The TRC model costs 34 percent less than a traditional fee for service model, and crime victims saw a more than 40 percent reduction in their symptoms of PTSD and depression following TRC services.
“I’m proud to see the TRC model expanding to Detroit,” says Aswad Thomas, vice president of Alliance for Safety and Justice, a leading advocate for TRCs and other victim-centered public safety solutions nationwide. “As a gun violence survivor, I understand firsthand the support that’s needed to heal and recover after victimization. All Detroit crime survivors now have access to that support through the Henry Ford Health’s Trauma Recovery Center.”
Gena Castro-Rodriguez, executive director of the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers, says, “The TRC model is as innovative as it is effective. By providing access to free trauma recovery services, crime survivors are given an opportunity to grow past their traumas and reach stability after victimization. This is how we break cycles of community violence and improve safety for everyone.”
Any provider can refer patients to the TRC. For more information about the TRC’s services and who might be eligible for treatment, email TRC@hfhs.org.