How Trauma-Informed Care Principles Can Contribute to Academic Success for Students in Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Abstract

The Hispanic population is one of the fastest-growing populaces in the United States, and the least likely to have an undergraduate degree. As such, US Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) have become a means for increasing access to college and improving economic opportunities for Hispanics. HSIs have historically been funded at a much lower rate, which resulted in the loss of many institutional resources during the onset of COVID-19. Considering that Hispanics were already more likely to experience complex trauma than other races/ethnicities, trauma-informed practices in HSIs are becoming increasingly essential for student and institution successes. This chapter demonstrates how the infusion of trauma-informed principles in higher education creates opportunities for Hispanic student and institution success amidst a catastrophic event such as a global pandemic.