Nominations Open for Delaware’s Compassionate Champion Award

Program recognizes individuals, organizations providing trauma-informed services

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Monday announced nominations are now open for the Compassionate Champion Award, the State of Delaware’s trauma-informed care recognition program that highlights outstanding achievement by individuals and organizations that provide trauma-informed services. Nomination forms are available online until midnight on June 30, 2020.

View nomination form.

“We know that folks are experiencing trauma, and we need to continue doing everything we can to support children and families in Delaware,” said Governor Carney. “We have many dedicated workers across the state who serve their fellow Delawareans, and who have been leaders and advocates in the trauma-informed approach. We thank them for their compassion, leadership and commitment to our state and our citizens, and I look forward to again formally recognizing these efforts that help build a stronger and healthier state.”

View videos of 2019 Compassionate Champion Award winners.

The Compassionate Champion Award recognizes individuals or teams in government, non-profit and private organizations, first responder professions, education, and other agencies that have taken steps toward providing services in a manner consistent with trauma-informed care criteria in the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma Informed Care, a document that outlines best practices for trauma-informed care. The Framework was adapted from the Missouri Model of trauma-informed care, and was produced in collaboration by the Family Services Cabinet Council ACEs Subcommittee and the Compassionate Connections Partnership.

Since 2018, the Family Services Cabinet Council has worked to implement Executive Order #24, which launched efforts to make Delaware a trauma-informed state. The Family Services Cabinet Council released in November 2019 a Trauma-Informed Care Progress Report and Action Plan for State of Delaware agencies. The plan serves as a progress report of each agency’s work to implement Executive Order #24, which tasked the Family Services Cabinet Council to lead efforts to make Delaware a trauma-informed state. Other initiatives from the Family Service Cabinet Council include the Wilmington Group Violence Intervention Project, and the creation of the Dual Generation Center at Stubbs to improve the delivery of job-related services, and services for Wilmington children. The Family Services Cabinet Council – a cabinet-level group reestablished by Governor Carney in February 2017 to coordinate public and private services for Delaware families.

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