Trauma-Informed Social Work with Nicaraguan Communities

The team includes physicians, dentists, nurses, social workers, and psychologists who collaborate to deliver integrated care in underserved communities. During the two-week service trip, the medical brigade provides essential physical and mental health services while training local professionals—nurses, community health workers, and lawyers—on trauma-informed approaches. This collaboration strengthens the capacity of local teams to respond to gender-based violence, domestic violence, and complex family stressors, which often manifest in both physical symptoms and psychosocial needs.

The CISWH team plays a vital role in this work by integrating social work and trauma-informed practices into the brigade’s clinical care. The team’s expertise ensures that patients’ social and emotional challenges—such as migration-related family separation, interpersonal violence, and grief—are addressed alongside physical health. Social workers meet with families to assess their needs in culturally responsive ways, often working in tandem with local professionals who have deep community ties. The trust built through years of consistent partnership has transformed the brigade’s impact; communities now eagerly anticipate CISWH’s return, and referrals are made as soon as the team arrives. The program’s success has led to expanded outreach across new regions in Nicaragua and serves as a model for interdisciplinary global health efforts centered on dignity, healing, and culturally grounded care.

Key Partners

Convergent partnerships are at the heart of what we do. We are proud to partner with federal and state agencies, non-profit and advocacy organizations, philanthropic institutions, and universities to elevate social work leadership and to create equitable health and mental health care systems for all.