Trauma-informed design stems from an understanding that the environment in which mental health care takes place may be just as important as the how the care is given. Flickering overhead fluorescent lights can trigger anxiety, whereas a lack of lighting – especially natural light – can add to feelings of drowsiness and depression. Low ceilings and concrete floors tend to cause ambient noise to echo, creating feelings of chaos and confusion. And bland or neutral colors on walls with little to no décor cause sensory deprivation.
These are just a few broad examples of the ways in which building design and architecture impacts the delivery of mental health care. Just as banks wouldn’t operate out of a wooden stand in the front yard, or you wouldn’t want to get an operation in the walk-in cooler of the restaurant next door, the colors, materials, décor, temperature, room size, and other factors of building layout affect the efficacy of mental health care. And non-profit organizations who provide that care at no cost often lack the resources to be responsive to these needs as much as they would like.
Non-profit care may be the only access that many in our community have to therapy, medications, housing resources, case management, and much more. So, while those facilities might not have the brightest paint or largest windows, they are aware of those deficiencies and are always looking for ways to update on behalf of their clients.
