This summative evaluation report presents the outcomes of a comprehensive assessment of the Center for Trauma Innovation, a program designed to address the profound impact of trauma among justice-impacted individuals and communities. Situated within the Exodus Transitional Community, the CTI provides a multifaceted approach to trauma-informed care, encompassing direct clinical and non-clinical services, training and technical assistance (TTA), and the development of a trauma innovation learning community.

Funded through CJII, this evaluation examines the CTI’s implementation of programming and its effectiveness in fostering healing, empowerment, and equity for its participants. This report summarizes findings from a midevaluation process report and four research briefs, offering a comprehensive view of the program’s progress and impact to date. Drawing on a mixed-methods framework rooted in community-based participatory research (CBPR), the evaluation explores CTI’s successes and challenges through quantitative and qualitative data collection, which took place between April 2023 and July 2024.

Insights were derived from participant surveys, interviews, focus groups, and administrative program data, offering a holistic understanding of CTI’s impact. Over 1,000 participants engaged with CTI’s services during the evaluation period, with noted improvements in mental health, coping, and social relationships. The CTI also demonstrated notable success in engaging individuals historically underserved by the criminal-legal system, particularly women and participants with significant trauma histories, while innovating approaches to reentry and community integration.

For high-level takeaways, check out CUNY ISLG’s blog.

Download the report.

As part of this partnership, the CCT also produced a process evaluation as well as a series of briefs that explore these core prongs in theory, how they were put into practice by the CTI, and their impact on participants and the community. The first memo explores the role of learning communities in this evaluation. In the second memo, the focus shifts to the use of data and collaboration to inform future program recommendations. The third memo looks into how participants’ characteristics impacted how the healed from and coped with the trauma. The fourth memo explores the lived experiences of CTI participants, offering a richer understanding of how the trauma-informed practices at the CTI nurture resilience, foster community, and catalyze personal growth.