Triumph Program Hits the Ground Running
In early November 2023, Silver Hill Hospital launched the Triumph Program, a highly specialized program for adults struggling with complex trauma. The program was developed and is directed by Emily E. Haas, MD, who gained experience in this area during her time training and working at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Maryland, which boasted a world-renowned trauma program during her tenure.
Since shortly after opening, the eight-bed program has been full. Future openings are being committed to other patients in need. When the team is asked what has most surprised them in the initial months after launch, the ‘number of patients’ is not the answer; as they had anticipated, the need is there.
“It has been going so well,” says Dr. Haas. “We knew the launch would be intense, and the work demanding and complex, and it is, but we were prepared, and the program is working.” Of paramount importance, patients are responding very well to the structure and safety of the program, and the treatment is succeeding in stabilizing post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms, as well as comorbid conditions. The treatment has enabled patients to continue care in the outpatient setting and move forward in their lives. “The refinements and additions we are making now are natural extensions of the program,” continues Dr. Haas.
Also of significance is the treatment team’s (pictured at left) well-being. “We are all working extremely hard,” notes Dr. Haas, “but we are taking care of each other as well as our patients. We communicate closely as a team, and with our colleagues at Silver Hill. Seeing the impact of our work reflected in patient progress has been incredibly rewarding for the entire team.”
The integration of a senior admissions counselor into the treatment team has been highly effective in ensuring the right connection and expectations between patient and program. The Triumph program has a six-week minimum, and a recommended 12-week stay. Many patients have extended beyond the initial six weeks, and others have stayed with the program beyond 12 weeks. Upon leaving, all patients have an opportunity to share a sentiment with future patients in the house —something that would be helpful to hear when first arriving to the program.
One heartwarming submission: Trust the process. Trust the team. Trust yourself!
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Learn more about the Triumph program.
Hear Dr. Haas in Silver Hill Radio’s Conscious Mind, December 2023
Read the Mental Health Weekly article on the program.
Meet the Team at the ISSTD Annual Conference – International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation –this March 2024.