The Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma: A Tool for Training a Trauma-Informed Workforce Christopher M. Layne UCLA and Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Chandra Ghosh Ippen University of California, San Francisco Virginia Strand Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service Margaret Stuber David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Robert Abramovitz Hunter College School of Social Work Gilbert Reyes Fielding Graduate University Lisa Amaya Jackson Duke University Leslie Ross Children’s Institute International Amy Curtis David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Laura Lipscomb Fielding Graduate University Robert Pynoos UCLA and Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Recognition of the nationwide high prevalence of psychological trauma in children and adolescents, combined with increasing awareness of the far-reaching adverse consequences of childhood trauma, have led to calls to develop a trauma-informed mental health workforce. We describe the initial pilot test of the Core Concepts portion of the Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma, as conducted in a large graduate school of social work. The Core Curriculum uses detailed case vignettes of trauma-exposed youth and families, combined with problem-based learning methods, to promote two primary learning aims: (a) to enhance the development of foundational trauma-related conceptual knowledge, and (b) to accelerate the acquisition of trauma-informed clinical reasoning and clinical judgment. Vignettes are presented in segments to simulate gathering, organiz- ing, drawing meaning from, and making decisions based on information in professional practice. After each segment, the facilitator helps learners to summarize relevant facts, develop hunches and hypotheses, identify learning issues, and plan next steps. The Curriculum was very favorably received by students and was associated with marked increases in self-efficacy in applying the Core Concepts to work with trauma-exposed youth and families. We discuss ways in which the Curriculum can be used, especially as a foundation for training in specific evidence-based treatment protocols, to help prepare a national mental health workforce capable of implementing trauma-informed evidence-based practice. Keywords: trauma, problem-based learning, clinical training, evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning Despite society’s efforts to protect children from harm, many young people undergo profoundly distressing life experiences that powerfully affect their development and functioning. Ample evi- dence documents that psychological trauma in child and adoles- cent populations nationwide is commonplace and not “outside the range of normal human experience.” For example, a 10-year longitudinal study of a large representative youth sample revealed that 68% reported exposure to at least one traumatic event by age This article was published Online First August 29, 2011. Christopher M. Layne and Robert Pynoos, National Center for Child Trau- matic Stress and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA and Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress; Chandra Ghosh Ippen, Child Trauma Research Program, University of California, San Fran- cisco; Virginia Strand, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service; Margaret Stuber and Amy Curtis, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Robert Abramovitz, Hunter College School of Social Work; Gilbert Reyes, Fielding Graduate University; Lisa Amaya Jackson, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and Duke University Medical Center, Duke University; Leslie Ross, Children’s Institute Incorporated; Laura Lipscomb, School of Psychology, Fielding Graduate University. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Christo- pher M. Layne, PhD., UCLA/Duke University, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, 11150 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 650, Los Ange- les, CA 90064. E-mail: CMLayne@mednet.ucla.edu Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy © 2011 American Psychological Association 2011, Vol. 3, No. 3, 243–252 1942-9681/11/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/a0025039 243