| abstract | - The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS) has developed internationally recognized certifications for trauma responders. It is a membership association, developed in 1987 by a group of clinicians who were specifically interested in establishing standards of care for the traumatized. As an organization, ATSS members represent, emergency responders, peer counselors, victim assistance staff, emergency preparedness and disaster workers, child and adult victim advocates, grief counselors, fire fighters, the clergy and chaplaincy, public safety officers, addictions specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social work, marriage and family counselors, hospice staff nurses, school and college counselors, employee assistance and others engaged in helping victims and survivors heal. ATSS members are actively involved in crisis intervention and disaster management, victim services, emergency and trauma response and longer-term treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other disorders. The ATSS certifications of CTS, CTR and CTSS are not intended to be hierarchical in nature; rather, they represent different kinds of trauma work. The CTS, or Certified Trauma Specialis,t is intended for those who work with long-term trauma survivors. The CTR, or Certified Trauma Responder, is intended for those who respond to disaster and emergency scenes’ the CTSS, or Certified Trauma Services Specialist, is intended for those who do crisis intervention work. Some people over the years, however, have come to believe that the CTS, for example, represent the “top” certification. While it is true that the CTS has more requirements, it is not true that it is above any of our other certifications. The way that the organization explains the differences is with the example of one who a has a PhD in psychology, but does not engage in ongoing trauma counseling work, rather, this PhD is a trauma responder, then perhaps they would better meet the requirements of a CTR rather than CTS. The ATSS certifications are all rigorous to attain, representing board certification in three different trauma arenas (Sanders,2008). ATSS has had membership offices located in a number of States in the America over the years of its existence. Included among these are Texas, South Carolina, and Maine. The organization is a 501-c3 which was organized in the State of Texas. According to the leadership of the organization, one of the most cited reasons for joining ATSS and attending ATSS events has been the sense of camaraderie that ATSS members create when they gather. In the early days of the organization, there were some active chapters that met for support, networking, training, and to promote certifications and membership in the organization. In recent years, ATSS has created documents to aid in the establishment of local chapters in order to continue this support. Local chapters gather members and potential members together in support of one another as they continue in the necessary yet potentially stressful work. Local chapters provide an excellent means of creating a network of trauma workers that the ATSS vision promotes and commissions among its members (Sanders, S. 2007). Sanders, S., 2008. Certification and the Pledge of Excellence in Traumatic Stress Interventions. Journal of Emergency Mental Health, Volume 10, number 1, winter 2008. Sanders, S. 2007 President’s Message. Trauma Lines Newsletter.
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