Restoring Resiliency Response (RRR) ©

The Restoring Resiliency Response (RRR)© model was developed in 2006 by Dr. Mary Pulido, the former Executive Director of The NYSPCC, based on research and focus groups with child protection workers. RRR©  sessions are designed to help alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with the secondary traumatic stress issues child protection workers face following a critical incident, such as a child fatality or violence against staff in the field. The RRR model is currently being implemented within the New York City child protective system, the Administration for Children and Families (ACS), and has been adopted and used nationally.

Individual or group RRR© debriefing sessions are facilitated by trained clinicians and held within 48 to 72 hours after a critical incident. The RRR model differs from classical crisis debriefings in that it does not have an investigatory stance that requires staff to retell the details of the incident. Focus is placed on the stress reactions currently being experienced by workers and on the individual’s ability to utilize support systems and past coping techniques. Each session includes education about how trauma can affect individuals and utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques to enhance coping.

The ultimate goal of the RRR©  model is that participants are able to reduce their stress reaction symptoms following a critical incident in order to continue helping families and remain in their role. The RRR model was designed to build upon participants’ existing skills and strengths, normalize their stress reactions and increase their confidence to be able to:  utilize coping strategies and support systems after a critical incident; monitor their stress reactions and access follow up resources, if needed; engage in regular self-care practice; and improve group cohesion.

The NYSPCC provides training and technical assistance to local organizations and state agencies in implementing the RRR model with their front-line staff. The NYPSCC works directly with each organization or agency to train administrators and facilitators, provide supportive materials and help adapt the RRR model to meet their needs. The multi-day training will support agencies to determine their organizational readiness and walk participants through implementation logistics, facilitation, fidelity monitoring and data collection. Agencies will receive all of the materials needed to implement the RRR protocol in their agency, as well as training materials to train other RRR facilitators at their agency.