Missouri Vicarious Trauma Improvement Plan (MOVTIP)

MOVTIP Logo

MOVTIP is the Missouri Vicarious Trauma Improvement Plan, the 2023 Show Me Challenge Winner. 

Eight State Departments (Mental Health, Corrections, Conservation, Natural Resources/Missouri State Parks, Public Safety/Veteran’s Commission, Social Services/Division of Youth Services, Transportation, Army National Guard) came together to develop MOVTIP. In 2024, MOVTIP welcomed additional state departments (Health and Senior Services, Social Services/Family Support Division & Children’s Division, Elementary and Secondary Education, Labor and Industrial Relations) who joined to work on this common problem and find solutions. 

Now, it continues to expand to other state departments and divisions impacted by workplace trauma and inviting them to voluntarily join MOVTIP. 

Workplace trauma is costly to Missouri. It impacts quality of life which can lead to posttraumatic stress, suicide, addiction, chronic health conditions of Missouri workers. It also impacts how organizational quality of function. State departments simply can’t provide the quality of services Missourians both deserve and expect.

  • In Fiscal Year 23, just one of the departments on MOVTIP saw a loss of $9.95 million in worker’s compensation claims, 8,121 lost days and 9,555 modified duty days due to injury. 
  • Missouri Turnover Project (2022) showed, “Six divisions, have double the turnover rate of the rest of the state.” 
  • MO Exit Survey data (2022) identified three reasons people leave, outside of pay increase:
    • Workload sizes,
    • Organizational commitment to workplace safety, and 
    • How safe they felt in their day-to-day jobs.

MOVTIP Presentation

MOVTIP Peer Teams

MOVTIP proposes 3 things for Missouri

  • Create a cross-departmental team
    Departments and divisions already working on this problem can join the team to share experience and best practice and develop a 3-5 year plan.
  • Enhance current EAP services
    MOVTIP can serve as an advisory board to explore EAP use and effectiveness and help enhance those services. 
  • Support and expand Peer Teams
    Team members with lived experience helping team members resulting in a $7:$1 ROI and up to 90% cost reduction in absences, premature retirement and turnover.

How to join MOVTIP 

  • Identify a person already working on this issue for thedep/div to join MOVTIP team.
  • Attend monthly meetings to share knowledge, experience, resources, etc. to help create a 3-5 year plan for Missouri state employees. 
  • Contact Rachel.Jones@dmh.mo.gov with questions.