Colleges can play a vital role in ending the epidemic of childhood trauma. We are piloting our two ACEs prevention programs (one in Las, Cruces, New Mexico and one in Owensboro, Kentucky) in partnership with Eastern New Mexico University-Program of Social Work. We are often asked what a college community partnership brings to the implementation of a citywide ACEs prevention project. We would like to offer ten reasons why colleges are poised to be effective centers for the data-driven prevention of childhood adversity, trauma and maltreatment.
Problem-solving: First and foremost, colleges have a long history of solving community challenges.
Assessing challenges: Colleges have expertise in surveying and assessing the health and safety of students, staff and community residents.
Surveying families: Colleges have the capacity to survey parents and youth about their adverse childhood experiences and access to family-friendly services shown to reduce ACEs. Note: the Resilient Community Experience Survey, the tool designed to assess the access parents and youth have to vital services, is available to download free-of-charge. It is in the appendices of Anna, Age Eight: The data-driven prevention of childhood trauma and maltreatment www.AnnaAgeEight.org
Developing courses: Colleges have vast experience in developing and delivering courses in a wide variety of formats. (We have attached our Resilience Leaders/ACEs Prevention course syllabus.)
Using technology: A college can create teleconferencing systems to support a network of community leaders focused on prevention.
Creating public awareness: Colleges can create and coordinate social media to raise awareness about childhood trauma.
Generating partnerships: Colleges have strong partnerships with the key partners needed for ACEs prevention: city mayors and council members, county commissioners, school board members, and non-profit agency leaders.
Being data-driven: College staff have expertise in the data-driven process of assessing, planning, acting and evaluating. These are skills needed to improve the quality of family-friendly services to meet the needs of families.
Working cross-sector: Colleges know how to work cross-sector—which is an important part of preventing adverse childhood experiences. Comprehensive ACEs prevention involves working with schools, medical and mental health care, food programs, housing programs, job training, transportation systems, mentorship agencies, early childhood learning programs and parent supports.
Measuring progress. A college can set up a study to measure the effectiveness of college and community engagement focused on preventing adverse childhood experiences.
College partnerships bring vital resources to the prevention of adverse childhood experiences. We encourage everyone involved with ACEs prevention to reach out to local higher education and explore avenues for collaboration. To learn more: visit www.ResilienceLeaders.org
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