Blog

The work to create a kinder world never ends. There is no limit on the amount of goodness we can put into the world, but we need your help! We invite you to join the annual Random Acts of Kindness Day (RAK DAY) celebration on Thursday, February 17, 2022 and help #MakeKindnesstheNorm Random Acts of Kindness Foundation 2022 Coloring Contest DOWNLOAD COLORING PAGE (8.5"X11") Download Coloring Page (A4) You are invited to join our first annual coloring contest! Beginning on February 1st, 2022...

By Kevin Schaul and Jonathan O'Connell, Image: From study, The Washington Post, February 16, 2022 Last year, investors bought nearly one in seven homes sold in America’s top metropolitan areas, the most in at least two decades, according to the realty company Redfin. Those purchases come at a time when would-be buyers across the country are seeing wildly escalating prices, raising the question of what impact investors are having on prices for everyone else. Investors were even more...

By Kriston Capps, Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images North America, Bloomberg CityLab, February 10, 2022 San Antonio residents will soon get a chance to vote on a measure to shape affordable housing in the city, an approach built on a Biden administration push to end homelessness that backers say could model a solution to one of the most stubborn ills in American urban life. Back in May, voters of the fast-growing Texas city approved an amendment to the city’s charter to allow bond sales to...

By Jake Horowitz and Connie Utada, Photo: Adi Goldstein/Unsplash, February 16, 2022 State policymakers spent much of the past two years responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent employment and housing needs, and nationwide calls for racial justice following the murder of George Floyd and other acts of racial violence. Yet, amid these overwhelming challenges, a lower-profile issue—probation and parole reform—found traction with legislatures throughout the country. Since late 2020, at least...

By Judith Van Dongen, Photo: shironosov/iStock, Washington State University, February 14, 2022 Improving social support and connectedness could not only lower depression symptoms but also help reduce cardiovascular disease and death in older American Indians, according to a new analysis. Led by scientists at Washington State University, the study used longitudinal data to explore the link between various psychological factors—such as stress, anger, cynicism, depression symptoms, quality of...

By Kenya Franklin, Rise Magazine, February 15, 2022 Q. Why is the campaign for child care important to you as a parent? A. Universal child care is important to me as a parent because I have children that need child care after school, sometimes before school, and during the days when school is not in session. Not only do families need child care, but childcare providers need to be paid a living wage so that they can live and eat and provide quality services to our children. Q. How is this...

Addictions are becoming one of the leading causes of death in the United States claiming 100,306 lives from April 2020 to April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the same period one year before (CDC) . Loving those who are addicted may be the only answer to saving countless lives, but first, we must take the time to understand what addiction is and how to treat it. To do this, we must ask the hard questions, “What is addiction?” “Why haven’t we been able to solve or at least successfully treat...

Healing the Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran Hi Folks, The latest edition of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter - sharing Hope and Healing Resources for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is posted at the website - http://newsletters.survivingspirit.com/index.php or here's...

First 5 LA and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles have had a strategic partnership that is looking at three key levers of change to becoming trauma-informed: Space, Systems and Services.

Mark Your Calendar: July 14-15 2022 We are excited to announce the 5th Annual Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference Youth Mental Health Promotion: The Time is Now will be held virtually July 14-15, 2022 . This unique training conference will provide an intensive, collaborative, and engaging experience to providers, educators, and leaders across health, education, and social service disciplines, as well as to community members invested in promoting the health of their families,...

For School Mental Health Practitioners, Education Leaders, and Anyone Interested in Grief Sensitivity! » MHTTC Network’s Grief Sensitivity Virtual Learning Institute February 23 and 24, 2022 This two-day institute hosted by the MHTTC Network is for those supporting individuals (general mental health and school mental health populations) experiencing grief and loss through COVID 19 and beyond. Also, stay tuned for our soon-to-be-released companion resource, Fostering Grief-Ready Workplaces: A...

We at the Traumatic Stress Institute have reached the halfway point of a first-of-its-kind TIC Learning Collaborative for organizations in the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) sector. So, it seemed like a good time to share out some of our achievements, challenges, and lessons learned so far.