Blog

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We begin today’s show with the mounting outrage over the death of a 7-year-old indigenous Guatemalan girl in Border Patrol custody, as lawmakers demand answers for the conditions that led Jakelin Caal Maquín to die after being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. Maquín died on December 8th, two days after she and her father presented themselves at the U.S.-Mexico border alongside 161 other Central American asylum seekers. She had been held in detention for more than eight...

It’s the best news you’ve probably never heard. Oakland, long synonymous with gun violence, is suddenly emerging as a national leader in the field of violence prevention. Since 2012, shootings are down more than 50 percent and are on pace to reach their lowest levels in decades. California leaders have much to learn from how people in Oakland came together to rewrite the violence reduction playbook. [For more on this story by Reygan Cunningham and Mike McLively, go to...

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Two measures introduced in the state senate aim to reduce trauma experienced by children in schools. The legislation is sponsored by Senator Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, who before entering politics worked as a therapist at a nonprofit mental health agency. Senator Ikley-Freeman told FOX 25 her goal is to create a “more trauma-informed culture” within the state’s public schools. In Senate Bill 72 schools would be prohibited from using mechanical restraints to...

The Family First Prevention Services Act , which was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act on February 9, 2018, offers an historic opportunity for child welfare leaders to re-imagine a child welfare system for the 21 st century. By placing an emphasis on prevention, early intervention and evidence-based practices for children and families, this groundbreaking legislation is requiring child welfare providers to rethink the policies, practices and systems of yesterday and...

If one is looking for the most traumatized youths in Philadelphia, a good starting place might be Judge Lori Dumas’ courtroom. Dumas’ program – Working to Restore Adolescents’ Power (WRAP) – is designed for juvenile victims of sex trafficking who have also been charged with crimes. Dumas sits with each defendant for face-to-face meetings to build trust. An interdisciplinary team that also includes a prosecutor, defense counsel, and treatment providers seeks to avert criminal proceedings in...

Every morning, Bonita Amaro and her sister Yolanda Sanchez arrive at the Greyhound bus station in Sacramento to greet asylum seekers passing through on their way to sponsors’ homes across the country. The two women come armed with care kits containing basic necessities, as well as blankets, toys, and fresh, warm foods, such as the burritos and sandwiches that Sanchez prepares. “They have so much dignity, so much gratitude. We get hugs, ‘Dios te bendiga, God bless you,’” Amaro says of the...

As a school nurse and a family member of two generations that survived mass shootings, it is my duty to write about firearm violence prevention. I am encouraged by the number of colleagues that are also speaking up and joining in this "duty to write." Nurses are skilled communicators, it is in our DNA and enforced in our training. We are especially adept at communicating within our profession through learning opportunities and professional journals. We have a duty to speak outside of nursing...

If you're interested in public health policy and are seeking ways to move ACEs prevention / intervention upstream - check out this [open source] article - shared by Medical-Legal Partnership . Article: "Expanding Upstream Interventions with Federal Matching Funds and Social-Impact Investments" Open Source Solutions , By Steven H. Goldberg, Paula M. Lantz, and Samantha Iovan Read the article This paper explores trends driving Medicaid’s efforts to “shift from volume to value” and the...

When it comes to health care disparities and cardiovascular disease (CVD), the divide widens early. A spate of studies published recently illustrates how social factors influence CVD outcomes from our earliest years. For example, a report published in Pediatrics found that the this increased obesity prevalence among U.S. adolescents is happening almost entirely among those in low- and middle-income families. Smoking, diet quality, and physical activity levels also tracked with household...

The #MeToo movement has helped many survivors find their voice, but the truth remains that most survivors are struggling in secret.

Good Morning everyone, Since this is such a stressful time of year for many people, I wanted to post some ideas from my book "Unlocking the Puzzle of PTSD, A Holistic Guide to Restoring Inner Peace. I hope that they help and blessings to everyone! These are from Chapter 3: Taking Your Power Back. The ability to take your power back is essential to healing from any past trauma, especially healing from PTSD or Complex PTSD. The following are tools that can be used to assist in healing. If any...

I received the following essay from my colleague Bill Soules, PhD a week ago. Dr. Soules is a New Mexican state senator and educator—a champion working to prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). I am publishing his article, a call to action, with his permission. —Dominic Cappello Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and witnessing experiences like parental conflict and substance abuse, have been found to have devastating effects on the future health and...