Understanding of the Impact of Injury, Violence and Trauma on Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Women and Girls of Color presented by Community Intelligence, the Making Connections Network and VPCGLA

INTRODUCTION

Exposure to violence, particularly greater exposure to violence and trauma, complicate adolescent and adult development among young women and girls of color (YWGOC) aged 12-25. The goal of this workshop is to discuss the mental health impact of voilence, trauma and unhealthy physical environments on YWGOC aged 12-25 in South Los Angeles and the surrounding south LA County communities of Hawthorne, Lawndale, Lennox, Inglewood, Gardena, Watts and Compton.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, Community Intelligence, the Making Connections Network and the Violence Prevention Coalition (VPC) will convene practitioners, policy-makers, funders, artists, community advocates, law enforcement/probation, health/mental health professionals, school personnel, a local elected official and youth to explore opportunities, actions and strategies that can be implemented to uplift .  We expect a group of up to 50 participants/organizations convening to to discuss the impact of violence and trauma on health, mental health and community well-being among women/girls of color.

WORKSHOP TOPIC:

The Mental Health Impact of Violence and Trauma on Women and Girls of Color

WORKSHOP ABSTRACT:

Many people in the U.S. are living in daily chronic stress. Higher levels of uncertainty and danger are characterized by anxiety over increased environmental threats including climate change, political upheaval, local, regional and global conflicts including the threat of terrorism and perceived heightened dangers from a misconception that rates of crime and violence are on the rise.  Major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability in the United States for people ages 15-44.  Schizophrenia is also a major problem in the U.S. About 2.4 million American adults (1.1% of the adult population) have schizophrenia. Men and woman are affected at a similar rate About 18.1 % of the U.S. adult population, or about 40 million Americans, have some anxiety disorder, including panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, or a phobia.  Approximately 7.7 million American adults, or about 3.5 %, in each year, have PTSD.   In 2006, 33,300 (approximately 11 per 100,000) people died by suicide in the U.S.  In most of these cases, people who died by suicide had a mental illness, most commonly depression or some form of substance abuse disorder.   Participants will learn about key mental health issues faced by Women/Girls of Color and discuss community-level strategies that can be adopted and implemented to improve mental health and wellbeing among people of color. Together with participants, speakers will explore ways that people working in violence prevention, public health, mental health, land use, transportation, food policy, education, housing, and other sectors can more effectively collaborate to support mental health, wellbeing and community safety.  Learning objectives include: reviewing and discussing mental health data to increase familiarity and knowledge of mental health data; discussion and prioritization of key mental health issues faced by women of color; identification and listing of steps and strategies that can de developed and implemented to improve mental health and wellbeing among people of color.

Description of Community Intelligence University of Violence Prevention Workshops:

This interactive workshop - The Mental Health Impact of Violence and Trauma on Women and Girls of Color - is part of the Community Intelligence University of Violence Prevention (CI-UVP) Elevating Mental Health and Wellbeing in Communities of Color program.   This workshop will introduce participants to key mental health concepts, important issues impacting mental health and community wellbeing and involve them in a discussion of opportunities to elevate mental health and wellbeing in communities of color.

Key Learning Components…

This workshop is for people and organizations that want to increase their capacity to address the impact of injury, violence and trauma (hereafter, IVT) on underserved communities.  During this workshop, attendees will have an opportunity to:

• Discuss Key Concepts: Injury, Violence, Trauma, Mental Health and Community Wellbeing
• Review Mental Health Data
• Compare Mental Health Outcomes in Diverse Communities
• Discuss opportunities to elevate Mental Health and Wellbeing in communities of color

Key Learning Objectives...

After participating in this workshop, attendees will be able to:

1. Discuss the status of mental health and wellbeing in communities of color
2. Define/describe key concepts like ACE’s, Community-ACE’s, TIA, Restorative Justice, etc...
3. Describe how injury, violence and trauma impact mental health and wellbeing in  communities of color
4. Identify/prioritize opportunities to elevate mental health and wellbeing in communities of color

Disclaimer:  By participating in this event you are granting permission for your voice, image and likeness to be filmed, recorded, photographed, edited, copied, exhibited, published or distributed by Community Intelligence.   If you do not wish to recorded, photographed or filmed, please inform Community intelligence staff on the day of or prior to the workshop.  Thank you.

MODERATOR:

• Dr. Randal Henry, Founder/CEO, Community Intelligence; Board Member, Echo Parenting and Education; Project Director, Making Connections for Mental Health and Wellbeing Project (https://www.linkedin.com/in/randalhenry/)

PANELISTS:

• Brenda Ingram, Ed.D, LCSW, Director, Clinical Services, Peace over Violence:  Dr. Ingram is a licensed clinical social worker and an educator who has over 25 years working in the mental health and education fields. Her dissertation focused on the impact of community violence on the academic careers of African American elementary school students. She is the Director of Clinical Services for Peace Over Violence. Dr. Ingram has been a lecturer with CSULB and UCLA Social Work Departments and a full faculty member at Pacific Oaks College, Marriage and Family Therapy where she developed their specialization for African American Mental Health. She is on the Advisory Board of the African Communities Public Health Coalition (ACPHC). She is a member of the National Association Social Work (NASW) and Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW). She provides consultations, workshops and training on sexual and domestic violence, child abuse/trauma, trauma informed care, cultural competence, foster youth, mentoring, and program development to various human service agencies, schools, and mental health professionals.  https://www.peaceoverviolence.org/curricula/
• Stacey Ault, PhD, Director, Youth Development Department, Sacramento City Unified School District:  Stacey Ault is a mother, scholar, activist, practitioner with over 20 years of experience working with children, families and communities.  Dr. Ault currently directs the Youth Development department at Sacramento City Unified School District, where her leadership has resulted in statewide and national recognition in areas of equity, expanded learning, youth voice, and programming for students of color.  In addition, Dr. Ault is a part time social work professor at Sacramento State University.   Dr. Ault also leads a local non-profit organization, the Race and Gender Equity (RAGE) Project.  This RAGE Project currently supports Queens Speak, a young women’s empowerment group, conducting participatory action research among Black, female identified, high school students in the Sacramento community.  Dr. Ault’s other research interests include: critical post traumatic growth; community transformation; and narrative sharing among the most oppressed youth, including those who have commercially sexually exploited, and/or justice involved.  Stacey’s first book, Singing with the sirens: Overcoming the long term effects of sexual exploitation, was released in 2015.  Stacey is a trauma survivor, former teen mum and high school drop-out.  She is most proud of being Mama Stacey to 6 biological children, 3 grandchildren and a host of other youth who helped raise her.  http://www.scusd.edu/youth-engagement
• Kandee Lewis, Executive Director, Positive Results Corporation: Kandee is the Executive Director of The Positive Results Corporation, a non-profit whose Mission is to address Bullying, Interpersonal Violence and Sexual Assault in Youth and Communities of Color. A Masterful Trainer, Facilitator and Certified Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Advocate, Kandee specializing in Bullying, Teen Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Abuse, Healthy Relationships, Leadership Development and developing Youth Peer Advocates. Kandee partner’s with SCESA, The National Association of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault, and is a Fellow in LEAP Cohort 3, part of California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) & Women of Color Network (WOCN). She is a Founding Board Member for South Los Angeles Homeless (TAY) and Foster Care Collaborative, Compton’s Policing & Education Task Force, and Los Angeles City Attorney’s Domestic Violence Round Table, Los Angeles Mayor’s Human Trafficking Portal.  Most recently, Kandee has received several honors, including, 2014 Woman of Distinction Award from TeenShopL.A;  2014 Johnnie L. Cochran Award for Youth Violence Prevention from the Cochran Law Firm & Los Angeles High School; 2015 Woman of the Year Award from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Alpha Psi Zeta Chapter; 2015, 64th District Community Leadership Award from Assemblymember Mike Gipson; 2016, Humanitarian Award from National Action Network; 2016 Outstanding Woman Award from Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce, 2016 Civic Pride Award for the Eastside Boys & Girls Club; 2016 National Trends and Services award from The Harbor Area Chapter of the Links; 2016 DangerMan Hero Award from the DangerMan Foundation and 2017 Woman of the Year, Education from the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and the Commission on Women.

AGENDA:

9:00 am to 9:30 am - Registration and Informal Networking

9:30 am - 10:00 am - Welcome Statement- Dr. Randal Henry

• Panelist and Commentator Introductions
• Overview of Event Agenda
• Viewing of Making Connections Video from 2.24.17
• Icebreaker - that's me.
• Icebreaker - What I hope to get from today? (If time permits)

10:00 am - 10:45 am - Presentation: "Intersectionality of Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence and Trauma"  The workshop will discuss the interconnections of multiple identities that contribute to high rates of Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence and trauma in black communities and other marginalized communities. Remedies need to include a trauma-informed approach through a lens of intersectionality.  

• Dr. Brenda Ingram, Clinical Director, Peace Over Violence

10:45 am - 11:00 am - Interactive Discussion/Question and Answer session

• Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion about the presentation.

11:00 am - 11:45 pm - Presentation:  Impact of Injury, Violence and Trauma on Youth Development, School Success and Future Trajectory

• Dr. Stacey Ault, Director, Youth Development Services, Sacramento City Unified School District

11:45 am - 12:00 pm - Interactive Discussion/Question and Answer session

• Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion about the presentation.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Lunch Time and Informal Networking

1:00 pm - 2:00pm - Presentation: The Impact of Injury, Violence and Trauma on Transitional Aged Girls of Color

• Kandee Lewis, Executive Director, Positive Results Corporation

2:00 pm - 2:15 pm - Interactive Discussion/Question and Answer session

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm - Meeting adjourned

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm - Informal Networking

LUNCH:  A sandwich bar will be open during the lunch break and iced tea will be available.

WORKSHOP COST:

Early Bird Entry      $25  

Regular Entry         $40

Day of Event           $45

Payment Options

Online payments: 

• please follow instructions for online payments

For payment at the door  - on the day of the event: 

• If paying by check, cashiers check or money - please make check/money order payable to 'Community Intelligence LLC'. 
• Please feel free to pay at the door using a credit/debit card.

Event Location

The California Endowment Los Angeles Conference Center 1000 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 

Date

Tuesday, December 5, 2017.  

Who Should Attend

People and organizations (everyone) who support and/or are working to uplift Women and Girls of Color are welcome to attend the event.  Mental health professionals and those who work  in public health mental health and/or community wellbeing are strongly encouraged to attend.  Students and youth of color are strongly encouraged to attend, welcome to participate in discussions.  Also, adults who work with, or whose work impacts/is intended to impact woeen and girls of color are also strongly encouraged to attend including:  Advocates, Coalition members, Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence, Educators, Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force participants, Mental Health professionals, My Brother's Keeper (MBK) projects, Public Health professionals, Researchers, School District personnel, Students, Teachers, Trauma Prevention, Violence Prevention experts, Youth Development,

Amenities

A sandwich bar and iced tea will be available to registered attendees during the lunch break.