Tagged With "State of Alaska"
Blog Post
#1 Top Story of 2018: ANTHC opens Walk-in Clinic for non-emergent health care services
An important part of ANTHC’s plan to achieve our vision is to provide the right care at the right time in the right place. As our Alaska Native population continues to grow, demand for health services at ANMC also increases and ANTHC is improving access by creating more clinical space. For our patients living outside of the Anchorage Service Unit, ANTHC now offers a new specialty clinic, the Walk-in Clinic, for non-emergent health care services for our people while visiting Anchorage. ANTHC...
Blog Post
$10M for addiction treatment could add 200 beds, but there's a hold-up [ktuu.com]
A drug addiction treatment facility being constructed in Nome.
Blog Post
2019 Hope Endowment/CBJ Social Services Grant Awards [Philanthropy Northwest]
Juneau Community Foundation awards $1.8M in grants to local nonprofit service providers in the areas of homelessness, food security, substance abuse disorders, domestic violence, suicide prevention, senior care, hospice, mental and physical health, education and income stability. These grants are provided through a unified process that includes funding from the Juneau Community Foundation’s Hope Endowment Fund ($1,053,978) and the City & Borough of Juneau’s Social Service Funds...
Blog Post
A Healing Jorney for Alaska Native
Our friend Diane Payne from Justice For Native Children shared these resources with us. The videos in this series- increase awareness about the origins, prevalence, and type of violence committed against Alaska Native. For those interested to view this compelling series of videos, please use the link below to access the resources https://ojp.gov/ovc/library/healing-journey.html.
Blog Post
A Revolving Door of Risk: Homelessness and Recidivism [Anchorage Press]
For the past two years, one of the most persistent and hotly contested questions in Anchorage has been what to do about the number of unlawful homeless encampments cropping up in public spaces. Local officials have been bombarded by disgruntled community groups calling for a solution and in December 2017, the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance that promised to help the community “gain control of our spaces.” Under the ordinance, residents of illegal homeless encampments have 10 days...
Blog Post
ACE Resolution introduced in the Alaska Legislature
Representative Geran Tarr, (D-Anchorage) introduced a resolution in the Alaska State House of Representatives yesterday to encourage the governor and legislature to address ACEs in Alaska. Here is the title of the Resolution: “Urging Governor Bill Walker to join with the Alaska State Legislature to respond to the public and behavioral health epidemic of adverse childhood experiences by establishing a statewide policy and providing programs to address this epidemic.” The...
Blog Post
ACES: How to reshuffle when the cards are stacked against children - Hometown, Alaska radio show
Recently, the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership had the pleasure of meeting with Alaska Public Media radio host Kathleen McCoy to discuss a show focused on ACEs, their economic impact and how we can address healing as a community. The show aired yesterday, Feb. 1 and can be heard here.
Blog Post
ACEs mural project offers hope to victims of childhood trauma [anchoragepress.com]
“Art is a powerful venue through which to have hard conversations,” said Trevor Storrs, President and CEO of the Alaska Children’s Trust, as he was drawing the attention of the crowd at the Church of Love for the opening of Resilience After Trauma: An ACEs Mural Project last week. It was an accurate description for the nature of the project being unveiled. Steve Gordon, a renowned local artist, art instructor at UAA and creator of the project, explained that it had all started a year ago as...
Blog Post
Afterschool programs and a trauma-informed approach [Afterschool Alliance]
“A trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens must be a part of everything we do.” This statement by Laura Norton-Cruz, Director of the Alaska Resilience Initiative, sums up the key message of last week’s Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing for Congressional staff which focused on “Afterschool Programs and a Trauma-Informed Approach.” On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Senate Afterschool Caucus* — in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance, Alaska Children’s Trust – Alaska Afterschool Network,...
Blog Post
Alaska ACEs pamphlet
In case you haven't seen it, here's the pamphlet. The PDF is attached, in case you want to download it, and it's also been added to the Clips section of this group.
Blog Post
Alaska Children’s Caucus Forms in 31st Legislature [Anchorage Press]
For the first time in nearly seventeen years, members of the Alaska House of Representatives will relaunch the House Children’s Caucus. This edition of the caucus will be co-chaired by Representative Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage) and Representative Sara Rasmussen (R-Anchorage). “Because children are at the heart of our communities, we should cherish and protect them at all costs. The earlier we invest in the health and education of children the better the outcomes for our communities. We all...
Blog Post
Alaska Day—Not Just for White People Anymore [progressive.org]
Gerry Hope of the Sik'nax.ádi clan of the Tlingit tribe sees good reason for native people to question Alaska Day, an annual celebration of the U.S. acquisition of this land from Russia. The acquisition happened 150 years ago, but the Tlingit people have called this land home for 10,000 years. “Our hurt, anger, and resentment have been simmering and smoldering for the past 150 years,” Hope said. Alaska Day parades feature charming homemade floats, proud high school marching bands,...
Blog Post
Alaska Edition: "The Impacts of Childhood Trauma on Overall Health" on KAKM Alaska Public Media
Alaska Edition is a weekly news program on Alaska Pubic Media (TV and radio). In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Trevor Storrs and Gennifer Moreau-Johnson were interviewed live in the studio. Deborah Bock appeared in brief (2-mins.) videotaped interview. Alaska Edition (30 minutes) http://www.alaskapublic.org/2016/04/15/national-child-abuse-prevention-month/ Full interview with Deborah Bock (19 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMVMC4f-lU&feature=youtu.be
Blog Post
Alaska House Health and Social Services Committee refers HCR 21out of Committee
The Alaska State House Health and Social Services Committee, chaired by Representative Paul Seaton, took testimony on HCR 21, titled "Urging Governor Bill Walker to join with the Alaska State Legislature to respond to the public and behavioral health epidemic of adverse childhood experiences by establishing a statewide policy and providing programs to address this epidemic." [ LINK HERE ] HCR 21 now goes to the House Finance Committee but it has no fiscal note, so that shouldn't be an...
Blog Post
Alaska legislature takes up ACEs resolution similar to those passed in Wisconsin and California
A hearing will be held April 2 on Alaska House Concurrent Resolution 21 (HCR 21) to respond to adverse childhood experiences. The resolution is very similar to those passed in Wisconsin and California . Testimony will be heard in the Health and Social Services Committee on the bill introduced by Representative Geran Tarr. In her statement about the bill , Tarr calls on Governor Walker “to establish policy and programs to address the public and behavioral health epidemic of adverse childhood...
Blog Post
Alaska Native & Native American gathering on trauma and resilience in AK
On May 18th, the Alaska Resilience Initiative, First Alaskans Institute's Alaska Native Policy Center, and the Native Village of Chickaloon hosted a gathering of Alaska Native and Native American people from across the state to discuss ACCCEs (adverse childhood, cultural, and community experiences) and resilience.
Blog Post
Alaska one of 14 communities awarded MARC grant
[Originally posted by Leslie Lieberman] Fourteen communities from across the country now have an opportunity to expand their innovative work in addressing childhood adversity through a new project launched by The by The Health Federation of Philade lphia , with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The California Endowment. Called Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC), the project supports communities building the movement...
Blog Post
Alaska passes trauma-informed legislation
In the dark early hours of Mother’s Day, May 13th , before the 2018 Alaska legislative session adjourned, Senate Bill 105 was approved by both the Alaska House and the Senate...making Alaska one of only a handful of states to pass ACEs awareness into statute. This represents years of education, collaboration, and some creative and dogged advocacy this last legislative session. It also represents a promising path forward.
Blog Post
Alaska Resilience Initiative is now on Facebook!
In order to create multiple places for people to engage with statewide ACEs and Resilience work and be part of a learning community, and in order to reach people who may be unlikely to join ACEs Connection, we have created a Facebook page for the Alaska Resilience Initiative. Please "like" us on Facebook and share with friends and family: https://www.facebook.com/AlaskaResilienceInitiative/ You can also "like" the Alaska Children's Trust on Facebook for more information and events.
Blog Post
Alaska Resilience Initiative to begin trauma-informed training program [stateofreform.com]
In December, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield granted two years of funding to the Alaska Resilience Initiative (ARI) to develop a program to train professionals in recognizing and responding to trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The Alaska Resilience Initiative is a statewide organization that brings together a variety of groups and individuals with the goal of ending child maltreatment and systemic trauma. The ARI works to develop solutions to systemic trauma in Alaska while...
Blog Post
Alaska’s ‘Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan’ draft released [State of Reform]
The Department of Health & Social Services, in collaboration with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, recently released a draft of their 2020-2024 Strengthening the System: Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan . The purpose of the program plan is to provide a blueprint for the creation of a comprehensive integrated mental health program for the state. Specifically, the program plan outlines the objectives and strategies to integrated services for beneficiaries of the...
Blog Post
Alaska Supreme Court hears oral arguments in kids’ climate change lawsuit (Indian Country Today)
The Alaska Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Oct. 9 on the constitutionality of Alaska’s energy policy promoting development of oil and gas. The plaintiffs in Sinnok vs the state of Alaska are 16 young Alaskans ranging in age from 5 to 22. Several of the plaintiffs spoke outside the courthouse after the oral arguments. They described the effects of climate change on their lives. Esau Sinnok, Inupiaq and age 21, is the lead plaintiff in the case. He’s from Shishmaref, in northwest Alaska.
Blog Post
Alaska Transfers Child Welfare Services for Native Alaskans to Tribes [chronicleofsocialchange.org]
In Alaska , a coalition of tribal governments has now begun to assume responsibility for offering some child welfare services to Alaska Native children. The Alaska Tribal Child Welfare Compact , which was signed into law in October 2017 by Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I), allows 18 Alaska tribes to provide child welfare services with the goal of reducing the disproportionate number of Native children in foster care in the state. Previously, these services were managed solely through the state’s...
Blog Post
Alaska Wellness Summit: Conquering the Opioid Crisis
August 4th, 2016 9:00AM - 3:30PM Mat-Su College (8295 College Drive Palmer, AK 99645) Click on the link below to register !
Blog Post
Alaskan “teen safety card” provides teen-friendly education on healthy and unhealthy relationships, and support and resources for youth who need help
Authors: Laura Avellaneda-Cruz, LMSW & Jaclynne Oyoumick, BA of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), Alaska Native Epidemiology Center, in Anchorage, Alaska What are the goals of the card? The wallet-sized, fold-out safety card is an evidence-based tool developed by health and domestic violence professionals for use in health care to promote safety and support for patients experiencing intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and/or reproductive coercion.
Blog Post
Alaskans join nationwide effort building thousands of beds for kids in need [ktuu.com]
By Derek Minemyer, June 16, 2019, 2 KTUU ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaskans joined non-profits across the country in building thousands of bunk beds for children in need on Saturday. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a national non-profit with a local chapter here in Southcentral Alaska. Around 50 volunteers spent the day at Anchorage Home Builders Association, building bunk beds as part of SHP's annual Bunks Across America event. According to the website, the organization intends to break a...
Blog Post
All Alaskans have a role to play in helping others choose life, not suicide [AlaskaDispatchNews.com]
As we recognize National Suicide Prevention Day, I reflect on the old proverb, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” This statement is a reflection of the most destructive force in our world today...
Blog Post
An Alaska Native group decided to make a video game. It's like nothing you've ever played before.
...For many, life in Alaska's cities is hardly easy. According to Amy Fredeen, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the CITC, Alaska Native youth in Anchorage are plagued by high dropout and suicide rates. Passing traditional knowledge down under these conditions becomes all the more challenging. The council saw "Never Alone" as both a way of becoming more financially self-sufficient and a necessary new method of transferring cultural knowledge from one generation to the...
Blog Post
Anchorage Faith Leaders Forum on "Safe Children, Healthy Families"
Leaders and youth, family, community workers from all faith communities in Anchorage are invited to this January 24th forum on "Safe Children, Healthy Families," sponsored by the Alaska Governor's Office, Alaska Children's Trust, and Alaska Resilience Initiative. First Lady Donna Walker will be there to welcome and participate with us. Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, ashrams, groups for meditation or prayer or ritual or conversation, all faith communities have a role to play in...
Blog Post
Anchorage premiere of the film 'Paper Tigers' [AlaskaDispatchNews.com]
Alaska Children's Trust is hosting an exciting new documentary around Alaska. Paper Tigers follows the lives of six students in Walla Walla, Wash., as they attend an alternative high school that has begun to look at how chronic stressful events such...
Blog Post
Anchorage Teddy Bear Picnic
July 23rd 12:00pm - 3:00pm at Cuddy Family Midtown Park in Anchorage. This is a great opportunity to spend time with your children and build resiliency. To learn more about this free community event visit their event page of Facebook or the Alaska Business Monthly article.
Blog Post
Annual Innovation Summit shows the opportunity of economic crisis [CapitalCityWeekly.com]
The state’s fiscal crisis is no tiny problem. Oil prices are volatile, reserves are depleting and the state is facing a financial deficit. At this year’s Innovation Summit, held in Juneau in early February, Governor Walker addressed more than two hundred of the state’s top entrepreneurs, politicians, investors and leaders. He discussed his budget plan and the need to diversify and shift the state away from a mono-focus on a non-renewable oil industry. Tough budget cuts, Walker explained are...
Blog Post
Apply for: Native American Congressional Internship
Native American Congressional Internship Link View Program Website Sponsor Morris K Udall and Stewart L Udall Foundation Deadlines Jan 31, 2020 Contact Jason Curley curley@udall.gov 520.901.8564 Purpose The Native American Congressional Internship offers a summer internship for Native American and Alaska Native students who wish to learn more about the federal government and issues affecting Indian country. Interns work in congressional and agency offices where they have opportunities to...
Blog Post
ARI: Urgent Budget & Healthcare Action
The Alaska Resilience Initiative (ARI) e-newsletter can be accessed through this link to read more about each of this subjects and help us spread the word. In this e-newsletter, we will be providing: 1.) Information from about how the upcoming State of Alaska budget decisions will affect Alaska's children and what you can do * right now * to make a difference for children and families 2.) Information on the bill to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and how...
Blog Post
ARI Website Goes Live
The Alaska Resilience Initiative is excited to announce the launch of our first-ever website! After months of hard work, akresilience.org is live and looking good . Take a look for yourself and let us know what you think. For quite a while, we’ve been trying to fit all our work into a single page hosted by the Alaska Children’s Trust – but no longer! With our new website, you can check out our steering committee and staff, get updates from the workgroups, learn about and post events, connect...
Blog Post
Artists in the ACE and Resilience Movement: Creative Avenues to Change
They began with a song and ended with a poem. In-between, there were photographs and giant graphic renderings, movement exercises and a “human pulse” formed when 90 people stood in a circle and squeezed each other’s hands. At a June summit in Whatcom County, Washington, titled “Our Resilient Community: A Community Conversation on Resilience and Equity,” the arts played a starring role. Kristi Slette, executive director of the Whatcom Family and Community Network, one of two Washington sites...
Blog Post
As teens, they faced the same temptations. One made it, one didn’t. Why? [ADN.com]
This is the story of two childhoods that brought two grown men to opposite sides of a table in Mountain View, one after a life of pain and one of privilege. The meeting was a little awkward. A fine art painter was recruited to learn about a recovering addict, now a car salesman, and depict how childhood events had shaped his life. "It's certainly not something that I'm used to," said painter David Pettibone. "I was absolutely nervous going in. I wasn't quite sure of the questions I was going...
Blog Post
Big Picture Epidemiology - Comprehensive Dataset Video Presentation
This 30-minute presentation by State of Alaska epidemiologist Dr. Jared Parrish provides a unique “big picture” image of cumulative child maltreatment over the life course.
Blog Post
"Business Leaders in the ACE and Resilience Movement: A Different Kind of Bottom Line"
This is a fantastic article about trauma-informed businesses and business efforts across the country, including Vigor Shipyards in Ketchikan, Alaska! Toxic stress in the childhoods and current lives of workers affect worker productivity, safety, retention, and more, and these affect the bottom line. Find out what businesses and resilience coalitions are doing about it: http://marc.healthfederation.org/shared-learnings/business-leaders-ace-and-resilience-movement-different-kind-bottom-line
Blog Post
Child Abuse Prevention in Alaska (Alaska Public Broadcasting) Friday April 15, 7:30pm
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Ellen Lockyer will interview Trevor Storrs, Executive Director of Alaska Children's Trust, on "Alaska Edition." The program wii be on broadcast on television (PBS, Channel 7 in Anchorage) and on the radio (91.1 FM) at 7:30pm tomorrow.
Blog Post
Childhood trauma could be causing your adult health problems [adn.com]
It’s no secret that Alaska struggles with high rates of sexual assault and abuse, neglect, and other crimes against children. Alaska consistently has one of the five highest child abuse rates in the country, according to the Child Welfare League of America. The state Office of Children’s Services told Alaska Dispatch News this summer that in 2017 it has averaged more than 50 reports of abuse and neglect per day. What's less well known is that these kinds of traumatic experiences, along with...
Blog Post
Community Voices: Creating a Just, Healthy and Resilient World
Two years ago Alaska (as a partnership between ARI , Southern Kenai Peninsula Resilience Coalition , and ROCK Mat-Su ), was chosen as one of the fourteen pilot sites across the country building strong cross-sector networks to help heal and prevent early childhood adversity. See some of these amazing, inspiring stories: Go to the Collection Download the PDF
Blog Post
Conference in Anchorage Aug 18th on Complex Trauma and Addictions
Longitudinal Progression of Complex Trauma and Addiction: Case Studies and Interventions The University of Alaska Anchorage - Department of Human Services is hosting a conference on August 18, 2017 from 8 am -5:30 pm with a Dinner presentation from 6 pm - 7:30 pm at the UAA Lucy Cuddy Hall. The conference will spotlight case studies highlighting the necessity of a multi-disciplinary approach in addressing the complexity of trauma combined with addiction. See attached flyer for more...
Blog Post
COMPLEX TRAUMA IN CHILDREN Conference this Saturday at UAA
I just learned about this free conference this Saturday. For information click on the link below: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/psych/bscn-information.cfm?utm_source=Behavioral+Sciences+Conf+North-April+2016&utm_campaign=Technical+Assist+FY16&utm_medium=email
Blog Post
Dr. Chris Blodgett's talk last week: recordings available soon
Dr. Chris Blodgett of Washington State University's CLEAR Trauma Center spoke on Nov 3rd in Anchorage, Alaska, to nearly 200 people attending either in person at the Anchorage Loussac Library or online. An audio recording, and the webinar recording, and presentation slides will be made available here on ACEsConnection once file size issues are sorted out.
Blog Post
Dr. Linda Chamberlain's Toolkit on DV & ACEs now available
Dr. Linda Chamberlain from Homer, Alaska introduces the Domestic Violence and ACEs toolkit that she developed and tested throughout the Arctic.
Blog Post
Economic Costs of ACEs in Alaska
Alaska is facing an historic budget deficit which is requiring the Legislative and Executive branches to focus on cost reduction and revenue enhancement. These two goals can be uniquely addressed by a focus on the real and opportunity costs...
Blog Post
Expansion of ACEs in Alaska
I just want to pass along ACT's recent announcement regarding work tied to ACEs in Alaska. It is an incredible opportunity and encouraging to see this work move forward in Alaska. WKH Alaska Children's Trust (ACT) is proud to...
Blog Post
First statewide meeting of the Alaska Resilience Initiative
Last Thursday, the first statewide meeting of the Alaska Resilience Initiative was held. Over 80 people from different regions in Alaska who work in different sectors, organizations, schools, tribes, etc. gathered around the same goal of building healthy families and communities and moving beyond trauma and the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Participants rolled up their sleeves and got to work on how to structure this collective impact initiative so that it is inclusive,...
Blog Post
Free Discussion Guide and Movie Loans
Do you ever see a post from us and wonder about ACEs? Want to educate your friends? We can help! For free, ARI can lend you an hour-long documentary (Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope) about the history of ACE science and early years of the Resilience movement, as well as a hard or soft copy of the movie’s discussion guide. This guide ( https://www.recharge4resilience.org/sites/default/files/slides/Resilience%20Guide%20-%20FINAL.PDF ) created in partnership with the...