The Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative is excited to honor the first Trauma-Informed Awareness Day in Illinois! Conceived by the Community Behavioral Health Association of Illinois and supported by research conducted by the Collaborative, Trauma-Informed Awareness Day is sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison of Deerfield, as well as numerous others who have joined the senator in recognizing the importance of trauma-informed care and resilience.

Trauma-Informed Care Day calls upon the State of Illinois to 1) make policy decisions that take into account early childhood brain development and the concepts of toxic stress, early adversity, and buffering relationships, and 2) officers, agencies, and employees of the State of Illinois whose responsibilities impact children and adults should learn about ACEs, toxic stress, and structural violence, as well as about trauma-informed care practices that promote healing and resiliency. 

The Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative is working to make May 15th a meaningful day that recognizes the work our partners are doing across the state and mobilizes new stakeholders to join our efforts. Here's how you can participate:

• Use the hashtag #TraumaInformedIL
• We have created a toolkit of ways you and your organization can support Trauma-Informed Awareness Day throughout the day
• This is an important opportunity to build trauma-informed awareness among your networks! Here is a list of resources developed by the Collaborative and more are available here.
• Is your organization marking the day with its own event or action? Tell us how HERE.

We’re so excited to celebrate Trauma-Informed Awareness here in Illinois and look forward to this first step on the journey to building a trauma-informed and resilient Illinois!

Any questions? Want to know how your organization can get involved? Contact Madison Hammett at mhammett@HMPRG.org or Director Lara Altman at laltman@HMPRG.org