Across the parking lot from a YMCA in Des Moines, about a dozen men sit on black plastic chairs in the basement of a former Catholic high school. This is a court-ordered class for domestic abusers, part of a new statewide curriculum for batterer intervention in Iowa. According to police reports, one man here kicked his wife several times in the stomach. Another threw a lamp at his girlfriend's head. Lucas Sampson - a man with the imposing appearance of a viking but the gentle demeanor of...

Volunteers at the Coralville Library place plastic beads in a pouch to create a weighted blanket. The blankets are used to soothe children with autism or those who have experienced trauma. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette) __________________________________ The University of Iowa Colleges of Medicine, Education, and Public Health are collaborating with multiple statewide initiatives and governmental agencies to organize an invitation-only workshop titled “Collaborating for a Resilient Iowa Through a...

Here in California, many people think that it’s only liberal Democrats who have a corner on championing the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and putting it into practice. That might be because people who use ACEs science don’t expel or suspend students, even if they’re throwing chairs and hurling expletives at the teacher. They ask "What happened to you?" rather than "What's wrong with you?" as a frame when they create juvenile detention centers where kids don’t fight, reduce...

A new study from the University of Iowa may have discovered one reason for child neglect in drug-addicted mothers. Lane Strathearn, a UI professor of pediatrics, and Assistant Professor Sohye Kim of the Baylor College of Medicine recently collaborated on a study that produced data on the correlation between drug use and the disassociation that drug-addicted mothers may feel about their children. The data, recently published online in the journal Human Brain Mapping, is on the second phase of...

In his seventh-grade English class, Jeremiah Zhorne showed his teacher an essay he’d written for homework. Maybe, he told her, he should start over. Maybe he should have picked a different topic. He’d written four paragraphs about the difference between prescription and over-the-counter drugs and “bad and illegal” drugs. “Drugs may be bad for you, but they make you feel so good!” the 13-year-old had written in pencil. “You shouldn’t ever do drugs because they are very addicting. I know how...

Childhood experiences affect our development, influence our behaviors and help shape our outlook on life as we get older. Dr. Vincent Felitti of Kaiser Permanente and Dr. Robert Anda of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention conducted an original study on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the 1990s. Studies showed a strong correlation between traumatic experiences and poor adult health as well as social outcomes later in life. More than 17,000 adult members were surveyed about...

The Iowa ACEs Policy Coalition continued its legislative advocacy this week at the Iowa Capitol. As elected officials shift their focus to the appropriations process, advocates emphasized the importance of two key priorities that will be addressed through funding legislation: Statewide expansion of the 1st Five Healthy Development Initiative Advancement of the Mental Health Workgroup's recommendations More than 25 advocates joined small group meetings with key legislative leaders on these...

March 1. 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Plans to revamp the Affordable Care Act were among President Trump's talking points during last night's address before a joint session of Congress. And one sector of the population stands to be significantly impacted by changes to the healthcare law. Peggy Hubbert, the executive director of the National Association for Mental Illness in Iowa, explains that because of policies and safeguards included in the ACA millions of Americans struggling with mental...

....This month, WorldCanvass from UI International Programs will focus on adverse childhood experiences and the negative health consequences children and adults with these experiences may face. Experts from the University of Iowa, Johnson County and the state of Iowa will discuss the epidemiology of ACEs and how childhood adversity affects the brain, behaviors, social adjustment, and physical and mental health. They will share with the audience the important advances being made in the...

In just a couple weeks, we kick off a project we’re calling Iowa Ideas . The project is meant to stir discussion and ideas to confront challenges and help position the state to thrive in the future. The project comes at a time where political polarization and mistrust is running very high, yet the need to collaborate and uniquely position ourselves to thrive in a global economy has never been more important. The project will focus on an array of topics — education to environment, health care...

The Iowa ACEs Advocacy Coalition kicked off the Iowa legislative session with efforts to promote a Resilient Iowa. With a growing advocacy coalition of community based organizations, associations, advocacy groups, philanthropy and business, the group advances joint policy priorities to prevent ACEs and promote resiliency and trauma-informed care. Last week, the coalition held its first advocacy day at the Iowa Capitol, educating elected officials on Iowa ACEs data. The group also promoted an...

This article is a wonderful collection of ACEs and trauma-informed resources and solution stories happening across the Midwest. Originally published on ACEs Too High, and now on Social Justice Solutions, this article provides a resource rich look at the ACEs and trauma-informed landscape of America’s heartland. From public child welfare, to private social service agencies, higher education and juvenile justice… follow the link below to learn about some exciting programs, initiatives and...