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Okay, we’ve got it: Not “what’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?” That explosive outburst? The child who cannot concentrate at school? The domestic violence survivor who is in a constant state of hyper-vigilance? Yes, most of us in family services are now able to recognize trauma-symptoms and respond with empathy… most of the time. But what does it mean to be truly trauma-informed? For a start, it means that we have patience with others and ourselves as we seek to acquire the...

Continuing their response to President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed crackdown on illegal immigration , the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a trio of motions Tuesday in support of a federal comprehensive immigration plan and related programs that protect youth. The bipartisan motions were introduced by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Kathryn Barger, who have disagreed in recent weeks on actions that seek to protect immigrants who face deportation. “These young people were...

As your community manager, I will be spotlighting agencies who are integrating Trauma-Informed Practices and furthering the mission of ACEs Science. If you would like your agency to be highlighted or if you would like more information on how to integrate ACEs Science into your organization, please contact me directly through Private Message. Walking up to the La Maida Institute felt like entering a secret garden. The weathered, wooden door surrounded by greenery was simultaneously welcoming...

This past September, the Healthy, Equitable, Active Land Use (HEALU) Network convened a summit in Los Angeles to explore the nexus of land use and community safety, drawing nearly 100 community members, policymakers, and representatives of community-based organizations. Our new report shares key learnings from this summit and invites people working in land use, transportation, food policy, education, housing, and other areas to consider the ways their own work can support safe communities.

Hi all- With the beautiful new changes to our site, please take a moment to review the updated "How-Tos" below . If you can't find what you need or are having issues with the site please let me know. ( Gail ) JOIN How-To: Join ACEs Connection How-To: Join ACEs Connection Groups INVITE How-To: Invite Others to Join ACEs Connection How-To: Invite Others to Join an ACEs Connection Group SIGN IN & UPDATE PROFILE How-To: Sign In to ACEs Connection How-To: Update Your...

This post has links to a quick welcome tour through ACEsConnection, a link to a How-To Directory where you can find easy steps to post a blog and many other cools things, a link to FAQs about ACEs Science 101, and an overview of the ACEs Connection Network, which includes ACEsConnection.com and our sister news site for the general public, ACEsTooHigh.com.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department has long had specially trained teams to de-escalate confrontations with people who have severe mental illness, but after two decades, the agency has struggled to deploy mental health responders at all times of day or night because of funding and staffing shortages. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors moved to fix that problem on Tuesday, voting unanimously to expand the number of employees assigned to the department’s Mental Evaluation...

The Office of Immigrant Affairs would provide a “one-stop shop” for those seeking help, according to a statement released by Supervisor Hilda Solis, who along with Supervisor Sheila Kuehl co-sponsored the motion creating the office. “I want to remind our communities that the county will continue to stand against hate and provide exceptional aid for our immigrant individuals,” Solis said in a statement. “This is one of the many steps we are taking towards protecting the immigrant communities...

After a campaign in which now President-elect Donald Trump promised more aggressive deportations, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell sought to reassure local immigrant communities that his agency plans to stick by its policy of not serving as immigration agents. McDonnell is expected to address the subject of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration with the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The board is also expected to announce plans to form a county office for...

Opioid drug overdoses now claim almost as many lives each year as car accidents in the U.S. In the last 10 years, opioid-related deaths have nearly tripled and opioid addiction is now regarded as a nationwide epidemic by the Center for Disease Control. In response to the growing epidemic, UCLA students and researchers have been seeking to better understand opioid addiction and find solutions to the problem. The Walwyn Laboratory at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at...

The City Council on Tuesday will discuss declaring La Puente a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants, people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities after some residents raised concerns about how minority groups may be treated under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The council will consider two different resolutions, one modeled after the city of Cudahy’s sanctuary city resolution and another that expands on that to voice support for other...

In the Hechinger Report, Amanda Wahlstedt wrote about the empathy gap she experienced as a poor student with a disconnected privileged teacher. She wrote: As a young girl in rural southeastern Kentucky, I remember distinctly hearing my teacher talk about “first of the month-ers,” or people who were out and in the grocery stores at the first of the month, typically with shopping “buggies” overloaded with preserved food. When I looked around the classroom I noticed many of my friends either...