Tagged With "Bester Community of Hope"
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Art, Drumming, Storytelling, Singing infuse Intergenerational Trauma event in Baltimore
On a beautiful fall day I drove up to Baltimore from my home in Washington, DC for an event I learned about in a post by Donna Jackson Nakazawa on the ACEs Connection group named after the title of her new, must-read book, Childhood...
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Building Resilience in Hagerstown, Maryland
Last year, we were excited to host Dr. Vincent Felitti, Dr. Jerry Yager and Patsy Sellars to begin building foundations for trauma informed care and practices. This past Fall, we held exclusive screenings of the film "Paper Tigers" with guest speakers. This coming March, we are fortunate to host James Redford as we view his latest film, "Resilience: The Science of Stress and the Biology of Hope" and continue the conversation with Rev. Dr. Darrell L. Armstrong and Dr. Lonise Bias. See image...
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Dr. Vincent Felitti speaks in Hagerstown, MD
On Monday, March 21, 2016, over 400 social workers, educators and more filled the gymnasium of Bester Elementary School in Hagerstown, MD, as leading trauma experts from across the nation linked findings from the ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences) with staggering proof of health, social, and economic problems resulting later in life.
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Education, inspiration, and action—Maryland lawmakers take deeper dive into ACEs science and how it informs policy
While members of the Maryland General Assembly did not dominate the Dec. 13th “MGA ACEs Roundtable” in numbers, they commanded the room and enlivened a focus on how ACEs science can inform current and future policies considered by elected officials.
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Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland Partners with Bel Air Police Department to Implement the Drug Abatement Response Team (DART)
(Bel Air, Md) In an attempt to break the cycle of addiction, Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland has partnered with the Bel Air Police Department, the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy, and other local agencies to form the Bel Air Drug Abatement Response Team (DART).
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Roadmap to Resilience Infographic: Guide
The steps indicated by the numbers are grouped by color on the Roadmap to Resilience infographic . The group wisdom from the people who have embarked on this journey (i.e., the case studies in the Community Resilience Cookbook ) was: You don't have...
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Harford County Child Advocacy Center Donates Books, DVDs to Harford County Public Library
Harford County Child Advocacy Center donated forty-nine (49) books and eight (8) DVDs to Harford County Public Library to help raise community awareness about childhood adversity and its negative effects on lifelong health and social outcomes.
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His Brother's Keeper [www.theatlantic.com] - When Baltimore's Murder Rate Hits Home
"As for Smith, his failed struggle to lead Dionay off the streets exposed for him the boundaries of any individual’s influence against the awesome power of poverty and social dysfunction." Luke Mullins, The Atlantic
There are too many of us who wonder how we could have saved our family members who fell prey to the pervasive violence that surrounds us here in Baltimore.
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Hot off the presses! CDC Preventing ACEs: Leveraging the Best Available Evidence
Hot off the presses, here's the link to a publication released today by the CDC Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs):Leveraging the Best Available Evidence to help states and communities prioritize efforts to prevent ACEs. This resource features six strategies to prevent ACEs drawn from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence : Strengthen economic supports for families Promote social norms that protect against violence and adversity Ensure a strong start for children...
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More MD Moves: Promoting resilience & Partnering with Pratt
Resilience... an interesting word with many meanings for many people from many different walks of life. But that's the point... isn't it? In order to truly promote and support the resilience movement, we must ensure that everyone has a seat at the table. In that spirit, Enoch Pratt Library has officially joined the movement!! Libraries across Baltimore will be hosting Resilience film screenings and discussion panels for community members and stakeholders. This is a wonderful opportunity for...
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More Moves in MD: Promoting Resilience & Partnering with Pratt library
Resilience... An interesting word with many meanings for many people from many different walks of life. But that's the point... isn't it? In order to truly promote & support the resilience movement we must ensure that everyone has a set at the table. Enoch Pratt library has officially joined the movement!! Libraries across Baltimore, MD, will be hosting screenings of Resilience and discussion panels for community members and stakeholders. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to come...
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Nature Nurtures Symposium
You are invited to attend the Nature Nurtures Symposium designed for formal and informal educators, childcare providers, and health professionals. Our hope is to foster cross-sector communication and share the wealth of information that educators, childcare providers, and health experts each bring to the table in helping Baltimore's children thrive. Attendees will: Receive trauma-informed care training Choose from hands-on sessions led by environmental educators, outdoor recreation experts,...
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"Now Is The Time, We Can't Wait Until They Fall"
Close to 500 attendees packed the Kepler Theater at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, MD, the morning of Friday, March 24 th on the campus for the sold out event “Building Resilience”, an event organized by the San Mar Initiative, Bester Community of Hope. Following two successful events in 2016 focused on trauma informed practices, the training focused on the next steps of a community wide discussion to build greater awareness and implementation of beliefs and strategies bringing...
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The TCC: Focusing on Community Healing & Engagement
I was about to post information about the last meeting of the Thriving Communities Collaborative (TCC) when I realized that I hadn’t taken the time to introduce the collaborative to the Maryland ACES Group. We are a coalition of advocates,...
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Two studies shed light on state legislators’ views on ACEs science and trauma policy
New and returning lawmakers take the oath of office on day one of Washington state's 2017 legislative session. — Jeanie Lindsay/Northwest News Network As advocates prepare to see how ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) science, trauma, and resilience play out in the 2020 state legislative sessions — many beginning in January — they are undoubtedly asking: “What does a legislator want?" It may be a stretch to play on Freud’s question: “What does a women want?", but the query captures how...
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U.S. Sen. Heitkamp headlines May 25 briefing—trauma is “key”
When U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp arrived mid-way through the May 25, 2016, congressional briefing on the Science of Trauma, she delivered her remarks (starts at 27:48 through 41:45) with passion, humor, and most of all, a sense of urgency to the room full of Capitol Hill staff and a smattering of advocates. Her message was macro as well as micro—change national policy to incorporate what the science tells us about trauma, and see and respond to the needs of those you encounter in everyday...
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U.S. Senate champion on trauma, Heidi Heitkamp, provides inspired and hope-filled leadership
Last evening I posted a video of a June 5 congressional briefing that I attended on trauma and the opioid crisis with a plan to write a post about the event today. In the comfort of my living room, I played the beginning of the video, hoping to find a good screen shot to use with the article, but instead was surprisingly moved by the second listening of the words of U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) about why the issue of trauma is so important her: She says it gives her hope.
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Unconditional Care
Join us in Hagerstown, MD, for the next training in our series focused on trauma informed strategies for the community! Unconditional Care features three dynamic speakers focused on how addressing issues of self- care and self-awareness lead to the outcomes we all are striving for children, families and neighborhoods. Group rates are available for organizations registering ten or more attendees, contact Kerry Fair at 240-513-6370 or kfair@besterhope.org to arrange. Our last several trainings...
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Unconditional care begins with good self care
I'm pleased to share information on our next training in our series on trauma informed strategies for the community! In April, we will focus on how addressing issues of self-care and self-awareness lead to the outcomes we all ar e striving for children, families and neighborhoods. In the same way dirt gets under the gardener's nail, trauma work has an impact. Join us as we focus on finding balance and understanding the importance of self-awareness so that we can best provide unconditional...
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Understanding the Consequences of Abuse [nationalchildrensalliance.org]
I want to turn your attention to the special issue of Child Maltreatment that was just released, on Understanding Neurobiological Implications of Maltreatment: From Preschool to Emerging Adulthood. Not so long ago, we began to understand the connections between child abuse and psychological and behavioral outcomes. Now, as the authors note, we are beginning to “unravel the neurobiological process that underlies the effect of adverse rearing environments on human development across the life span.
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Wisconsin state agencies end year one of trauma-informed learning community; goal is to be first trauma-informed state
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...
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Re: Ning Comment Wall
Chris, Thank you for this - looks like great resources. I will go through them all as I have the time. Meanwhile, I hope more Marylanders join our group. Would LOVE to attract some legislators or their staff members. :)
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Re: Ning Comment Wall
Brenda, Yes, I believe Alexis was a victim. We cannot know all of his victimizations but being a black, male in this country IS one. Life for black males is really hard. He felt an injustice w/ not being paid enough on a job & how the govt was not treating him well as a vet. This article makes these statements. It states he was sick of this country (a warning sign, b/c he hated "the group," "his group"). The U.S. culture is filled w/ constant betrayals that most of us are acculturated to...
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Re: Ning Comment Wall
Dennis, Thanks for your comments. I'm NOT AT ALL surprised to hear what your neighbor, the military commander said. I completely agree with him. And he is spot on...we need to get out of the war business. War is a part of this problem. But the military-industrial complex is huge. I hope as a species we can stop it b/c we are on a big collision course with it if we don't. And all of us need to work on taking down the internal barriers each one of us has when it comes to the us-vs-them...
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Re: Ning Comment Wall
Brenda , you made my day! Way to go! I shoulda said "Baltimore conference TOMORROW". I'll do some research from home while you are networking in person, I hope you keep checking in so we can collaborate via posts here. Maybe we can locate some care providers, researchers or teachers who might be interested in a little policy development. Do you know which workshops or presentations you want to attend? REcognizing plans can cahange depending upon real-time opportunities and invitations. I've...
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Re: Ning Comment Wall
Dennis, I wanted to report back to you after the Trauma Conference: It was a wonderful experience for me personally. I did get an opportunity to speak to many individuals who work in the field of trauma and social services. I passed out my business card often, talked to many about ACEs, and about our group here. Many said they were interested. I did NOT get any business cards back, and I hope people follow-through and join us. So MANY knew about TIC practices, and a few did know about ACEs,...
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Re: Dr. Vincent Felitti speaks in Hagerstown, MD
I'm sorry I did not know Dr. Felitti was coming to Maryland! I'm so glad he was here -- we need that extra shot in the arm to get moving on ACEs!!!
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Re: Dr. Vincent Felitti speaks in Hagerstown, MD
Brenda, or others, I would like to work with agencies and schools on the Eastern Shore to promote trauma informed classrooms. I work in a district that struggles with out-of-control youth but there seems to be little or no awareness of the impact of ACEs. Are there more experienced people here I could connect with? -Jonathan Williams, Easton
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Re: Dr. Vincent Felitti speaks in Hagerstown, MD
Hi Jonathan, Yes, I do believe we have some other Maryland ACE Group members who have experience working with community on ACEs. I don't want to speak for them - hopefully they will see this and reply. Or you could write a column on what you hope to do and ask for input. I am in the last year of my graduate school program on Clinical Mental Health Counseling. It has my full attention right now! I have, from time to time, reached out to my own kids' public school system, MCPS in Montgomery...
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Re: Paid Family Leave Event
Paid Family Leave is a key policy response to the NEAR (neurobiology, epigenetics, ACEs, and resilience) Science, as the time it provides for parent-child bonding helps to ensure the healthy development of babies and families. These parent-child relationships nurture early brain connections that form the foundation for all learning and relationships that follow. According to research by Joanne Klevens, et. al., state paid family leave policies have also been shown to reduce ACEs (child...
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"A Better Normal" Community Discussion Series- Our Reckoning with Race and Equity at ACEs Connection
Register for A Better Normal- Our reckoning with race and equity at ACEs Connection
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Danielle Haskin
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Dr. Patrecia Williams
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Starling Hathcock
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