Tagged With "Experiences"

There is hope for the future. That may seem like a broad statement, but it is true. If the future is our children and our children have potential, the future is in good hands. Let’s start with the bad news first. Toxic stress physically damages a child’s developing brain, according to neuroscientists and pediatricians. The good news - science has proven that through neuroplasticity, the brain has the capacity for resilience. One way to find out the risks for a child or community is through...

Adverse childhood experiences are incredibly common, and a local organization is looking to spread the word about what are commonly referred to as ACEs. According to a Centers for Disease Control study conducted from 1995 to 1997, ACEs can affect not only a person’s behavior and physical health later in life, but also how their offspring are wired. The study looked at more than 17,000 Californians’ childhood experiences as compared to their health and behavior as adults, and it focused on 10...

Several faith organizations and other agencies are joining forces to offer a special clergy training conference. The "Faith Communities Protecting Children: Recognizing and Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences Conference" is set for 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 2, 2019, at Metro Tech Business Conference Center, 1900 Springlake Drive. "We strongly believe that faith-based organizations can and do play an important role in the prevention and healing of children who have experienced trauma.

Alva and Northwestern Oklahoma State University will host Oklahoma's First Lady Sarah Stitt on Feb. 13 at an event designed to educate community members about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). Stitt and her office have joined forces with the Potts Family Foundation, Northwestern and Northwest Family Services to present a film screening and panel discussion on this important topic. The documentary film "Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope" will be shown at 11 a.m. in...

A local organization is working to increase awareness of what trauma can do to a child, and by extension, an entire community. Partners in Education was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Potts Family Foundation . The foundation is working with organizations across the state to help inform communities about the nature of trauma. PIE Executive Director Cynthia Pickens said because her organization focuses on education, the topic is a relevant one. “The adverse childhood experiences are...

The Potts Family Foundation is blessed to have Dr. Block as a board member and it's current Board Vice Chair.

Dr. Block is wonderful! Such a compassionate heart and giving nature. It is a blessing indeed!

Resilience – we're not born with it, but we learn as we grow. It's how we respond to traumatic, negative or adverse events that happen to us, and it shapes how we'll respond to them in the future, regardless of their significance. A new group, Resilient Payne County, was formed in June 2017 hoping to bring out that trait in people in order to build for a better future. The group's youth mentoring arm partnered with Oklahoma State's Department of Wellness and Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma...

“The child may not remember but the body remembers.” That was the key saying behind the “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope” film screening Thursday, Jan. 16 when First Lady Sarah Stitt brought the Hope Rising Tour to Duncan in an effort to educate and help prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) plaguing youth in the state. “Resilience” focuses on the concept of ACEs, which is now understood to be a leading cause of “everything from heart disease and cancer to...

As part of their newest social innovation initiative, United Way of Norman awarded $7,420 Thursday night to The Virtue Center for their Move Through Recovery program. The Virtue Center was one of four finalists chosen to present its program to a panel of seven judges. Norman's United Way President and CEO Daren Wilson said the goal of the "Launch" was to be creative in helping change the community in positive ways. Every community needs to be out-of-the-box thinkers, and the 'Launch' gives...

By Joe Dorman, The Duncan Banner, January 15, 2020 The latest report from America’s Health Rankings shows a slight improvement in Oklahoma on a critical child wellbeing area, Adverse Childhood Experiences also called ACEs. Sadly, Oklahoma is still the worst in the nation in the frequency of Adverse Childhood Experiences among our children, but awareness is making a difference. The study examined the percentage of children ages 0-17 who endured two or more of the following ACEs: economic...

By Joe Dorman, The Duncan Banner, February 15, 2020 Now that the 2020 session of the Oklahoma Legislature is underway, we have a better idea of measures we as child advocates must support and those about which we must be cautious. Normally there are 149 lawmakers, 101 state representatives and 48 state senators. There are currently two vacancies, one in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. The 147 left were busy, filing 2,243 new bills for this year. Combined with the those...

There is no doubt that the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences study by Anda and Felitti has shifted the landscape of how we think about childhood. The ACEs study established the link between early adverse experiences and later negative outcomes. A brief overview of the key areas of early adversity included in the ACEs study are: (1) physical abuse, (2) sexual abuse, (4) physical neglect, (5) emotional neglect, (6) having a parent with a mental illness, (7) having a parent with substance...

Oklahoma children are more likely to experience toxic, adverse conditions at home than children in other states, but there is hope for a better future, Senate lawmakers were told Thursday. State health officials said recent studies show Oklahoma ranks as the worst in the nation when it comes to the number of adverse childhood experiences. Such experiences include neglect and abuse, drug use in the home, exposure to domestic violence, living with someone who is mentally ill, having an...

As an academic and clinical pediatrician with over 40 years of experience, I was impressed and amazed when I first heard Dr. Vince Felitti speak about his ground-breaking work on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), first published in 1998. For the last several years a multitude of professionals have been working on the clinical (practical) application of his work, and more have been learning about the genetics, brain chemistry, and other scientific explanations for his findings. The core...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Oklahoma lawmakers are set to bring awareness to ACEs, known as Adverse Childhood Experiences and PACEs, Positive and Compensatory Experiences. Both the House and Senate have simple resolutions naming April 7 th ACEs and PACEs Awareness Day in Oklahoma. In the House, the resolution's primary sponsor is Rep. Carol Bush with many co-sponsors. In the Senate, co-sponsors are Sen. Brenda Stanley and Sen. Carri Hicks. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially...

Five years ago this week, the Potts Family Foundation began a journey that continues to this day. Introduced to the documentary "Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope" in 2017, our immediate reaction was that all Oklahomans need to see this film. From the first screening at Rose State College, we have employed the same format following the film with a moderated panel discussion. Even the pandemic did not set us back, as we created virtual screening opportunities with...

I find great comfort in articles like this, Dr. Block. Thank you for sharing your perspective! I have spent most of my adult life trying to overcome the shame I felt about my constantly tumultuous emotional state. Learning about ACEs was life-changing for me, and I have been in hot pursuit of my recovery since I learned that although I was emotionally fragile, I was actually fragmented, and not fickle!! I feel extremely validated by the new information that is being released about the impact...