Blog

Over the last few weeks, I have had countless conversations with schools about the uptick of behavioral issues this time of year. Many educators are recognizing that students with ACE’s have a tough time around the holidays, but very few people know what to do about it. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, below are the top three pieces of advice I have been sharing. Avoid some of the most common holiday traditions: When we have negative experiences, our brain latches on to everything...

Just over a year ago a small group of folks in Amador County came together for a discussion about ACEs and Trauma-Informed Care. We knew that several efforts were underway in the county to bring awareness to childhood trauma, but it was our goal to unite these different conversations into one cohesive voice so that we could best serve families. One year, and many meetings later, we are now Resilient Amador , a collaborative of community members, organizations, and agencies ready to address...

Becoming a trauma-informed organization requires clear communication about the transformation process, and support from staff at all levels of an organization. Often these efforts are spearheaded by “trauma-informed care champions”— individuals committed to raising awareness regarding the health effects of trauma and toxic stress and improving care for people who have experienced trauma. This week, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) invites you to recognize people around you who...

In 2019, more than $40 million will become available to fund community-based, culturally rooted, trauma-informed services for youth in California as alternatives to arrest and incarceration. Thousands of California youth are arrested every year for low-level offenses. Youth who are arrested or incarcerated for low-level offenses are less likely to graduate high school, more likely to suffer negative health-outcomes, and more likely to have later contact with the justice system.

In 2019, more than $40 million will become available to fund community-based, culturally rooted, trauma-informed services for youth in California as alternatives to arrest and incarceration. Thousands of California youth are arrested every year for low-level offenses. Youth who are arrested or incarcerated for low-level offenses are less likely to graduate high school, more likely to suffer negative health-outcomes, and more likely to have later contact with the justice system.

Highlights of the September 27, 2018 Sierra Learning Community Link to the recording: View the 9.27.18 Learning Community Event For the first of four Sierra Learning Communities focused on resiliency, Matthew Reddam, LMFT, from Trauma Transformed presented on the Trauma Informed Systems Approach, and how it can be utilized to foster resilience in agencies, communities and the families we serve. Matt shared how a trauma informed system is one that realizes, recognizes, responds and resists...

Second in the Building Resiliency Series: Build Resilient Communities by Fostering Trust and Finding Champions. Explore how innovative Child Abuse Prevention Month activities can promote resilience. Learn self-care strategies to stay motivated! Thursday, November 8, 2018, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Locations: Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council in Jackson, on-line and remote sites in Loyalton, Markleeville, and South Lake Tahoe Network in the Sierra Nevada Region to learn about innovative Child...

We are so thrilled by the incredible turn out and participation at our first Resilient Amador event held last night, Tuesday, October 9th in Jackson! Thank you to Judy Knapp of Prevention Works for facilitating this great evening. This is just the beginning of a broader and more inclusive conversation about addressing ACEs through trauma-informed approaches and practices, and building resiliency in our community. We would also like to give a special thanks to our panel for highlighting the...

Hello and welcome to the Resilient Amador page on ACEs Connection. In 2017, in response to the ACEs Study findings and community needs, the Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council and a wide range of community partners took a collective impact approach by developing Resilient Amador. This community-wide solution to ACEs is working on prevention efforts and improving services through trauma-informed approaches and services within our diverse communities. Working together we can create a...

Just days before students came back for the new school year this August, Houston Independent School District teachers gathered at Houston Baptist University. They were there learning things like how to better track student data and prepare kids for standardized tests. Mary Young was there to talk to teachers about trauma. Young is a school behavioral-health trainer with Mental Health America of Greater Houston. “How many kids do you think have experienced any type of trauma, including...

When Army surgeon Rhonda Cornum regained consciousness after her helicopter crashed, she looked up to see five Iraqi soldiers pointing rifles at her. It was 1991 and her Black Hawk had been shot down over the Iraqi desert. Dazed from blood loss, with a busted knee and two broken arms, the then-36-year-old medic was subjected to a mock execution by her captors, sexually assaulted, and kept prisoner in a bunker for a week. Her crisis included textbook causes for post-traumatic stress—a...

The effects of trauma can be complex and far-reaching, and no two responses to trauma are exactly alike. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is generally defined as an overwhelming, life-altering experience that can cause ongoing pain and distress, and sometimes results in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Because trauma response can be unique to each individual, self-care strategies for managing trauma...