Tagged With "Things You May Not Know About Kwanzaa"
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School ‘wellness centers’ could be an answer to soaring mental health needs in California
Responding to a surge in student anxiety and depression — exacerbated by the pandemic — a state commission has called for California schools to move quickly to become “wellness centers” addressing mental and physical health needs among K-12 students and their families. Through agreements with nonprofits and government health agencies, schools would offer psychological services, basic medical care and other services to help families navigate trauma and other challenges, according to a...
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Whole People Watch Weekend on ACEs Connection (Dec. 11th - 13th)
The Transform Trauma with ACEs Sciences FREE Film Festival continues this weekend. Please join us to watch parts 1, 2, and 3 of the PBS Whole People series at your convenience, on ACEs Connection, by clicking play on the videos below: Whole People | 101 | Childhood Trauma | Episode 1 (27 min) Preview: Whole People | 102 | Healing Communities | Preview | Episode 2 Whole People | 102 |Healing Communities Episode 2 (27 min) Whole People | 103 |A New Response | Episode 3 (27 min) This is one of...
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Stand Up Against Hate! #NJCivilRights Student Competition: Youth Bias Task Force Calls for Sweeping Changes to Fight Systemic Racism and Discrimination, As New Report Shows Spike in Bias Incidents in 2019
The pandemic and racial unrest are social justice issues that continue to ignite hatred, discrimination and bias. Together we can stand up against hate and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights wants our youth to have a voice and strive to be catalysts for change! New Jersey’s Interagency Task Force to Combat Youth Bias recently released a report that recommended, among other things, that the State launch “a public campaign to take a strong stance that hate has no place in New Jersey” by...
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ACES Science 101 (FAQs)
What are ACEs? ACEs are adverse childhood experiences that harm children's developing brains so profoundly that the effects show up decades later; they cause much of chronic disease, most mental illness, and are at the root of most violence. ...
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What's your ACEs Score? What's the most hidden ACE? Mental Health Check-Ins with Alison Cebulla
Every Monday and Thursday since the pandemic started in March I do a video "Mental Health Check-In" on Facebook Live. The goal is to increase mental health literacy and to end the stigma of discussing mental illness. Additionally, I'd like for us to move away from the term "mental illness" and towards trauma-informed language in which we understand that illness of the mind, body, and spirit are deeply intertwined with the physical and emotional experiences—not just events we remember—but the...
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As the Pandemic Rages on, a Conversation about Stress and Coping
As California’s first-ever surgeon general, how do you hope to shape the position? Dr. Nadine Burke Harris: Governor Newsom established the position of California Surgeon General with the understanding that some of the most pernicious, but least-addressed health challenges are the upstream factors that eventually become chronic and acute conditions that are far more difficult and expensive to treat. As the first California Surgeon General, I have prioritized early childhood development,...
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Relationships with Caring Adults and Social and Emotional Strengths Are Related to High School Academic Achievement [childtrends.org]
By Vanessa Sacks, Rebecca M. Jones, and Hannah Rackers, et al., Child Trends, December 15, 2020 youthCONNECT is an integrated student supports initiative, developed by Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), that is being implemented in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in partnership with the Prince George’s County government and Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). At Suitland High School, the youthCONNECT theory of change posits that providing college and career preparation...
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5 Things You May Not Know About Kwanzaa (history.com)
1. Kwanzaa is less than 60 years old. Maulana Karenga, a Black nationalist who later became a college professor, created Kwanzaa as a way of uniting and empowering the African African community in the aftermath of the deadly Watts Rebellion . Having modeled his holiday on traditional African harvest festivals, he took the name “Kwanzaa” from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.” The extra “a” was added, Karenga has said, simply to accommodate seven children at...
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Mental health hotlines for first responders, health care workers, cops goes live in N.J.
By Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com For nearly 10 months, police officers, firefighters and medical professionals have reported to work risking exposure to the coronavirus, enduring the emotional toll of witnessing so much suffering. To meet the unique needs of first responders and health care workers, the state Department of Human Services and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care announced this week it will operate helplines staffed by crisis counselors. Law enforcement...
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ACEs: What They Are and How They Relate to Toxic Stress
A survey across 25 states reported that about 61% of adults had experienced at least one type of adverse childhood experience (ACE) (1) . Exposure to ACEs can have lasting and adverse effects on health, well-being, and opportunity. ACEs can increase the risks of injury, transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems, and leading causes of death, like heart diseases, diabetes, and suicide. ACEs and associated conditions can also cause toxic stress, altering an individual’s brain...
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January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month
January is Birth Defects Prevention Month. The theme for 2021 is “Best for You. Best for Baby.” We know that not all birth defects can be prevented. But, you can increase your chances of having a healthy baby by doing what you can to be your healthiest self both before and during pregnancy. What is best for you is also best for your baby. The NBDPN Education and Outreach Committee has developed materials and resources to assist state program staff and others interested in raising awareness...
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Chronic Disease Among African American Families: A Systematic Scoping Review
Chronic diseases are common among African Americans, but the extent to which research has focused on addressing chronic diseases across multiple members of African American families is unclear. This systematic scoping review summarizes the characteristics of research addressing coexisting chronic conditions among African American families, including guiding theories, conditions studied, types of relationships, study outcomes, and intervention research.
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How to build relationships with students in remote learning environments
Dive Brief: Activities typically used in the fall can be tapped throughout the year by middle and high school teachers to strengthen connections with students, writes Edutopia . These projects can also help students focus better on their work and strengthen their execution. Teachers can ask students to create personal blogs, podcasts, photo albums, movies or essays that show something about their personal interests. Students could also discuss people or events that have influenced their...
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6 Exercises to Get to Know Your Students Better—and Increase Their Engagement
Hindered by video screens, fluctuating schedules, and health regulations, teachers are up against the odds this school year when it comes to getting to know their students. “It’s hard to really get to know your students through a webcam," @mark_bevacqua wrote on Twitter, while @cheri_cheralex shared her struggles of seeing students in masks or “with eyes only.” While get-to-know-you activities are typically earmarked for the first weeks of school, they shouldn’t end there, say educators and...
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ACEs Action Plan to make New Jersey a “trauma-informed/healing centered state” launched on February 4 by Governor Phil Murphy and other key officials
Growing up with trauma inextricably linked to racism in southern Illinois, working as a state employee in Minnesota, training folks about ACEs and diversity and equity in several states—these are just a few of the life experiences Dave Ellis brings to the work he is now doing as Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of Resilience. Seven months ago Ellis took the job to head the Office of Resilience with the assurance that there would be a deep and meaningful focus on community...
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3 Tips for Anxiety Attack Prevention
3 Tips for Anxiety Attack Prevention Sweating, shaking, irritability, nausea, and a rapid heart rate are all common symptoms of an anxiety attack, according to Verywell Mind. And while symptoms can vary from person to person, anxiety attacks often stem from an underlying anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or social anxiety disorder. Prescription medications and psychotherapy can help treat anxiety, but coping strategies such as exercise, meditation, and...
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TEACHER VOICE: In dark pandemic days, we are teachers, watchdogs, technology experts and therapists Helping our students manage stress, even remotely, matters more than ever
We all know that what happens outside school impacts a student’s academic performance. Never before have the two been so closely intermingled. School closures and remote learning have upended classrooms, relationships and support systems, putting students at higher risk of developing anxiety and depression. I teach at the Pioneer Charter School of Science in Everett, Massachusetts, a city just north of Boston. The pandemic that sent us home nearly a year ago has become our new way of life.
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Students’ social-emotional skills have suffered since the pandemic started and some predict it will only worsen.
Dallas-area children and teenagers are struggling with their social-emotional skills more since the pandemic started, but summer programs gave some a chance to connect with others their age, according to a new report. The finding was among several in a new report by the nonprofit Big Thought and Southern Methodist University that gave insight into how students are feeling during the public health crisis as the two examined the impact of their Dallas City of Learning initiative in summer...
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Why Emotional And Social Intelligence Are Must-Have Leadership Traits
Regardless of which virtual circles I may be in, ranging from LinkedIn groups and Lives to webinars and Clubhouse rooms, one thing is so crystal clear: Our energy and tone of voice introduce every single one of us before we even get the chance to share our full profile, photo or video. The big question is, what are we broadcasting about ourselves to others individually and collectively? How we play or interact with others can quickly tell us, especially we human behavioralists and others in...
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Belonging: The Heart of Social and Emotional Learning
Belonging is often characterized as an emotional need we all have to feel seen and connected. While this is true, as educators it’s important to expand and contextualize our understanding of what belonging truly means, especially as our nation faces a deep sense of polarization. True belonging calls upon us to cultivate an expansive, compassionate quality where we enlarge our circles of concern and interrogate all the ways in which we consciously and unconsciously engage in acts of othering.
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What We’ve Learned About The Child Brain: Damien Fair, recently named MacArthur Genius, on the counterintuitive way the brain develops and how that relates to child welfare and juvenile justice practices
Since he first began studying the brain in stroke patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, cognitive neuroscientist Damien Fair has become a star in the field of pediatric and adolescent brain development. His work has led to a greater understanding of mental health disorders and the impact of trauma, including intergenerational trauma, on the young brain. Last fall, Fair was named as one of the 2020 MacArthur “genius” award winners for his work in mapping network...
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Social-emotional learning is essential to 'build back better'
Last month, we reached the one-year mark of distance learning — a year which forced a generation of students and adults to re-examine what we thought we knew about school and proved that how we learn and how we feel are deeply interconnected. The past year provided insight into how we must rebuild our education system better, which was even reflected in the theme of Social and Emotional Learning Day 2021: “Building bonds, reimagining community.” The idea of “building back better” has been...
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Mike Diorio
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Janae Dockins
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PACEs Champion Dwana Young navigates community-driven ACEs healing centers in New Jersey
In 2020, New Jersey, a state with about 9 million people spread over the rural countryside and dense urban areas like Newark, launched a new entity: the NJ Office of Resilience (NJOR). The NJOR is unusual because it is a public-private partnership. It brings together three private foundations as well as the NJ Department of Children and Families to provide community-driven strategies for preventing, treating, and healing from ACEs. Like a ship’s navigator laying out a course on charts, Dwana...
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Adrienne Davis
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The Hidden Biases of Good People: Implicit Bias Awareness Training
The Dibble Institute is pleased to present an introductory webinar by Rev. Dr. Bryant T. Marks Sr. of the National Training Institute on Race and Equity , which will provide foundational information on implicit bias. It will focus at the individual level and discuss how implicit bias affects everyone. Strategies to reduce or manage implicit bias will be discussed. Broadly speaking, group-based bias involves varying degrees of stereotyping (exaggerated beliefs about others), prejudice...
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Kennedy Petit
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Highly-honored school nurse and nurse educator Robin Cogan calls PACEs Connection her ‘north star’; urges each member’s support!
Note: PACEs Connection is in dire financial straits. We are asking for support, from you, our 57,505 members, to help cover the loss of foundation funding that was promised and did not come through. Pay and hours have been cut for our staff—most of us will be laid off for the month of December. Another grant will pick up in January. Since sounding the alarm this summer, we’ve raised about $24,000 . To get a sense of who your fellow members are, who is donating and why, please enjoy and share...
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The 2023 Creating Resilient Communities Accelerator Program is now Open For Registration
PACEs Connection is excited to kick off our 2023 Creating Resilient Communities (CRC) Annual Accelerator Program.
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Check Out New July Dates Added to the 2023 CRC Summer Curriculum and the Official Launch of the Dedicated CRC Community Page
July is a time to celebrate all summer has to offer by building bridges and innovating with community to get to the heart of trauma-informed awareness and resilience building. This month, we’ve added new July dates to the summer 2023 *CRC* curriculum—but that’s only half of the good news. Last year, the CRC began as a pilot program. Now that it's evolved, what better time to bring accelerator participants together in a PACEs Connection CRC community than the summer? We are proud to announce...
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World Mental Health Day: Mobilizing the Human Family Through the CRC & the PACEs Movement
Awareness about health outcomes are as much about the long-term impact caused by adverse childhood experiences as they are by positive childhood experiences. By providing education on trauma-informed awareness and resilience building frameworks, the CRC Accelerator certification is a tool for both.
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Healing Centered Futures through the CRC & the PACEs Movement: Announcing the CRC Fellowship, Celebrating CRC Graduates, and #GivingTuesday Campaign
Something amazing keeps happening in our CRC Accelerator program that we want to shout out from the rooftops this December. Thanks to our committed participants, the number of CRC graduates keeps increasing! The number of graduates has increased by 15x this year. As we head into a new year, w e are grateful for the unique role CRC Accelerator participants have played in expanding the PACEs movement through the willingness to explore healing-centered practices through a PACEs science lens.
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Creating Resilient Communities in 2024: The Year of Cultivating Resilient Networks Through Healing Centered Cultural Wisdom
As we head into our full CRC curriculum this January, we invite current and future CRC Accelerator participants to join us with collective care and self care in mind.
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February Collective Care Through the CRC & PACEs Movement: The Way Forward for Civil & Human Rights is Trauma-Informed
Nationally recognized days of awareness remind us of important civil and human rights movements led by Black and African-American communities and social justice advocates. February puts leadership, education, access, justice, policy, and governance under the spotlight. Through a PACEs science lens, this month is an opportunity to consider trauma-informed transformation through a PACEs science lens as the way forward.
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CRC Accelerator Hiatus Reminder & April “Hour of Power” to Support CRC Participants With Only One Event to Completion Learn CRC Fellowship Next Steps
As we’ve recently announced, the CRC Accelerator is taking an indefinite hiatus, but this moment of growth is anything but goodbye. Two years into this unique program, we are aware of the incredible impact access can have on PACEs initiatives and we now have a CRC Fellowship that grows with each CRC graduate.
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Plans afoot to bring stability to PACEs Connection
To all of you, who, like me, love this website and want to see it and its communities flourish as we work to prevent and heal trauma; build resiliency: please know there is a move afoot by a small group of strategic partners to find a suitable host for PACEs Connection. More will be announced in the coming days. In the meantime, friends, we are figuring out email addresses and other communications logistics and opportunities. PEACE! Carey Sipp, former director of strategic partnerships ...
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M. Lewis
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EXCITING NEWS – PACEs Connection is BACK!
Former PACEs Connection employees Dana Brown (L) with Vincent Felitti, MD, co-author of the 1998 Adverse Childhood Experiences study, and Carey Sipp (R) in San Diego in January, 2024. The last few months have been quite challenging, but we pushed, persevered, and didn’t give up hope. The “we” is Carey Sipp and Dana Brown. We were long-time staff members of PACEs Connection determined to reinstate the website and the resources and information we provide to communities after the platform went...