Blog

Richard E. Besser, a physician, is president and chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, N.J. In spring 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus surfaced in Mexico, swiftly evolving from “outbreak” to “pandemic” in just two months. As acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time, I led our work to issue preliminary warnings and evidence-based recommendations to help Americans reduce their risk of infection — very similar to what we’re...

By Rachel Glaser, WWMT West Michigan, February 13, 2020 Childhood trauma has life-long, wide reaching consequences, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACEs. In early February, Michigan lawmakers passed a resolution declaring that ACEs a critical health issue. State officials estimated 70% of Michigan adults experienced one ACE before the age of 18. The CDC scores people on a scale of 0-10 for adverse...

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi addresses trauma in floor speech on June 20, 2019 There is still a trace of amazement in child advocate Jenn O’Connor’s voice when she recalls the hallway encounter with New York Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Chair of the Social Services Committee, who pulled her aside to talk about executive function. That conversation led to a broader discussion of ACEs science, trauma, and resilience with a focus on protective factors. Not long after, Hevesi and O’Connor penned an...

With supporters calling it more than 100 years in the making, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation on Wednesday that makes lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in U.S. history. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act was approved in a vote of 410-4. Three Republicans and one independent representative voted against it. Advocates say there have been more than 200 attempts to pass the legislation in the past, and the latest effort has been in the works for...

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 4th Annual Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference Purposeful Action to Strengthen Families, Communities and Systems JULY 28-30, 2020 JEFFERSON'S EAST FALLS CAMPUS PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144 We are looking for: 90 minute presentations 3-hour intensive workshops, AND poster presentations Visit http://bit.ly/PTTCProposals to submit a proposal. DEADLINE: MARCH 6, 2020

Nationwide, public schools identified 1.5 million children experiencing homelessness in the 2017-2018 school year, an increase of 11% from the previous school year, according to a report released in January by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE). A small portion of those students are living in unsheltered situations, such as cars, parks, streets or bus stations, a segment that more than doubled from the previous school year. Homeless students in emergency shelters or...

Struggling with how to Foster Equity Conversations in Community? Join the national partners of the Building Community Resilience Networks as we share our lessons learned in fostering equity as a strategy to prevent childhood adversity and build community resilience. Wednesday, February 26th 12pm-1:15pm Eastern More info at go.gwu.edu/EquityWebinar As a nation we have agonized over how to approach conversations on race, racism, inequity and racial justice. Too often we have opted to attempt...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed the ACEs questions as an “Optional Module” for states and territories to administer through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) since 2009.  The BRFSS is...

Photo Caption: KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR GAVE HIS FIRST STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH ADDRESS ON JAN. 14, 2020. BY KET JANUARY 28, 2020 KENTUCKY’S DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING A 10-CENT TAX INCREASE ON A PACK OF CIGARETTES AND E-CIGARETTES TO HELP FUND THE STATE’S MEDICAID EXPANSION AND HIRE HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP PROP UP THE STATE’S BELEAGUERED CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. GOV. ANDY BESHEAR INCLUDED $31.5 MILLION TO HIRE 350 CHILD PROTECTIVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND SOCIAL...

April 3 2020, Charlottesville VA, presented by Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy, School of Medicine, University of Virginia. Members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report committee present and discuss Realizing Opportunity for all Youth . Faculty for the day will be Richard Bonnie, Professor with the UVA School of Law, and ILPPP Director, who was chair of the committee producing the report, and other members of the report committee including...

CTIPP (Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice) today announced the launch of the National Trauma Campaign , calling for federal action to prevent and address childhood trauma and build resilience through educating and engaging Congress. Its widely circulated communication invited people from around the country to join the new grassroots initiative. The campaign provides ways for everyone to get involved by joining the effort, becoming a Local Liaison to take the lead in every state...

“I know from personal experience that trauma can be life-changing, but I didn’t know that talking about trauma could change my life. And the lives of others,” said Theresa Caldwell, member of the Southside (TICN) Trauma-Informed Community Network , which is supported by the Crater Health District under the leadership of Dr. Alton Hart and Brian Little. The Network works to foster healthy communities through disease prevention and control, health promotion, environmental protection, and...