April 2024

The trauma-informed intervention I am implementing is aimed at combating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Citrus County, Florida. Throughout this intervention, we address the need in rural America for increased awareness of, access to, and utilization of mental health services, specifically among young adults aged 16-25 who have been inequitably effected by ACEs (FLHealthCHARTS, 2022b). By implementing a multi-level approach grounded in the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and SAMHSA’s...

According to data from the Alachua County Health Department, reported cases of child abuse and domestic violence have been steadily increasing over the past five years (Well Florida Council, 2020). This trend underscores the urgency of implementing effective strategies to prevent and mitigate the effects of ACEs and trauma. In "Empowering Alachua County: A Collaborative Trauma-Informed Initiative for Community Resilience," we propose a multifaceted approach to address adverse childhood...

Even though teen pregnancy in the United States is declining, there is still 15.4 births for every 1,000 female teens from 15-19, including 100 teen pregnancies in Alachua, Florida (HHS, 2023). Teens who are most at risk of teen pregnancy mostly come from traumatic backgrounds, with many adverse childhood events or experiences such as physical or sexual violence, neglectful homes, poverty, mental health conditions (Shreffler, 2021 & Rubin, 1999). Teen pregnancy not only has negative...

Grant Proposal Summary Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) poses a significant public health concern, with Dorchester County, SC, experiencing alarming rates. Despite this, the county lacks dedicated long-term support services for survivors, especially in gynecological care. This project addresses this critical gap by implementing trauma-informed gynecological care for adult survivors of CSA in Dorchester County aged 18-65. Survivors receiving care at Tri-County SPEAKS, where I worked for three...

My grant proposal is addressing ACEs in black youth involved in the juvenile justice system in Orange County, Florida. African American youth relative to their other ethnic peers are overrepresented in the U.S. juvenile justice system. (Voisin et al., 2016). Evidence suggests that black youth involved in the juvenile justice system are disproportionately affected by ACEs, leading to increased rates of mental disorders. In 2019, compared to white youths, black youths were 2.4 times more...

Summary: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the term utilized for any disease related to the heart, this may include coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, or arrhythmias (American Heart Association, 2024). Currently, CVD is the leading cause of death among individuals in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). It was estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that approximately one in every five deaths in the United States were...

My grant is a proposal for Alachua County high schools, UF, and Santa Fe College to have lessons about sexual health and safe-sex practices for students. The overall goal of the grant is to decrease the incidence of STIs in the Alachua county area through increased awareness, increased rates of STI testing, and increased condom usage. Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, have been proven to increase the potential for an individual to participate in risky sexual practices, namely having...

In 2022, 537 infants—or 11.2 infants per 1,000 childbearing persons ages 15 to 19 years—were born to adolescents in Orange County, Florida (Bureau of Community Health Assessment, 2022). Adolescent pregnancy is associated with numerous maternal and child health risks that pose significant public health concern (Flaviano & Harville, 2020) and a strong dose-response relationship exists between the number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent pregnancy with teen pregnancy...

According to a 2022 community health needs assessment, Sacramento County had worse outcomes with ACEs indicators when compared to California averages ( UC Davis Health, 2022 ). Additionally, youth who resided within “Communities of Concern” were shown to have higher ACE risk factors along with poorer mental and physical health when compared to state averages (California Department of Education, 2022). The implementation of targeted interventions to high-risk neighborhoods that increase...

High sexual violence rates against high school students in Alachua County indicate a need to develop an intervention for these students. This intervention will utilize both primary and secondary prevention tactics outlined in the Trauma-Informed Philanthropy Volume (Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, 2016). New educational material along with harm reduction training will act as primary prevention. Secondary prevention includes screening and early detection, provided by the...