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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect 15.5% of individuals living in Florida, and Polk County has one of the highest percentages of residents reporting 2 or more ACEs. Studies show ACEs have negative health outcomes on children and adults but promoting safe, stable, nurturing relationships, and creating trauma-informed communities can lead to positive impacts on these individuals. To address the needs of these communities, we developed a trauma-informed program that aims to help women...

For my grant proposal, I choose to address substance abuse among at-risk Alachua county youth with 3 or more ACEs as a negative coping mechanism. I developed a trauma-informed therapy intervention program that aims to educate the youth about positive coping mechanisms and foster social support among feel at-risk peers. Summary: Children who experience adverse childhood experiences and traumatic events are at a higher risk of partaking in negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse and...

My program, Conversations About Consent (CAC), aims to significantly reduce the prevalence of sexual assault perpetration and prevent sexually violent behaviors towards women on the University of Florida’s campus via a web-based program applicable for all genders. CAC also strives to propagate personal resilience in survivors of sexual violence through their involvement in the implementation of the program. Participants will access the program through a password-protected web portal that...

Summary: One in five people are living with the signs and symptoms of a mental health condition (NIMH, 2022). Many others support, live with, or love those living with a mental health condition. Living with a person that has a mental health condition is among the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) (Felitti et al., 1998). The children that live in homes with a parent or other family member that has a mental health diagnosis live with at least one ACE. We know that the more ACEs a person...

Summary The purpose of this program is to provide services for unaccompanied youth and young adults aged 10-25 years old with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and are living without homes in Santa Cruz, California. The program’s level of engagement will allow participants to not only develop and utilize the community's safety-net coalition of resources, but it can also help them to improve their individual skills in community resource pairing. Throughout the course of the...

Summary: My Intervention aims to help students suffering from ACE trauma combined with alcohol abuse on college campuses through offering specialized group therapy opportunities as well as alternative activities to lower the overall dependence on alcohol. Trauma-Informed Principles Utilized in this Grant We aim to hit of the 5 basic trauma informed principles provided by SAMHSA; safety, trustworthiness & transparency, peer support, mutuality & collaboration, empowerment & choice.

Background Adverse childhood events (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur before the age of 18 that significantly affect the child’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. Some examples of ACEs include physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, and parental incarceration. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness and substance use problems in adulthood and can also negatively impact education, job opportunities and earning potential in adulthood (Centers for Disease...

This trauma-informed program addresses mental health and increases self-defense capacity among women experiencing homelessness (WEH) in Alachua County, Florida. Homelessness and mental health are significant public health issues within the United States. These issues are further complicated by adverse childhood experiences, which have been linked to poorer health outcomes and risk for homelessness in adulthood. The intersection of homelessness and mental health among women is important to...

In my grant proposal, a multi-level trauma based intervention program will be proposed to address the prevention and treatment of mental health problems among college students attending the University of Florida, in Alachua County who experienced at least one ACE. (SAMHSA, 2021) Trauma-Informed Principles Your Grant Will Utilize Four out of the six Trauma-Informed Principles will be built into the program to provide prevention and treatment services. (Feuer-Edwards, et al., 2016) This first...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with opioid use disorder and lead to intergenerational trauma and transmission of opioid use issues, which are disproportionately higher in the Tampa Bay area. This indicates a greater need for additional trauma-informed interventions and access to resources that address this prevalent issue. To address this opioid disparity in Tampa Bay, this program aims to support Tampa Bay adult residents and families with a history of experiencing at...

The goal of this grant proposal is to gain funding for programming that treats depression in young adults (18-25) who have experienced four or more ACEs. Project activities will include bi-weekly group counseling sessions, weekly mindfulness classes, and a monthly organized outdoor activity led by a member of the population. This program will include health professionals, one licensed clinical therapist, and members of the target population as group leaders. The outcomes of this program will...

For my semester-long grant proposal, I created an intervention to help overweight/obese individuals who have gone through adverse childhood experiences growing up. This intervention would take place in Alachua County, Florida. Participants need at least a score of three on an ACE questionnaire. Becoming overweight/ obese in adulthood is one of the many health consequences that can occur due to ACEs. My proposed intervention would work to help these adults work through their past traumas...