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Summary A trauma-informed project in Palm Beach County, Florida, is proposed as a solution to the public health issue of healthy eating, specifically the consumption of the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables and adverse childhood experiences, which can lead to unhealthy food choices and morbidity issues. This nutritional program will take a proactive approach to assist the target group who have experienced childhood trauma and are at risk of engaging in behaviors that lead to poor food...

Children engaged with the child welfare system, particularly those within the foster care system, are at particularly high risk of engaging in high risk sexual behavior. Youth in foster care have often been exposed to domestic violence, sexual violence, have been exposed to sexual incidents at a younger age, and have significant experiences of sexual abuse (Dowdell, et al; 2009). Engagement in high risk sexual behavior is a particularly significant area of risk for youth in foster care. Even...

The dose-response relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental illness is a public health concern. Findings from literature have illustrated the importance of early interventions in order to alleviate the effects of ACEs and improve children’s development (Felitti et al., 1998). The proposed grant seeks to explore ACEs in children aged 12-17 years old in Leon County, Florida. The provision of mental and physical resources at various levels of the social ecological...

Summary: Mental health diagnoses in childhood are increasingly common, with about 10% of youth between 5-16 years holding at least one diagnosis (Lowthian et al., 2021). The prevalence and the risk for mental illness increase with each cumulative adverse childhood exposure (Felliti et al., 1998). In Michigan, ACEs are widely prevalent, with nearly 20% of respondents experiencing 4 or more ACEs (Murad & Barth, 2016). Moreover, certain exposures pose greater risk for childhood mental...

There are many associations between exposure to adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, and negative health outcomes. The relationship between these outcomes and reproductive health affects not only gestational parents but their potential offspring as well. By identifying a gestational parent’s ACEs exposure, they can become informed of the possible negative effects before, during, and after pregnancy along with guidance for reproductive planning. By utilizing the Center for Women and...

Summary: Pregnancy can be a difficult time for those that have experienced ACES. Being diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GD), can compound the ability to cope on a daily basis. GDM is associated with adverse outcomes for mother and baby (Herrick et al, 2021) and encompasses a wide range of glucose intolerance, including preexisting Type 1 (T1DM) or Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), GDM in previous pregnancies and in a current pregnancy (Hartling et al, 2014). The highest at-risk are women...

Teach a Teen to Fish is a program designed to limit the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on youth who are at risk for obesity and adult poverty. The program aims to assess and identify students at risk and teach them skills to improve their chances of employment and a healthy lifestyle. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to sit for the physical trainer certification exam, lead group physical activity, and conduct healthy routines in their own life. This...

Summary : The grant focuses on a peer mentorship intervention for second and third generation Latinx youth living in Palm Beach County, Florida. In addition to the peer mentorship open to youth, parents are able to attend positive parenting classes to better inform themselves of generational trauma and ACEs and how to create a strong and positive foundation at home. Second and third generation Latinx youth are targeted in this grant proposal since US-born Latinx tend to have poorer health...

Summary: Eating disorder recovery is often treated through programs teaching individuals how to balance what they consume, learning to accept their body image, and how to prevent relapse. This proposed program aims to promote healing for the individual and their loved ones not by focusing on the eating disorder, but by providing coping skills for overall healing from trauma that may have triggered or come from the eating disorder. By teaching mindfulness through yoga, hosting support groups...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to poor health and well-being outcomes related to poor mental health, antisocial behavior, chronic stress, and chronic diseases in adulthood (Manyema et al., 2018). Research has shown that African Americans are disproportionally vulnerable to cardiovascular disease and chronic stress due to increased adverse childhood experiences and are least likely to access resources and strategies to cope appropriately to decrease their risk (Harris et al.,...

This grant proposal seeks to identify and treat substance use disorder (SUD) and its risk factors in middle and high school students in the Alachua County public school system who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Students in Alachua County have a high prevalence of ACEs which increases the risk for SUD development. Alachua County public school staff will undergo training to learn and implement trauma-informed approaches as they will be involved in the initial screening...

Project Goals Goal 1: Increase awareness of ACEs and their effects on mental health in the target audience (adults 18 years or older) and clinicians. Goal 2: Understanding the extent of ACEs in the county and their connections with depression and depressive symptoms throughout the lifespan. Goal 3: Increase the rate and frequency of young people attending and utilizing mental and social health services in the community. Goal 4: Increase communication between healthcare providers and the...