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Project Description Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have demonstrated higher rates of infection in Alachua County (Florida Department of Health, 2022) and among those who have experienced ACEs (Felitti et al., 2018). Additionally, STI testing resources in low-income communities have often been under-utilized (Fasciana et al., 2022). Based on this, I have proposed an intervention to improve STI knowledge and safe sexual health practices, including routine STI testing, among a...

Due to the experiences they witness in their profession, nurses are likely to experience secondary traumatic stress (STS), which is the trauma that occurs when empathetic attachments are made with patients or providers experiencing other’s trauma ( İlhan & Küpeli, 2022 ). A recent study found that 39.9% of healthcare workers surveyed met the criteria for PTSD (Bayazit et al., 2022). Strengthening resilience among nurses has been found to reduce the negative effects of PTSD among this...

Project Summary No Child Left Behind Act, now known as Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, requires schools to meet state accountability objectives for increasing the English-language proficiency of English Language Learners. Immigration is associated with adverse health outcomes such as increased risk for depression, anxiety, and PTSD (Cohodes, 2021). Migrant children lose what is familiar to them such as supportive social networks created by family members and friends when they migrate to...

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the pancreas stops producing or does not make enough beta islet (insulin producing) cells for the body to function (CDC, 2021). While Type 1 Diabetes can be diagnosed at any age, it is mainly diagnosed among children, teens, and young adults, which is why it was previously referred to as Juvenile Diabetes (CDC, 2021). According to the Florida Department of health (2021), it was reported that 18,300 youth were living with Type 1...

Miami-Dade county has the highest reported cases of domestic violence in any other county in Florida with 9,357 cases being reported in 2016 ( Domestic Violence - Facts & Statistics , n.d.). These increasing statistics have led to the intervention of reducing domestic violence in young adults in Miami-Dade county who are enrolled at the University of Miami. Specifically, for young adults aged 18-26. In "Identifying and Reducing Domestic Violence in Young Adults in Miami-Dade County...

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...