Tagged With "adverse childhood experiences"
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12 MYTHS ABOUT ACEs -- AND THE 12 MYTHS SKILLFULLY DEBUNKED
Author: Jane Stevens Founder, publisher ACEs Connection The two biggest myths about ACEs science are: MYTH #1 — That it’s just about the 10 ACEs in the ACE Study — the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study . It’s about sooooo much more than that. MYTH #2 — And that it’s just about ACEs…adverse childhood experiences. These two myths are intertwined. The ACE Study issued the first of its 70+ publications in 1998, and for many people it was the lightning bolt, the grand...
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"An Ounce of Prevention . . ." Part of the VBRP Mission
Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence A NEW MANUAL FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION The CenterS for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control just published a manual outlining the means of preventing ACEs that have been proven to work. In the manual there are several strategies that can prevent ACEs from happening in the first place as well as strategies to mitigate the harmful...
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CDC Film Clip: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences
In my research I happened upon a CDC film animation that discusses ways in which community members can work together to address the problem of ACEs negative consequences by actively working to prevent ACEs. On a scale of 10, I would give this clip a 9++ It would be useful as an introduction to a discussion and initial planning session to engage and empower community members to lay a solid groundwork for action against ACEs. You can access this clip (along with a whole training series on...
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From Northern Maine: The Van Buren Resiliency Project (VBRP)
This is just a short message to let you know that we are active and after our "sort of" summer break, we're looking forward to the coming months. I have attached a short description of our mission and vision as well as what we hope to do. I am also appending a link to an article on the AcesConnection website that describes the Maine Resilience Building Network: https://www.acesconnection. com/blog/maine-resilience- building-network-catalyzing-a- statewide-movement . We are affiliated with...
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Grant Helps Train Clinicians to Assist Treating Children with Trauma [villagesoup.com]
Published by Knox Village Soup, May 4th 2020 Maine Kids Count reports that Maine has a higher than average percentage on nearly all measured youth mental health indicators including high rates of diagnosed anxiety, depression, behavioral and conduct problems, and exposure to two or more adverse childhood experiences. A $10,000 grant awarded by the Maine Community Foundation to Northern Light Acadia Hospital will be used this summer to train and certify two clinicians in Parent Child...
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Information About ACEs Endeavors in the NorthEast from AcesConnection National
Webinars and on-line Training -- You are free to sign up for any of them. April 9th : "A Better Normal" Community Discussion Series April 9th: Strengthening Families Webinar: Flourishing Families April 10th: "A Better Normal" Community Discussion Series April 13th: Origins Training & Consulting: Tips on Being Resilient During a Pandemic via Facebook Live April 14th: Webinar: Trauma: An Essential Component of Women’s Services April 15th: Origins Training & Consulting: Tips on Being...
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Join Feb. 18th webinar on addressing ACEs in public policy
Please join this ACEs Connection co-sponsored webinar "Making Meaningful Change: Addressing ACEs through Public Policy" on Feb. 18 (11:30 am-1:00 pm ET) presented by the Health Federation of Philadelphia and MARC (Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities). In this webinar, three nationally recognized experts will discuss policy and advocacy strategies on a local, state, and national level using evidence from studies they have conducted with legislators and the general public. Speakers...
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Maine Resilience Building Network: Catalyzing a Statewide Movement
In 2019, the Maine Resilience Building Network grew up. After seven years of operating as a volunteer-driven, grass-roots, cross-sector coalition devoted to building resilience for the state’s children, families and communities, MRBN developed a business plan, applied for non-profit status and hired its first two paid staff. That work was supported by the Bingham Program, a charitable endowment at Tufts Medical Center and a longtime funder of MRBN, formed in 2012 to educate individuals and...
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Northeast and Mid-Atlantic trauma leaders share successes and challenges at May 1 networking meeting
Leaders in ACEs/trauma/resilience movement from nine states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and the District of Columbia gathered for a networking call on May 1 to learn about flexible funding opportunities for states under the CARES Act, ways to get involved in advocacy, and share their successes and challenges in building statewide coalitions. The meeting of leaders was organized by ACEs Connection and the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) in response to COVID-19...
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Parents and Kids, Toxic Stress and Resilience...It's a Community Thing
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has some great information about parenting and the stressors that many parents have to endure. The attached film clip that explains the stresses that many parents go through and talks about the effects that parental stress can have on the family. It explains that there are resources in many communities that can help parents and children to effectively deal with that stress. In our community there are not a lot of resources, but the Van...
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Pinetree Institute Podcast With Dr. Christina Bethell: Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and ACEs.
The Pinetree Institute is a Maine non-profit located on the NH border in Eliot. They conduct research and present workshops on ACEs and resilience. A workshop with Dr. Christina Bethell was scheduled for today, but was cancelled because of COVID-19. Dr. Bethell's field of expertise is PCE (Positive Childhood Experiences) and their role in combatting ACEs and promoting resilience throughout the lifetime. Because of the circumstances, Pinetree Institute is offering a 40 minute podcast in which...
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SELECTED FILM CLIPS ABOUT ACES / TRAUMA / STRESS AND THEIR IMPACT ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL SUCCESS
While surfing (researching?) the literature on ACEs and school success I found a couple of sources for short film clips that deal with these topics. They are easily understandable and could be used for clarification and discussion starters during presentations to groups or to a larger community. SELECTED FILM CLIPS ABOUT ACES / TRAUMA / STRESS AND THEIR IMPACT ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL SUCCESS PRIMARY SITES: TURNAROUND FOR CHILDREN https://www.turnaroundusa.org/ DIGITAL PROMISE...
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Six Minute Video on Inter-Generational ACEs
Here is a video from the United Kingdom that deals with childhood ACEs, the long-term effects of ACEs, and intergenerational ACEs. It is an excellent short presentation suitable for all audiences. I find it useful to introduce ACEs educational presentations -- it prepares the audience for more detailed information and serves as a great discussion starter. You can find related information at https://www.sueirwin-education.co.uk/ . - Dave
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SUPERB FILMS ON CHILDHOOD POVERTY FROM NPR
POOR KIDS 2012 and 2017 FRONTLINE, a documentary program on National Public Television, has produced two documentary films that show us, through the eyes of children, what it is like to live in poverty. The first documentary was filmed in 2012, and the second updates their family stories by five years -- 2017. These are outstanding films, and help to dispel some of the negative and unfair myths about poverty in our nation and in our own community. VBRP highly recommends these films to all...
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TENNESSEE STUDY LINKS CHILDHOOD TRAUMA TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Below I have extracted some information from an excellent article in the Johnson City (TN) Press about the link between ACEs and substance abuse. ( https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Health-Care/2019/09/02/Clear-link-between-childhood-trauma-and-substance-abuse-addiction-doctor-says.html ) We have witnessed that phenomenon in our own area, and this article reinforces our anecdotal information. I have added some information (highlighted ) comparing Maine statistics to the Tennessee numbers. AN...
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THE MAINE RESILIENCE BUILDING NETWORK
The Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) is a statewide organization dedicated to educating Maine citizens about ACEs and promoting resilience among those in our state who are suffering the negative effects of ACEs. MRBN meetings are held in Waterville whenever a fifth Thursday occurs in a month. Their meetings not only provide superb programs but also give the members a chance to network with other agencies in the state who work with people affected by ACEs. VBRP is a member agency of...
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Two studies shed light on state legislators’ views on ACEs science and trauma policy
New and returning lawmakers take the oath of office on day one of Washington state's 2017 legislative session. — Jeanie Lindsay/Northwest News Network As advocates prepare to see how ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) science, trauma, and resilience play out in the 2020 state legislative sessions — many beginning in January — they are undoubtedly asking: “What does a legislator want?" It may be a stretch to play on Freud’s question: “What does a women want?", but the query captures how...
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VBRP'S OCTOBER ACES PRESENTATIONS
OCTOBER WORKSHOPS The Van Buren Resiliency Project presented two October ACEs workshops. The first was an October 17 th presentation of the documentary “Paper Tigers” to the 35-member faculty of our Pre-K through 12 public school. The length of the film precluded much discussion during the time allotted to the presentation, but I have been stopped in the school hallways by teachers who want to talk about the film and its relationship to our town’s student needs. The presentation helped build...
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We must respond to the health crisis of adverse childhood experiences
Julio Cortez | AP In a photo taken Tuesday, July 2, 2019, Scott Hopewell, right, a student holistic specialist, gives a high-five to a child during a group session in a "peace room" at New Song Community Learning Center in West Baltimore. In Baltimore, a city enduring an out-of-control surge of gun violence that shows no sign of abating, there's been a growing realization that levels of youthful trauma, whether exposure is mostly from neighborhood or domestic dysfunctions, are alarmingly...
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We Must Respond to the Health Crisis of Adverse Childhood Experiences [bangordailynews.com]
By Joyce Schelling, Bangor Daily News, December 16, 2019 Maine has the nation’s highest rate of anxiety and the third highest rate of depression among children ages 3-7. It is above the national rate for behavior problems and children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD). The average number of suicides per year by youth under age 20 is well above the national average and has risen by 50 percent in just five years. It’s time to ask if these frightening...
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HOPE Webinar Summary: Frontline Stories of Inspiration, Concern, and Self-Care [positiveexperience.org]
By Chloe Yang, 5/26/20, positiveexperience.org Last Monday, Dr. Robert Sege was invited by the Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) to speak about HOPE and Positive Childhood Experiences during an interactive webinar. Usually an in-person meeting, the gathering attracted nearly 300 virtual participants. Our Zoom screens were tiled with pages and pages of faces, front-line workers across Maine who continue to serve families during this time. Among the audience were teachers, social...
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Montana Demonstrates How Community Groups Can Band Together to Make a Difference
BY: Anndee Hochman In Toole County, Montana, deputy sheriffs call a school counselor, from their patrol cars, after responding to a traumatic incident—a domestic abuse call, an overdose, an arrest—that involves a child. “Handle with care,” they tell the counselor, and they give the child’s name. The counselor passes that information to teachers: a quiet heads-up that the student might be hungry or sleepy, tearful, angry or distracted by whatever happened at home. “My teachers love it,” says...
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Prolonged Stress In Childhood Impacts A Person For Life
I learned the impact of prolonged exposure to stress from my foster child By Jenn O'Connor June 6, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. EDT You know what stress is, right? You’re late for work, your car won’t start, gas costs more than you expected. We’ve all been there, and it’s not pleasant, that palm-sweating, heart-racing anxiety. Luckily, it’s not long-lasting — not toxic. What is toxic stress? It’s prolonged adversity and/or abuse — not having enough to eat or being exposed to violence. It’s the kind of...
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Will we see a 'wounded generation' because of COVID-19?
From: Modern Healthcare , June 4, 2020 (by David Woodlock) David Woodlock i s president and CEO of the Institute for Community Living, a not-for-profit human services agency that offers a wide array of residential, treatment, rehabilitation and support services to children, families and adults in New York City and Montgomery County, Pa. Much of the public policy debate about re-opening society after months of stay-at-home edicts balances today's need for health and safety with tomorrow's...
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VBRP WELCOMES VISTA SUMMER ASSOCIATE
CHELSEA OUELLETTE ACCEPTS VISTA POSITION WITH VAN BUREN RESILIENCY PROJECT VAN BUREN, MAINE, June 15, 2020 - Chelsea Ouellette, a sophomore majoring in Occupational Therapy at Husson University, has accepted a position as the VISTA summer associate with the Van Buren Resiliency Project, a fully volunteer non-profit agency that was formed in 2019. The Resiliency Project exists to educate Van Buren and the surrounding communities about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their serious...
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation 2020 KIDS COUNT Data Book is Available for Download
THE 2020 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK IS OUT! State Trends in Child Well-Being ABOUT THE DATA BOOK: The KIDS COUNT index reflects child health and education outcomes as well as risk and protective factors, such as economic well-being, family structure and community context. The index incorporates a developmental perspective on childhood and includes experiences across life stages, from birth through early adulthood. The indicators are consistently and regularly measured, which allows for legitimate...
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"ALL YOU NEED IS INSIDE YOU"
The New Science of Thriving Our well-being—individually and as a society—depends on mindfulness. Story by Christina Bethell • Illustrations by Joel Nakamura I n the early 1970s, my grandmother had a disagreement with the Beatles. When she heard “All You Need is Love” play on the radio, she would reply, “All you need is inside of you.” When I was a PhD student in the early 1990s, these messages bounced around in my mind along with my epidemiology and econometrics lessons. It was then that I...
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Emotional Abuse of Children Can Have Severe Lifelong Consequences
Childhood Emotional Abuse and Adult Substance Abuse by JOHN RIZZO What is Emotional Abuse? The emotional abuse of children involves words, behaviors, and the actions of people who care for them that have mental negative impacts on the child. Also called psychological abuse , this type of maltreatment of children can lead to a wide range of problems that echo well into adulthood. Emotional abuse can impair a child's emotional development or self-esteem. Examples of behaviors by caregivers...
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Greater Richmond Trauma Informed Community Network, first to join ACEs Cooperative of Communities, shows what it means to ROCK!
In 2012, Greater Richmond SCAN and five other community partners hatched a one-year plan to educate the Richmond, Virginia, community about ACEs science and to embed trauma-informed practices. Eight years later, the original group has evolved into the Greater Richmond Trauma-Informed Community Network (GRTICN) with 495 people and 170 organizations. And they're just scratching the surface.
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THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME -- ACEs AREN'T JUST MEMORIES
TITLE: This wasn't the first time BY: Rafael Maravilla (ACEs Connection Staff) Going out to buy groceries, going out for a walk, driving your kid back home from school. For most people these activities are normal, everyday things with little to no excitement, as they should be. Unfortunately, getting food, exercising, and supporting my son’s education have been a little more out of the ordinary for me. You see, I am a Mexican Indigenous man, brown skin, shaved head. My ethnicity and physical...
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COVID-19 and its Effects on Young Children and Their Families
In the COVID Era: Stabilizing and Strengthening Young Children and Their Families BECKY HAAS 8/7/202:16 PM Becky Haas and Marlo Nash, co-authors of this article partnered to achieve a two-part goal. The first, to describe a systems-level need for early childhood, child maltreatment prevention and child welfare systems to integrate in response to the COVID pandemic. The second, to build off of the big picture need for change to offer a concrete, practical example for action centered on...
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PARENTAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE - AN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE WITH SUBSTANTIAL NEGATIVE EFFECTS
How Exposure to Addiction Affects Adolescents PEYTON GALLOVICH 20 HOURS AGO One of the questions on the ACEs quiz is: Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs? Addiction is a major problem in the United States. In fact, about 10% of U.S. adults will deal with drug use disorder at some point. Meanwhile, nearly one-third of adults will meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder at some point in their lives. But, how exactly does early childhood...
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UNIVERSAL ACES SCREENING FOR CHILDREN -- GOOD IDEA? / BAD IDEA?
Painful Questions: What Happens When Doctors Uncover Adverse Childhood Experiences? By Karen de Sa and Nadra Nittle • Aug 19, 2020 (EXCERPTED FROM CALIFORNIA HEALTH REPORT) Illustration by Christine Ongjoco. California launches widespread screening for adverse childhood experiences. Critics question the science, and the consequences. Has your child ever lived with a parent or caregiver who went to jail or prison? Has your child’s parent or caregiver ever had depression, schizophrenia,...
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OST -- an effective response to homeless children's needs
Out-of-school Time Activities a Vital Part Of Oklahoma School For Homeless Students By Stell Simonton Posted on September 29, 2020 PHOTOS BY SIMON HURST PHOTOGRAPHY A child reads to Kelly Berger, Positive Tomorrows’ director of family support, in the school family room.First of several in a series (EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of several articles in an occasional series about the intersection of OST and students experiencing homelessness.) Last spring, a teacher in Oklahoma City,...
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VBRP AND AMERICORPS TEAM TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN TO DELIVER SERVICES TO OUR UNDERSERVED AREA IN NORTHERN MAINE
VBRP recently received a grant from Volunteer Maine / AmeriCorps to design a strategic plan to use the talents and experience of AmeriCorps members to help deliver needed (and absent) critical services to our very underserved area of northern Maine. The grant fits in well with our mission to (1) educate the members of our community about the prevalence and the lifelong negative effects of adverse childhood experiences, and (2) to engage them in developing activities and programs that promote...
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SOME THOUGHTS ON ADDRESSING AND PREVENTING SCHOOL-RELATED BULLYING
Bullying Prevention: Understand Bullying and How to Help Amy Johnson Chong in MSW CAREERS ( https://mswcareers.com/bullying-prevention-intervention/ ) Part 1. Too Close to Home As a social worker, child therapist, and mother of two school-age children I have been paying close attention to bullying prevention initiatives. My own anxiety for my children has increased as they have gotten older and entered Middle and High School. Is my daughter being excluded from her old social group? Is my son...
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EPIGENETICS, ACES, and ADHD An article by Kristen Hovet
The Kids Are Not Alright https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/10/30/childhood-trauma-kids-not-alright-part-explanation-may-linked-epigenetics/ This article or excerpt is included in the GLP’s daily curated selection of ideologically diverse news, opinion and analysis of biotechnology innovation. K ids are resilient. Kids bounce back. Tell that to Dave Brethauer , a performance coach in Chicago, who told Genetic Literacy Project that he spent the better part of his adult life “fighting to...
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PATIENCE, TENACITY, AND SUPPORT: A RECIPE FOR CHILDHOOD RESILIENCE
A Recipe for Raising Resilient Children - Skills and Factors that Contribute to Resiliency BETH TYSON 1 DAY AGO It's no secret that in 2021 mental health problems will continue on a steep rise for children and families. Resiliency is described by many as the ability to bounce back after facing hardships in life. It is a trait that we can develop, which is good news for those struggling right now. Tenacity is our lifeline for surviving the challenges of 2020, 2021, and beyond. This critical...
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Sibling Bullying and Abuse: The Hidden Epidemic
Often labeled rivalry and ignored, sibling bullying and abuse cause real trauma by Darlene Lancer, JD, LMFT from PSYCHOLOGY TODAY (Posted Feb 03, 2020) Sibling abuse is the most common but least reported abuse in the family. Prevalence is higher than spousal or child abuse combined with consequences well into adulthood similar to parent-child abuse. Up to 80 percent of youth experience some form of sibling maltreatment; yet, it’s been called the “forgotten abuse.” [1] Therapists also...
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ACES and PCES: There are ADVERSE Childhood Experiences -- but there are POSITIVE Childhood Experiences, too!
7 Positive Childhood Experiences that Help Kids Grow into Successful Adults Posted by Idaho Youth Ranch on May 1, 2020 5:00:42 PM Just as there are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that play a role in the future success of kids, there are also 7 positive childhood experiences (PCEs) that can offset their damage. This recent discovery comes from a John Hopkin’s study published in 2019. Researchers were looking to determine if any “protective childhood experiences” could be linked with...
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The wound of being ‘too sensitive’- Is it because of my childhood?
What developmental trauma is, how to recognize it, and tips for starting your recovery.
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Supporting Mental Well-Being through Child Care Settings - 9/30, 1:30-3:00 ET
A webinar offered by the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) Thursday, September 30, 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT Register today . Addressing the mental health needs of child care providers and children in care is vital in the face of the pandemic, a population-level traumatic event. CTIPP is offering a "plug and play" framework to ease the process of developing a continuum of training, reflective coaching, and consultation to build the capacity for supporting relational health...
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A Trauma-Informed Approach to Vaccine Hesitancy (Sign On Letter Attached In First Line)
Please sign onto and share this memo supporting using a trauma-informed approach to decreasing vaccine hesitancy! Many of the challenges we are facing with vaccine hesitancy can be better understood by looking at the issue through a trauma-informed lens. The following memo has been developed with input from many of the clinical and academic thought leaders from the trauma healing field to offer supportive guidance to the Administration. To successfully address this challenge, we need to...
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The college essay that proves Positive Childhood Experiences work for my family
I am going to give you a little context before I share the College Essay that prove PCEs DO mitigate ACEs. I was young when I had my first born and his life started off rocky. His father asked me to abort him when I was 8 months pregnant right after he was discharged from the military for being an alcoholic. We tried to make it work and the alcohol won. My infant son and I moved away across the country to start anew, never looking back. I struggled for a long time trying to get on my feet. I...
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The Harm That Lingers From Childhood Emotional Neglect
In the life of an adult, emotional neglect can feel like a cloud hanging over you, coloring your world gray.
But in a child’s life, when emotional neglect is actively happening, it can feel like an ordinary, everyday experience.
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Adverse Childhood Experiences, the Brain, and Exercise: How exercise strengthens the brain wounded by toxic childhood stress
Even small amounts of exercise can quickly and dramatically improve mood, brain health, brain function, and the ability to cope with stress, while preparing the brain to rewire the hidden wounds from childhood.
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Talking About Mental Health Issues Is Not Attention-Seeking
Originally posted by Nikki Kay on Medium “People who go on and on about how messed up they are seem like they’re just looking for attention or sympathy.” “At some point you have to grow up and get over it.” How many times have you heard these arguments used against survivors of childhood trauma? After all my work recovering from my own childhood an d speaking out about trauma recovery, it will come as no surprise how close to home these comments hit every time I hear them. I feel indicted by...
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Adverse childhood experiences, the brain, and sleep
Sufficient, good quality sleep strengthens the brain wounded by ACEs in many ways. Intelligent sleep strategies improve mood, brain (and medical) health, brain function, and the capacity to rewire negative neural pathways imprinted in childhood.
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Nightmares and ACEs: They No Longer Need Rule the Night
Recurring nightmares lead to much needless suffering for survivors of adverse childhood experiences—suffering that goes well beyond disturbed sleep. Five steps help take back the night.
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Small victories for the PACEs movement are included in the Omnibus Spending bill for FY’22
The massive bipartisan $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill for FY ’22 signed by President Biden on March 15 contains funding that demonstrates a growing awareness and support in Congress for programs and policies to address trauma. The incremental nature of the legislative process makes it difficult to see progress readily but there are bright spots in this legislation to celebrate.