Tagged With "Maine Youth Matter"
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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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BILLS AFFECTING ACEs IN AROOSTOOK NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY THE LEGISLATURE
(Photo of the State House by Troy R. Bennett, BDN) The following article was featured in the Bangor Daily News of January 31, 2020. Now is the time to mend Maine’s frayed mental health safety net By Malory Shaughnessy, Opinion guest column • January 31, 2020 2:40 pm There’s a common thread that connects some of the most important issues facing Maine today — issues that the governor has highlighted and the Legislature is struggling to address. Whether it’s criminal justice reform , closing...
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Children's Resilience Can Be Strengthened in a Crisis (originally published in Mommy Underground)
Use Your Family Crisis To Teach Your Children Resilience Photo by Ben White on Unsplash With over 10 million Americans applying for unemployment, it’s clear our country is going through a rough patch. Whether your home is experiencing economic hardship, or simply grieving the loss of a school year or extracurricular activities, chances are your children are facing tough times. Even worse, they’re feeling it. Maybe they don’t exactly understand what the coronavirus is, and how a virus could...
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Coping and Hoping
Love in the time of Coronavirus: HOPE-informed thoughts for parents Bob Sege 22 hours ago reposted from https://positiveexperience.org/ HOPE – Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences – is a new way of seeing and talking about experiences that support children’s growth and development into healthy, resilient adults. We now know that that even in the face of adversity, key positive experiences help us heal. Join our ACES Community to find out more about Balancing ACES with HOPE , and visit...
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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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HELPING CHILDREN DEAL WITH TRAUMATIC STRESS
Seven Ways to Help a Child Deal with Traumatic Stress by Hilary Jacobs Hendel Life is stressful. That’s a fact. To grow and learn we must try new things. Struggling, prevailing, and tolerating failures along the way builds confidence and the deep feeling in a child that “I can do it.” But the positive aspects of struggle and stress are lost when the amount of stress becomes too great and/or sustained. Persistent and long-lasting stress on the mind and body caused by overwhelming emotions...
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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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TRAUMA INFORMED JUVENILE JUSTICE MEASURES AND RESILIENCE-ORIENTED EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS IN MAINE
The Maine Center for Juvenile Policy and Law publishes a monthly newsletter, PLACE MATTERS." In the January newsletter there is some interesting and hopeful information about changes (and proposals for change) in the Maine juvenile justice system. In addition, there is a plethora of information about recent research and recommendations for enabling Maine students to attain the education and mentorship they need to reach their occupational goals. Here is a link to that survey. Regretfully,...
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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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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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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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"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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Re: "ALL YOU NEED IS INSIDE YOU"
While the VBRP strives to create and implement community based programs that serve both youth and older populations we can use mindfulness techniques to promote resiliency and positive mental health practices for everyone.
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You'll Be Surprised To See How Relevant This Is For Aroostook County
Does Your Organization Unconsciously Operate with a White Supremacy Culture? 4 White Supremacy Culture Scenarios By IYA AFFO As we endure the pain of lost loved ones, manage the anxiety of financial insecurity and potentially fret over becoming ill, it is a brilliant time for change in our country and around the world. There is a special kind of racist exclusion in America. When I took my young son to live in India, initially, he struggled everyday on the bus to school. There was a lot of...
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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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CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DEFEND AGAINST BULLIES
How to Deal With Bullies: A Guide for Parents Mean kids aren't just a middle-school problem. The trouble has trickled to the youngest grades. Learn how to spot it—and how to protect children of all ages from bullies at school. By Stacey Colino, Laura Broadwell, Corinne Schuman, Suzanne Peck Bullying can exist in many forms: It can be physical (pushing, punching, or hitting); verbal (name-calling or threats); or psychological and emotional (spreading rumors or excluding someone from a...
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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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Maine Resilience Building Network: Cultivating Mattering
Cultivate Mattering with Maine Youth
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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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Emma DayBranch
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AmeriCorps Five to Ninety-Five Now Recruiting
If you want to be on the ground floor of design and implement a year-round program that gives elementary and middle school students their voice; provides a safe and comfortable place for them to develop their interests and talents, participate in enrichment and recreational activities on-site and on tour, and discover and bolster their strengths – all the while promoting intergenerational relationships and fun activities for youth and elders together ... then Van Buren at the top of Maine is...
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A New Guide for Mainers Interested in Unemployment Insurance
A message from Maine Equal Justice about their new, more comprehensive guide for Mainers filing for unemployment insurance.
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What Young Mainers Want YOU to Know About the Covid Vaccine
The winning submissions to the Maine CDC’s short videos contest for students ages 5-17.
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Aroostook Agency on Aging Offers New Classes and Opportunities in February
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Staying well allows us to live better lives. Through group classes, informational sessions and events, the Aroostook Agency on Aging staff and volunteers share topics and techniques that are intended to help all people age well.
We offer monthly programs developed to help older persons and their care partners succeed and thrive in their own homes.
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Flavors Hook Kids in Maine
Tobacco companies have developed an array of menthol, mint, candy, and fruit-flavored products in colorful packaging to attract new users and keep them using tobacco. The tobacco industry knows that 95% of adult smokers start by age 21, so these flavored products aren’t for adults. Flavors hook kids!
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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.
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Kids and adults need lessons in life skills now more than ever
In this world of pandemics and politics, emotional outbursts and adverse reactions are becoming more common among adults and children. So the question is, what can we do to stop it?
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America After 3PM: Promoting healthy futures
A look at how well-planned afterschool programming supports children, parents, and communities as a whole.
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Child Abuse: What Is It and What Can I Do To Prevent It?
While most people today know that child abuse exists, many don’t know what constitutes child abuse. This information, excerpted from an article by Dr. Stephanie Deutsch, gives us a good idea of what child abuse is, its different types, how to spot it, and what we need to do to ensure children are protected.