Tagged With "Mental Health"
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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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71 ACEs Initiatives Join ACEs Connection in 2019
We are proud to celebrate the 71 community initiatives that joined the ACEs Connection network in 2019. They are listed below, and can be found along with all existing ACEs Connection communities via the ACEs Connection map. Communities in the United States: Midwest ACEs Indiana Coalition Ardmore (OK) Behavioral Health Collaborative: BOUNCE - Jefferson County (KY Chisago County (MN) ACEs Initiative Franciscan Health ACEs Connection FH–Jasper & Newton Counties (IN ) FH–LaPorte County (IN)...
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ACEs' Strong Effects in Adults . . . and A Resilient Survivor
Addressing ACEs in Adults is Key (https://twitter.com/ACEs_Canada) In response to the post about the effects of ACES in adults cited above, Treva Massey from Tennessee wrote the response below that tells of the suffering caused by ACEs in later life—and the resilience that gives hope and purpose to life. I wrote to ask her permission to repost her response on our site, and she graciously permitted me to do so. I think that her post will be of great interest to those who follow the VBRP site...
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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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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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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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FOSTERCARE IS A GREAT NEED -- AND A HUGE CHALLENGE -- IN RURAL AROOSTOOK COUNTY
April Belyea -- a kindergarten teacher at Teaque Park Elementary School in Caribou -- and her husband Chris Belyea have cared for nine foster children, and adopted two, since becoming foster parents eight years ago. Too many kids, lack of childcare challenge Aroostook County foster care system By Melissa Lizotte , The Star-Herald (Presque Isle, ME) • February 7, 2020 11:21 am CARIBOU, Maine — When April and Chris Belyea of Caribou first became foster parents eight years ago, they knew they...
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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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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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Routines Will Help Kids and Families Cope During the School Shutdown
Parenting in a Pandemic Damon Korb, M.D. Follow Mar 16 · 6 min read Staying organized is the key to keeping your sanity. It is a well-known fact that children thrive when there are routines. This time of year most children wake up, get dressed, eat their breakfast, head off to school where they move from class to class, come home and have a snack, do some homework, have some free time or participate in an afterschool activity, eat dinner, and then get ready for bed. The daily life for most...
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Some On-Line Resources to Help Kids Progress During the COVID-19 Experience
Education resources, including mental health, for kids, families during coronavirus pandemic Lara Kain (ACEs Connection Staff) 9 minutes ago We have an abundance of helpful links and posts swirling online to support families and school systems as we adjust to our new normal of learning while self-isolating at home. Thousands of free academic resources from the NYT student writing prompts, to the Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppressive Homeschool Resource list, to this excellent collection from...
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There's A Need for Coordinated, Integrated Therapy for Early Psychosis: This Article Describes California's Program
For Young People With Psychosis, Early Intervention Is Crucial B y Brian Rinker November 6, 2019, Kaiser Health News Andrew Echeguren, 26, had his first psychotic episode when he was 15. He was working as an assistant coach at a summer soccer camp for kids when the lyrics coming out of his iPod suddenly morphed into racist and homophobic slurs, telling him to harm others — and himself. Echeguren fled the soccer camp and ran home, terrified the police were on his heels. He tried to explain to...
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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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TOXIC STRESS IN THE WOMB and ITS ROLE IN INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY
New Documentary "Baby Brain" Toxic stress occurs when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity without adequate adult support. This prolonged activation of the stress response systems can have a cumulative toll on an individual's physical mental health. What does this mean for babies born into the disadvantages of poverty? A new documentary from Yahoo News, " Baby Brain ," explores the relationship between toxic stress and intergenerational poverty, and the ways we...
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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 meeting with Center for the Advancement of Rural Living (CARL) to Develop Initiatives
On November 5th, nine VBRP members met with representatives of CARL, a county-wide non-profit, to discuss means of collaborating in the task of promoting community, family, and individual resilience in Van Buren. As a result of the meeting CARL will assist us in planning and funding programs to address needs in two areas: substance dependence in our families, and ACEs screening for children in health settings. As a long-term endeavor we committed to undertaking a comprehensive needs and...
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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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WHAT IS THE STATUS OF CHILD CARE FOR WORKING MOTHERS IN MAINE?
From the Bangor Daily News, Bangor ME (3/17) A WORKING MOM'S DILEMMA by Matthew Stone NOTE: This article was written in March, 2017 during Gov. LePage's administration. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services under Gov. Mills is working to remedy the lack of affordable child care and to link child care, job training, and job creation. It's a work in progress, and the problems haven't been solved yet. Some of the statistics cited in this article are now out of date. Matthew Stone W...
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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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MAINE DEPT OF EDUCATION ASKS PUBLIC'S INPUT INTO SURVEY ABOUT SCHOOL OPENING THIS FALL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kelli Deveaux A Message from Maine Education Commissioner Regarding Fall 2020 Survey The Maine Department of Education has released a special video message from Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin and other key leaders from the Department to encourage and remind the people of Maine to provide input for ensuring a safe return to classroom instruction. Maine DOE continues to work with educators and health experts from across the State to develop health...
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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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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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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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Letter from Senator Angus King Pledging Support for Out of School (OST) Programs
Dear David, The challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic are unlike anything that we’ve seen in the last 100 years. The situation is changing rapidly, but this much is clear: we all need to change our behaviors and adopt common-sense approaches to protect ourselves and our loved ones. You can find links to resources and learn more about my recent actions via my website, www.king.senate.gov, and the two buttons above. As we continue to press forward, I still want to respond to your...
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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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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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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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A Better Normal Community Discussion - Reimagining Health Care
In a conversational style, join physician Drew Factor who will speak with Dr. Tracy Gaudet, Liza Guroff and An é Watts in a discussion entitled "Reimagining Health Care". Dr. Gaudet will speak about her experience engaging in transformational change at the Veterans Administration and how this has shaped the development of her own Functional Medicine Institute, while Ms. Guroff and Ms. Watts will speak about their knowledge of a Trauma-Informed Approach both at a systems (National Council for...
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"A Better Normal" Community Discussion Series- Our Reckoning with Race and Equity at ACEs Connection
Register for A Better Normal- Our reckoning with race and equity at ACEs Connection
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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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Preparing for a cold, hungry winter: Food insecurity and heating costs add to COVID-19-related ACEs in Maine
In the morning hours of a sunny October Sunday in Dover-Foxcroft, over 50 cars sit idle alongside North Street awaiting their turn to receive an allocation of food from the Dover-Foxcroft Food Cupboard. The organization served more than 150 individuals and families by the end of the day. Photo by Bailey Beltramo.
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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...