With a grant from King County’s Best Starts for Kids, Vashon Youth & Family Services plans to help Vashon become a “trauma informed community” in an effort to improve the overall health and resilience of islanders.

“With this program, we see a unique opportunity to create a culture shift,” Roderick McClain, VYFS’ grantwriter, said. “The ultimate goal is for individuals and organizations to be better equipped and organized to deal with those experiencing the effects of trauma.”

The roots for the idea stemmed from Vashon’s higher than average ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) score, reported in a Washington State Department of Health/Centers for Disease Control study published in 2013. The study showed that out of 40 communities around the state, Vashon ranked fourth highest in the number of adults who reported experiencing three or more childhood traumas, which could include experiences such as abuse, parental discord, neglect, substance abuse/misuse, an incarcerated parent or a family member with mental illness.

[For more on this story by Sarah Low, go to http://www.vashonbeachcomber.c...-informed-community/]