January 2021

I hear the stories of trauma that my adult patients experienced when they were young and always wonder what the next generation must be going through. I firmly believe that healing the parent will contribute to a future generation of children who will not need to experience the recurring trauma their parents and grandparents endured. I am fortunate to be able to help my patients deal with their memories quickly and effectively so that they can live their lives without their continuing...

Happy 2021, ACEs Connection members and visitors! Many of us are eager to move forward this year, leaving the chaos of 2020 behind us. While 2020 challenged us with a global pandemic, nearly 2 million Covid-related deaths worldwide, coping with a staying inside, the loss of normal routines and daily life, and the loss and fear of loss of loved ones, we at ACEs Connection were honored to be able to offer some relief through this online platform and community that openly discusses solutions to...

Youth Villages opened in 1986, and now provides children’s mental health services across 24 states in over 100 locations. They take pride in increasing positive outcomes for the children and families who participate in their services. In 2018, they reported 88% of the children they previously served are living successfully at home with their families 12 months after completing their programs! Youth Villages offers various programs for children and families involved with foster care. They...

While Vision Maker Media empowers and engages Native peoples to share stories, we also view a great deal of importance in education on how to be an ally for Native Americans. As we look ahead to 2021 we hope to cultivate conversation. Check out our list of ways you can be an ally brought to you by Native American allies in our organization. 1. STOP TALKING AND LISTEN One of the most vital steps in becoming an ally to Native Americans is simply listening. There’s a lot to learn as an ally,...

Ernest Skelton, an appliance technician, was answering a routine call to Caroline Brock’s home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when they shared a conversation about racial inequality that would resonate across the U.S. and around the world. During his visit, Brock ventured to ask Skelton how he was doing. At first, he thought she was talking about the coronavirus, but she specified that she was curious about his experience as a Black man in the U.S. She posted about their interaction on...

RFQ ANNOUCEMENT: Celebrating Families! California Expansion Project – Cohort 2 Invitation to Expand Celebrating Families! Statewide The California State Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) recognizing the effectiveness of Celebrating Families! (CF!), has awarded Prevention Partnership International (PPI) a $158,333, 3- year challenge grant to (1) Identify, train and support agencies in California to provide CF! to children and families at high risk for abuse and neglect and (2) Establish...

Becoming ACEs Aware in a Challenging Year Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress represent a public health crisis that has been, until recently, largely unrecognized by our health care systems and society, but there is hope. On January 1, 2020, eligible Medi-Cal providers began to receive a $29 payment for conducting qualifying ACEs screenings for children and adults up to age 65 with full-scope Medi-Cal. As many of you know, this is part of the ACEs Aware initiative , a...

If you are tired of hearing how bad 2020 was, I completely understand. I think it's ok if we start thinking about how good 2021 can be. I began the new year by doing something I haven't done in a long time - visiting a drive-thru safari! Ok, so maybe the "safari" in small town Mississippi isn't the same as a safari in Africa or even a big city would be, but it was still lots of fun and we saw lots of cool animals. Many of them came up to the car and ate from our hands. I can assure you that...

By Valeria Fernandez, Center for Health Journalism, December 22, 2020 Like many therapists, Lu Rocha uses breathing techniques, meditation and yoga in her practice, but she also asks clients about their personal beliefs: “What stories have you heard about in your own family, your own community, what did they do for healing?” Some tell her that they pray with a rosary. Others, from parts of Latin America, say their grandmothers used to rub an egg on their bodies to ease headaches. They...

By Christie Renick, The Imprint, December 31, 2020 “I’ve never seen so many foster kids in one place smiling. What are you doing?” asked Arizona Department of Child Safety Director Mike Faust. He was speaking to Michael Shapiro, skater, former teacher and executive director of the +swappow PLUS Foundation, which uses skateboarding to teach life skills to kids in foster care. Nearby, a group of youth wearing shiny new helmets balanced with varying levels of certainty on varnished boards...

(Pictured here are LCC International University students who serve as core leaders of Lithuanian non-profit Gausus Gyvenimas) In a year when the world has weathered trauma surrounding the global pandemic of COVID-19, quite surprisingly, new doors opened for me to share about the science of resilience in Lithuania. In 2017, a faith-based organization served as a means of introduction to a young minister from Pakistan named Robin Mubarik. Since our initial meeting we have only remained...

Dr. Alison J. Kay is an Award Winning, #1 International Best Selling Author and the Founder of the Vibrational UPgrade™ System. She is an experienced subtle energies practitioner and natural healer with a holistic approach towards helping others thrive in mind, body and spirit. She spent ten years in Asia studying subtle energies & ancient wisdom.