May 2021

Our brains do a lot of things without our conscious control. For example, we breathe without thinking about it. We make split-second decisions without thinking. And we often pick up ideas from around us without even knowing it. Sometimes these unconsciously learned ideas, whether positive or negative, can spill over into hot topic areas such as race, gender, education, medicine, and religion. In other words, we have implicit biases.

April 20, 2021 - A study conducted by The University of Alabama College of Human Environmental Sciences and The University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research in collaboration with the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention/The Children’s Trust Fund provides insight for the critical public policy issue of child maltreatment in our State. These entities released, “The Cost of Child Maltreatment to the Alabama Economy” during a press conference held Tuesday, April...

There’s one kind of romantic relationship that I wouldn’t wish on anyone — and that’s the kind that’s been made intense by a trauma bond. This another name for dynamic also known as “intermittent reinforcement, where one person gives intense affection and approval to the other person, and then alternates it with neglect, disapproval, abandonment or even abuse. You would think this kind of emotional on/off torture — blowing hot and then cold to the point of cruelty — would it drive away...

By Neima Abdulahi, 11 Alive, May 13, 2021 The Derek Chauvin trial sparked conversations about justice for Black lives, the trend of killings of unarmed African Americans, and what healing looks like for Black communities. As Atlanta nears the one year since the deadly shooting of Rayshard Brooks, 11Alive takes a broader look at racial trauma and its multi-generational factors. From the families of Rayshard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery , Jimmy Atchison, and Jamarion Robinson , their shared pain...

By Donald E. Miller, University of Southern California, May 14, 2021 The pandemic has been a period of acute trauma at many levels. More than 3 million people have died globally from COVID-19, including over 600,000 in the United States. Doctors and nurses have experienced a moral crisis, feeling that perhaps they could have done more in spite of the tremendous demands on their time and resources. Families separated from loved ones , even those in their dying moments, are dealing with their...

By Richard Morgan, The Washington Post, May 15, 2021 Even with a pandemic raging, Nadine Burke Harris , a pediatrician who is serving as the first state surgeon general of California, set a goal that had nothing to do with the coronavirus : training 20,000 medical professionals in her state in a kind of health assessment known as the ACEs score. ACEs stands for adverse childhood experiences. A person’s score is typically a tally of how many of 10 such traumas — specific kinds of abuse,...

By Gabrielle Canon, The Guardian, May 11, 2021 Tucked under a highway overpass in West Oakland , just beyond a graveyard of charred cars and dumped debris, lies an unexpected refuge. There’s a collection of beautiful, small structures built from foraged materials. There’s a hot shower, a fully stocked kitchen and health clinic. There’s a free “store” offering donated items including clothes and books, and a composting toilet. There are stone and gravel paths lined with flowers and vegetable...

In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month and World Day of the Boy Child (WDBC) at 2:00 p.m. EST on Sunday May 16, 2021, ACEs Caribbean Community will be hosting its first "Live" online chat on the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Caribbean. In a virtual discussion titled "ACEs & The Boy Child", we will speak with the founder of World Day of the Boy Child, Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, and explore Mental Health and the damaging effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on...

The May 19th CTIPP CAN call will address a critical question that many organizations are increasingly asking themselves - "How do we determine where on the spectrum my organization sits in regard to becoming fully trauma-informed, and what more can we be doing to become trauma-informed?" Our presenters are experts who have developed or are applying different tools for evaluating and providing answers to these questions. May 19th, 2-3:30pm ET/11am-12:30pm PT - How to Determine if Your...

Shaun is the co-author of the stigma-breaking book, ‘Boys Do Cry.' A collection of true stories by men who overcome adversity and gender conformity surrounding their mental health and emotions.

While still a little-known fact, since 2018, May 16th has been observed as World Day of the Boy Child . It is growing in popularity in parts of India, North America, the Caribbean and on the African continent. The observance was established by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, a university lecturer from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, who is well known as the catalyst behind the global recognition of 19th November as International Men's Day. Below is a trailer of Dr Teelucksingh introducing the...

You may remember a book teaser post back in October of last year ( https://www.acesconnection.com/blog/506853843165391754 ). Or maybe you don't! Either way, the post was a preview of The Whole Child School: Practical Applications for the Non-Academic Needs of All K-12 Students. It is now available in both eBook and paperback, with an audiobook in the works! If you don't want to check out the October blog post, here is a summary from the author: Whole Child Initiative, Whole Community, Whole...