July 2020

Privilege comes in many forms. Those with privilege must provide a leg up to those without. I recently had a conversation with some professional colleagues that didn’t go well. I’ve been disturbed by it since and thought it might be useful for all of us to use the experience as a teachable moment. I was asked to talk about my work, and I ended up focusing on the difficulties I’ve had experiencing repeated rejection from mainstream colleagues. I didn’t start out intending to express my...

Supporting School Mental Health in the Context of Racial Violence is a two-part learning series intended for students, families, educators and school mental health professionals who are navigating the impact of racial violence on student mental health. Each 1.5 hour learning session will feature a moderator who will engage advocates, leaders and the school mental health workforce in a conversation that focuses on: Strategies for supporting students’ mental health while navigating racial...

While current events have resulted in an increased awareness of social justice and racial equity for some, racial and socioeconomic disparities in education continue. The overwhelming achievement gap between districts is considered a direct result of the available resources at various schools. Private educational institutions have infinitely more flexibility than public school districts. This year, due to public health mandates considered necessary to reopen schools, public districts are...

As we navigate the effects of a global pandemic and economic recession, we have the opportunity to rethink the ways we provide services and supports to children and families before they find themselves in crisis. Essential to this new thinking is the realignment of our systems to make them more prevention-oriented, integrated, science-informed, and equitable, and thereby better meeting the needs of children and families, not just during this pandemic, but into the future. Creating a...

Everywhere we look we see stressed-out families. If only you could show a family how stressed they are and what was causing the stress. At the Family Trauma Institute , we’ve found that knowing is half the battle. When family members literally “see” what causes stress, they can begin taking steps to decrease stressors and move towards healing. The FST Stress Chart serves as a pattern interrupt to disrupt the overwhelm parents, teens, couples and families feel when they come through our doors...

Service providers and the children, youth, and families whom they serve have long faced system barriers which often present more challenges than solutions. In today’s climate, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated many of these issues, forcing child and youth-serving providers to find unique ways to meet the needs of individuals and communities. For many reasons, the relevance and timing of the arrival of the Virginia HEALS model of service delivery could not have been more perfect.

By The New York Times Editorial Board, The New York Times, July 23, 2020 By failing to contain the coronavirus, the United States is allowing what began as a temporary disruption of economic life to do lasting damage to the nation’s prosperity and prospects. With little chance of an imminent economic rebound, millions of Americans who have lost their jobs during the pandemic are now in grave danger of losing their homes, too. Twenty-two percent of households say that they don’t expect to be...

By Chris Lyttle, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, July 13, 2020 It's hard to describe water to a fish while it’s swimming in it. I was that fish, growing up in a working-class, majority Black community in southwest Ohio. For instance, it hadn’t occurred to me to question why my school had metal detectors and armed police officers at every entrance yet so few textbooks that students had no choice but to share. Or why we had to travel to find affordable fresh vegetables while unhealthy food...

By Mekaelia Davis, Stanford Social Innovation Review, July 23, 2020 Over the last six weeks, thousands of people across America have been arrested at protests, with millions marching in the streets. Despite a pandemic, so many people (including myself) have been willing to take the risk, breaking stay-at-home orders and potentially exposing themselves to the virus, in the fight for racial justice. And these risks have had results: Long-time fearless activists , timely global protests , and...

By Megan Conn, The Chronicle of Social Change, July 12, 2020 For months since the eruption of the deadly coronavirus, youth and advocates have been imploring New York to allow young people in the foster care system to continue receiving financial and housing support beyond their 21st birthday. Now, the state is endorsing a creative way for county social service departments to do just that – by using some of the money meant to help counties comply with the requirements of the Family First...

From California Department of Public Health, July 2020 In 2018, recognizing an alarming statewide gap in Black infant mortality, the state Legislature passed the Budget Act of 2018 which included the establishment of the California Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) within the Department of Public Health. While declines in infant mortality have been achieved, the statewide mortality rate for Black infants continues to be two to four times higher than rates for other groups. The PEI aims to...

FREE On-Demand Webinar You will need to register to access the webinar. Leah Owen, MC, LAC and Robert Rhoton Psy D., LPC, D.A.A.E.T.S. discuss an integrative approach to trauma treatment. They explore complementary modalities (nutrition, lifestyle, movement, breath-work, mindfulness, etc.) to improve treatment outcomes. Leah discusses how she supports clients transition to more supportive nutrition and lifestyle choices. Leah shares resources and exercises you can start using right away to...