At the Center for Prevention and Counseling (CPC), staff are committed to seamlessly integrating strategies and education on healthy youth development They saw a natural alignment between Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets for youth and the importance of raising awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including strategies to prevent and mitigate their impact.
Using funding from the Department of Children and Families’ Office of Resilience microgrants, CPC staff developed four comprehensive toolkits to fulfill their goal of educating the community about ACEs. The first toolkit provides an overview of ACEs, their prevalence in the community, and their impact. It breaks down the ten different ACEs, fostering a clear understanding of their implications. The second toolkit focuses on Sussex County, utilizing poll data from over 3500 students in grades 6-12 to highlight specific challenges, such as the link between ACEs and substance use. The third toolkit centers on asset building, emphasizing the positive qualities, experiences, relationships, values, and beliefs necessary for youth success. These three toolkits have already been distributed to over 250 stakeholders, including school administration, superintendents, clergy counselors, churches, and youth-serving sectors, extending to the juvenile sectors within the courthouse. A fourth toolkit is currently being worked on. Additionally, they have collaborated with local businesses to share information about ACEs, employing a mainstream approach to reach a broader audience.
Recognizing the power of community engagement, the CPC’s prevention department also organized three asset-building nights. These events commenced with a family chat, encouraging discussions about superpower team members and the importance of setting boundaries within families. Families are educated on the significance of shared meals and are equipped with questions to facilitate meaningful conversations. Subsequently, asset-building activities are introduced, creating an interactive platform for families to understand and embrace the asset-building framework. This knowledge is intended to be translated into continued positive interactions within families.
To further their impact, they engage with school resource officers monthly, providing them with training on addressing ACEs and recognizing developmental assets. They have successfully introduced the concept of positive ticketing, collaborating with local businesses such as Starbucks and Domino Pizzeria. Positive ticketing rewards youth with free items, promoting positive behaviors and reinforcing the importance of building assets.
The microgrant has allowed CPC to reach prevention staff in 25 schools, facilitating comprehensive discussions on ACEs and asset-building strategies. Looking ahead, their future goals include the sustained implementation of the program, ensuring a lasting impact on the community's ability to address ACEs in youth through asset building.
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