Tagged With "University of Alaska Anchorage"
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Summer reading list: Turn your everyday kid into a resilient revolutionary [ADN.com]
In my last column , I wrote about how getting lost in a good book can help students hang on to academic advances they made during the school year. What I didn't talk about then is how reading offers an equally crucial benefit to young people by developing what are known as "soft skills" — the emotional intelligence we need in life to feel confident, make good decisions and endure bad things. This is especially critical in Alaska, a state where too many children are victims of society's dark...
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Superhero Dreams to Statewide network: My Story of the Alaska Resilience Initiative
I wanted to share with all of you the blog post I wrote about the Alaska Resilience Initiative for the Alaska Children's Trust blog. It's part personal story, part history of this Initiative, part updates on our work and guiding values. https://blog.alaskachildrenstrust.org/2017/06/14/superhero-dreams-to-statewide-network-my-story-of-the-alaska-resilience-initiative/
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Support needed for HCR 21 (ACEs Bill) -- incl. testimony THIS Saturday
1.) Write a letter of support for HCR 21. Please email them to Rep. Tarr's office as soon as possible so we can add them to the bill packet.
2.) If there’s an opportunity to give public testimony, please send Rep. Tarr's aide your name and contact number before Wednesday, March 30th.
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Survey, conference aims to help Juneau residents find causes of disease, illness [CapitalCityWeekly.com]
A negative experience as a child can have a big impact on a person’s health, and the Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition wants to begin figuring how those experiences are affecting the people of Juneau — and spreading the word about the link in the first place. “The ACEs study seems to be well-known within specific communities (like behavioral health) but broadly, in the community, it’s not well known,” said Hilary Young, Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator for Juneau Youth Services and...
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Surviving abuse: Rally raises awareness of child abuse, neglect [Juneau Empire]
Supportive community members can make major difference, experts say A cold wind whipped in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Friday afternoon, sending pinwheels spinning and a police barricade tumbling. The pinwheels and the traffic barricade were there for a rally in honor of National Go Blue Day, which aims to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. The annual event also tries to bring attention to the importance of families and communities working together to build a more...
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Taking the Next First Step to Healing Communities in Alaska
On the heels of a state policy victory , grassroots advocacy led by the Alaska Resilience Initiative continues to move toward the goal of systemic change by publishing a brief for people who occupy strategic positions across the state. While Alaska Senate Bill 105 builds a framework for changing the system, that's only a beginning. A new document, “ Toward a Trauma-Informed, Resilient, and Culturally-Responsive Alaska ,” authored by Andrea Blanch, is designed to help elected officials,...
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Thank you, Alaska!!
It was a terrific and fast five-day visit, and I definitely want to return. The start of the trip was in Anchorage, where on Friday, May 29, I met about 25 people who gathered at Alaska Children’s Trust to chat about what’s...
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The California ACEs Conference
Love from California The Adverse Childhood Experiences Conference got underway tonight in San Francisco with many of the 450 participants attending a meet-and-greet at the Park Central Hotel. The conference focuses on moving from “Awareness to Action”, and includes representatives from education, early childhood, juvenile justice, child welfare, pediatrics, and many other dedicated professionals committed to the ACEs movement. (Left to Right) Michelle Allen; Vanessa Jackson (Parents...
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The economic costs of ACEs in Alaska [StateofReform.com]
The Alaska Mental Health Board and the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse have explored these questions and found that childhood trauma has profound costs. A national study demonstrates that costs of childhood trauma begin immediately ( $48,000 during childhood for every substantiated report of harm ), and those costs continue for decades into the future. The report, Economic Costs of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Alaska , takes an initial look at potential savings with...
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The Quality of Intimate Relationships in Indian Country
As a research topic, Intimate Relationships are not well understood in Indian Country. This article, [ LINK HERE ] soon to be published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, is a first small step in addressing this gap. Decades ago, I spoke about the difficulties of parenting when you had no examples to emulate. As a boy, I changed diapers, fed babies, soothed fussiness and performed scores of other child care tasks. During one of our early morning talks, my Mother told me that she was...
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The Solutions Desk: Journalism on Resilience & Positive Change in Alaska
The Alaska Resilience Intiaitive 's summer intern, Kate Farmer, wrote this blog post about The Solutions Desk, which is radio and online reporting by Alaska Public Media's Anne Hillman . The series covers positive, resilience-building efforts throughout Alaska. When we go to put the science of ACEs and resilience to work, it helps to have ideas from other communities, schools, tribes, etc. and Ms. Hillman is telling these stories! Check out this blog post on her work, and click through to...
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The Story of Vigor Shipyards
A trauma-informed, resilience-building shipyard based in values of authenticity, wholeness, and love? Yes, it's true, and it's here in Alaska.
Watch this 20-minute video made by consultant Tom Mann, who worked closely with Vigor Shipyards General Manager Mike Pearson in Ketchikan, which tells the remarkable Vigor story:
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Thoughts on Trauma Work as I Say Farewell to the Alaska Resilience Initiative
The following letter went out to the list serve of the Alaska Resilience Initiative on Monday, February 24th. I am sharing it here...because the reflections on lessons learned may be useful to those in the broader ACEs movement...
Most important, perhaps: an ethic of self-reflection and of welcoming feedback creates safety, creates a trauma-informed environment. And so, it is both a tool for growth, and a way of walking the walk on trauma-informed, culturally-responsive care.
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Thrive Washington: 3rd Edition of NEAR@Home Toolkit Released
Thrive Washington is pleased to announce that the 3 rd edition of the NEAR@Home toolkit is now available and offers home visitors more guidance on how to safely, respectfully and effectively address Adverse Childhood Experiences with the families they serve. This new edition reflects what was learned when the toolkit was incorporated into a Facilitated Learning Process with 225 home visitors and 54 supervisors in the four states of federal Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. It's...
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To solve Alaska’s opioid crisis, call addiction what it is [adn.com]
Another opioid overdose death. Another drug-related crime. Another billion dollars spent on ineffective treatments. News about the opioid crisis keeps getting worse. Simple solutions haven't changed the epidemic's course. The number of deaths has continued to increase, driven by an influx of illicit fentanyl sold as heroin, as well as counterfeit pills and other illicit drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine often contaminated with fentanyl. To effectively treat this evolving public health...
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Tools for Trauma-Informed Change
The Alaska Resilience Initiative website ( www.akresilience.org ) is meant to be a community-building hub, a place to come for resources and a place for you to share resources that you have developed or that you use. We have two resource pages on the site: one is for background on trauma and resilience, and this one is for tools to support trauma-informed and culturally-responsive practices: https://www.akresilience.org/traumainformed-change/ If you have tools, particularly if you have...
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Transforming perspectives on trauma through paintings of hope [AlaskaPublishing.org]
Tarah Hargrove stands before a massive painting. One side is dominated by grey cinder blocks and stencils of guns. The other by a yellow sky filled with birds. And in the center is a giant portrait of Hargrove, herself. Her chin is lifted, and she looks defiantly at the viewer, magenta radiating from her hair. “So my inner narcissist was like, ‘Yay! My face!” Hargrove said, laughing about her first impression of the four-panel mural painted by University of Alaska Anchorage students. Though...
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Updating Centuries-Old Folklore With Puzzles And Power-Ups [NPR]
NPR’s Gene Demby reveals an inspiring collaboration between an Alaskan tribal non-profit and a video developer in his interview with Amy Fredeen of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Sean Vesce of E-Line Media. In an effort to find a sustainable...
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Visit to Juneau, Alaska, by Dr. Vincent Felitti
Dr. Vincent Felitti spent three days in Juneau, Alaska this week as a guest of the Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and its president, Dr. Rosita Worl . He was invited to speak about the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experience Study and how it might benefit Alaska, specifically the Alaska Native community. Beginning with a radio appearance and a community reception with about 100 people in attendance, Dr. Felitti was well received. While in Juneau, he met with Alaska Native...
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Walker signs opioid addiction prevention bill
"The state’s public health director, Doctor Jay Butler, leads that team and says prescriptions are only one part of the problem. 'Things that we still need to do address access to treatment for people with addiction, undoing some of the stigma that is associated with a variety of addictions, and then also getting into the more fundamental questions, such as how do we mitigate and prevent adverse childhood experiences, which we know is one of the drivers that puts people at risk for substance...
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Wisconsin state agencies end year one of trauma-informed learning community; goal is to be first trauma-informed state
Here in California, many people think that it’s only liberal Democrats who have a corner on championing the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and putting it into practice. That might be because people who use ACEs science don’t expel or suspend students, even if they’re throwing chairs and hurling expletives at the teacher. They ask "What happened to you?" rather than "What's wrong with you?" as a frame when they create juvenile detention centers where kids don’t fight, reduce...
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Youth Alliance for a Healthier Alaska (YAHA) needs applications from teens by 3/31
I wanted to share this flyer and message from Jenny Baker at the State of Alaska's Adolescent Health Program, because it's a fantastic way to get Alaskan teens involved in a meaningful leadership position (which we all know is a protective factor that builds resilience) and it's a way to have their experience and voices shaping health and social service programs in Alaska so that these programs can be more effective with youth -- which is our goal, right? Please share with teens in your...
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YouTube Star Revives Traditional Alaskan Culture [NPR.org]
SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We often hear about the ways in which technology is changing our relationship to the past. One teenager from the tiny village of Toksook Bay, Alaska, is using technology to revitalize his language and culture and bring it to the rest of the world. Josie Holtzman and Isaac Kestenbaum have more. ISAAC KESTENBAUM, BYLINE: Byron Nicholai was 14 when he started his Facebook page, I Sing, You Dance. JOSIE HOLTZMAN, BYLINE: He uploaded this homemade music video of him covering...
Ask the Community
Addictive Behaviors, Childhood & Trauma Experiences Impact on Suicide
September 8, 2016 - Anchorage, AK September 9, 2016 – Fairbanks, AK Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership will be hosting a workshop focused on the impacts of addictive behaviors and childhood trauma on suicide. Dr. Donald Warne comes from a long line of traditional Lakota healers. Dr. Warne holds an MD from Stanford University and a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. He is also a Diplomate of both the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Medical...
Ask the Community
The Cost of ACE's
Hello, Alaska has been working on a project highlighting the cost and impact of ACE's. I've been following their progress over the past three years and recently saw this great infographic they've created: http://www.mcdowellgroup.net/w...f-ACEs-WEB-Final.pdf Imagine if every state did this? My question: Do you know of any other states who've conducted similar studies? is there support for this research at the federal level? Are you familiar with the McDowell Group or other businesses...
Calendar Event
2019 Alaska State of Reform Health Policy Conference
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36th Annual Rural Providers' Conference
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Adverse Childhood Experiences Training
Calendar Event
(Free!) Epigenetics webinar with Dr. Courtney Griffin
Calendar Event
Healthy Relationships Training for Youth
Calendar Event
"Resilience" Film Showing at UAA
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Re: Getting_Together_poster_
ANTHC's EpiCenter partered with the State of Alaska Family Violence Prevention Project (AFVPP) and Adolescent Health Program to create the "Getting Together" and "We Are Worthy" safety cards, which are evidence-based tools used to address violence. Following the safety cards, ANTHC’s Behavioral Health’s Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative (DVPI) partnered with the Epicenter to create the “Getting Together” and “We Are Worthy” posters that deliver the same positive messages on the cards...
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Re: Expansion of ACEs in Alaska
Thanks Will for sharing this great news. Look forward to learning more about what the additional resources will mean for the movement in Alaska. Elizabeth
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Re: Visit to Juneau, Alaska, by Dr. Vincent Felitti
Patrick, thanks for sharing! Sounds like this was a big week for Alaska!
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Re: Greetings & introduction!
What a cute photo of you and your daughter, Laura! I'm so glad to hear that you'll be managing this group! There's so much happening in Alaska, and it would be great to capture it here so that Alaskans, no matter when they join the movement, can get a sense of what's happening, as well as the history and the context. It'll also be useful for the other MARC communities and the ACEsConnection membership.
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Re: Greetings & introduction!
I look forward to continuing our work together, Laura, and congratulations on your new position and pending addition to the family. I am getting ready to head to Finland shortly to work with researchers who are collaborating on an international study on the emotional security of children and to work on the "ACEs" toolkit for domestic violence service providers. I hope we can connect this blog with the "ACEs in the Arctic" blog where I'll be talking about this work or perhaps I can post in...
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Re: Roubideaux to Leave HHS Months After Receiving Top-Tier Indian Health Position[Indian Country Today Media]
Thank you for sharing this article! ________________________________________________ [Description: epiFinal]< http://www.anthctoday.org/epicenter > Laura Avellaneda-Cruz, LMSW Program Manager (907) 729-2489 | ldavellanedacruz@anthc.org <mailto:ldavellanedacruz@anthc.org> ANTHC | Division of Community Health Services | Alaska Native Epidemiology Center 3900 Ambassador Drive, Suite 401 | Anchorage, Alaska 99508 Please visit our website<...
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Re: Annual Innovation Summit shows the opportunity of economic crisis [CapitalCityWeekly.com]
And unfortunately the opposite is currently occurring... the House Finance Committee is currently proposing a budget that completely cuts state funding to three early childhood programs in Alaska - Best Beginnings, Parents as Teachers, and the State Pre-K program. This is almost a $3 million cut in prevention and early intervention. This is an investment that at the very worst will produce dividends to Alaskans in the form of children and families being more prepared for school and life.
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Re: “Paper Tigers” Makes an Impact at University of Alaska, Anchorage
In addition to the community partners that assisted with the screening of "Paper Tigers," I would also like to thank ACEsConnection members Jaclynne Richards and Deborah Bock for their roles in organizing this event, spreading the word, and their support during and after the screening. In addition to programming support, Jaclynne hosted a table with materials from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Epidemiology Center, Healthy Families Initiative Program.
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Re: We_Are_Worthy_poster_
ANTHC's EpiCenter partered with the State of Alaska Family Violence Prevention Project (AFVPP) and Futures Without Violence to create the "Getting Together" and "We Are Worthy" safety cards, which are evidence-based tools used to address violence. Following the safety cards, ANTHC’s Behavioral Health’s Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative (DVPI) partnered with the Epicenter to create the “Getting Together” and “We Are Worthy” posters that deliver the same positive messages on the cards...
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Re: Creating Trauma Informed Communities: Audio
Thank you, to our friends at Alaska Public Media for editing and airing the talk that Dr. Blodgett gave in Anchorage in November - at and event sponsor by Thread, ACT, and Alaska Pediatric Partnership. Dr. Blodgett, a faculty member of Washington State University and a licensed clinical psychologist, introduced the brain development science, ACEs epidemiology, and the importance of community involvement, and schools. Audio is 60 minutes long.
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ACT_ACEs_brief.pdf
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ACTabuse_brief.pdf
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ACTcosts_brief.pdf
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ACE_pamph_FIX.pdf
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Re: HCR 21 in the Alaska State House
Dear Patrick, I am back from Finland and working through posts and e-mails to get caught up on all that is happening. Please keep me in the loop on the the work you are doing. Each community I visit in Alaska, I am elated at expanding interest and knowledge in ACEs so each step, such as this, that is taken is having positive impact. Thank you for all that you do.