May 2021

It’s shocking: Preschoolers are three times more likely to be expelled than children in elementary, middle and high school, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Boys are four times more likely than girls to be kicked out, and African American children are twice as likely as Latinx and White children. One organization with childcare centers and mental health providers in Kentucky and Ohio began a long journey 15 years ago, when they began hearing about...

By Ali Tadayon, EdSource, May 20, 2021 Giving low-income youth college savings accounts at a young age has emerged as a strategy across California to not only help families build financial assets, but also stoke tangible college aspirations. Such programs have sprung up in Oakland, Los Angeles and several other cities since San Francisco became the first in California in 2011 under then-Mayor Gavin Newsom to give every child entering kindergarten at San Francisco Unified a college savings...

By Erica Yee, Cal Matters, May 20, 2021 California is awash in cash — $100 billion says Gov. Gavin Newsom. While much of the federal aid and taxes from the rich will be used to provide core services such as education and health care, the windfall also provides a once-in-a-generational opportunity to tackle one of California’s most vexing problems: income inequality . As the pandemic exacerbates a pre-existing wealth gap that has disproportionately hurt women and people of color, the...

Wrestling Ghosts is the fourth and final film in the Transform Trauma with ACEs Science Film Festival series. The film can be watched, free of charge, on PACEs Connection from Friday, June 11th through Sunday, June 13th where it will be streamed all weekend. The streaming will be followed by a Zoom discussion with Wrestling Ghosts Director, Ana Joanes, and the co-sponsors of the Transform Trauma with ACEs Science Film Festival (CTIPP, PACEs Connection, & the Relentless School Nurse) on...

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law in March to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and address its impact on our communities. California is receiving over $69 billion for our schools, state and local governments, childcare, housing, and community health centers, with billions more in direct assistance for individuals and to invest in our public health infrastructure. Join Us... for a presentation and discussion about where the funds have gone, what additional funds are coming, and how...

Join us for the next A Better Normal community discussion series where we envision and create a trauma-informed society together. Wed, May 26, 2021, 12pm PDT >>Register Here<< We will be learning from Sarah Marikos and Joy Thomas of the ACE Resource Network about the wide impact their Number Story campaign is having through the use of strategic partnerships. This intervention helps individuals understand their ACE numbers and connects them with the resources and tools to heal.

To recognize that May is National Trauma Awareness Month, the California Department of Public Health and the California Office of the Surgeon General —in partnership with ACEs Aware— have produced a social media campaign (#IamTraumaAware) to lift up trauma survivors and highlight resources for those who are experiencing trauma — due especially to the pandemic. Click here for the #IamTraumaAware toolkit (with resources in English and Spanish). You'll find three video messages from California...

By Loren McCullough, 5/19/21, positiveexperience.org/blog Last month, Jane Stevens, founder and publisher of PACES Connection introduced us to the Hope Research Center at The University of Oklahoma. We had a fascinating hour-long call with director Chan Hellman and his team. It turns out that hope itself promotes resilience and well-being, and that their work on the cognitive process of hope aligns so well with our work on HOPE – Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences. In order to share...

New Child Trends research uses data from Zero to Three’s State of Babies Yearbook 2021 to examine disparities in maternal and child health, and discusses why these disparities exist. The researchers also highlight strategies that policymakers and practitioners can use to promote racial and ethnic equity to improve maternal and child health. For example, paid family leave is tied to lower rates of infant mortality and maternal depression and increased rates of breastfeeding and infant...

Last week Governor Newsom released the May Revision of his proposed state budget which includes an investment of $20 billion to make public schools gateways of equity and opportunity , with 20% of those funds —$4 billion dollars—dedicated to transforming California’s behavioral health system into a world-class, innovative, and prevention-focused system for Californians age 0-25. For young people, their families, allies and advocates, the proposal represents an unprecedented opportunity to...

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA 12-COUNTY ALL IN FOR KIDS FUNDING AVAILABLE Promote Healthy Child Development, Prevent Childhood Adversity, Support Equity, Heal Trauma Genentech and Blue Shield of California Foundation have joined Futures Without Violence and Bay Area Region First 5's to create All In For Kids, an initiative that focuses on young children (birth to 5 years of age) along with their families, caregivers, and communities. We are pleased to announce a new funding opportunity and learning...

Is the COVID-19 Pandemic an Adverse Childhood Experience? Sponsored by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the Safe States Alliance Date and Time: Monday, May 24, 2021 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET Register Here Session Description: Safe States and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors have teamed up to explore whether and in what ways the COVID-19 pandemic has been an adverse childhood experience. And if is, what can chronic disease and injury prevention...