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California Essentials for Childhood Initiative (CA)

The California Essentials for Childhood Initiative uses a public health and collective impact approach to align and enhance collaborative efforts to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children, youth and families through systems, policy and social norms change.

Tagged With "California Children's Report Card"

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Handling Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors at Every Age: New Parenting Guide from Yolo Child Abuse Prevention Council/Yolo County Children's Alliance

Natalie Audage ·
The Yolo County Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) and Yolo County Children’s Alliance (YCCA) are excited to share our new parenting guide: Handling Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors at Every Age. This resource for parents and caregivers provides positive discipline tips and resources to handle challenging behaviors in babies, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, and teenagers. Each age group page has: tips on how parents can connect with their child, some common challenging...
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Health care for 7 in 10 CA children funded by Medicaid or CHIP

Olivia Kirkland ·
Proposed cuts and changes to public health insurance programs would have a disproportionate effect on California kids compared with kids in the nation as a whole.
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Helping Children Heal: Promising Community Programs and Policy Solutions

Gail Kennedy ·
Ad vo c ate s and policymakers in public health are paying more attention to the impact of exposure early in life to trauma or chronic adversity, since it is now known to impair brain development in children and have rippling effects on c aregivers...
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Hidden Crisis Report - ACEs in CA

Gail Kennedy ·
Attached find the full report from Center for Youth Wellness (CYW) d ata report  of ACEs in California, prepared in partnership with Public Health Institute (November 6, 2014).    
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Higher Minimum Wages Are Good for Newborn Health [CityLab.com]

Samantha Sangenito ·
In the U.S., the debate around the minimum wage does not lack controversy, but it does lack up-to-date research. Academic studies on the effects of raising hourly pay—especially to $15, which has become something of a magic number for progressive cities and states—have not kept pace with the whirlwind movement . And relatively little research has focused on the non-economic impacts of such significant wage bumps: for example, how they affect the health of infants. This is no arbitrary...
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How do you tell the story of a huge early childhood program over time? [centerforhealthjournalism.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
Thanks — for nothing, Mr. Reiner. When I started my reporting on the 20th anniversary of California’s Proposition 10 — now known as First 5 — I fully expected to have filmmaker Rob Reiner’s quotations and retrospective as a central piece of the package . After all, he was the sponsor of the ballot measure that created the tobacco tax-funded system for programs serving young children from birth to age 5. And, he welcomed me into his Beverly Hills office for an interview when the measure was...
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"How Neglect and Abuse Change Children’s Brains — and Their Futures" by Katharine Gammon [centerforhealthjournalism.org]

Laura Pinhey ·
Childhood adversity comes in different forms. When Katie McLaughlin, director of the Stress and Development Lab at the University of Washington, talks about stress and early childhood development, she brings up two different fictional children: One who faces the constant threat of violence at home, and one who is neglected. [For more of this article by Katharine Gammon, visit: https://www.centerforhealthjou...amp;utm_medium=email ]
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How Work-Life Balance Helps a Baby’s Brain [LinkedIn.com]

Samantha Sangenito ·
Most of us understand that a baby’s earliest months and years are the most critical for brain development. But did you know that a baby’s relationships with parents and caregivers actually stimulate that process? That’s right: An infant’s connections to nurturing, trusted adults help build the foundation for emotions, language, behavior, memory, physical movement – you name it. Right from the start, as parents, we need to bond with these brand-new little people, teach them how the world...
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Infancy and early childhood matter so much because of attachment (theconversation.com)

We are born to connect. As human beings we are relational and we need biological, emotional and psychological connection with others . Attachment is the relational dance that parents and babies share together. You can think of this when you see a baby look at their parent and they catch each other’s eyes in a wonderful gaze: the parent smiles and the baby smiles and then the parent kisses and the baby coos. Or, when an infant cries to tell their parent they are hungry, and the parent picks...
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Infants and Toddlers Need Strong Parents [clasp.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
Parents play the most active and significant role in their baby’s healthy development. Young children learn and grow in strong families where parents are able to successfully face the challenge of nurturing their children. During the first three years of life, experiences are shaping a child’s brain and providing the foundation for later development. Parenting support services, which range from informational resources to more intensive interventions, can help improve parenting skills,...
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Interactive: Reducing Child Poverty in California [ppic.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
This interactive tool allows you to explore how changes to housing costs, minimum wage, and the social safety net could affect child poverty statewide and in your county. We find lower housing costs and minimum wage increases could lower child poverty substantially—while helping Californians across the income spectrum. And though investments in California’s safety net would need to draw from the state budget, these approaches could also reduce child poverty considerably—while concentrating...
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January California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Julia Wei ·
California Essentials for Childhood has just released its second newsletter. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Journal Article: “Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout Among Refugee Resettlement Workers: The Role of Coping and Emotional Intelligence.”

Elena Costa ·
An article published in Journal of Traumatic Stress (Akinsulure‐Smith, A. M., Espinosa, A., Chu, T., and Hallock, R., 2018, 202–212, (https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22279), promotes an enhanced understanding of the impact of refugee resettlement work on refugee resettlement workers by examining the prevalence rates of toxic mental health and occupational outcomes, such as secondary traumatic stress and burnout, among a sample of 210 refugee resettlement workers at six refugee resettlement...
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July California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Marissa Abbott ·
California Essentials for Childhood has just released its fifth newsletter. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma-Informed Care Implementation [CHCS.org]

Samantha Sangenito ·
As the connection between exposure to trauma and long-term health conditions becomes clear, the health care sector is beginning to focus on how to best care for patients with a history of trauma. For many people, trauma may increase their risk of serious health issues leading to poor health outcomes and higher medical and social service costs. Health care providers can address patients’ traumatic experiences and their associated health effects by implementing trauma-informed approaches to...
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Know Your Rights: Paid Leave for Workers Impacted by COVID-19

From California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, March 23, 2020 As Californians are urged to stay home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, workers across the state and their families are feeling the impact on their jobs and income, making the need for paid leave more apparent than ever. Join the California Work & Family Coalition, Legal Aid at Work, and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence for short web-conferences addressing the access to paid leave and learning...
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Learning Series: Policy Approaches to Addressing Childhood Adversity - FREE Webinar, January 10, 10am PT

Gail Kennedy ·
Please join us for a three -part learning series hosted by the California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity ( 4CAkids.org ) and ACEs Connection Network ( acesconnection.com ). Stay tuned for details on signing up for the webinars. We'll hear from states that are making great strides towards adopting trauma-informed policies and practices. Three-Part Learning Series: Webinar 1: National Landscape and State Level Efforts to Address Childhood Adversity Date: January 10th, 10AM PST...
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Legislation Signals Growing Support for Significance of Trauma Indicators

Alison Lobb ·
by David Gorn, California Healthline Sacramento Bureau Thursday, January 28, 2016 As a college student, Rob Bonta had a summer job working as a counselor for troubled kids. Now, two decades later he is bringing legislation to address some of the needs he saw then. "I worked with some of these kids as a counselor out of college, and I'd walk them home and hear some of these stories," Assembly member Bonta (D-Oakland) said. "Shootings they heard. Or shootings they witnessed the night before."...
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Live webcast by PPIC: Poverty and Opportunity in California (Oct. 15)

Elena Costa ·
Poverty and Opportunity in California Tuesday, October 15, 2019 12:05 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT Register Here: https://www.ppic.org/news-and-events/events/webcast-registration/ About the program Despite strong economic growth, California continues to experience high rates of poverty. Backed by strong fiscal reserves, state policymakers have taken several steps to assist struggling families, but the goal of reducing poverty remains elusive. In this conversation, PPIC will share the latest data...
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Local Researchers' study shows: Trauma support for welfare recipients helps them earn more [medicalxpress.com]

Leslie Lieberman ·
People on welfare can earn more money in their jobs—and potentially leave the program—if the trauma they've faced since childhood is addressed, Drexel University research shows... "Financial education without the trauma-informed peer support had virtually no impact on improving income and in promoting health," said Mariana Chilton, PhD, director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities and professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health. "Once the trauma-informed peer support was mixed...
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Love in the TIme of Coronavirus: Inequities and Supporting Children

Bob Sege ·
This blog is re-posted from positiveexperience.org/blog/ Link there for associated resources, and for the other blogs in the series. Having safe, stable, and equitable environments to live, learn and play forms the second of the 4 Building Blocks of HOPE. Children need homes where they feel safe and secure and have their basic needs met. Children thrive in an environment that encourages curiosity and provides opportunities for learning to play and interact with other children. Today’s blog...
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Low pay for child care workers puts more than half at poverty level, study finds [edsource.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
A majority of child care workers in California are paid so little they qualify for public assistance programs, according to a new report on the early education workforce. Fifty-eight percent of child care workers in California are on one or more public assistance programs, such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families , a federally funded program that helps pay for food, housing and other expenses, the report by UC Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment found. This is...
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Low wages undermine efforts to improve the quality of preschools, federal report says [EdSource.org]

Samantha Sangenito ·
Efforts in California and other states to raise the quality of child care and preschool programs are being undermined by the low wages that workers earn in jobs that now require more skills and education, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Education released Tuesday. In California, preschool teachers were paid an average salary of $31,720 in 2015, about half of what California kindergarten teachers earned that year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the report said.
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Make Time for Yourself—A Self-Care Guide for Busy Parents from Yolo County Children's Alliance

Natalie Audage ·
Yolo County Children’s Alliance is excited to share our new self-care resource for parents and caregivers for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Make Time for Yourself—A Self-Care Guide for Busy Parents talks about the importance of self-care and provides many ideas to try. The guide is available in English, Spanish, and Russian at www.yolokids.org/forfamilies/ . To help parents prioritize self-care, the guide divides specific self-care ideas into those that only take 5 minutes to do and those...
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Many Insured Children Lack Essential Health Care, Study Finds [NYTimes.com]

Samantha Sangenito ·
Margo Solomon has health insurance for herself and her four children. But actually getting treatment is another matter. Ms. Solomon, a 35-year-old mother from the Bronx, says she has struggled to find a doctor who accepts her insurance. And with three of her children coping with asthma, and one with more complicated medical problems, locating a specialist is even more challenging. And once in the door, she cannot afford the costs, including for deductibles and medications. “I feel like I am...
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Maryland Essentials for Childhood Hosts Advocacy Day at the State Capital

Ruby Parker ·
Maryland Essentials for Childhood, a statewide initiative educating policy makers and communities on the science of ACEs, developing brains, and how we can build resilience for children, families and communities in Maryland, is poised to meet with Maryland elected officials this coming Thursday, ,February 7th, 9-1 pm. We will educate legislators on the science and policies that reduce or mitigate ACEs and other childhood trauma. Key policies being considered by the General Assembly are:...
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May California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Julia Wei ·
California Essentials for Childhood has just released its fourth newsletter. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Meet Dan Torres: Leading a Washington Effort to Ensure Safety, Stability and Nurturing for All Children

Holly Wyrwich ·
Dan Torres was traveling the country, working with state and regional agencies that were trying to improve outcomes for families involved in their child welfare systems. As an associate at the Center for the Study of Social Policy, his area of expertise was family support. While agencies and community groups were exerting incredible effort and changing the game for some, he couldn’t escape one question: How do we work more on preventing families from becoming involved in child welfare...
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 1/2)

Elena Costa ·
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Elena Costa – Elena Costa is the new Program Coordinator for the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative with the Safe and Active Communities Branch (SACB) at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Elena joined the EfC Initiative in April of 2019 and is excited to work with the membership of the Initiative to promote Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships, and Environments (SSNR&E) and assist with...
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 2/2)

Elena Costa ·
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Angela Ponivas is the Chief of the California Department of Social Services Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP). She has been in the OCAP almost five years, working at a systems level on behalf of children and families. Angela provides executive oversight of the development and execution of Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative activities at CDSS. Prior to working for the State, Angela was the Executive...
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More American children and teens aren't just obese. They're morbidly obese. [Vox.com]

Samantha Sangenito ·
Public health researchers cheered an encouraging trend recently : Childhood obesity rates, which rose steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, seemed to have plateaued in the 2000s. But new research suggests a different, troubling problem lurking behind that plateau — a steep rise in the rates of severe obesity, particularly among older and minority children. The fraction of adolescents with severe obesity — a body mass index of 40 or greater — has more than doubled from 0.9 percent in 1999 to...
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Most kids on public coverage have parents who work for big companies, new study finds [centerforhealthjournalism.org]

Marianne Avari ·
By Giles Bruce, Center for Health Journalism, July 3, 2019. The conventional wisdom is that kids are on government health insurance because their parents are unemployed or work at small businesses with meager benefits. A study released this week debunks that theory. Research from the PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that the majority of children insured through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — more than 70% — have a parent employed by a large...
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Moving Americans Out of Poverty Will Take More Than Money [citylab.com]

Alicia Doktor ·
As they worked on assembling a new report on American poverty, a consortium of researchers fanned out across the U.S. to talk to people living in pockets of concentrated need—from rural Maine and the Lummi Nation of the Pacific Northwest to major cities like Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Detroit. One of these site visits took the team to a neighborhood in San Jose, California, where Mexican immigrants struggle with tech-boom-fueled housing costs: Think $600 a month for a couch to sleep...
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National Council Webinar: Organizational Approaches to Effective Trauma-Informed Services

Gail Kennedy ·
I viewed this webinar a couple of weeks ago and found it quite useful. https://www.thenationalcouncil...ars/webinar-archive/ Scroll down to find  Organizational Approaches to Effective Trauma-Informed Services   Cheryl Sharp, Senior Advisor...
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NEW: 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being

Gail Yen ·
Children Now is pleased to announce that we've just released our new 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being! The latest edition is an interactive tool that provides a comprehensive snapshot of how children are faring in each of the 58 counties, over time, and by race and ethnicity. The tool's indicators cut across four domains of education, early childhood, child welfare and health. This updated edition of the Scorecard features significant enhancements including heat...
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New Alaska ACEs data reinforces importance of investment in early childhood

Tamar Ben-Yosef ·
Pat Sidmore, our expert for all things data and ACEs and a planner for the Alaska Mental Health Board, Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, has collected new data that outlines when Alaska's children (0-17) acquire their ACEs. The slide below paints a pretty grim picture showing that our children are accumulating 50 percent of their ACEs before the age of 3, and more than 26% of them before the age of 1. Please feel free to share this slide as you see fit.
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New California law expands low-income parents’ access to subsidized child care [edsource.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
In an effort to remove obstacles for Californians trying to succeed in the labor market, a new law could make access to child care easier for low-income parents taking classes to learn English or complete high school. The law will expand the eligibility requirements for subsidized child care. It will make low-income parents who are are enrolled in English as a second language classes (ESL) or a program to earn a high school diploma or general education development certificate (GED) eligible...
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New CDC Campaign: THE STAY HERE-OS: FIGHTING WHAT’S OUT THERE, IN HERE

Elena Costa ·
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new family-centered advertisement campaign that provides simple tips and guidance for what parents can do to help their families stay safe. Please see below: We are excited to share with you this fun, family-centered campaign that arose from Ad Council research of audiences, and a need to provide simple tips and guidance for what parents can do to help their families stay safe. It’s expected to get a lot of media attention...
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New Childhood Adversity and Data and Dashboards [kidsdata.org]

Lori Turk ·
May 19, 2020 New and updated data describing childhood adversity and resilience are now available on kidsdata.org . The data cover more counties than previously offered and provide greater detail on childhood adversity. Also, in partnership with the Essentials for Childhood Initiative, you can now access data dashboards for every county in California. Adversity and Resilience Data See the latest parent reported data on childhood adversity and resilience in California. Based on the National...
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New Data on Infant Mortality Rates Across California Counties

Lori Turk ·
Infant Mortality Rate 1996-1998 to 2013-2015 Kidsdata is excited to feature new data on infant mortality in California for 2013-2015. Infant mortality is a key measure of public health, as it reflects maternal health, quality of and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices. Reviewing infant mortality rates indicates troubling disparities. Among counties with data across time, San Mateo County has been consistently lower than the statewide rate since...
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New Data: Surprising Number Of California Parents Experienced Abuse As Children [CaliforniaHealthline.org]

Samantha Sangenito ·
One out of five California adults with children living in their homes were beaten, kicked or physically abused when they were children, and one in ten were sexually abused, according to data released recently by a children’s health foundation. Experts believe that’s an undercount. “I think it’s probably a low estimate,” said Cassandra Joubert, director of the Central California Children’s Institute at California State University, Fresno. “I think these kinds of events within families are...
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NEW Essentials for Childhood Kidsdata.org ACEs Topic

Gail Kennedy ·
On behalf of California Essentials for Childhood, I am very excited to announce the release of a new Child Adversity and Resilience data topic on Kidsdata.org! This has been a collaborative effort between the CA Essentials for Childhood Initiative's Shared Data and Outcomes Work Group and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. I represent ACEs Connection Network on Essentials and am the co-chair of the Shared Data & Outcomes Work Group so I couldn't be more thrilled about...
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New estimates from the combined 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) now available on the DRC Interactive Data Query

Elena Costa ·
The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) provides rich data on multiple, intersecting aspects of children’s lives—including physical and mental health, access to quality health care, and the child’s family, neighborhood, school, and social context. The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC), under a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), announced the release of the child and...
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1/3 of CA children who need mental health treatment fail to receive it

Olivia Kirkland ·
Thirty-seven percent of California children who need mental health treatment failed to receive it, according to the most recent data available on kidsdata.org. Madera, Merced, Monterey, and Tulare counties had the lowest rates of all counties with available data, with nearly half of children who need mental health treatment failing to receive it in the previous 12 months. Screening, early identification, and treatment are critical, as untreated mental illness can disrupt children’s...
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New PI briefs and videos connect community safety and early childhood development [PreventionInstitute.org]

Clare Reidy ·
Early childhood is a critical time that shapes opportunities and outcomes for a lifetime, yet little attention has been given to the deleterious impact community violence can have on young children. New PI resources explore the linkages between safety and child development, making the case for preventing violence and community trauma. When community environments are safe, they can provide thriving conditions for communities, families, and young children. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...
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New Poverty Report

Julia Wei ·
Interesting report from a combined AEI and Brookings "think tank" on reducing poverty with a mix of recommendations Link: http://www.brookings.edu/blogs...w&_hsmi=24360312
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New Prevention Institute Report Offers Framework for Preventing Community Trauma, Building Resilience

Julia Wei ·
A new Prevention Institute report, featured Wednesday in USA Today , offers a groundbreaking framework for understanding the relationship between community trauma and violence. In doing so, the report provides insight into how we can overcome the inequities that contribute to a cycle of inner-city gun violence, poverty, unemployment, and poor health in communities of color. As additional treatment models are developed for individual trauma, there is a growing need for addressing trauma as a...
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New Report Explores Paid Family Leave: How Much Time is Enough?

Brigid Schulte ·
A growing body of research is finding that, on the whole, job-protected paid family leaves of adequate duration and wage replacement lead to more income and gender equality, significant reductions in infant, maternal and even paternal mortality, improved physical and mental health for children and parents, greater family stability and economic security, business productivity, and economic growth.
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New Research Links Increased Minimum Wage to Reduced Child Maltreatment [ChronicleOfSocialChange.org]

Samantha Sangenito ·
Advocates claim that raising the minimum wage would lift many families out of poverty and reduce income equality, but a new study contends that a rise in wages would also reduce child maltreatment. According to a study from Indiana University and University of Connecticut researchers released in the January issue of Children and Youth Services Review, neglect reports involving young children declined by 10.8 percent in response to a $1 increase in the minimum wage. According to University of...
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New Resources for Military Families

Gail Kennedy ·
Sesame Street for Military Families Sesame Street for Military Families has released new content! Visit the link to find interactive games, videos, and printable activities for military families to do with their preschool children. Topics include staying healthy together, creating fun and meaningful birthday traditions, encouraging children’s self-expression, making changes more comfortable, and so much more! NCTSN Child Traumatic Grief Series Supporting Military Children with Traumatic...
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