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Trauma, the result of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can only be prevented if we have an understanding of the root causes of childhood adversity. We know that a quarter of our children will endure at least three ACEs, which means living in households where adults misuse substances, are threatening or violent, have untreated mental health challenges, are abusive and neglectful, are dissolving marriages or are incarcerated. (We are not even talking about the one in eight children in the...

It was not until her third month of feeling unwell, in the fall of 2016, that Alicia thought to take an at-home pregnancy test. Until then, she assumed her fatigue and nausea were withdrawal symptoms from the Percocets she’d been dependent upon since the year before. “When some days you don’t get enough, you could definitely throw up or wake up feeling sick,” she told me. “It was easily confused with morning sickness.” Alicia, who asked that I use her nickname to protect her privacy, was 26...

Self-care is a key element of a trauma-informed approach, at individual, organization, and community levels. This internet resource list includes links to introductions to ACEs and the ACE Study, self-care, secondary trauma and mindfulness. Self-Care - General Self-Care Starter Kit, School of Social Work, University of Buffalo http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/...are-starter-kit.html Relaxation Tool Kit, Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center...

Thank you to all who presented the material, and all who listened! Here is a copy of the slides from the presentations.

Summit at St. John Fisher focuses on preventing teen suicides Pittsford, N.Y. (WHAM) - A new survey of Rochester-area teens suggests suicide is a major risk for about one in seven teenagers. According to the survey, 14 percent of teens considered taking their own lives in the last year. There is no question mental health issues among young people are on the rise for a number of reasons. Continue reading the full article here .

There are many ways to take action to become trauma responsive and build resiliency. Here are few examples to point you in the right direction: Attend the Raising Resilience Summit on January 9th, 2018 Join the Consortium on Trauma, Illness, and Grief In Schools (TIG) Learn more about Mental Health First Aid Visit TraumaSenstiveSchools.org Trauma Informed Care training offers the entire staff an opportunity to look deeply into an organization's culture in order to build a resilient staff and...

On January 9, the Raising Resilience Summit brought together leaders from multiple professional disciplines to advance a comprehensive approach to promoting the social and emotional health of children and their families, and to plan and build cross-sector prevention actions. Working together we can raise resilience in our children and families to grow a healthier community. To all who attended the Raising Resilience Summit, thank you for your active participation and contributions. It was an...

We speak with Yance Ford, who on Tuesday became the first trans director to be nominated for an Academy Award. His film “Strong Island” is up for best documentary. Ford, who is African-American, chronicles what happened to his own family after his brother, William Ford Jr., was shot dead by a white mechanic in Long Island, New York, in 1992. The killer was questioned by police but never charged. “My brother’s case, 25 years ago, simply affirms what we are seeing now,” Ford says. “It doesn’t...

The booklet provides an overview of the program; bios of the speakers; a description and a graphic of the Whole Child view of children’s health.

To set the stage for the day, Dr. Martin Lustick (Senior Vice President, Corporate Medical Director, Excellus BCBS, and Co-Chair, Greater Rochester Initiative for Children’s Social and Emotional Health Implementation Task Force) and Dr. Shaun Nelms (Superintendent East High EPO, Professor at University of Rochester, and Co-Chair, Greater Rochester Initiative for Children’s Social and Emotional Health Implementation Task Force) shared background on the Implementation Task Force, and shared...