Linsey McMurrin, an SEL and Prevention Specialist with Peacemaker Resources, is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is program manager of Girls Lead on the Go!, a leadership program for young women, and is an organizer of the Bemidji Area Truth and Reconciliation Initiative, a grassroots effort to promote truth-seeking, healing and change through increasing understanding and building relationships among area indigenous and non-indigenous communities. Linsey is certified...

Linsey McMurrin is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is an organizer of the Bemidji Area Truth and Reconciliation Initiative, a grassroots effort to promote truth-seeking, healing, and change through increasing understanding and building relationships among area indigenous and non-indigenous communities. She is a strong advocate of social justice and community driven work, and believes that the development of cultural, social, and emotional competencies is integral to...

Thank you to those who attended the 2016 Midwest ACE Summit! At the event nearly 300 people came together to learn about how communities are addressing ACEs and promoting healing in Minnesota and across the Midwest. We hope that participants were energized by the stories they heard and inspired about what can be done to foster resilience and healing in their own communities. Attached to this post are the Summit agenda and breakout session descriptions for your reference. Resources shared at...

With Lowell Johnson, ACEs Resiliency Coalition; Emily Clary, Minnesota Communities Caring for Children Learn about significant progress being made in reducing the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and early childhood trauma, through examples of some of the successes that three communities experienced in Washington State, and sharing conversations with people doing this work in Washington State. Watch the full webinar here

For folks in Central Minnesota consider attending the ACE's Cafes. See flyer attached below.

BY KIM SCHNEIDER 10/12/2020 A Minnesota tribal community and county have announced a partnership that aims to better serve Native parents and kids in family and criminal cases through more coordinated court processing. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Itasca County, located in northern Minnesota, will design and pilot family-centered solutions for people in criminal or dependency court cases. Click here to read more: ...

The Growing Resilient Communities Gathering is an annual statewide event that supports Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives and Indigenous Communities as they work to build self-healing communities across Minnesota. All are welcome to join this free virtual daylong event. Collaboratives, Indigenous community members, and their partners are encouraged to attend this daylong virtual gathering. FamilyWise Services is planning and hosting this event, with support from the...

This series highlights Native American resilience through and beyond trauma… exploring concepts, science, history, culture, stories, and practices that we are working with as we seek to shape a future for our children and our grandchildren that is defined not by what we have suffered, but what we have overcome.

Join us in three weeks for our free, virtual Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering! This event develops and implements community-wide approaches to Building Self-Healing Communities. Participants are encouraged to attend who are involved, or want to be involved in, addressing the root causes of childhood adversity: this can include Collaborative, tribal, and other community partners, such as health, law enforcement, education, social services, parents, businesses, and nonprofit...

Join us NEXT WEEK for our free, virtual Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering! This event develops and implements community-wide approaches to Building Self-Healing Communities. Participants are encouraged to attend who are involved, or want to be involved in, addressing the root causes of childhood adversity: this can include Collaborative, tribal, and other community partners, such as health, law enforcement, education, social services, parents, businesses, and nonprofit service...

Indigenous community members and Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives' partners are encouraged to attend! This film highlights the untold history of America’s Indian Adoption Era, when nearly one-third of children were removed from tribal communities nationwide. As political scrutiny over Indian child welfare intensifies, an adoption survivor helps others find their way home through song and ceremony. In-Person and Virtual options are available!

We are hiring for a Director of Tribal Projects position at FamilyWise Services ! This position will support the mission of Familywise by leading prevention initiatives and promoting the self-healing community model in a specific geographic area of the state, including two to four Minnesota Tribes per year. Applicants will have the option to work 100% remotely if located in Greater Minnesota, or at the FamilyWise office in Minneapolis. You can find the full posting and position description...

Right before the new year, FamilyWise Services' Prevention Services Department hired and onboarded two new team members. We are excited to learn from them as we work together to reduce ACEs in our state. Firstly, we would like to welcome Deanna (DeDe) Drift as the new Director of Tribal Projects. DeDe joins our team and brings a wealth of experience. She has her Master’s Degree from the UMN – Duluth, and has served as the Commissioner of Human Services at Bois Forte Tribal Government where...

The 6th Annual Growing Resilient Communities – Collaboratives and Tribal Nations Addressing ACEs Gathering will be held virtually on June 27th (9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.). This event is being offered through a partnership among the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota Center for Prevention, and FamilyWise Services. Attached is the Save the Date flyer and registration information for the event will be shared in the coming weeks. Please share this flyer...

Join us on Tuesday, June 27ᵗʰ for the 6ᵗʰ Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering of Collaboratives &Tribal Nations Addressing ACEs. This year we're convening people from across the state to address youth well-being. Learn from your peers' success stories and tell your own. We'll share strategies for building a culture of prevention. Together we can break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. REGISTER HERE TUESDAY, JUNE 27ᵗʰ 9:00 - 9:20 am Welcome 9:30 - 11:00 am Keynote...

The 6 th annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering of Collaboratives and Tribal Nations will be held in 1 week, on Tuesday, June 27 th from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. This free, virtual event will focus on highlighting community-based approaches that support the development of self-healing communities – communities that intentionally develop more inclusive and equitable practices, cultural norms, and concrete supports so all children, families, and adults can thrive. This year, the theme is...

We are excited to announce that Season 3 of the Remembering Resilience podcast is now live on podcast platforms! This podcast explores NEAR* Science, Historical Trauma, and ways Indigenous communities and individuals in Minnesota are creating and Remembering Resilience. *NEAR refers to neurobiology, epigenetics, adverse childhood experiences, and resilience In Season 3, Remembering Resilience podcast hosts Susan Beaulieu, Briana Matrious, and Linsey McMurrin continue to explore stories of...

Join us on Tuesday, June 18th for the 7th Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering of Collaboratives and Tribal Nations Addressing ACEs! The 7th Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering is a free, virtual event that supports tribal community members and partners and Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives as they work to reduce ACEs, strengthen core protective systems, and create self-healing communities across Minnesota. The primary audience for this event...

Please save the date for the upcoming 7 th Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering of Collaboratives and Tribal Nations Addressing ACEs, which will be held virtually on Tuesday, June 18 th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. This event supports tribal community members and partners and Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives as they work to reduce ACEs, strengthen core protective systems, and create Self-Healing Communities across Minnesota.  This year, we plan to...

We are excited to announce that FamilyWise Services will be hosting an in-person workshop called Parent Leaders: Systems Orientation on Wednesday, May 8 th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Workshop description: The primary objective of this workshop is to educate system and organizational leaders from diverse sectors about the value and benefits of including the voices of parents and caregivers in decision-making about their system or organization’s delivery of services - especially the parents...

You are invited to register for the upcoming 7 th Annual Growing Resilient Communities Gathering of Collaboratives and Tribal Nations Addressing ACEs that will be held virtually on Tuesday, June 18 th , from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This free , virtual event supports tribal community members and partners and Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives as they work to reduce ACEs, strengthen core protective systems, and create Self-Healing Communities across Minnesota.  This...