Tagged With "brain development"
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Do You Have a Story to Tell? Speak at the 2018 Fall Trauma-Informed School Conference
Beyond Consequences is excited to announce that our Call for Proposals for the 2018 Fall Trauma-Informed School Conference has been extended. If you have a great story to share about your experience in working with students who’ve had adverse childhood experiences, we would love to hear from you! Here are some examples of sessions that fit in at our nationally recognized conference: Administrative/School-Wide Track • Mindfulness Instead of Suspension • Special Education Law & Advocacy •...
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Doctor-patient role-playing featured in ACEs Connection webinar
On an ACEs Connection webinar on Monday, Dr. Andrew Seaman, an assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University, showed how he navigates his students through the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). And, in an unusual twist for a webinar, Seaman and O’Nesha Cochran, a peer mentor with the Mental Health Association of Oregon, role-played doctor-patient interactions to show how to develop the skills to communicate with patients with high ACE scores. About 90 people...
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Doctor-patient role-playing featured in ACEs Connection webinar
On an ACEs Connection webinar on Monday, Dr. Andrew Seaman, an assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University, showed how he navigates his students through the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). And, in an unusual twist for a webinar, Seaman and O’Nesha Cochran, a peer mentor with the Mental Health Association of Oregon, role-played doctor-patient interactions to show how to develop the skills to communicate with patients with high ACE scores. About 90 people...
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Dozens of stakeholders representing thousands of practitioners send public comments on Calif. ACEs-screening plan
Update: We posted this story on Tuesday evening and received a response from the Department of Health Care Services Wednesday that clarifies additional information. DHCS information Officer Katharine Weir said that subject to budget approval by the legislature and the governor: The reimbursement rate will be $29. Federally Qualified Health Centers will also be reimbursed for screening pediatric patients for trauma through Prop 56 funds and federal matching funds. In response to a question...
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Dr. Nadine Burke Harris Presents at SCVMC-Pediatric Grand Rounds
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris presented today at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center during Pediatric Grand Rounds to a full room (standing room only) of pediatricians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, public health professionals and allied medical staff. With the show of hands, many of us in the room were familiar with ACEs science and the health impacts of toxic stress. With ease, Dr. Burke Harris dove into great detail of our bodies response to toxic stress and the multitude of...
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DULCE helps pediatricians in Oakland, CA, prevent toxic stress in newborns
On a recent day in early March, Laura Lopez met a former patient of hers in the waiting room of Highland Hospital’s pediatric clinic in Oakland, CA. The patient had forgotten her Medi-Cal card and called Lopez asking for help. But in the brief conversation, Lopez, a family specialist with the DULCE program, learned about some dire changes in the patient’s life. Laura Lopez “Without me even asking, she shared with me that she had separated from her partner, that she needs to apply for food...
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The Developing Brain & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Thanks to an explosion in scientific research now possible with imaging technologies, such as fMRI and SPECT, experts can actually see how the brain develops. This helps explain why exposure to adverse childhood experiences can so deeply influence and change a child's brain and thus their physical and emotional health and quality of life across their lifetime. The above time-lapse study was conducted over 10 years. The darker colors represent brain maturity (brain development). I have added...
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The Economics of Child Abuse: A Study of California
While the impact of maltreatment on a child and their family is devastating, child maltreatment also has serious effects far beyond those for the victim. Maltreatment results in ongoing costs to taxpayers, institutions, businesses, and society at large. Local communities bear the brunt of these costs in the form of medical, educational, and judicial costs, though more tragic signs are seen in homelessness, addiction, and teen pregnancy. To create a concrete understanding of the widespread...
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Thoughts About Next Steps for Sonoma County ACES Connection
At our September meeting, we talked about creating an organizational structure for Sonoma County ACES Connection. I have attended plenty of community meetings (perhaps too many) where the deliberations about Vice-Chairs and Secretary-Treasurers...
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Toxic Stress and its Effect on Development.
Here is a short video clip that explains how toxic stress effects development. Learning to cope with stress is an important part of healthy development. When experiencing stress the stress response system is activated and once the stress is relieved the stress response winds down. In severe situations of abuse or neglect where there is no caring adult to act as a buffer from the stressor, one’s stress response stays activated. Absence of response from adults and constant activation of the...
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Trained: Sonoma ACE & Resiliency Fellowship Offers Science, Compassion, Community
In Sonoma County, invitations to speak about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience kept pouring in. There simply weren’t enough qualified trainers to go around. When Sonoma County ACEs Connection leaders applied for the MARC grant, they proposed using some of the money to develop a speakers’ bureau. Then they decided to expand that vision: Why not a nine-month fellowship for a cohort of 25 “master trainers”—two days of intensive education with Robert Anda and Laura Porter,...
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Trauma education and mindfulness help youth living amid gun violence
Armon Hurst, 2nd from left, first row, Teens on Target, courtesy of YouthAlive! Eighteen-year-old Armon Hurst serves as vice president of the student body at Castlemont High School in Oakland, Calif. He has a 4.0 grade point average, is an avid baseball player, and is slated to go to college next year. But until a few years ago, Hurst would find himself waking from nightmares in the middle of the night. It was difficult to concentrate at school, and he wasn’t eating well. Armon Hurst “There...
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Trauma-informed groups rev up to address race, inclusion
Eighteen-year-old Kia Hanson has always enjoyed her time as a youth leader at the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC). She’s worked mostly with five- and six-year-olds since she began in 2016. Recently, she tapped into new skills, especially if the kids were having a meltdown. Kia Hanson “If they’re off, we ask them, ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘Do you want to talk about anything?’,” she explains. “Basically asking before assuming they’re mad at the world for no reason.” What made the...
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Trauma Informed Pocket Card Inspires Praise from Community Member
Do you read the Press Democrat or the North Bay Business Journal? If yes, you may have seen Prevent Child Abuse Sonoma County's special newspaper insert. This colorful and helpful resource guide offered stories, tips, resources and tools for helping to strengthen families and reduce child abuse. Page 7 featured an article about "Trauma Informed Care" and included a pocket card folks could use as a tool for letting doctors, dentists, and other care providers they might need some extra care to...
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Trauma Informed Public Health Nursing Visits to Parents and Children (publication pending in Public Health Nursing)
Sonoma County Field Nursing's Liz George and Julianne Ballard have been busy! Together they lead an effort to develop a PHN home visiting model that integrates ACEs science! Their research will soon be published in The Journal of Public Health Nursing ! Here is the abstract: Trauma Informed Public Health Nursing Visits to Parents and Children (publication pending in Public Health Nursing) Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research has demonstrated a strong correlation between a traumatic...
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Trauma Screenings Advisory Group (AB 340) Hosts First Meeting
On Friday, April 20, 2018, the AB 340 Workgroup, otherwise known as the Trauma Screenings Advisory Group, met for the first time to discuss the legislative charge to update, amend, or develop, if appropriate, tools and protocols for screening children for trauma as defined, within the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit in Medi-Cal. Both Children Now and Center for Youth Wellness were appointed members of the Trauma Screenings Advisory Workgroup, and we...
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Trauma Screenings for all Children on MediCal - AB 340 Approved in California!
Several ACEs Connection members should be feeling proud about now. Karen Clemmer, Carla Denner, Jessica Hackwell, Nick Dalton, and several others joined the 4CA Campaign to educate legislators about ACEs and trauma . Our partners with First 5, Maternal Child Adolescent Health, and the County Board of Supervisors also wrote letters to state policy makers urging consideration of a bill requiring trauma screenings for all children who receive MediCal support. And....drum roll please... As of...
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Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program (SAMHSA)
Click HERE to learn more. Description The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), are accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2020 Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program (Short Title: Native Connections). The purpose of this program is to prevent suicide and substance misuse, reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental health among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN)...
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Update on Bumper Crop of State ACEs bills in 2017—46 bills in 20 states
The latest update of state legislation considered by state legislatures in 2017 reveals the growing interest by state policymakers across the country in addressing trauma across sectors. The attached “At-A-Glance” table shows 46 bills in twenty states reference Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or trauma-informed policy and practice. Take a look at the attached “At-A-Glance” table and leave a comment if your state considered ACEs/trauma legislation that is not included here. A handful of...
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Upstream Invites Community to Recovery and Healing Workshops offered by UC Davis this December & January 2017
Dear Upstream Partner, We hope this message finds you well and safe. There are no words to describe how difficult the last month has been for our community. The resiliency of our residents and the critical support you continue to provide gives us hope for successful recovery efforts. We want to acknowledge all you have done and continue to do to support our community. In addition to personal losses you may have experienced, repeated exposure to the suffering of others takes its toll on the...
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Violence Profile of Sonoma County
Several months ago, the Violence Profile of Sonoma County was published online. The profile aims to deliver three messages: (1) Violence Impacts Health (2) Violence is More than Physical (3) Violence is Preventable In addressing these aims, the profile provides a strong explanation for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) having lasting effects on health and behaviors, including violent behaviors such as emotional abuse, intimate partner violence, and suicide attempts. The profile also uses...
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We Need a Healing Movement
What if you had developed a cure for the most painful and costly public health problem in America, you had proven that it worked, and you were offering it for free, but could not reach those who need it most because no one wants to talk about the problem? Tragically, this is my reality and the truth about human nature. It is easier to suffer in silence than acknowledge the painful things that happen to us. Over 20 years ago, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser...
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What Do Caregivers Do?
This story occurred in the early part of the AIDS epidemic. In 1991, I was part of a coalition working to develop local home care options for AIDS patients. This was before the first AIDS treatment drugs became available, so the prognosis for someone with AIDS was not good. They got sick. If they recovered, they were likely to get sick again soon. Back then, HIV disease was still an unfamiliar and frightening illness, even for medical personnel. The general public was concerned about...
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"What Happened To You? A Journey From Childhood Adversity to Resiliency" Explained by a Compelling Pamphlet
I found a manila envelope on my desk this morning. Inside was a heartfelt letter wrapped around a small stack of pamphlets. I can't remember the last time I held a paper resource guide in my hand, and there is something quite satisfying in this small, tangible resource. As I thumb through the pages, I feel myself drawn into a simple, relate-able story. I'm eager to keep turning pages and to discover how those of us with similar stories can find resources and support. "The pamphlet is...
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What Wildfires Do to Our Minds
A Northern California community offers mental health first-aid to survivors of devastating fires. Yes Magazine-- posted Aug 07, 2018 https://www.yesmagazine.org/ issues/mental-health/what- wildfires-do-to-our-minds- 20180807/ It’s late spring, and I’m hiking Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Sonoma County with therapist, ecopsychologist, and California naturalist Mary Good. A mist is drifting down, and we have the park mostly to ourselves. In October 2017, 80 percent of Sugarloaf’s 3,900 acres...
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Where Do We Start Down the Path of Becoming Trauma Informed?
In April 2018, the Center for Health Care Strategies in New York City hosted an Advancing Trauma-Informed Care meeting. Sonoma County submitted a challenge for the group to discuss: Challenge: "I think one issue we are having is finding where to start. If this is not a step by step process, but a culture shift, where do you begin? Some groups are starting with an agency assessment. Some are starting with ACEs trainings. Some are looking at the SAMSHA guides. Others are desperately trying to...
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Sonoma County ACEs Connection Meeting February 28, 2018
The Sonoma County ACEs Connection has had some exciting meetings the past few months, exploring the many directions our group can and will take in the coming months. Attached you will find a typed up version of our brainstorm sessions from the February, 28, 2018 General Meeting of the Sonoma County ACEs Connection. The topics addressed included: (1) What will the be the group's norms and dedication to safe space look like? (2) What type of resiliency events should our group engage in? (3)...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting Notes from 1-17-16
Dear Sonoma County ACES Connection Enthusiasts, Guess who is coming to our town? Dr. Macy is a tireless pioneer in the field of psychological trauma, psychosocial recovery and resiliency in research, interventions and violence prevention initiatives for children, youth, their families, and adults and their communities exposed to traumatic events including large-scale disasters, terrorist events, and political, school based, community and armed conflict violence. Check out his upcoming...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting Notes from 5-24-17
(For a picture-filled and engaging version of these notes, please see the attachment.) 5-24-17 Thank you to all that participated in our May ACES meeting. Grace Harris started us off with a mindful moment. This “mindful moment” encouraged us to focus on being present. Jane Weil and Tré Vasquez from Restorative Resources shared with us a film that provided an overview of Restorative Resources. Restorative Resources is using trauma-informed practices in multiple schools throughout Sonoma...
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Sonoma County ACEs Connection Meeting Notes November 30, 2016
(For a graphically engaging version of these notes, please see the attachment.) Dear Sonoma County ACEs Connection Friends, Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. Dory Escobar invited the group to take a mindful moment by listening to a “reflection” or short tale with a powerful message about intentions. Grace Harris welcomed the group, and gave a brief overview of the folks that assemble each month. Sonoma County ACEs Connection is a growing community coalition, with...
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Sonoma County ACEs Connection Strategic Planning Session Update
Thanks to all of the members who contributed to our Strategic Planning Session on 6/29/16. The engaging agenda is attached to this post, as is the presentation on the scope of the problem of ACE's in Sonoma County. Our fabulous facilitator, Selena Polston (Innovation Team Program Manager for Public Health) captures some of our meeting highlights in these notes: ACES Connection Retreat: Developing a Vision Statement Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Elsie Allen High School What Makes A Great Vision...
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Sonoma County Office of Education January Bulletin: Trauma-Informed Teaching and Fostering Resilience
This month the Sonoma County Office of Education dedicated their January Bulletin to raising awareness on Trauma-Informed Teaching Knowing Our Students’ Stories and Fostering Resilience. "Recent social and scientific research calls upon educators to provide student with not only academic learning, but also the social and emotional tools needed to be successful in life. We once though subjects like math and history to be disconnected from basic social skills and emotional resilience. Now,...
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Stop Dreaming & Start Doing
With graduation season upon us, I have been thinking a lot about one of my favorite graduation speeches. It’s the speech that Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, gave in 2014 at Dartmouth College. She references the typical expected advice from a graduation speech: “Follow your dreams. Listen to your spirit. Change the world. Make your mark. Find your inner voice and make it sing. Embrace failure. Dream. Dream and dream big..." And then she says, “I think that’s crap.”
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White Paper: A Model for Strengthening Community in Trauma Affected Neighborhoods
This white paper published in 2014 by Bridge Housing Corporation in San Francisco, and the Health Equity Institute at San Francisco State University provides valuable information on how to strengthen trauma affected neighborhoods by utilizing the Trauma Informed Community Building Model. Community members living in low-income and public housing may experience cumulative trauma, resulting from daily stressors of violence, poverty, historical racism and disenfranchisement. By addressing the...
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Wildfire Mental Health Services Collaborative Invites You to RSVP to August 2, 2018 Meeting
Dear Colleagues, Summer is flying by and we want to honor our commitment made to you at the May wildfire mental health services mapping session by reconvening our group for an update on August 2 from 9:00 to 11:00 am. The location for our meeting is Medtronic, 3850 Brickway Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA, 95403. There are no special parking instructions. Enter through the main entrance and check with the receptionist. There will be signs to direct you to our meeting room. Because this is a secure...
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Workshop for Sonoma County ACEs Connection group members
If you're interested in becoming more involved in facilitating the work of the Sonoma County ACEs Connection group, please consider attending a free communications workshop hosted by Berkeley Media Studies Group and the ACEs Connection Network on...
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Yes! Magazine article related to impact of wildfires
https://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/mental-health/what-wildfires-do-to-our-minds-20180807
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Youth court banishes blame; leads with ACEs science
YMCA Marin County Youth Court in San Rafael, California In her opening statement, 17-year-old youth advocate Eva advises jurors how to proceed and summarizes her “client’s” good qualities. “As you will see, Julian is genuine, well-spoken and friendly. I recommend asking him about his friends and family, his future plans and his activities outside of school.” (First names only of all minors are used to protect their privacy.) Welcome to the YMCA Marin County (CA) Youth Court, one of 1,400...
Ask the Community
Feedback Wanted on Draft Working Guidelines for Sonoma County ACEs Connection
Dear Friends, We plan to vote on adopting the attached working guidelines at our September 28, 2016 ACEs Connection Meeting. We are looking for folks to respond with specific edits for text changes by September 12, 2016. Please feel free to use track changes, notes, or simply to send an email with suggested edits and page numbers. Thank you!
Ask the Community
Grad student seeks your input?
Hello Sonoma County ACEs Connection members, My name is Brandin Gordon and I am a graduate student at the University of San Francisco working in dual-degrees in Public Health and Behavioral Health. My fieldwork project will focus on trauma informed care at an organizational level. Utilizing knowledge from my dual majors, my goal is to develop a deeper understanding of organizational needs to implement trauma informed care. In the next couple of weeks, I will be reaching out to organizations...
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy Foundation Training
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