Tagged With "Music and Art Heals"
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California Child Welfare Policy and Progress, Winter Issue
The California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership Report This issue of in sights provides an overview of the latest legislative developments in California, including data and perspectives on the policy and practice transformation taking place with the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR). Beyond a comprehensive summary of child welfare state legislation, this issue also includes a discussion on the key provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act. The issue concludes with...
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California issues update on state residents' ACE scores from 2011 & 2013 surveys
The latest adverse childhood experiences survey from the California Department of Public Health shows that 42% of the population has an ACE score of 3 or higher; 16% have an ACE score of 4 or higher. Those with an ACE score of 4 or higher are: 3x more likely to be current smokers 4x more likely to have a depressive disorder 2x more likely to have asthma 2x more likely to be obese 4x more likely to have COPD 3x more likely to have a stroke Here are a few other highlights from the six-page...
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Community advocates and Bay Area county health agencies work together on trauma-informed systems change
The talk around the table is not what one might expect when community advocates begin a meeting with county health officials. “I went into this [work] through my own lived experience of trauma and family addiction,” said Toni DeMarco, the deputy director of children’s services for San Mateo County Health System. Rocsana Enriquez, who teaches yoga to teens in juvenile hall in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and in high schools for the Palo Alto-based Art of Yoga Project , chimed in. “I’m...
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Community After Disaster, a Therapist’s Musings
Here in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties, the entire community experienced prolonged and extensive hyper-arousal – days on end of watching and wondering where the fires would burn next, and far too many sleepless nights. According to the literature on disasters, what follows is a brief honeymoon period, characterized by community cohesion and gratitude. Sonoma County showed up for each other in major ways in the past couple of weeks, and the outpouring of gratitude to the first responders...
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Community Profiles from selected CA ACEs Initiatives and Programs
CA communities and organizations from across the state shared information about their trauma informed and resilience building initiatives at the Child Adversity Policymaker Awareness Day on July 11, 2017 in Sacramento. The event, organized by 4CA ( California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity) , educated state legislators about the impacts of child adversity across the lifecourse and strategies for preventing ACEs, healing trauma and creating resilient communities. A series of twelve...
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Community Voices: Creating a Just, Healthy and Resilient World
Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC) is a vibrant learning collaborative of fourteen sites actively engaged in building the movement for a just, healthy and resilient world. Using the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resiliency as their organizing framework, these communities have built strong cross-sector networks to help heal and prevent early childhood adversity. From October 2016 through May 2017, we were privileged to travel to all fourteen MARC...
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Stress-related hormone cortisol lowers significantly after just 45 minutes of art creation
I know that I'm preaching to the choir with this article ( Stress-related hormone cortisol lowers significantly after just 45 minutes of art creation ), but I'd like to share a personal story and along with it a some floating hopes I have in all of this trauma-informed work that we strive to do. My Brief Story I didn't always like to paint. In fact, I hated it because I was high-achieving and didn't think I was good enough to do it. One day my senior year of college, a friend of mine (let's...
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CYW releases "Children Can Thrive: A Vision for California's Response to ACEs"
The Center for Youth Wellness released a new report “Children Can Thrive: A Vision for California’s Response to ACEs”. This report is a follow up to last November’s Children Can Thrive Summit. ...
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Do you live in Arizona, Hawaii, California, Nevada or the US Pacific Islands? Come to our no-cost mental and school mental health Winter Institute!
Do you live in Arizona, Hawaii, California, Nevada or the US Pacific Islands?If so...Check it out! 👇 NO COST. MENTAL HEALTH & SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE. AMAZING FACULTY. JANUARY 14, 15, & 16th! LONG BEACH, CA. JOIN US. 🤝 👏 Learn more here: http://bit.ly/mhttc-winterinstitute-flyer Register here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07egq2f9gaebafa6bd&llr=8wdk4ubab
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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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Documentary Wrestling Ghosts tracks a journey from trauma to resilience
When prompted by a life coach to comfort the child inside of her, Kim Montleon, a young mother at the center of the documentary film, Wrestling Ghosts , says emphatically: “I can’t do that; I’m afraid I won’t come back!” That’s the beginning of Montleon’s two-year struggle to dig deep into her own harrowing childhood trauma to find a way to heal so that she can nurture her young children. The documentary by filmmaker Ana Sofia Joanes was screened to more than 140 people on Saturday,...
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Dr. Bruce Perry - Advanced Concepts in Child Trauma & Trauma-Informed Treatment: The Power of Human Connections in Helping Children Heal
Advanced Concepts in Child Trauma & Trauma-Informed Treatment: The Power of Human Connections in Helping Children Heal An inter-disciplinary training for those who work with or are concerned about children $110 (Lunch included) DR. PERRY'S TALK WILL START AT 9A & END AT 3:45P (Lunch provided 12n-12:45p) Parking at the Napa District Auditorium is very limited. Please carpool if possible. (NOTE TO ALUMNI OF THE NAPA IPMH FELLOWSHIP: Please contact Dr. Kristie Brandt directly to...
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The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) & Resiliency Fellowship Begins!
Tomorrow in Sonoma County, a constellation of passionate folks is coming together to begin an incredible journey of working to heal our community by addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences and promoting Resiliency. 60 folks applied and were selected to participate in the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) & Resiliency Fellowship. These local leaders will serve as community educators on the topics of toxic stress and resiliency. Some of the school counselors, peer advocates, home...
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These Black Lives Matters protesters planned a march. The police threw them a cookout instead.
Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Post just posted an inspiring story with a message of hope for communities struggling with tension between police and community members: Activist A.J. Bohannon had organized more than 1,000 Black Lives Matters protesters to march the streets of Wichita on Sunday. But then, days before, he received a call from the new police chief with a different idea. Instead of having an event that drew a hard line between protester and police, why not bring them all...
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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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Transformational Resilience Train the Trainer Opportunities in San Francisco
Applications Now Open for Nov 15-16 Transformational Resilience Intensive Train-the-Trainer Workshop The ITRC is offering a Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Transformational Resilience for climate change aggravated traumas and toxic stresses workshop. The workshop will be held November 15-16 in San Francisco. This will be an intensive 2-day training offered in cooperation with the SEI Resilient Community Fellows Program. It is open to a maximum of 20 people who want to learn how to apply...
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Trauma & Resiliency Summit in the Columbia River Gorge
Hello all! The Columbia River Gorge is hosting a Trauma & Resiliency Summit on October 20th & 21st, 2016 in The Dalles, OR. Registration is made free to attendees through MARC Grant funding. If you are in the area please join us! And please note that registration is only available prior to the event as we have a limited amount of space. Claire
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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 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 Schools Webinar Archive
Did you see the September 22 webinar the National Child Traumatic Stress Network hosted? If you missed it look for it here: http://learn.nctsn.org/ The handouts are also attached. Policy Issues in Implementing Trauma-Informed Schools In this webinar experts will explore policy challenges and lessons learned in promoting and supporting trauma-informed schools. Speakers will share key NCTSN resources related to the development and implementation of trauma-informed schools; discuss the...
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Upcoming Training Opportunity, "Trauma Informed Care: NEAR Informed Solutions"
The Public Health Institute and John Muir Health are excited to sponsor this one-day training. This is a training for providers, educators, and community leaders to better understand Trauma Informed Care. The training will share insights and strategies from the self-healing communities work in Washington State. This training will be held on February 27, 2018 from 9:00am-3:30pm at the First 5 Conference Center. The address is: 1115 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA, 94501. For more information,...
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Upcoming Training Opportunity, "Trauma Informed Care: NEAR Informed Solutions"
The Public Health Institute and John Muir Health are excited to sponsor this one-day training. This is a training for providers, educators, and community leaders to better understand Trauma Informed Care. The training will share insights and strategies from the Self-Healing Communities work in Washington State. This training will be held on February 27, 2018 from 9:00am-3:30pm at the First 5 Conference Center. The address is: 1115 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA, 94501. For more information,...
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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 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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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting 7-26-17
Dear Friends, We look forward to coming together to continue our efforts to raise awareness around Adverse Childhood Experiences & Resiliency. Join our community coalition’s meeting on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 12:30 at 625 5 th Street, Santa Rosa in the City View Rooms. Attached is the agenda for our meeting and last months meeting minutes. Your voice, community insight, and local action is helping us achieve community healing. We thank you for your participation and support! (Please...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting 7-27-16
Dear Friends, Please join us for the upcoming Sonoma County ACEs Connection Meeting on July 27, 2016 12:30 - 2:00 at 625 5 th Street, Santa Rosa. We will not meet in August , but please do mark your calendars for our September 28, 2016 meeting which be held from 12:30 - 2:00. We are looking for an agency to volunteer to host this meeting by providing a meeting space for 30 people. Please let us know if you would like to have the ACEs Connection come out to your site for the September...
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Sonoma County ACEs Connection Meeting Agenda 3/21/18
Hi everyone, Attached is the agenda for today's meeting. I look forward to seeing you all there!
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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 Minutes 4-27-16
Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. We had a great turnout given many partners also planned to attend the Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Prevention luncheon the next day! Today, we started the meeting with a meditation for our mindful moment . Sue Stephenson introduced us to the Tonglen meditation of breathing in suffering and breathing out compassion. With just a few breaths and a focus on our intentions, we were all quickly grounded in the compassion-centered work that...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting Minutes 9-28-16
(Please see attachment for a colorful and engaging version of these minutes.) Dear Sonoma County ACEs Connection Friends, Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. Today, we started the meeting with a mindfulness activity where we used our sense of smell and touch (but not sight!) to explore an object. Tuning into our senses is an easy mindfulness activity we can incorporate into our daily life. Ellen Bauer shared a brief overview of the “ Self-Healing Communities ” model...
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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 2-22-17
(For a picture-filled and engaging version of these notes, please see the attachment.) 02-22-17 Dear Sonoma County ACEs Connection Friends, Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. Kate Jenkins started us off with a prompt to learn five things about two of our neighbors in the room. This “mindful moment” encouraged us to focus on listening, while also paying attention to the different sensations that were occurring in our body and mind. Were we focused on what we wanted to...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting Notes from 2-24-16
(See the attachment for a colorful version with photos.) Dear Sonoma County ACES Connection Enthusiasts, Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. We packed the City View Rooms and showed a team of grant evaluators a great display of passion fueled by our local network. Today, we started the meeting with a quiet mindful moment . Kate offered everyone a raisin and led is in eating it slowly and consciously. Kate reminded us how taking time to deeply observe eating is a...
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Sonoma County ACES Connection Meeting Notes from 3-23-16
(Please see the attachment for the version with photos and colors - it is much more visually interesting!) 3/23/16 Dear Sonoma County ACEs Connection Enthusiasts, Thank you to all that participated in today’s ACES meeting. Today, we started the meeting with a quiet mindful moment . Susan Barnett-Hampson led us in a short meditation, using her soothing, slow voice to ground us in the present moment. A few deep breaths and positive affirmations can help us refocus whenever needed! “ A...
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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 Steering Committee Meeting Notes from 1-10-18
These are the meeting notes for the Sonoma County ACEs Connection Steering Committee meeting from 1-10-17.
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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 Goes to Sacramento with 4CA on Policymaker Education Day on Childhood Adversity 7/11/17
Carla Denner, Health Information Specialist II at First 5 Sonoma County, plans traveling to our state capitol next week. Under her arm she'll have a stack of handouts (see attachment) for policy makers educating them about how adverse childhood experiences and childhood trauma affect our community and what they can do to help. The California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity (4CA) is coordinating this Policymaker Education Day in Sacramento. "Join with allies from across California to...
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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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Sonoma County Resiliency Collaborative A Practical Approach to Post-Wildlife Resilience and Wellbeing
The traumatic events of the North Bay wildfires affect our emotional and physical health, social functioning, and overall well-being, both as individuals and as a community. Unresolved, they can damage our health and limit our potential to rebuild a strong community. Join diverse Sonoma County leaders and representatives to participate in dynamic workshop where you will practice tools for effectively addressing personal and team stress after the fires, network with peers, and learn about an...
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Sonoma County Trauma and Resilience Network One Pager
Attached find a 2018 version of Sonoma County community profile detailing information about your community ACEs initiative. This will be shared with CA legislators at the Trauma-Informed Policymaker Awareness Day on May 22nd in Sacramento. I attach it here as a PDF ready to print and share! I also have uploaded into 'Resources for Downloading' the same PDF, and an editable Word document so that you can update or otherwise improve it. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to...
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Sonoma Film Fest Screens Redford's Followup to Paper Tiger's Film "Resilience"
James Redford will screen "Resilience" twice at Sonoma's Film Fest this weekend. For those of us who were transformed by his first film, Paper Tigers, it is big news that he'll screen his latest documentary in our own backyard. The film works with the provocative premise: “The child may not remember, but the body remembers.” The trailer will surely capture your attention - watch it here . Redford's website further explains: The original research was controversial, but the findings revealed...
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Syrian Children in a state of Toxic Stress
An article posted by BBC News captures what the children of Syria are experiencing and how many of these children don't know anything but war. This is a huge public health concern that could lead to irreversible damage to an entire generation of children. Save the Children shares, "Millions of Syrian Children could be living in a state of "Toxic Stress" due to prolonged exposure to the horrors of war." I have attached the Report, Invisible Wounds produced by Save the Children if you're...
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Why We Need to Root for the Philadelphia Eagles
Next week the Philadelphia Eagles are going to the Super Bowl, and while some of us already have plans to cheer them on from our living rooms, there is another opportunity for us to show them our support. Eagles players and coach Jeffrey Lurie are waging a battle to ensure criminal justice reform and bringing an end to racial inequality. These issues are at the heart of much of our community trauma, and we need to uplift the work of the Eagles to help our communities heal. The New York Times...
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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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Work in Progress -- Comments Requested
This promising short video, created by Allen Nishikawa, was screened at our last monthly meeting. It is intended as a brief introduction to ACEs, similar to an "elevator speech": a quick and general overview to spark interest and further discussion....
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You're invited: Saturday, June 25
On Saturday, June 25 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) and ACEs Connection Sonoma County are hosting an interactive conversation on Resilience at the First Methodist Stony Point Worship Center at 2150 Giffen Avenue, Santa Rosa. Please spread the word, come learn about ACEs and the Resilience Scale from our own Grace Harris, and experience AVP interpersonal exercises! Refreshments and socializing are on the agenda, too. We hope to see you there!
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Youth trauma conference, UC Berkeley!
We are organizing a conference on March 4 at UC Berkeley called: Contextualizing and Understanding Youth Trauma and Cultivating Resilience. It's aimed at bringing together people who don't usually get to share knowledge: community practitioners, researchers, students, scientists and educators. We want to understand the biology and the social-contextual factors of trauma and its impact on youth.
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!