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When advocates gather (virtually) to commemorate ACEs Awareness Day on April 30, there will be lots to celebrate—most specifically, the inclusion of language about ACEs in the FY 21-22 New York State budget (see attached document for the link to the budget and ACEs text). It calls for mandated reporters to be educated about “ACEs, the importance of protective factors and the availability of services for children at risk for suffering from ACEs.” It also requires the Office of Child and...

By Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press, April 4, 2021 “I was there watching it the whole time,” Quinto-Collins told The Associated Press. “I just trusted that they knew what they were doing.” Angelo Quinto’s sister had called 911 for help calming him down during an episode of paranoia on Dec. 23. His family says Quinto didn’t resist the Antioch, California, officers — one who pushed his knee on the back of his neck, and another who restrained his legs — and the only noise he made was when he...

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, with Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, left, and First Lady Britainy Beshear, places a flag at the state Capitol to memorialize Kentuckians who have died of complications from COVID-19. In Kentucky and at least three other states, lawmakers are trying to gain control over funds allocated to their state under the latest federal COVID-19 relief package. Photo Credit: Ryan C. Hermens Lexington Herald-Leader via The Associated Press March 31, 2021 With states set to...

New York Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi pushes a small investment that can have a big impact on trauma experienced by children and families during pandemic.

By Richard E. Besser, The Hill, March 16, 2021 For much of the past year, most every American has been looking forward to the day when optimism can replace dread. With vaccination numbers climbing , COVID cases and deaths declining , the economy showing signs of healing and winter ending, many might feel that day has come. And while I am truly optimistic, my optimism is for the vision of what our nation could be, not for what it was before the pandemic or what it is now. A large swath of the...

The House of Representatives passed the Senate-amended version of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package—the American Rescue Plan ( H.R. 1319 )—on March 10, giving President Biden his first major legislative achievement. The phased-in increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025 was dropped prior to Senate consideration because the parliamentarian ruled it was not consistent with budget reconciliation rules. President Biden will address the nation on Thursday evening (8:00 ET) to mark the...

When the Association of State and Territorial Health Organizations (ASTHO) fielded the ACEs capacity assessment tool (ACECAT) in 2019, it prompted a 75% response rate, reflecting the states’ growing awareness of the impact of ACEs on health and eagerness to add to the body of knowledge about states’ activities and capacities around ACEs. After participating in the ACECAT, Nicole Daley, Director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Division of Violence and Injury Prevention,...

A fierce Indigenous woman is now the caretaker of the nation’s public lands and waters for the first time in U.S. history. Deb Haaland was confirmed as the nation’s 54th Secretary of the Interior in a 51-40 vote Monday, making her the first Native American to lead a Cabinet agency. Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan broke from party lines to vote to confirm Haaland, a notable choice given other Republican senators publicly saying she was not the...

Telling the truth about philanthropy is the first step to transforming it for generations to come. What would it mean to “decolonize” philanthropy? Language matters. As Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang have powerfully argued, “ Decolonization is not a metaphor ,” and shouldn’t be used to describe anything but fundamentally dismantling white supremacy. That means centering oppressed perspectives, supporting the rematriation of land, redistributing resources, shifting power and decision making, and...

Body, Mind, and Spirit. An indivisible combination that is the cornerstone for holistic wellness for Native Americans. It is also the slogan that appears beneath the medicine wheel on the sign for the San Diego American Indian Health Center . “Da'anzho,” said Ruben Leyva, standing at the corner in Bankers Hill where the clinic is located. “That means ‘hello’ in the Apache language. I am a Chiricahua Chíhénde Apache. I stand here honored and humbled to speak to you on Kumeyaay land.” In order...

By Tara O'Neill Hayes, American Action Forum, February 16, 2021 Executive Summary The Biden Administration’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan , currently making its way through Congress, would provide significant financial assistance through a wide array of government programs. In addition to the myriad provisions t he American Action Forum re views here , the package provides funding for child care , child abuse and prevention, nutrition assistance, and health care in rural areas . This...

By Washington Post Live, The Washington Post, February 19, 2021 As California surpasses New York in the number of deaths due to COVID-19, the state continues to grapple with vaccine shortages, disparities in immunizations, and the rapid spread of coronavirus mutations. California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, MD, who advises the governor on matters of public health, joins Washington Post Live for a discussion focused on the state of California’s battle with COVID-19. She’ll discuss...