Tagged With "Indiana Department of Child Services"
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Advocacy in the time of COVID-19—Lessons from New York to create a trauma-Informed legislature
Jenn O'Connor of Prevent Child Abuse New York and Senator George Borrello (R-NY57) Before the official start of her day on March 16— a virtual call with staff members of Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCANY) — Jenn O’Connor, director of policy and advocacy for the organization, and I spoke about how her personal life (suddenly becoming a parent who homeschools) and her worklife changed overnight. O’Connor is managing an ambitious effort to create a trauma-informed legislature in New York. She...
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Afterschool programs and a trauma-informed approach [Afterschool Alliance]
“A trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens must be a part of everything we do.” This statement by Laura Norton-Cruz, Director of the Alaska Resilience Initiative, sums up the key message of last week’s Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing for Congressional staff which focused on “Afterschool Programs and a Trauma-Informed Approach.” On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Senate Afterschool Caucus* — in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance, Alaska Children’s Trust – Alaska Afterschool Network,...
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Alabama 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for Alabama. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input, we’ll...
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Alaska 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for Alaska. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input, we’ll...
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Alaska legislature takes up ACEs resolution similar to those passed in Wisconsin and California
A hearing will be held April 2 on Alaska House Concurrent Resolution 21 (HCR 21) to respond to adverse childhood experiences. The resolution is very similar to those passed in Wisconsin and California . Testimony will be heard in the Health and Social Services Committee on the bill introduced by Representative Geran Tarr. In her statement about the bill , Tarr calls on Governor Walker “to establish policy and programs to address the public and behavioral health epidemic of adverse childhood...
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Alaska passes trauma-informed legislation
In the dark early hours of Mother’s Day, May 13th , before the 2018 Alaska legislative session adjourned, Senate Bill 105 was approved by both the Alaska House and the Senate...making Alaska one of only a handful of states to pass ACEs awareness into statute. This represents years of education, collaboration, and some creative and dogged advocacy this last legislative session. It also represents a promising path forward.
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All Together Now: Working for Families in 2019 [ascend.aspeninstitute.org]
With historic demographic shifts in Congress this year, there is even more momentum to address broken policies that can improve the lives of families across our nation. The Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community (Family Prosperity) is bringing policy, practice, philanthropy, research, and private sector leaders together to capitalize on the energy and opportunities materializing at the local, state, and national levels to improve family-supportive policies. Family Prosperity is...
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Arizona 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for Arizona. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input, we’ll...
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Arizona ACE Consortium: Catalyzing a Statewide Movement [MARC.HealthFederation.org]
The elementary school principal routinely broke into tears. At Wednesday afternoon meetings of the Creating Trauma Sensitive Arizona Schools work group, a committee of the Arizona ACE Consortium , the leader of a high-need, inner-city K-5 school frequently wept as she talked about the trauma her students carried into the classroom and the ways it percolated throughout her campus: in lagging test scores, behavior problems, even teacher retention. The other committee members became her...
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Arizona legislation would create “Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Committee”
Dr. Veenod L. Chulani ___________________________ The Arizona House of Representatives Committee on Health heard presentations on Feb. 9 on “Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences: Creating Hope for a Healthier Arizona.” During the meeting, House Health Chair Heather Carter noted that the hearing was the first step in an ongoing discussion about the importance of addressing childhood trauma. Rep. Carter H.B. 2198 , sponsored by Rep. Heather Carter and co-sponsored by Rep. Regina Cobb who...
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Arkansas 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for Arkansas. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input, we’ll...
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As coronavirus spreads, the bill for our public health failures is due (washingtonpost.com)
Richard E. Besser, a physician, is president and chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, N.J. In spring 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus surfaced in Mexico, swiftly evolving from “outbreak” to “pandemic” in just two months. As acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time, I led our work to issue preliminary warnings and evidence-based recommendations to help Americans reduce their risk of infection — very similar to what we’re...
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Bi-partisan trauma resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
A bi-partisan resolution “Recognizing the importance and effectiveness of trauma-informed care” ( H. Res. 443 ) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 13 by Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and co-sponsor Danny K. Davis (D-IL). The impetus for the resolution resides with the First Lady of Wisconsin, Tonette Tonette Walker Walker, who has taken a strong leadership role in advancing trauma-informed policy and practice statewide through Fostering Futures and of late with the new...
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Bipartisan, bicameral trauma legislation provides support for community initiatives and workforce development
In the current polarized political environment, it is no small feat for a bill to be introduced with bipartisan support in both chambers—a fact that bodes well for the future of the “Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) from Trauma Act of 2019.” Identical bills titled “The RISE from Trauma Act of 2019” were introduced in the Senate and the House on June 10, with bipartisan support from members of Congress representing diverse states, districts, and constituencies. While...
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California 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for California. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input,...
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California moves to curtail expelling children from preschool — yes, preschool [edsource.org]
After successfully reducing expulsions in its K-12 schools , California is now moving to restrict the practice with even younger children — at the preschool level. To that end, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation last month that bars state-subsidized preschool programs from expelling kids unless an exhaustive process aimed at supporting the child and family is followed first. Children can be expelled from preschool as a result of any number of aggressive behaviors that could jeopardize the...
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California’s Surgeon General Readies Statewide Screening for Child Trauma [chronicleofsocialchange.org]
By Jeremy Loudenback, Chronicle of Social Change, September 19, 2019 Soon after being appointed California’s first-ever surgeon general, Nadine Burke Harris took off on a barnstorming tour across the state to talk about adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress, an issue she calls “the biggest public health crisis facing California today.” Before the pediatrician was appointed to her position in January by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Harris had founded and led the Center for Youth Wellness,...
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CARES Act Funding: Opportunity for Trauma-Informed Programs in Indian Country [natlawreview.com]
By Daniel S Press, The National Law Review, May 11, 2020 There will be many demands on the funds that Tribes and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) receive from the $2.2 trillion U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, but allocating funds to implement trauma-informed programs to address the surge in mental health problems caused by COVID-19 should not be overlooked. As quarantines end, the trauma caused by COVID-19 will become apparent and tribal communities will be...
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Child Trends submits comments on a clearinghouse of evidence-based practices (Child Trends)
Child Trends responded to a request for comments from the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), about the development of a clearinghouse of evidence-based practices in accordance with the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. The Family First Act is a powerful new opportunity for states to extend the largest federal funding source, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act , to include services and supports that can prevent...
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Child Welfare Agencies By State
This comprehensive list was created back in July of 2014 and undoubtedly already needs some updating. But, most of it is likely current. This list was NOT created to harass ANY state child welfare employee, but rather to make it possible...
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Children with special health care needs are more likely to have adverse childhood experiences [ChildTrends.org]
Authors: Deborah Seok, David Murphey, Fadumo M. Abdi Publication Date: December 10, 2019 The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is higher among children and youth with special health care needs than among their peers without special health care needs, according to Child Trends’ analysis of data from the 2016-17 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). The survey asks parents or guardians to report whether their child has experienced any of nine ACEs. The percentage of...
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Colorado 2018 State Profile
Hi, Everyone: Here’s the state profile for Colorado. To review the entire profile, open the PDF that is attached to this post. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments section of this post. We’ll be reviewing the comments regularly and doing fact-checks. The information you give us will also help us determine how to organize and expand the information in the state profiles. We will be turning this post into a living profile that, with your help and input, we’ll...
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Re: H-0299 As Introduced (2).pdf
Hello everyone, Here's the new ACEs bill from the state of Vermont. It was just released yesterday afternoon - it hasn't been introduced yet. We are very fortunate to have a state Representative who is not only very passionate about addressing early adversity, he is open and collaborative. There are sections in here for many different areas - as written, the bill would require a state-wide inventory of available trauma treatment and prevention resources, of who is screening for early...
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Re: Improving the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Scale
But if you are asked, "What is your evidence behind your screening tool?" Ask "What is the evidence behind yours?"(for example for pediatric bipolar). You will find that the DSM is a group of academic doctors getting together to decide these symptoms mean this diagnosis. The evidence is slim at best. They can give not genetic, epigenetic, demographic or you name it ... answers....However an association called "The Directors of State Mental Health Providers asked them to put Developmental...
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Re: Improving the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Scale
Tina, in Vermont, we are working with our legislature. Elizabeth Prewit did two (?) pieces about the Vermont activity, which I'm sure you can find on the ACEs Connection website. I took issue with them on prescisely this issue - the screening. The ACE study is an incredibly valuable study. It is a watershed moment in the childhood trauma world. It did not, however, develop screening tools, and it is not "trauma informed." The ten-item ACE questionnaire is not a validated screen - it came out...
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Re: Program To Support Children Affected By Opioid Epidemic [news.wnin.org]
@Ingrid Cockhren (PACEs Connection Staff) , FYI.
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Re: State profiles for 50 states and District of Columbia
Cobscook Community Learning Center's TREE Program is a collaborative educational initiative recently launched in far Downeast Maine. Partnering with students, teachers, families, and community members, the program seeks to create emotionally and socially supportive environments where all children can learn. TREE ~Transforming Rural Experience in Education is based on the understanding that adversity, stress, and trauma are not just individual mental health issues, but also systemic,...
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Re: South Dakota 2018 State Profile
Thank you for preparing this document. A few updates on the highlights... Children's Home Society partnered with Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment on the statewide initiative to support trauma informed care through resilient communities. An inaugural initiative event in January brought Dr. Robert Anda, co-founder of the Adverse Childhood Experience study, and Laura Porter, former director of the Washington Family Policy Council, to kick off the South Dakota ACEs and Resiliency...
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Re: Vermont 2018 State Profile
Hi Morgan, Thank you for the excellent work creating the state profiles. It is really impressive. I'm wondering if there is an opportunity to add material? The Vermont profile is very heavily focused on the legislature and leaves out a great deal of the on-the-ground work that has been happening in Vermont prior to the 2013 conference, and to an even greater degree, since. We have the Child & Family Trauma Workgroup, a public-private group that has been meeting for 15 years and was the...
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Re: Kansas 2018 State Profile
Thanks for putting these together! There are a few corrections to be made. KPoP is organized by KCSL as the Prevent Child Abuse Chapter for Kansas in partnership with KDHE. Also, the link you have for the Midwest Trauma Training Center goes to a Medical Trauma training site for nurses. There are others we would love to add from across our great state - just let us know the best way to do that!
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Re: Mississippi 2018 State Profile
Dear State ACEs Action Community, Several colleges/universities in Mississippi are creating Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) Programs that adhere to curriculum standards from the National Child Protection Training Center. For example, my institution, Mississippi State University, will develop a 3-course sequence for a certificate program that adds a credential in experiential, interdisciplinary training in child/family trauma and response. The certificate is meant to be open to community...
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Re: "How to talk policy and influence people": a Law and Justice interview with Dr Wendy Ellis
This was excellent! I always love to hear Wendy share her perspective. We're using the Pair of ACES Tree this week in a large virtual convening in Oklahoma that's focused on the intersection of child welfare and early childhood. It's a featured part of the meeting, as we are trying to engendered a new mental model with regard to what drives young children and their families into the child welfare system.
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Re: Two studies shed light on state legislators’ views on ACEs science and trauma policy
Where might I find an update on which states have enacted mandatory trauma informed trainings in their schools, and is there an updated snapshot of what types of trauma-informed trainings are required in different states? We (About Child Trauma Foundation) offer 8 Pennsylvania Dept of Ed approved trauma-informed courses, and I'm wondering if we cover what other states' departments of education are requiring. Thank you! Lark Eshleman, PhD, Former School Principal and Psychologist E.D. About...
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Re: Indiana ACEs Groups
I live in Terre Haute. I have a private counseling practice where I use EMDR and Theraplay for resolving complex trauma. I'm also the national research director for Theraplay, and am president of the Association of Child & Adolescent Counseling. I would love to join any statewide efforts that others might begin. I've written a lot about early relational trauma and development, and would be open to doing training or consultation for agencies or schools if needed. I really hope IN gets...
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I learned the impact of prolonged exposure to stress from my foster child [washingtonpost.com]
By Jenn O'Connor, The Washington Post, June 6, 2020 You know what stress is, right? You’re late for work, your car won’t start, gas costs more than you expected. We’ve all been there, and it’s not pleasant, that palm-sweating, heart-racing anxiety. Luckily, it’s not long-lasting — not toxic. What is toxic stress? It’s prolonged adversity and/or abuse — not having enough to eat or being exposed to violence. It’s the kind of stress that puts you on edge and keeps you there, day after day after...
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U.S. Southeast trauma leaders share successes, challenges in making changes
Leaders in ACEs/trauma/resilience movements from 10 states in the Southeast U.S. met for a networking call on May 21, 2020, to learn about flexible funding opportunities for states under the CARES Act, ways to get involved in advocacy, and how to share their successes and challenges in building statewide coalitions. The meeting of leaders was organized by ACEs Connection and the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) in response to COVID-19 and the growing interest in...
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America the Unhealthy: Inequality kills (knowablemagazine.org)
We are the only country that systematically collects data by race; race is not a biological construct, so what is race? So to compare the US with other countries you have to get at the question indirectly. Brazil, the United States and Cuba are countries in which the largest segment of the population is white, but each has a relatively large black population. There was a study done by a Harvard professor in the 1990s that looked at life expectancy differences among blacks and whites in each...
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2020 KIDS COUNT Data Book [aecf.org]
2020 State Trends in Child Well-Being By the Annie E. Casey Foundation on June 22, 2020 The 31st edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT® Data Book describes how children across the United States were faring before the coronavirus pandemic began. This year’s publication continues to deliver the Foundation’s annual state rankings and the latest available data on child well-being. It also identifies multi-year trends — comparing statistics from 2010 to 2018. As always,...
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Invitation to July 28 Webinar On The Urgent Need, Methods, and Benefits of Enacting the New ITRC Mental Wellness and Resilience Policy
You are invited to join a free 1 hr. webinar on Tuesday , July 28 from 12:30-1:30 pm Pacific Time (3:30-4:30 pm ET) on the new ITRC Mental Wellness and Resilience Policy Click here to register for the free webinar What is the Need for a New Climate Change Mental Wellness and Resilience Policy? Climate science indicates that global temperatures will, in the not too distant future, rise above the 2.7-degree F. temperature threshold that unleashes civilization-changing impacts. The U.S. is...
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Congress urged to address trauma in the 4th COVID bill
Now that the July 4 th congressional recess has ended, negotiations around the fourth major COVID relief bill are underway between the Congress and the Administration. How the chasm between Congress and the White House will be bridged is a path uncertain, with massive differences between the House and Senate complicating the work. As the pandemic rages across the U.S., there is now at least a consensus that action is needed. But no agreement exists on a payroll tax cut, unemployment...
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Wolf Administration Releases ‘Trauma-Informed PA’ Plan with Recommendations and Steps for the Commonwealth and Providers to Become Trauma-Informed [PA Governor Tom Wolf Press Release]
July 27, 2020 As a companion to Governor Tom Wolf’s multi-agency effort and anti-stigma initiative, Reach Out PA: Your Mental Health Matters, the Office of Advocacy and Reform (OAR) is releasing the “Trauma-Informed PA” plan to guide the commonwealth and service providers statewide on what it means to be trauma-informed and healing-centered in PA. This plan is the result of four months of work from OAR and the Trauma-Informed PA Think Tank, formed in February. The think tank was made up of...
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Bill introduced in US House of Representatives to substantially increase "Safe Babies" courts
Rep. Rosa DeLauro speaks to students at John Lyman Elementary School, Middlefield, CT A bipartisan bill ( H.R. 7868 )—Strengthening America’s Families Act (SAFA)— was introduced Friday, July 30 by lead sponsors Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL). The bill provides seed money to states to develop and enhance infant-toddler court teams (ITCTs, aka Safe Babies Court Teams) and authorizes a national resource center to guide state and local programs to develop their...