April 2022

My grant proposal seeks to create a program that introduces counter-ACEs and builds resilience in the North Philly community. This program is targeted at minority families with whom their children experience at least one ACE. The parents will be enrolled in programs to attain GEDs and certifications for full time-employment. While parents are in certification programs children will be doing hobby-like activities like dance or recreational sports. Parents will have the opportunity to build...

First generation students are at high risk of dropping out during their second or first year at a College or University, and are “51% less likely to graduate within 4 years” compared to students who have parents with college education (Ishitani, 2006). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in the first-generation immigrant student population is largely understudied and may also be a contributing factor to the dropout rates. A recent study demonstrated that Latino Immigrants experience traumas...

Hispanic/Latinx families, especially in the rural south, experience a myriad of ACES and issues with substance abuse or heavy alcohol consumption. According to the Florida Health Charts (2020), in Alachua County alcohol consumption (heavy binge drinking) has increased substantially from 19.9% of Hispanic adults in 2016 to 35.7% of Hispanic adults in 2019. WellFlorida Council and the Rural Women's Health Project will collaborate to create a summer long program through the local Iglesia...

Trauma caused by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, and other traumatic exposures are associated with neurological impacts on the developing brain. These impacts are concerning to the brain’s responses to stress, with resulting impairments and functionalities leading to increased risks for depressive disorders in adulthood. To combat this issue, this proposed program seeks to provide preventative activities of expressive arts as a method of...

In 2020, more than half a million children were served by foster care systems across the nation. Yet, the topic is seemingly nonexistent; unmentioned in the media, forgotten in political discourse, and even overlooked in the field of public health. The initial removal of children from their homes is itself a traumatic experience, in addition to whatever circumstances led to removal; an entire traumatized population is left to a system that kicks them out at midnight on their 18 th birthday.

Adverse childhood experiences are prevalent in the United States, yet those who report the highest number of traumatic events are individuals already more at risk to health disparities—minority, economically disadvantaged populations (Turney, 2020). ACEs affect many children based on surveys reported by adults asked to reflect on their childhood experiences. According to the CDC, nearly 61% of adults surveyed across more than half of the United States reported experiencing at least one type...

Summary Sexual violence is an issue on college campuses across the nation, with 26.4% of women and 6.9% of men being victims of sexual violence (Association of American Universities, 2019). Sexual trauma can have many long-term mental and physical effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and greater risk of heart disease (Campbell et al., 2008; Senn et al., 2015). This indicates that sexual violence is something that needs to be addressed and prevented as much as possible. To prevent...

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by emotional dysregulation, unstable self-identity and interpersonal relationships, and self-injury. A vast majority will attempt suicide, with 1 in 10 completing suicide. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are prevalent in those with BPD – between 30-90% have experienced trauma. Due to these factors, there is a dire need for a trauma-informed, primary prevention intervention for patients with BPD. Through targeting pre-adolescent aged...

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect 15.5% of individuals living in Florida, and Polk County has one of the highest percentages of residents reporting 2 or more ACEs. Studies show ACEs have negative health outcomes on children and adults but promoting safe, stable, nurturing relationships, and creating trauma-informed communities can lead to positive impacts on these individuals. To address the needs of these communities, we developed a trauma-informed program that aims to help women...

For my grant proposal, I choose to address substance abuse among at-risk Alachua county youth with 3 or more ACEs as a negative coping mechanism. I developed a trauma-informed therapy intervention program that aims to educate the youth about positive coping mechanisms and foster social support among feel at-risk peers. Summary: Children who experience adverse childhood experiences and traumatic events are at a higher risk of partaking in negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse and...

My program, Conversations About Consent (CAC), aims to significantly reduce the prevalence of sexual assault perpetration and prevent sexually violent behaviors towards women on the University of Florida’s campus via a web-based program applicable for all genders. CAC also strives to propagate personal resilience in survivors of sexual violence through their involvement in the implementation of the program. Participants will access the program through a password-protected web portal that...

Summary: One in five people are living with the signs and symptoms of a mental health condition (NIMH, 2022). Many others support, live with, or love those living with a mental health condition. Living with a person that has a mental health condition is among the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) (Felitti et al., 1998). The children that live in homes with a parent or other family member that has a mental health diagnosis live with at least one ACE. We know that the more ACEs a person...