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Meditation and Mindfulness in the Classroom Childhood development is one of the most important periods in a human beings life. It is during this time that individuals absorb the most amount of information and are shaped for the people they will become in future. Sadly, during this critical developmental time, millions of children are affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences. ACEs result in numerous health needs both acute and chronic that can plague individuals for a lifetime. However;...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. About half of all Florida residents have experienced at least one ACE and 21-30% of Alachua County residents have experienced 2 or more ACEs (Bright et al). In 2017 in Alachua County, 11.7% of live births were less than 37 weeks gestation (FLHealthCHARTS), which is higher than the overall rate in Florida. The aims of this intervention are to build resilience in pregnant women with a history of ACEs...

In 2015, Florida detained 37.6 juveniles per 100,000 between the ages of 10-17, which is comparatively lower than the National average of 50.1 per 100,000 children (Juvenile Justice, Geography, Policy, Practice & Statistics). Though this is lower than the national average, that is still a very significant number of young adults being detained for various crimes. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice currently have some interventions in the hopes to prevent and detect risk factors...

This project is designed to engage residents in improving their community. A Community Coordinator will work with residents to empower them to speak out about problems in the community as well as to identify solutions. That Coordinator will also engage agencies, both public and private, that serve that community and assist them in hearing resident feedback and making needed improvements. This project will work with communities in the I-275 corridor, where rates of poverty, crime, domestic...

This project will take a new trauma-informed approach to providing therapy to youths who have previously or are currently experiencing sexual abuse. It utilizes a combination of creative, group, and individual therapies in an after-school based setting that has yet to be explored. It is the hope of this project that through creative and group therapy, the participants will learn how to positively express themselves and channel their emotions while also learning to communicate and build...

Prevention and mitigation of Adverse Childhood Experiences using education for families in poverty A grant proposal by Victoria M. Brase Poverty is a very prevalent problem and has its own risk factors for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Emotional and physical neglect have been shown to be associated with poor outcomes (CDC, 2016). It has been shown that long-term effects of ACEs are impactful in the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, causing increased levels of depression and...

Dealing with a loss can cause traumatic experience for anyone who is affected by it first or second hand. For parents, losing a child could be the most tragic and detrimental experience of their lives. Coping with such tragic loss can effects one’s mental and physical health depending on the resources available and received. Individuals who experience trauma like losing a loved one may face emotional as well as physical health concerns. Dr. Bea from Cleveland Clinic stated on ABC news that...

Predominantly within the 32641 and 32609 zip codes of Alachua County, the elementary schools found in these zones are subject to greater disparities. For example, Stephen Foster Elementary school considers about half of it’s student body to be economically disadvantaged (Florida Department of Education, 2017). Based on the Philadelphia study on expanded ACEs, the importance of developing and implementing an intervention program to combat ACEs within these elementary schools that are subject...

Domestic violence not only affects the individual directly involved, but also the children who are indirectly involved by witnessing the violence. Spreading awareness to children can prevent future generations from normalizing domestic violence in the home. This project will target children in the Gainesville area to help them find peace and resilience from these incidents. Schools and teachers will play a large role in this project by giving students information on what healthy...

Healing From Past Wounds – A Proposal to Give ACEs Training to Psychiatrists and Therapists in San Diego This grant proposal aims to train mental health providers on how to talk to their patients about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). We will educate the public in this county about ACEs and we will improve the trauma-informed skillsets of psychiatrists and therapists. The field of psychiatry now focuses mainly on biological causes for psychological complaints, at the expense of helping...

The Diocese of Palm Beach states as its mission “the Church of Palm Beach will strive to discern God’s will in satisfying the spiritual, moral, sacramental, educational, and basic needs of all people, with justice, respecting the dignity of each person.” Considering the landmark ACE Study by Drs. Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda (1998) which linked childhood adversity with health and well-being throughout the lifespan, and understanding that childhood trauma has been identified as the single...

In my grant proposal, I am asking for funds to create and fuel a trauma-informed prenatal care community class for pregnant women in Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Putnam, and Union counties that focuses on primary level prevention of ACEs. In my proposal, I focus on the importance of incorporating the skills learned from implementing trauma-informed principles into every day life, and the importance of ensuring the baby arrives in a stable, safe, and nurturing environment. Enforcing primary...