March 2021

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...

By Joe Parks, MD - Medical Director, National Council for Behavioral Health The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the health and welfare of so many people, and it seems no one is immune from the fear, isolation or economic anxiety caused by this historic public health crisis. The mental health of young people represents a unique concern that requires attention. In a recent survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 63% of 18- to-24-year-olds...

Hey Alberta residents, help kids and possibly win $10,000! Be a hero, buy a ticket... or 20. https://app.simplyk.io/en/ticketing/325916e8-4ed6-4600-9967-98dcd301a1f0 Rotary is 1.2 million do-gooders from across the planet that want to make our world a better place. Having four ACES is great when you are playing poker... but having 4 ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) make life harder than it needs to be. ACES science (released 1998) has clearly demonstrated the relationship between high...

We have some very exciting news! As of today, ACEs Connection is now PACEs Connection. PACEs stands for Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

By Michela Balconi, Giulia Fronda, and Maria Elide Vanutelli, BMC Neuroscience, April, 7, 2020 Abstract Background Recently several studies in the psychological and social field have investigated the social function of gift exchange as a useful way for the consolidation of interpersonal and social relationships and the implementation of prosocial behaviors. Specifically, the present research wanted to explore if gift exchange, increased emotional sharing, gratitude and interpersonal...

Please join us this evening, Tuesday, March 16th, at 7:00 p.m. EST for a Zoom discussion with special guest Father Paul Abernathy. We will discuss parts 4 and 5 of the Whole People documentary series, the Trauma-Informed Community Development model, and the Neighborhood Resilience Project. This event is free, and co-sponsored by ACEs Connection , the CTIPP (The Campaign for Trauma -Informed Policy & Practice), and the Relentless School Nurse as part of our Transform Trauma with ACEs...

Before Breonna Taylor's name became synonymous with police violence against Black Americans, she was an emergency medical technician in Louisville, Ky. The 26-year-old Black woman's friends and family say she was beloved, and relished the opportunity to brighten someone else's day. Exactly one year ago, Louisville police gunned her down in her home. Now, her name is a ubiquitous rallying cry at protests calling for police reforms, and many social justice advocates point to her story as an...

By Elizabeth Crouch, Elizabeth Radcliff, and Melinda A. Merrell, et al., Child Abuse & Neglect, February 27, 2021 Abstract Background: Examination of racial/ethnic differences in positive childhood experiences (PCEs) is needed, as the absence of supportive factors may hinder children from healthy processing and mitigation of adversity. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of PCEs in a nationally representative sample of children and determine whether PCE...

By Olivia Weeks, The Daily Yonder, March 11, 2021 In recent decades, the number of women incarcerated in North Carolina has skyrocketed. In 2017, the state’s female prison population totaled 2,634, almost six times its 1978 number. In the early aughts, programming for women reentering society lagged behind growing incarceration rates, said Benevolence Farm Executive Director Kristen Powers in a phone interview. In 2008, social worker and Benevolence Farm founder Tanya Jisa put together a...

By Molly Oswaks, The New York Times, March 13, 2021 The Yale happiness class, formally known as Psyc 157: Psychology and the Good Life , is one of the most popular classes to be offered in the university’s 320-year history. The class was only ever taught in-person once, during the spring 2018 semester , as a 1,200-person lecture course in the largest space on campus. That March, a free 10-week version made available to the public via Coursera , titled “the Science of Well-Being,” also became...

By Colleen Connolly, The Imprint, March 7, 2021 Since he first began studying the brain in stroke patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, cognitive neuroscientist Damien Fair has become a star in the field of pediatric and adolescent brain development. His work has led to a greater understanding of mental health disorders and the impact of trauma, including intergenerational trauma, on the young brain. Last fall, Fair was named as one of the 2020 MacArthur “genius”...

One of the blessings for me was learning about Steve and Dorthy Halley’s work through their company, Family Peace Initiative (FPI). As Licensed Master Social Workers, their work for nearly 30 years has centered on facilitating batterers intervention programs (BIP). In other words, they help people who have been involved in committing domestic violence against a spouse or partner.