When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, educators found themselves in a frenzy for professional development, particularly in Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), as fear, predictions, and anxiety spread by either misinformation (or disinformation). Since 2020, many educators and social service agencies have embraced the concept of being 'trauma-informed.' I had the privilege of being part of a remarkable team of advocates and agencies that successfully lobbied for Hawaiʻi to become a 'TIC State' through...

An ecosystem's response to threat or disruption by a foreign entity is both "resistant" and "resilient," representing a natural defense mechanism to preserve, defend, and adapt to ensure life continues. The Center of the Developing Child at Harvard University has produced an insightful brief titled "The Science of Resilience," emphasizing the critical role of reducing significant adversity's effects on young children's healthy development for societal progress and prosperity. Governor Josh...

It’s time to take action and make our voices heard to build healthy, resilient communities! The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) is organizing trauma-informed advocates, activists, and stakeholders to urge their U.S. Senators and Representatives to support two bipartisan, bicameral bills that would significantly help prevent, address, and mitigate the negative impacts of trauma through community-based/led initiatives.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. visits a distribution center at Lahaina Crossing. A deadly wildfire destroyed the city of Lahaina, Maui. Deanne Fitzmaurice for NPR By Eric Westervelt, National Public Radio (NPR), August 21, 2023 The scale of the physical damage in the historic center of Lahaina is clear in its apocalyptic landscape of rubble, ash and debris. But the scale of the inner damage can be seen in the 5-year-old girl that Maui's chief mental health administrator John Oliver saw...