An Alaska interagency workgroup began meeting in 2013 to put together this report, which has a large section on the effect of ACEs on Alaska's citizens to demonstrate the urgency for resilience-building programs. The Public Safety, Health and Social Services, and Education and Early Development departments worked on this. Here are the calls for action:
1. Support quality early childhood programs.
As demonstrated, investing in Alaska’s children through programs like Head Start, Early Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Pre-Kindergarten, and other quality child care programs will pay enormous dividends in the future. Support for evidence-based programs such as Strengthening Families – which supports family strengths and resiliency focused on protective factors – is a cost effective, proven way to improve health and well-being.
As demonstrated, investing in Alaska’s children through programs like Head Start, Early Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Pre-Kindergarten, and other quality child care programs will pay enormous dividends in the future. Support for evidence-based programs such as Strengthening Families – which supports family strengths and resiliency focused on protective factors – is a cost effective, proven way to improve health and well-being.
2. Ensure access to health care including behavioral health care.
Comprehensive health care services provide opportunities for preventing and identifying adverse experiences and the resulting poor health outcomes. Care for children should include regular well child check-ups with comprehensive screening for developmental delays, social and emotional concerns, and exposure to high risk environments. Screening for depression, domestic violence and substance abuse should be available for pregnant women and new parents. Routine care should provide information about healthy relationships and the health effects of victimization. Parents should receive anticipatory guidance on child development and information about the effects of interpersonal violence and other adverse experiences on children.
Comprehensive health care services provide opportunities for preventing and identifying adverse experiences and the resulting poor health outcomes. Care for children should include regular well child check-ups with comprehensive screening for developmental delays, social and emotional concerns, and exposure to high risk environments. Screening for depression, domestic violence and substance abuse should be available for pregnant women and new parents. Routine care should provide information about healthy relationships and the health effects of victimization. Parents should receive anticipatory guidance on child development and information about the effects of interpersonal violence and other adverse experiences on children.
3. Strengthen capacity for social emotional learning throughout Alaska’s schools.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to:
- Recognize and manage their emotions
- Set and achieve positive goals
- Demonstrate caring and concern for others
- Establish and maintain positive relationships
- Make responsible decisions
- Handle interpersonal situations effectively
These critical social-emotional competencies involve skills that enable children to calm themselves when angry, initiate friendships and resolve conflicts respectfully, make ethical and safe choices, and contribute constructively to their community. SEL programming promotes students’ social-emotional skills and positive attitudes, which, in turn, lead to improved adjustment and academic performance as reflected in more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and better grades and achievement test scores.
4. Maintain and expand prevention efforts that have proven to be effective.
4. Maintain and expand prevention efforts that have proven to be effective.
Collaborative prevention efforts increase opportunities for braided and blended funding streams and provide additional infrastructure for collaboration. All parties with a vested interested should be engaged, including seemingly unlikely partners, such as the business community, law enforcement, faith communities, etc. Successful community-led efforts should be supported with technical assistance and information on practice-informed and evidence-based practices.
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