What are adverse childhood experiences?

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). For example: experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, having a family member attempt or die by suicide.

Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding, such as growing up in a household with: substance use problems, mental health problems, instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison.

Join us for an in-depth discussion as we talk about ways to combat Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Date: October 5th, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (EST)
Location: Sentara Obici Hospital Classrooms A/B (Ground Floor) 2800 Godwin Blvd, Suffolk, VA 23434
Presented by: Caitlyn Shieler

This training will:

• Help you to understand what Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are; plus, the impact and consequences they have on individuals and communities.
• Recognize the symptoms and behaviors of toxic stress.
• Learn strategies that build resilience in trauma-impacted individuals.
• What are adverse childhood experiences?

How big is the problem?

ACEs are common. About 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported they had experienced at least one type of ACE before age 18, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs.

Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce many health conditions. For example, by preventing ACEs, up to 1.9 million heart disease cases and 21 million depression cases could have been potentially avoided.

Some children are at greater risk than others. Women and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for experiencing four or more types of ACEs.

ACEs are costly. The economic and social costs to families, communities, and society totals hundreds of billions of dollars each year. A 10% reduction in ACEs in North America could equate to an annual savings of $56 billion.

What are the consequences?

ACEs can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, as well as life opportunities such as education and job potential. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems (including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death), involvement in sex trafficking, and a wide range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.

ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, frequently moving, and experiencing food insecurity, can cause toxic stress (extended or prolonged stress). Toxic stress from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune systems, and stress-response systems. These changes can affect children’s attention, decision-making, and learning.

Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, jobs, and depression throughout life. These effects can also be passed on to their own children. Some children may face further exposure to toxic stress from historical and ongoing traumas due to systemic racism or the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.

Register Here:

This group is for women between the ages of 18-late adulthood, who identify or have experienced trauma.

Date and time: Every Monday from 2PM – 4PM (EST)
Location:  Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Trainer: Charli Urrea

The purpose of Beauty for Ashes Women’s Empowerment Group is to empower women to discover their inner strength, shatter the shame of mental health, and to find a community of other women on the journey of mental health recovery. We believe all women who have a past of pain can transform that pain into purpose and personal growth.

Group topics may include sexual abuse 101, coping strategies, self-esteem, self-confidence, body images, trust, fear, anger, sadness, grief, shame, intimacy, self-care, relationships and attachments.

Register Here:

Mental Health First Aid teaches about recovery and resiliency – the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and use their strengths to stay well.

TOPICS COVERED in MHFA

• Depression and mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Trauma
• Psychosis
• Substance Use disorders

Date: October 10th, 2023
Time: 9:00am-5:00pm (EST)
Location: Franklin Food Bank – 618 South St, Franklin VA 23851
Trainers: Caitlyn Shieler and Karin Duncan

What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.

Mental Health First Aiders are…

Teachers, first responders and veterans. They’re neighbors, parents and friends. They’re people in recovery, and those supporting a loved one. They’re First Ladies and Mayors. Mental Health First Aiders are anyone who wants to make their community healthier, happier and safer for all.

More than 2.5 million people across the United States have been trained in Mental Health First Aid by a dedicated base of more than 15,000 Instructors.

Mental Health First Aid Matters

Most of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack—we’d start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or co-worker might be showing signs of alcoholism.

Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder.

When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they need. Mental Health First Aiders are a vital link between someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge and appropriate supports.

Register Here:

Sponsored By Western Tidewater Community Services Board and Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

This symposium focuses on the Specialty Behavioral Health and Drug Court dockets within our courts. This symposium is targeted towards judges, lawyers, mental health professionals, probation and parole professionals, and others.

Date: October 12th, 2023
Time: 8:00am-4:30pm (EST)
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront – 100 East Constance Rd, Suffolk, Virginia

Moderator

Don Roberts, Retired WAVY TV 10 News Anchor

Presentations

• Honorable Theresa Dellick, Specialty Dockets Mahoning Youngstown, OH
• Dr. Michael Fatula, Virginia Department Corrections
• Dr. Kevin Cuffee, Behavioral Health Adult Correctional Services, Virginia Beach
• Vernard Hines, R-CPRS, Laugh Therapist
• Azeem Majeed, R-CPRS, Peer Recovery

Registration for this Symposium has reached capacity. 

This group is for women between the ages of 18-late adulthood, who identify or have experienced trauma.

Date and time: Every Monday from 2PM – 4PM (EST)
Location:  Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Trainer: Charli Urrea

The purpose of Beauty for Ashes Women’s Empowerment Group is to empower women to discover their inner strength, shatter the shame of mental health, and to find a community of other women on the journey of mental health recovery. We believe all women who have a past of pain can transform that pain into purpose and personal growth.

Group topics may include sexual abuse 101, coping strategies, self-esteem, self-confidence, body images, trust, fear, anger, sadness, grief, shame, intimacy, self-care, relationships and attachments.

Register Here:

REVIVE! is the Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education (OONE) program for the Commonwealth of Virginia. REVIVE! provides training on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose emergency using naloxone.

Date: October 17th, 2023
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm (EST)
Location: SENTARA OBICI HOSPITAL – 2800 Godwin Blvd, Suffolk, VA 23434, Ground floor classrooms A/B
Trainers: Caitlyn Shieler

This training covers understanding opioids, how opioid overdoses happen, risk factors for opioid overdoses, and how to respond to an opioid overdose emergency with the administration of Naloxone*.

Since 2013, fatal drug overdose has been the leading method of unnatural death in Virginia, surpassing all other forms of unnatural death including homicide, suicide, motor vehicles accidents, and undetermined deaths. Opioids have been the driving force behind the large increases in fatal overdoses since 2013. In 2019, there were 1,289 deaths from all-opioids which includes all versions of fentanyl, heroin, prescription opioids and U-47700 (an illicitly manufactured synthetic opioid). (OCME Quarterly Report)

https://dbhds.virginia.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/revive/

*The basic REVIVE! Training is not sufficient for First Responders and will not qualify you for “No Cost Naloxone”. Please click the link below for information on our First Responder’s REVIVE! Training. First Responders include (Law enforcement, EMS, Fire Dept., Regional Jails, Probation and Parole, Forestry, Military, Juvenile Justice, Court Services, State Parks, and Correctional Facilities.)

Register Here:

This group is for women between the ages of 18-late adulthood, who identify or have experienced trauma.

Date and time: Every Monday from 2PM – 4PM (EST)
Location:  Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Trainer: Charli Urrea

The purpose of Beauty for Ashes Women’s Empowerment Group is to empower women to discover their inner strength, shatter the shame of mental health, and to find a community of other women on the journey of mental health recovery. We believe all women who have a past of pain can transform that pain into purpose and personal growth.

Group topics may include sexual abuse 101, coping strategies, self-esteem, self-confidence, body images, trust, fear, anger, sadness, grief, shame, intimacy, self-care, relationships and attachments.

Register Here:

At a LivingWorks safeTALK workshop, you’ll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support.

A skilled, supportive trainer will guide you through the course, and a community resource will be on hand to support your safety and comfort.

Date: October 24th, 2023
Time: 9:00am-12:30pm (EST)
Location: Harborview Mental Health Center (Whiteboard Room) – 7025 Harbour View Blvd, Suite 119, Suffolk, VA 23435
Trainer: Charlene Cutting, Caitlyn Shieler

Like all of LivingWorks’ core programs, LivingWorks safeTALK is evidence-based. Here’s what over 15 peer-reviewed reports and government studies on LivingWorks safeTALK found:

• Improves participant skills and readiness
• Safe for participants, with no adverse effects from training
• Effective for participants as young as 15 years old
• Helps break down suicide stigma in the community
• Better skill retention compared to other connector programs

LivingWorks safeTALK participants learn to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide and connect them to an intervention provider, such as an LivingWorks ASIST participants.

In this way, LivingWorks safeTALK participants build a safety network around these intervention providers and greatly increase their reach and impact.

Register Here: