Let’s eliminate trauma from children’s lives
Never has it been more important to focus on creating a more trauma-informed culture in Central Florida than now. Bad events anywhere are visible 24-7 to adults and children all over the globe. In our own community, we have daily news cycles of the trauma and displacement of over 100,000 people from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Evacuees fled to Florida as we began our own recovery from Hurricane Irma. Many suffered homelessness, poverty, food insecurity and more. All of these events affect children.
Each day hundreds of children in our community experience what are known as ACEs, or adverse childhood experiences. These toxic stress events can be triggered by domestic violence, child abuse, sexual molestation, loss of a parent through death or divorce, opioid overdose or any severely traumatic event that affects early brain and neurological development. But the wounds go deeper.
As the number of childhood toxic events rise, so does the risk of school failure, mental illness, incarceration, drug addiction and death. Lifespans can be cut short as much as 20 years. Entire communities can be affected similar to natural disasters or gang wars in the streets. The cycles repeat for these young lives, triggering more violence, abuse, addiction and poverty.
But there is hope. Together we can create a more trauma-informed community. One adult at a time, one child at a time, one pre-kindergarten center or school at a time. We can learn about ACEs. We can screen for ACEs. And we can create more opportunities for resilience and community bonding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed ACEs as a top priority in violence prevention on its website. Addressing ACEs is a key to mental health and prevention, according to the substance-abuse and mental-health administration.
We don’t have to look much further than Tarpon Springs and Gainesville in order to learn more about creating a trauma-informed and resilient community. Citizens, partners and community leaders started the conversation on the emotional and physical impact trauma has on the quality of life — all in an attempt to connect, transform and heal.
Last October, Robin Saenger, a former vice mayor in Tarpon Springs, presented to the Orange County Community Health Improvement Board her community’s efforts and the many lessons learned along the way in making her city the “First Trauma Informed Community in the Nation.”
The board has selected ACEs as its top priority. Building a resilient community requires a broad commitment. It will take all agencies, government leaders, nonprofits and citizens to make a difference over a sustained period of time. But it will be worth it. Take the ACEs test and watch the film “Resilience.” Let’s work together and begin to change our world in Orlando, starting today. Now that you know, you, too, must get involved.