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Community Resilience Toolkit
Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, have a tremendous impact on lifelong health, opportunity, and violence victimization and perpetration. As such, early experiences are an important public health issue. Much of the foundational research in this area has been referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Adverse Childhood Experiences have been linked to risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential, and early death. As the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for these outcomes.
Resilience is a natural counter-weight to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Resilience is the ability to thrive, adapt and cope despite tough and stressful times. The more resilient a child is, the more likely they are to deal with negative situations in a healthy way that won’t have prolonged and unfavorable outcomes. Resilience is not an innate characteristic, but rather is a skill that can be taught, learned and practiced. Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. It involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone. Everybody has the ability to become resilient when surrounded by the right environments and people.
ACEs can be prevented and resilience can help strengthen lives. Learn more about preventing and responding to ACEs and practicing resilience in the San Juan County Community using this toolkit. Begin by educating yourself on ACEs, trauma impact, and resilience. Then explore some self-care techniques to help practiced what you’ve just learned. Finally, look at some of the family and parenting guides if you’re a parent, or explore some tips for service providers or organizations.
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris on ACEs – This TED Talk gives a succinct overview of the ACEs Study and the long-term impact ACEs can have in one’s life.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Information about the ACEs study, definitions, journal articles, and further resources.
ACEs Study Infographic – Quick, user-friendly access to the ACEs study findings and information on how ACEs affect our lives and society.
American Psychological Association—The Road to Resilience – Helpful overview of Resilience and a guide to building and retaining resilience.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network –Resources on culture and trauma in youth.
ACES Too High – Provides background information on ACEs, self-assessments and ways to improve your resilience. Also has updated information and articles pertaining to the ACES Community.
Online Resources
Self-Care Starter Kit (School of Social Work, University of Buffalo)—Introduction to Self-Care with tools and activities to help develop a personalized self-care plan.
Relaxation Tool Kit (Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center)—Tangible tools to guide a specific self-care practice, or a combination of practices such as breathing, imagery, music, and more.
Self-Care and Burnout Printable Form –A helpful guide to recognize burnout and stress and be able to respond appropriately.
Authentic Happiness (University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center)—Books, tools, and resources on optimism, hope, and happiness.
Stop Breathe Think (App) –An App that reminds you to check your emotions and respond appropriately.
Ted Talks
Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes (9:21)
Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability (20:20)
Brene Brown: Listening to shame (20:38)
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret of happiness (18:59)
1-2-3 Care Toolkit—A comprehensive guide to understanding what your child is going through, how to respond, and how to take care of yourself and your child. Also has printable pdf’s available.
Personal and Parental Reflections on Adverse Childhood Experiences (8 minute video) — This video highlights parents who have Adverse Childhood Experiences from their past and how they translate their experiences with what they’ve learned about ACEs to raising their children.
Healthy Children Building Resilience – Extensive list of resources for general resilience support for children as well as advice for specific situations. Website also available in Spanish.
Activities
Love, Talk, Play Printable Guide, English – This guide provides fun activities and ways to incorporate love, talk, and play into your family’s daily routine. (Here it is in Spanish: Love, Talk, Play Printable Guide, Spanish)
Brain House Activity – This is a fun and informative way to talk to children about their brain, development, and problem solving.
These tools will help guide organizations and employees to create and maintain trauma-informed practices, to assist care and service providers in managing their own stress or secondary traumatic stress, and to connect organizations with local and national communities working toward ACEs and trauma-informed practices.
Strengthening Families – A Protective Factor Framework (Center for the Study of Social Policy)—Strengthening Families research and programs, as well as tools and assessments to help organizations bring it to life.
Be Strong Families—Provides assistance and trainings on strengths-based, family-centered, and trauma-informed practices to communities and organizations.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network—Creating Trauma-Informed Systems – Provides organizations with tools and resources for improving or creating trauma-informed systems in the programs and organization.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Secondary Traumatic Stress – Provides valuable fact sheets and resources for service providers to learn about and prevent secondary traumatic stress from working with clients.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Adverse Childhood Experiences –Contains resources for policy-makers, practitioners and communities working to raise awareness about and mitigate the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach –Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) produced this guide for service providers and organizations to use to improve their trauma-informed practices and principals.
ACEs and Resilience Communities
ACES Connection – A national network of organizations and communities working to prevent ACEs and promote resiliency. Many relevant blog postings and resources for community action.