This article was originally posted in The County Press
ATTICA TWP. — A landmark study done in California in the mid- to late- 1990s sought to determine how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affected one’s health as an adult. The results? There was a strong relationship between abuse or household dysfunction as a child and risk factors for several of the leading causes of death in adults.
And while the reduction of ACEs is an obvious goal, researchers have also found that children who are experiencing abuse or dysfunction in the home can become more resilient if they have a support system in place — this could be a relative, a teacher, a coach or any other trusted adult — to help them through the situation. The Great Start Collaborative is bringing resources to Lapeer County in hopes of starting the conversation about bringing this kind of support to local kids in order to build resilience and make them healthier adults. There are three upcoming free training events to get the ball rolling.
On Monday, Oct. 14, there will be two presentations to introduce participants to the concept of ACES, a showing of the film Resilience, and a panel discussion afterward. Those who want to register should visit bit.ly/LapeerRP.
On Wednesday Nov. 6, the presentations will be about Understanding NEAR Science. NEAR stands for neuroscience, epigenetics, ACEs and Resilience, and how that information applies to all of us. Register at bit.ly/LapeerUN.
Finally, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, the presentation on NEAR Strategies will discuss many ACE/Trauma-Informed strategies that can be applied to personal and professional life. Register at bit.ly/LapeerNS.
Each of the presentations will be held in an afternoon session from 1-4 p.m. or an evening session from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Lapeer County Education Technology Center, 690 N. Lake Pleasant Rd., Attica Township. For more information, contact Gloria Sherman at 810-441-4656.
“The goal is just to start community discussion,” said Sherman, who is a former counselor and Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services employee. She is now self-employed and working to teach others about ACEs, their effects, and what can be done to overcome it.
“This is my passion,” she said. “How do we help children? How do we help families get that resilience?”
Two-thirds of the population have experienced ACEs, Sherman said. That could be physical, emotional or sexual abuse, physical or emotional neglect, or dysfunction in the household including mental illness, divorce, substance abuse, an incarcerated relative or violence toward their mother.
Now that it has been identified that the effects of these experiences can last into adulthood and be detrimental to one’s health, it’s time to start learning about how to overcome those effects. One way, Sherman said, is to have community champions for children who are experiencing ACEs. In the future, she said, they’d like to offer community champion training. For now, getting the conversation started is the first step, and that’s the goal of the upcoming presentations.
The first 150 Lapeer County parents who attend the presentations will be eligible for a $30 stipend per presentation. Instructions for submitting a request for the stipend will be provided at the end of each training.