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: April 2nd, 2024
Time: 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM (EST)
Location: Online via Zoom
Presented by: Angela Brown

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

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: April 23, 2024
Time: 9:00am-12:30pm (EST)
Location: HARBOUR VIEW Mental Health Center (Whiteboard Room) – 7025 Harbour View Blvd, Suite 119 Suffolk, VA 23435
Trainer: Angela Brown and Charlene Cutting

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 for this Training Here!

No one needs further evidence of the detrimental and reverberating impacts of suicide. Mental health providers have a responsibility to respond appropriately to suicidality within the populations we serve and do what is within our power to best support our clients and communities. This presentation will focus on a compassionate approach to suicide risk assessment and response. Early intervention strategies, suicide prevention (including lethal means counseling), peer support, and response to completed suicides will also be explored. Participants can expect to gain knowledge and skills to decrease provider anxiety that can interfere with compassionate response. A review of resources for clients, concerned loved ones, and mental health providers will also be facilitated.

Date: Thursday, April 25th, 2024
Time: 10am-12pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Trainer: Alyssa C. Strickland, M.S., LPC, ATR-BC, CSAC

Learning Objectives:

-Understand the impact and benefit of peer support.
-Identify resources and referrals for clients struggling with suicidality.
-Learn ways to empower those who are concerned about someone who may be at risk.
-Develop skills/approaches that can lessen stigma and open conversations about suicide.

Alyssa is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Art Therapist, and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor with over 10 years of experience in working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has worked within community, residential, inpatient, and outpatient settings. She has facilitated presentations and workshops at the local, state, and national levels to provide education and training on areas of specialty including art therapy, child/adolescent populations, and suicide prevention. She also serves as a supervisor/consultant to Residents in Counseling, licensed professionals, and those seeking their ATR and CSAC certifications. Alyssa has received training in Play Therapy, Emotion Focused Family Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Care. She believes strongly in compassionate care that supports individual autonomy and increases access to an individual’s innate ability to heal. Alyssa is deeply appreciative of the opportunities to serve clients, families, supervisees, and trainees on their learning journeys.

Register Here

Learning Objectives:

– Participants will be able to provide a definition of trauma that includes biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

– Participants will understand the prevalence and impact of trauma in their organizational setting and clinical practice.

– Participants will understand the relevance of Trauma Informed Care in organizational policies and procedures, as well as individual practices.

– Participants will familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff.

– Participants will gain a familiarity with the Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care.

– Participants will be able to apply each of the Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care in their work.

Date: Friday, May 3rd, 2024
Time: 10am – 2pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Trainer: Korrin Vanderhoof, LCSW

Korrin Vanderhoof is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with fifteen years of experience working in various mental health settings including community service, education, research, and private practice. She currently owns and operates her own private practice, Sunrise Counseling and Wellness, and is the former director of one of the largest counseling practices in the Hampton Roads area.

Korrin’s clinical experience includes working with clients across the life span with a wide range of concerns from day to day stress, to trauma and grief, to serious mental illness. Her experience in building a large, successful practice from the ground up has also given her the unique perspective of identifying what it takes to create an organizational environment that fosters safety, support, growth, and healing for both the clients served as well as her employees.

While maintaining her clinical practice, Korrin also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Old Dominion University and has assisted in conducting clinical education research. She is also passionate about broadening her understanding of novel approaches to mental health treatment including mindfulness based, somatic, and psychedelic assisted treatment approaches. In her free time, Korrin enjoys coaching rugby, attending concerts, expressing herself through art, and spending time in nature with her two dogs, Petunia and Magnolia.

Register Here

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: May 8th, 2024
Time: 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM (EST)
Location: Franklin Food Bank – 618 South St, Franklin VA 23851
Presented by: Karin Duncan

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 interactive training session focuses on examining and addressing the ethical challenges related to maintaining professional boundaries in clinical settings.

“Boundaries in Clinical Practice: The Top Ethical Challenges” is a comprehensive training workshop designed for healthcare professionals, counselors, therapists, and other practitioners involved in clinical practice. Participants will explore practical strategies, ethical principles, and case studies to enhance their understanding of boundary issues and promote ethical decision-making in their professional practice.

Date: May 16th, 2024 10:00 AM – 2:15 PM
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Trainer: Latasha Matthews LPC, CPCS, CPLC

Learning Objectives

1. Identify Ethical Challenges: Participants will gain insight into the top ethical
challenges surrounding professional boundaries in clinical practice, including issues related to dual relationships, self-disclosure, conflicts of interest, and maintaining appropriate therapeutic distance.
2. Explore and analyze Case Studies to develop critical thinking skills to
recognize boundary violations, ethical dilemmas, and potential consequences for both practitioners and clients.
3. Participants will learn practical strategies and techniques for establishing,
maintaining, and navigating professional boundaries effectively in clinical practice.

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: May 22nd, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm (EST)
Location: Online via Zoom
Trainers: Samantha Scherbinski

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 for this Event 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: May 29, 2024
Time: 9:00am-12:30pm (EST)
Location: Franklin Food Bank – 618 South St, Franklin, VA 23851
Trainer: Angela Brown and Charlene Cutting

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 for this Training Here!

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: June 5th, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (EST)
Location: Smithfield Center – 220 N Church St, Smithfield, VA 23430
Presented by: Charlene Cutting

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

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: June 20th, 2024
Time: 5:00pm-6:00pm (EST)
Location: Franklin Food Bank – 618 South St, Franklin VA 23851
Trainers: Keira Majeed

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 for this Event 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: June 27, 2024
Time: 9:00am-12:30pm (EST)
Location: HARBOUR VIEW Mental Health Center (Whiteboard Room) – 7025 Harbour View Blvd, Suite 119 Suffolk, VA 23435
Trainer: Angela Brown and Charlene Cutting

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 for this Training Here!