Opportunity to Make an Impact

How to Build a Collaborative Youth Leadership Team:   Effective leadership is putting first things first, insisted Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People .  "What you do has far greater impact than what you say."  Read these tips at developing a Youth Leadership Team .

Supporting Children and Parents Impacted by the Trauma of Separation:  Research shows that children can recover and thrive after experiencing a traumatic event such as forcible separation.  A strong and growing evidence base indicates that trauma-informed care (TIC) can promote resilience among children and families who experience traumatic events or circumstances.  Access information and resources that can help you.

Supporting Families Impacted by Trauma:  Providers aware of the impact of trauma on family relationships and functioning can help members access supports and treatments that focus on all family members and work to stabilize the whole "family unit."  Find out more in this fact sheet.

Common Core Impact on Student Learning:  Matt Barnum  of Chalkbeat  reviews  new research about whether adoption of the Common Core improved student learning.

The Leading Edge of Local System-Building: ESSA and Continuity Across the First Decade of Children's Lives:  In this piece, David Jacobson explores how ESSA plans present opportunities to improve quality and significantly deepen collaboration between schools, districts, and community organizations.  Read it. 

Spotlight: What is Equity?   Policy Matters is a video chat series between Teri Talan, Michael W. Louis Chair and Senior Policy Advisory at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, and guest thought leaders in early childhood policy.  This episode features Dr. Aisha Ray, Distinguished Fellow, BUILD Initiative.

The Vibrant and Healthy Kids Report: Aligning Science, Practice and Policy to Advance Health Equity: 

This report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlines steps to move children at risk for negative outcomes toward positive health trajectories and reduce health disparities.  The report applies the science of prenatal and early childhood development to policy, program, and systems changes. 

Adults in Immigrant Families Report Avoiding Routine Activities Because of Immigration Concerns:  Changes in federal immigration policies and heightened immigration enforcement over the last several years have caused fear and insecurity for many immigrant families across the country.  In addition to stories of rising fear among families reported in the press, several studies have documented evidence of widespread anxiety and instability among immigrant families and children.  Beyond avoiding participation in public programs, many immigrant families may be changing how they go about their daily lives.  Reports show immigrant families increasingly avoiding routine activities, such as interacting with teachers or school officials, health care providers, and the police, which poses risks for their well-being and the communities in which they live.  Read more.

Immigration and Trauma: Series Materials:  Recent changes in immigration policy are presenting new and intense challenges to infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families, and the teachers and programs that work with them.  Families and programs are experiencing increased trauma due to the immigration climate.  With funding from the Irving Harris Foundation, the BUILD Initiative has completed a series of webinars and blogs in partnership with the Center for Law and Social Policy for providers, state policy leaders, and advocates.  Access all the materials from the series.

Inclusive School Self-Assessment:  This instrument is designed to provide schools with a self-assessment instrument to guide a review of current practices regarding inclusive education.  Stetson and Associates considers inclusive education to be synonymous with the requirements for the provision of education and related services in the least restrictive environment.  Decisions about instructional setting are determined on an individual student basis and while there is a strong preference for instruction in the general education classroom, the IEP team makes the determination of the appropriate location(s) for services.  It is our position that the emergence of the terms 'inclusive practices' and 'inclusive education' served to refocus national attention on this critical philosophy and practice for every student.  The notion of inclusive practices is relevant for all students.  Access the tool.

October is Youth Justice Action Month!  Now is the time to start planning for Youth Justice Action Month!  Since 2008, YJAM events and activities have elevated and amplified the conversation about the need for better youth justice policies.  Over more than a decade, we have made steady progress reforming our justice system to treat more children as children and fostering a culture in which children in trouble with the law are loved and cared for rather than criminalized.  This year's focus is on the need for people to ACT to End Racism.  Find out more and sign up.

Queer-inclusive Curricula:  In the fifth and final post in her series on LGBT-inclusive open learning, Sabia Prescott explains how state and district leaders can support the creation and implementation of queer-inclusive curricula.

Fear of Harm Syndrome:  Fear of Harm (FoH) is a subset of juvenile bipolar disorder.  A person suffering from Fear of Harm (FoH) has intense fear of harm coming to him/herself or someone for which they care.  Mental health professionals serving children/youth who have FoH estimate at least 250,000 children/youth have this disease.  It appears that there is a physical limitation in the brain that causes these children/youth to be unable to regulate their body temperature.  They are hot all of the time.  Wide swings in ambient temperature seem to act as a trigger for various isolating behaviors including violent behavior towards anyone in a position of authority as well as anyone else that may harm them or others that they care for.  Check out the website for the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation and look for a presentation by Elizabeth Errico on the value of the correct diagnosis.

What is Secondary Dependency? (Adult Children with Disabilities) :   This quick resource (with handout) is a guide for military families to help their adult child with disabilities continue to access military benefits, many of which would otherwise end at age 21.  It includes lists of and links to necessary military forms.

National Museum of the American Indian:  To be able to more effectively serve Native Americans/American Indians, it is important to learn more about Native American history, cultures and lives.  Two features of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian can help.  Native Knowledge 360° provides educators and students with new perspectives on Native American history, cultures and contemporary lives.  Essential Understandings about American Indians is a framework that offers new possibilities for creating student learning experiences.

Tracking Impact:  Writing for the Atlantic, Whitney Pirtle highlights how tracking has created separate and unequal education systems within single schools.  Read more.

Help Your Baby Deal with Emotions:  Just like adults, babies experience a wide range of daily emotions. It's a parent's job to help them sort through the difficult ones. But do you know how to help your infant cope? New research offers some clues.  Learn more.

SAMHSA's 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Report Data Findings:  SAMHSA will release the latest data findings from the 2018 NSDUH on Tuesday, August 20th. The NSDUH measures the use of illegal drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; as well as mental disorders, treatment, and co-occurring substance use and mental disorders in the United States at the national, state, and sub-state levels.  NSDUH data also help to identify the extent of substance use and mental illness among different sub-groups; estimate trends over time; and determine the need for treatment services.  Learn more. 

Systems Change and Improvement

The Child Trauma Screen (CTS) Developed by Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut:  Many children suffer from trauma in silence and alone.  Screening is a way to identify children who are experiencing high levels of distress and may need help to overcome trauma exposure.  The Child Trauma Screen (CTS) is being used by behavioral health providers, pediatricians, school staff, child welfare workers, and juvenile justice staff to identify children who may be suffering from trauma exposure and need more comprehensive assessment or treatment.  Access the CTS.

Development and Implementation of a Pediatric Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) and Other Determinants of Health Questionnaire :  To date, there is no known existing validated questionnaire designed to comprehensively screen young children and adolescents for exposure to ACEs in a pediatric primary care setting. Drawing from the adult ACE and other adversity and trauma screening tools, a literature review, the WHO criteria and the team's experience, the authors developed the first pediatric ACE and other determinants of health questionnaire. This approach was informed by the development of the WHO International ACEs questionnaire.  Check it out.

From Burnout to Resilience: Science-Based Tools for Thriving in the Face of Stress :  The Professional and Continuing Education program at the Maryland University of Integrative Health had recently conducted a workshop about stress, resiliency, and burnout. Listen to subject matter expert (and long-time Network Faithful) Laurie Ellington as she explains stress, the physiological responses, as well as the interactive aspects of this workshop. Get the details on how to bring this workshop to your organization at the end of the video.