Blog

wo years ago, I published a report showing that schools in San Francisco were becoming increasingly segregated by race. In the public debate that followed, no one disputed the facts. However, I was struck by the apathetic, and even hostile, responses from many readers.

A new PBS Documentary on POV titled Tribal Justice that spotlights tribal courts that incorporate indigenous customs and beliefs into their justice systems and the families that are affected. The documentary, directed by Anne Makepeace, follows Abby Abinanti and Claudette White, chief judges in two of the more than 300 tribal courts across the country, as they navigate cross-jurisdictional issues in their courts and communities. Tribal Justice has its national broadcast premiere on the PBS...

For many teachers, a pall has been cast over the first few days of school. This weekend, a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., turned deadly when a 20-year-old man drove his car into counter-protesters, fatally injuring one woman and hurting 19 others. The Associated Press reported that the high school teacher of the man accused of the incident said he had been fascinated with Nazism in school, and had "deeply held, radical" convictions on race in the 9th grade. Even before the...

Health care professionals across the country, like Rahil Briggs and Edward Machtinger, increasingly realize the value of acknowledging trauma to improve care for patients in need. Drs. Briggs and Machtinger are participants in Advancing Trauma-Informed Care , a national initiative led by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) and made possible through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Through the collaborative, leading national champions of trauma-informed care are...

"The program focuses on treating people and educating them about trauma in their lives, and how that trauma has contributed to their addictive or criminal behavior. Women must apply for the program, through their probation officer, and register a high score on the “adverse childhood experience” scale. Program officials said most women on the program scored at least eight out of 10 on the scale, making them a very high risk for behavioral and mental-health problems."

“Trauma is too often the elephant in the exam room and the reality of patients’ lives.” This sentiment rings true with health care professionals across the country who increasingly recognize the value of acknowledging trauma to improve care for patients in need.

George Zimmerman admitted at his 2012 bail hearing that he misjudged Trayvon Martin’s age when he killed him. “I thought he was a little bit younger than I am,” he said, meaning just under 28. But Trayvon was only 17. What may be most tragic about Mr. Zimmerman’s miscalculation is that it’s widespread. To many people, black boys seem older than they are: In one study, people overestimated their ages by 4.5 years. This contributes to a false perception that black boys are less childlike than...

Hello to my friends in the ACEs Connection community. I am happy to announce the publication of my new curriculum Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience . This program comes from a lifetime of experience both personally and professionally, as well as using the most current research and consultation with leaders in the field. Jane Stevens asked me to share with you why I wrote it, how I tested it and how long it took from idea to publication. Why I wrote it: Just like all...

Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, have a tremendous impact on both a person's lifelong health & well being and future opportunities. Traumatic and negative events in ones childhood, known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), have previously been described as, "the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today" (Dr. Robert Block). ACEs include abuse (emotional, physical, sexual); neglect (emotional and physical) and household challenges,...

School-based mental health programs can reach large numbers of children, with increasing evidence of effectiveness in improving mental health and related outcomes, according to a research review in the September/October issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry . The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer . “ This review provides evidence that large-scale, school-based programs can be implemented in a variety of diverse cultures and educational models as well as preliminary evidence that...

This powerful ballad speaks to a young man's journey away from an abusive home environment and into an adult role with a group of cowboys. This in the tradition of late 19th century "pathetic" ballads such as "After the Ball".

The Hopi Elders Prayer from Oraibi, Arizona inspires us to look within ourselves to find new ways to live harmoniously with our brothers and sisters. We're asked to find those of like mind and heart spirit, and then jump in the river and celebrate! Join Elaine M. Whitefeather, CEO of A Community For Peace and pastor at Faith In Action Community Church, as she shows how we've been positioned and placed for such a time as this. Elaine stresses that we should stop waiting for others to join us.