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On Wednesday , prominent Los Angeles County officials will revisit a trying time in the county’s child protection history. In May of 2013, the violent death of an 8-year-old Antelope Valley boy rocked the county. The first story that appeared in The Los Angeles Times opened with gruesome details that are still as shocking today as when they were first written. “When paramedics arrived at his Palmdale home last week, 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez’s skull was cracked, three ribs were broken and...

According to the 2019 World Happiness Report , negative feelings are rising around the world—and the United States is particularly hard-hit with an “epidemic of addictions.” Tellingly, the report also shows a widening happiness gap, with some people reporting much more well-being and others showing much less within each country. Released annually on the International Day of Happiness, the World Happiness Report ranks countries based on their life satisfaction in the Gallup World Poll.

ACEs, Adversity's Impact Screening for adverse child experiences in primary care Linked: Adverse childhood experiences, health + addiction Adults with childhood traumas 11 times more likely to be involved in drugs and violence, report says Warning of overload in childhood trauma data Mental health issues increased significantly in young adults over last decade New student group to give hope to those with traumatic childhoods How anxiety leads to disruptive behavior Brain and Biology...

For many healthcare providers, it can be challenging to distinguish between behaviors associated with a developmental disability and behaviors resulting from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It takes coordination across multiple disciplines to ensure early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of ACEs and/or developmental disabilities. Research has shown that individuals with disabilities are at increased risk for experiencing violence of all types, especially physical violence and...

The Trump administration's practice of tearing apart and incarcerating thousands of migrant families in a cruel attempt to deter them from seeking safety in this country is outrageous. Now, long after a court-ordered reunification deadline in July, hundreds of families that were separated have yet to be reunited. And a recent report revealed that the Trump administration might not have released full child-separation numbers . Thousands more children than were originally reported may have...

While you’re still horrified by the mosque shooting, I’m going to share something very personal. Because that feeling you have right now, where even a small, kindhearted country like New Zealand isn’t safe, won’t last. That fear is how many Muslims feel every time we set foot in a mosque. Islamophobia isn’t as isolated as many want to believe. Violence against religious minorities happens everywhere — just look at the shootings at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Sikh temple and the Tree of Life...

The first drug for women suffering postpartum depression received federal approval on Tuesday , a move likely to pave the way for a wave of treatments to address a debilitating condition that is the most common complication of pregnancy. The drug works very quickly, within 48 hours — a significant improvement over currently available antidepressants, which can take two to four weeks to have an effect, if they work at all. Experts say the new treatment will provide immediate relief for...

Dr. Damon Francis doesn’t shy away from sparring with a room full of journalists when he thinks the media is getting the story all wrong. Delivering the keynote to nearly two dozen reporters at the 2019 California Fellowship , Francis took the profession to task for perpetuating damaging myths about homelessness while overlooking root causes and the historical context that explain today’s crisis. Francis is an assistant clinical professor at UC San Franciso and serves as the chief clinical...

A controversial theory is swaying family court judges to award custody to parents accused of harming kids. We trace the origins of “parental alienation” and learn how it has spawned a cottage industry of so-called family reunification camps that are making big profits from broken families. [For more on this story by Trey Bundy. Reported by Bundy and Whitney Clegg, go to https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/bitter-custody/ ]

It will come as no surprise to you that childhood trauma, particularly unresolved trauma, can lead to mental health issues and addiction later in life. While less was known about the specific correlation in decades past, today we have a pretty good understanding of just how damaging adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can be on development and coping. The first few years of life are full of many important developmental milestones in terms of brain pathways, attachment , coping mechanisms...

US-based paediatrician Nadine Burke-Harris had a glut of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases at the clinic where she worked in Bayview, a poor area in San Francisco. She felt in her bones that these cases didn’t come out of the blue, and were directly linked to high levels of toxic stress in the community. Toxic stress, experienced through consistent exposure to violence, abuse and the consequences of poverty and inequality, has a lasting effect on the brain, notably in the...

Kathy Reiner is a Colorado school nurse who champions climate justice. She is clear that the science is irrefutable and what is needed is immediate action. I learned of her passion for saving our planet through her tweets. Kathy showed me why climate change is an issue for school nurses. Follow Kathy Reiner on Twitter and you will learn to view the issue of climate justice through a nursing lens. One example is Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, an organization I learned about...