Notes are in chronological order

Suggestions/comments from the 4/18 Yonkers Riverfront screening

• Who else needs to hear this/be involved:   school counselors, houses of worship
• Topics that arose:
  • A question about how ACES break out by race and gender.  Andy offered information regarding race, i.e., that among some groups, e.g., communities of color, some ACEs did not have the same impact, possibly because that group had evolved – as a community – ways to address the related stress.  (Andy, can you share the support for that with this Coalition? Or do you ant the librarian to look it up <g>)
  • One participant noted that she found the ACES powerful because “naming the scary things helps us feel safer.
  • One participant noted that she liked the simplicity of this, stating that “we know this” – prevention, screening, healing, make a difference.
  • A parent viewed the screening in the context of the loss of his mother and his challenge explaining it to his young children; he was actually asking for tools to now how to make the experience less traumatic.
  • A suggestion for action was made that we “demand that all public services be ACES informed.”

Suggestions/comments from the 5/8 discussion at Ossining Public Library 

Who else needs to be involved?

• Schools, PTAs, legislators, all social work schools, colleges, – all sectors of the community
• Share with everyone! Need to have the same public heath approach that was so successful with anti- smoking campaign

Comments from the group:

• Would like to hear more emphasis on taking care of self in the work that we do.
• Need for workshops on trauma. Limited knowledge in knowing what can do in response. Limited in ability to respond to need. Hands tied.
•  School counselor reported that MH agencies overwhelmed. Wait list to access services. Need for additional funding.
• Liked that there is no judgment. Secrecy keeps the issue active.
• We can’t stop bad things from happening – but need to be there to hear and to listen. Need to talk about this issue.
• Only takes one caring adult – to foster resilience.  “Take away the fix and just be there”.
•  Safety and connectedness – crucial.
• Critical to get stories/life experiences from parents and other family members.
• Healthy Steps program at Open Door in Ossining – ACES scores on every mother participating in the initiative – will know the score when the infant is born.

Suggestions/comments from the 5/9 discussion at Ossining Public Library 

Who else should see this?

• This should be shown to court staff to build awareness of underlying factors.
• “I want to send a letter about this to everyone I know.”
• Faith community.
• Schools – “teachers and administrators need to be informed.”
• Recreation centers.

Comments from the group:

• On person asked how we can remove the stress?  “Need to look at poverty and marginalization”.
• A “peer supporter” noted that she accidentally found out about this event and attended. “I don’t want this to just be a video…[it is a training that] should be implemented by the police and others.”
• Reference was made to a Solutions Not Suspensions initiative, which is strongly related to this work, i.e., acting up is not solved by suspension because you are treating symptom not cause.  “Have to refocus code of conduct in school to focus in positive behaviors”
• Recommendation was made that libraries start a conversation on the multiple aspects of wellness.