Resource Topic: Education

Project AWARE Ohio: Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education

Project AWARE Ohio is a partnership between the Ohio Department of Education, the Center for School Based-Mental Health Programs at Miami University and the educational service centers within three pilot communities: Cuyahoga County, Warren County and Wood County. Funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Project AWARE Ohio supports schools and communities in:

  • Raising awareness of behavioral health issues among school-aged youth;
  • Providing training to detect and respond to mental health challenges and crisis in children and young adults; and
  • Increasing access to behavioral health supports for children, youth and families.

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators

The Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators was developed to provide school administrators, teachers, staff, and concerned parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system.

Research suggests that approximately 25% of American children will experience at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. A child’s reactions to trauma can interfere considerably with learning and/or behavior at school. However, schools also serve as a critical system of support for children who have experienced trauma.

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Assessing The Impact On Health And School Engagement And The Mitigating Role Of Resilience

Using the 2011–12 National Survey of Children’s Health, we assessed the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and associations between them and factors affecting children’s development and lifelong health. After we adjusted for confounding factors, we found lower rates of school engagement
and higher rates of chronic disease among children with adverse childhood experiences.

We found higher rates of school engagement among children with adverse childhood experiences who demonstrated resilience, as well as higher rates of resilience among children with such experiences who received care in a family-centered medical home.

Using Brain Science to Create New Pathways Out of Poverty

Experiences of social bias, persistent poverty, and trauma can directly undermine brain development and the EF skills most needed for success. The areas of the brain affected by adverse experiences of social bias, persistent poverty, and trauma remain plastic well into adulthood and, through proper coaching, may be strengthened and improved.

Early Stress Gets under the Skin: Promising Initiatives to Help Children Facing Chronic Adversity

Many children experience adversity in the form of poverty, abuse or neglect, homelessness, or other conditions that make them vulnerable to the damaging effects of chronic stress. New research reveals that chronic stress alters their rapidly developing biological systems in ways that undermine their ability to succeed in school and in life. The good news is that we have strong evidence for programs and approaches that policy makers could use to help these children overcome the effects of stress.

Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families (Center on Developing Child, Harvard University)

The science of child development and the core capabilities of adults point to a set of “design principles” that policymakers and practitioners in many different sectors can use to improve outcomes for children and families. That is, to be maximally effective, policies and services should:

  • Support responsive relationships for children and adults.
  • Strengthen core life skills.
  • Reduce sources of stress in the lives of children and families

These three principles can guide decision-makers as they choose among policy alternatives, design new approaches, and shift existing practice in ways that will best support building healthy brains and bodies.

Consortium for Resilient Young Children

The Consortium for Resilient Young Children brings together the best of Early Childhood and Mental Health practices. Historically, these two disciplines have operated without integration. The Consortium promotes best practices related to quality child care and access to children’s mental health services.