Northeast Tennessee ACEs Connection

A New Understanding of Trauma

Building Resilience in Northeast Tennessee

Today, the causes of trauma—sexual abuse, violence in families and neighborhoods are matters of public concern. A movement for trauma-informed care has emerged to ensure that trauma is recognized and treated and that survivors are not re-victimized when they seek care. Complementing these changes, we are working to develop programs to promote healthy development of children and healthy behaviors in families, schools and communities that reduce the likelihood of trauma. It is important to each of us that work on ACEs science continue to grow in our region and that ongoing support be provided to our many community partners in their trauma informed journey. We've enlisted the help of Bristol's Promise/Bristol Connect, the trauma informed system of care in Bristol, which has kindly agreed to help facilitate continued conversations of NE TN ACEs Connection on a bi-monthly basis at least for the time being. We will also be inviting others across Northeast Tennessee to join. This will enable NE TN ACEs Connection to truly be a region-wide system of care. Since meetings are currently held virtually this will enable anyone to join. 

Becky Haas
Author/Speaker/Trainer
BeckyHaas.com

Consultant, Strong BRAIN Institute

Andrea “Andi” Clements, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University

Faculty, Strong BRAIN Institute, East Tennessee State University
President, Uplift Appalachia

Becky says, "We are long overdue for a national awareness campaign — similar to public health initiatives on how seat belts and car seats save lives, smoking causes cancer, and hand washing prevents the flu. Education is needed within every professional sector on how childhood trauma leads to adult life and health disparities including addiction. Only then can we help those who feel paralyzed by their pasts to achieve the healthy lives they deserve." She has trained thousands of people in multiple sectors across the country in taking a trauma informed approach, and spearheaded the development of this trauma informed system of care.

Andi's main areas of research are religiosity, health, and trauma responsiveness, particularly focusing on addiction. She has developed, delivered, and studied trainings for varied audiences around trauma-responsiveness, ACEs science, and resilience-building for the past several years. She is currently collaborating with clergy and researchers from ETSU, the University of Virginia, Duke University, and others from around the world to investigate a theological/neurobiological theory of addiction and treatment and test church-based applications of that theory in the areas of transportation and housing. 

 

Becky Haas and  Andi Clements have taken on the mission of bringing ACE awareness and Trauma-Informed Care to Northeast Tennessee, writing a Toolkit in 2018 for communities to use to create their own systems of care.

TRAININGS OFFERED

• “Trauma Informed Approach: Key Principles and Assumptions” (Source:  SAMHSA)

  This training curriculum provides an introduction to trauma and trauma-informed approaches. No prior knowledge about trauma is necessary. It is intended for a wide range of professionals, including direct service providers, supervisors, administrators, advocates, interested community members, and staff from varying agencies.This training forms the basis for more advanced work in developing trauma-informed environments and practices.

• “The Role of Life Experiences in Shaping Brain Development" (Source: Building Strong Brains: Tennessee ACEs Initiative)

  This training aids in building a knowledge mobilization movement across Tennessee around early childhood brain development. It is designed to develop a common understanding about early childhood through a shared, up-to-date, clear storyline based on scientific findings. The training emphasizes that the architecture of a young child’s brain is shaped by the interaction between genes and experiences, and experiences can be beneficial or detrimental. Science makes it clear that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) negatively impact the architecture of the developing brain. Children thrive in a safe, stable, nurturing environment of supportive families, caregivers, and communities. There are 3-hours, 1.5-hour, 30-minute, and 15-minute versions of this training. The 1.5-hour version is also embedded in the “Trauma Informed Approach: Key Principles and Assumptions” (above).

• “How being trauma-informed improves criminal justice outcomes” (Source: SAMHSA Gains center)

  This is a training program for criminal justice professionals to increase understanding of trauma, create an awareness of the impact of trauma on behavior, and develop trauma-informed responses. Trauma-informed criminal justice responses can help to avoid re-traumatizing individuals, increase safety for all, decrease recidivism, and promote recovery of justice-involved women and men. This interactive training is specifically tailored to criminal justice professionals including:
  -Probation, parole and pre-trial service officers
  -Court personnel
  -Police

• Train-the-Trainer for “Trauma Informed Approach: Key Principles and Assumptions” Key principles course

  This is a training for those who have already attended the four-hour SAMHSA Trauma-Informed Approach: Key Principles and Assumptions Course. This six-hour training provides a wealth of additional materials and slides with trainer notes. Participants also receive 3-4 variations of the training as examples of customizing it to use with a variety of professionals (i.e., healthcare, services that work with children or homeless persons, etc.)

• Faith-Based Trauma Informed Care

  This is a training covering the SAMHSA Trauma-Informed Approach: Key Principles that is tailored specifically to the faith community. For information, contact Dr. Clements or Uplift Appalachia.