Learn about the Impact of Childhood Trauma

 

Project Self-Sufficiency will offer three workshops during November regarding adverse childhood experiences with the goal of educating the public, supporting trauma survivors, and offering tips for prevention and healing within the community.  A virtual “Understanding ACEs: Building Self-Healing Communities” presentation on Tuesday, November 11^th, 3:00 p.m., will address the neurological and biological effects of adversity on development and its corresponding impact on the health of the overall population. The workshop and discussion series, “Connections Matter”, which facilitates the conversation about issues surrounding childhood trauma, will be offered virtually in English, Tuesday, November 18^th, 2:00 p.m., and in Spanish, Wednesday, November 19^th, 2:00 p.m.  Tips for protection, prevention, and promoting resilience within the community will also be discussed.  All workshops are free, hosted on Zoom, and open to the public; interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 to receive log-in details. 

 

During the Understanding ACEs workshop, parents, caregivers, and other community providers will learn how childhood trauma impacts physical and neurological development and discuss methods for improving health and well-being across the lifespan.

 

The Connections Matter curriculum invites providers, parents, and community members to build caring connections to improve resiliency.  Discussion during the workshops will focus on understanding adverse childhood experiences and demonstrating how caring connections can serve as a primary buffer in the negative effects of trauma.  The training is appropriate for parents and providers raising and teaching school aged children.  All three workshops are funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey. 

 

Speakers will address the impact of adverse childhood experiences on social, emotional, and cognitive development, and offer tips and strategies for building resilience.  Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are widely recognized as falling into three distinct categories, abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.  Examples of negative behavior said to result from ACEs include smoking, alcoholism, drug use, absenteeism, and lack of physical activity.  These behaviors can cause a cascade of physical and mental health problems, from diabetes to cancer to suicidal thoughts.  It is estimated that approximately 67% of the population has experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.

 

Project Self-Sufficiency is bringing together professionals, providers, and parents who are committed to increasing awareness of the impact of childhood trauma on juvenile development, future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity.  “Our goal is to help make our community a place in which every child can thrive by providing education and training on adverse childhood experiences and assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments,” explains Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. “Protection, prevention, and resilience promotion can profoundly improve health according to recent discoveries in neuroscience, epigenetics, and epidemiology. The tools identified in these workshops can positively impact public health, safety, and productivity, and reduce public and private costs now and for future generations.”

Pregnant Women Can Get Free Visits from a Personal Nurse

 

Project Self-Sufficiency announces that the popular Nurse Family Partnership home visitation program is now available to experienced mothers, in addition to those who are pregnant with their first child. Eligible mothers of all ages are paired with a nurse who visits them in the privacy of their own home throughout the pregnancy and up until the child’s second birthday.  The visiting nurses provide support, education and counseling on health, behavioral and self-sufficiency issues.  Access to food, diapers, clothing, and additional resources for children are provided during each visit.

 

Nurse-Family Partnership is founded on the pioneering work of David Olds, professor of pediatrics, psychiatry, and preventive medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver. Olds' determination to help young children and families get a better start in life led to the development of a nurse home visitation program for first-time, low-income moms and their children. The voluntary program was tested extensively prior to its launch in 1996; the Nurse Family Partnership program currently serves more than 54,000 families each year in the United States, the Virgin Islands, and some tribal communities.

 

The initiative is one of three different home visitation programs for young mothers which is provided by Project Self-Sufficiency to families in northwestern New Jersey. Project Self-Sufficiency is the first agency authorized in the state of New Jersey to expand the Nurse Family Partnership program to experienced mothers, as well as first-time moms.

 

“Our goal is to improve pregnancy outcomes, and to assist parents with improving early childhood development, while helping the family to move towards economic self-sufficiency,” explains Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “The Nurse Family Partnership program has been proven to prevent maternal health issues and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect, and we are delighted to be able to offer this ground-breaking program to more families. All the home visitation programs offered by Project Self-Sufficiency are designed to empower mothers to be the best parents they can be.”

 

Nurse Family Partnership is one of the most rigorously tested programs of its kind.  Mothers and children who have participated in the program have consistently demonstrated significantly improved prenatal health, fewer subsequent pregnancies, increased maternal employment, improved child school readiness, reduced involvement in crime, and less child abuse, neglect, and injuries.

 

Those who are interested in learning more about the Nurse-Family Partnership, or any of the other programs offered at Project Self-Sufficiency, are encouraged to call 973-940-3500, or enroll online at www.projectselfsufficiency.org.

Summit for Pregnant Women, Parents of Infants

 

Pediatrician Dr. Christian Canzoniero will headline a special Pregnancy & Infancy Summit at Project Self-Sufficiency, Saturday, November 15^th, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This unique event will spotlight critical issues faced by expectant and new parents during pregnancy and through a child’s early years; free baby items, prizes and giveaways will also be offered to attendees.

 

Participants at Project Self-Sufficiency’s Pregnancy & Infancy Summit can get up-to-date information about lead prevention, breastfeeding, safe sleeping, establishing healthy relationships, and more. Photographer Rebecca Ferrier will take professional photos of parents and children.

 

“The Pregnancy & Infancy Summit invites expectant parents and mothers and fathers of young children to gain valuable information about pregnancy and child development, along with expert advice about health and wellness,” explains Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “We are excited to be able to offer an opportunity for these families to gain the information and resources they need to become successful parents.”

 

In addition to pediatrician Dr. Christian Canzionero, representatives from several organizations will be in attendance including Project Self-Sufficiency’s Nurse Family Partnership team; Central Jersey Family Health Consortium; Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Services, Inc. (DASI); Milkface Breastfeeding; Partnership for Maternal Child Health; Zufall Health, and others.

 

Free and reduced cost activities for families and other topics related to early childhood health, safety and education will also be explored. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. The Pregnancy & Infancy Summit supplements Project Self-Sufficiency’s robust programs for pregnant women and parents of young children, including home visitation programs, Baby Beginnings events, Mommy Parties, and Parent Cafes. To register for the Pregnancy & Infancy Summit, to discuss your parenting needs, or to find out more about other programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.