MOUNT VERNON — A one-hour documentary that delves into the science of adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACES, and the new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress will be shown at the Memorial Building on Thursday, Sept. 6. The public is invited to attend either the 9 am or the 1 pm showing.
Sponsored by the Knox Resilience Team, the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Commissioners, this documentary showcases how the leading causes of heart disease, cancer, substance abuse and depression can be caused by any extremely stressful experience in childhood. It also documents how these stressful experiences can alter brain development, leaving lifelong effects on health and behavior. The underlying theme is “the child may not remember, but the body remembers.”
Counselors, social workers, law enforcement, clergy, educators and the public are encouraged to attend. Continuing education credits are available for some disciplines.
The Resilience Team is a committee of the Knox Health Planning Partnership (KHPP). KHPP, through the Knox County Health Department, has provided leadership to the Community Health Assessments (2011, 2014 and 2017). These assessments resulted in Community Health Improvement Plans and related activities that are addressing the priority health-related activities in Knox County. The current plan has prioritized obesity, mental health and addiction, and access to care as priorities. The plan also recognizes that trauma that results in toxic stress affects all of the identified community health priorities.
The Resilience Team formed in 2012 after the first Community Health Assessment. The team identified that the strongest predictor of mental health issues and addiction was childhood trauma resulting in toxic stress. As a result of this work, the Resilience Team has focused in several areas. One area has been to support parents. The Resilience Team surveyed over 700 parents who indicated that parent education and support is valuable. As a result, the team submitted a grant proposal, via Knox County Head Start, and received funding from the Ariel Foundation to implement Triple P Parenting, the most effective and comprehensive parenting program available. Triple P is being developed and offered in the county.
The Resilience Team has also focused on increasing awareness about childhood trauma, the adverse childhood experiences study, the impact of toxic stress and strategies to build resilience. A major part of this effort has been showing the film “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope.” The Resilience Team is also working with some community organizations who are interested in increasing awareness within their organizations and improving practices that are trauma sensitive as they provide services to Knox County residents.
The Resilience Team includes representatives from about 15 local organizations and meets monthly.
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