Cary Medical Center in cooperation with the Maine Resiliency Building Network and the Aroostook Youth Vision Network will sponsor three summits focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The summits will take place in three County locations; Tuesday May 13 at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center, Wednesday, May 14 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and Thursday May 15 in Houlton at the Shiretown Inn. Each training session will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Certificates of Completion will be presented to participants.
The ACEs Summit will be an interactive learning opportunity for community and organizational participants to find out about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. The ACEs study is ongoing collaborative research between the centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. The co-principal investigators of the study are Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, with the CDC; and Vincent J. Felitti, MD, with Kaiser Permanente.
Over 17,000 Kaiser patients participating in routine health screening volunteered to participate in the study. Data resulting from their participation continues to be analyzed; it reveals staggering proof of the health, social and economic risks that result from childhood trauma.
The Maine Resiliency Building Network (MRBN) is a collective of individuals and organizations from throughout Maine. Sue Mackey Andrews, co-facilitator at Maine Resilience Building Network, said that MRBN is a community-focused organization.
“Our organization focuses on resilience in people and communities. Resilience is the ability to overcome stresses and adversity. Resilience is built through supportive relationships, positive experiences, and by learning skills. Resilience is unique in each person. The ACEs study makes it very clear that if children are going to be successful in life we must do all we can to prevent adverse childhood experiences and when they do occur we must help children resolve them.”
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center, said the hospital believes in “prevention” and that its vision of creating a healthier community speaks to the study’s findings.
“Cary Medical Center has a tradition of being focused on the prevention of disease as well as being a source of health and healing. The ACEs Study is so prescriptive in that to have a healthy society we must create a positive and supportive environment for all children. We hope to build upon the work of the coming summits to advance this vision in Aroostook County.”
The ACEs Summit came about as a follow-up to a meeting held at Cary Medical Center late in 2013. Mackey Andrews presented the findings of the ACEs study to social workers and other health professionals in The County. Following the presentation Flagg was motivated to bring more training to Aroostook County.
“I was so moved by the findings of this study that I really wanted to educate as many people in The County as I could as to its implications,” said Flagg who is coordinating the hospital’s efforts on the project. “Once we know the facts I believe we will find many people in the health professions, social work, teachers, and those outside of the healthcare industry to rally in support of the prevention strategies.”
The idea to sponsor the summits was strongly supported by the Aroostook Youth Vision Network a collaborative of agencies involved in Aroostook County youth services. The network has been meeting for more than 18 years and is chaired by Gary Sanfacon, juvenile county corrections officer.
“We have been meeting for many years and building a strong network of organizations and individuals working together to improve services and access to youth in The County,” said Sanfacon who is based at the Presque Isle Court House. “When we learned about the ACEs study we felt that bringing the training opportunity to the County would be a great idea and we hope to develop and action plan to respond to what we learn.”
The summit training opportunity has been scheduled in three sites in order to make it more convenient for participants. Each session will include a review of the research findings from the ACEs Study followed by a working session on using strength based approaches to help build resilient children, youth, families and communities.
Dr. Michele McCormick is a board certified pediatrician who received her medical degree from the University of South Carolina before completing her residency at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. McCormick has been practicing pediatrics since 1997. She has been affiliated with medical practices in Maine, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Dr. McCormick will present the research findings from the ACEs study.
Chris Trout, author of “Reflecting Strengths, Transformative Lessons from Resilient Youth and Reflecting Strengths: The Workbook,” will lead the segment of the summit on strength-based approaches. He is a national speaker and trainer in resiliency and strength focused work with challenging and challenged youth and the adults who work with them. He has trained and inspired thousands of teachers, social workers, child care workers, administrators and youth workers of every description from south central Los Angeles to rural Canada.
There is a $10 cost for the training program and a continental breakfast will be provided. FMI or to pre-register, please call Cary Medical Center Community Relations at 498-1112.
