SEK Recovery Resources, a program of Thrive Allen County, partnered with the Kansas Children’s Service League, and Lambi Learns Training Academy to offer members of numerous job sectors some insight into how to provide better support to children and adults they work with at the We Care Trauma Informed Care Summit, held at the SEK Impact Center.
“Our event today brings awareness of positive childhood experiences and how to combat negative childhood experiences through prevention programs,” Director of Addiction, Prevention and Recovery Programs April Jackson said.
Dana Book of Kansas Children’s Service League informed attendees about the HOPE Framework. HOPE stands for Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences. According to Book, research conducted by Tufts Medicine has shown that having positive childhood experiences can mitigate the effects of having an adverse childhood experience, or ACE.
Adverse childhood experiences can come from witnessing or experiencing abuse, neglect, acts of terrorism, community violence, divorce, or bullying. Kansas is one of a few states that conducts a statewide phone survey asking about both adverse and positive childhood experiences.
“In Kansas, the latest data tells us that most adults have had at least one ACE.” Book said. “At least a third of them have experienced three or more.”
According to Book, having higher ACE scores correlates with having an increased risk of health issues as an adult. However, identifying positive childhood experiences or PCEs can decrease the impact of these high ACE scores.
“Positive childhood experiences protect adult mental health even in the face of adverse childhood experiences,” Book said.
The HOPE framework highlights four building blocks; relationships, environments, engagement, and emotional growth. Attendees were asked to consider what positive relationships, environments, or activities impacted them as children, as well as how they could create those for other people.
“It’s about driving resilience,” Book said. “Hope lives in the community, if we don’t have resilience, moving through adversity becomes really hard.”
The Lambi Learns Training Academy taught attendees how to use the Lambi Learns curriculum, to better serve children experiencing or recovering from traumatic experiences.
This includes a book for children, “Lambi Learns About Addiction” by Trisha Luna. According to Luna, the book and accompanying kit provide a structured and organized approach to helping kids develop emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and skills for healthy decision-making.
Attendees learned about the fight, flight, fawn, or freeze responses and grounding techniques to help children positively manage negative emotions.
This event was provided through grant funding by All Hands On DECK (Drug Endangered Children in Kansas), Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Programs (COSSAP); Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. To learn more about SEK Recovery Resources, visit https://www. sekrecovery.org.
Attendee LeAndra Hancock catches a ball of yarn during an activity at the We Care Trauma Informed Care Summit. Hannah Emberton | Tribune
