Page 7 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_July-August-2019

Feature

Community Spotlight: Building a Resilient Charlotte

By Stefanie Reed, DO, FAAP What can I do as a parent?
• Take the ACEs test and know your score.
T he Charlotte Resilience Project is a community initiative • Determine if your child has a high ACE score and know his or her
focused on creating awareness around the concept of resilience score.
adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress, • Reach out to your pediatrician for local experts.
providing resource information on trauma-informed care • Advocate for ACEs training and screenings in your community.
and resilience, and mobilizing efforts to support successful outcomes
for children and families. Their mission is simple: to create a healthy, For more information, visit https://charlotteresilienceproject.org.
compassionate, resilient community.
Bigger, Better, Big Shots Saturdays
2018 marked the 20th anniversary of the landmark study by Kaiser All Summer Long
Permanente and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), titled “Adverse Childhood Experiences,” or the “ACE study.” It’s not too early to start talking about back-to-school immunizations.
This study has been foundational to our understanding of the connection
between childhood trauma and life-long health and coping outcomes. Big Shots Saturdays Clinic Schedule at
MECKLENBURG COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
Since that time, there have been numerous other studies, stories,
movies and national movements highlighting the impact of toxic Saturday Clinics are 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:
stress — such as that experienced during childhood trauma — its n July 20 – Beatties Ford Road Health Department
impact on the developing brain, and subsequent adult health and n August 3 – Billingsley Road Health Department
behavior. Most notably, when intense stress is applied to the early n August 17 – Beatties Ford Road Health Department
developing mind, neuronal connections, biochemical transactions and n September 7 – Billingsley Road Health Department
parasympathetic pathways may be altered disrupting behavior, growth, n September 14 – Beatties Ford Road Health Department
immune systems and learning. Such alterations may lead to an increase n September 21 – Billingsley Road Health Department
in attention deficit/hyperactivity, learning disabilities, cardiovascular
disease, obesity and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Family and community resilience skills, such as positive parenting
interactions, mentorship, safe schools, coping skills, quality pre-K and Mecklenburg County Public Health also offers
access to health care have been shown to mitigate many of the short- immunization services at three clinic locations
and long-term outcomes of ACEs/toxic stress. Monday-Friday:

Ways you can get involved: n Valerie C. Woodard Center Community Resource Center
at 3205 Freedom Drive
• Host a showing of the film “Resilience” with local experts.
• Sign up to receive trauma-informed and resiliency training. n Northwest Health Department at 2845 Beatties Ford Road
• Sign up to participate on one of the Resilience subcommittees: n Southeast Health Department at 249 Billingsley Road
Early Childhood, Corporate, Faith, Education, Health Care, Justice,
Legislative and Nonprofit. Call 704-336-6500 for an appointment. Visit Meckhealth.org for more information.

On April 9, Healthy Charlotte Alliance and the Charlotte Resilience Project partnered to bring the Building a Healthier and More Resilient Community symposium to the
public. The event featured the documentary “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope” and a panel discussion with moderator Elizabeth Trotman from the
Charlotte Resilience Project and panelists Courtney Brantley, MD, with Atrium Health; James DuRant III, MD, with Novant Health; and Ian Murray, M.Ed, L.P.C., with Southeast
Psych. Mecklenburg County Medical Society sponsored the event.
If you or your group is interested in showing the documentary film, go to www.charlotteresilienceproject.org/host-resilience to complete the request form.

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