Many health professionals, including nurses, substance abuse providers, and mental health professional do not have a clear understanding of the impact of adverse childhood events (ACEs); how to mitigate the risks by building up protective factors, or; how to explain to their clients that toxic stress in childhood can have a sustained impact on their physical and behavioral health.

Together we will view the documentary Resilience, discuss social determinants of health (both risk and protective factors), review tools to screen for social determinants of health (including ACES, benevolent childhood events, and adult resilience) and explore their role within a two generational approach to supporting adults who experienced ACES and the children they will be/are raising.

Faculty

Rachel Galanter (MPH, Maternal and Child Health from UNC-CH and Bachelors in Psychology from Columbia University), is Exchange Family Center’s new Executive Director. A NC Parenting Education Network certified Parenting Educator, she has over 25 years of experience with children, youth and families. She uses Motivational Interviewing, anger management and bio-feedback to help families address the stress and emotional issues that can be barriers to making change. She employs proven models, such as, Attachment Bio-Behavioral Catch Up, SafeCare, Language Is the Key, Triple P and Parent Child Interaction Therapy to help families transform and improve their relationships as caregivers to children. A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, she provides training and coaching to professionals on parent engagement, coaching, and cultural awareness to help other agencies engage clients who need support but are ambivalent about making change. In addition to her local efforts, she is a sought-after speaker for national conferences including: the National Birth to Three Institute, the National Head Start Association Parent Engagement Institute, the National Exchange Clubs Symposium and to her peers at the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers Forum. Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina awarded her the Donna J Stone award in 2013 for going above and beyond to support families in their efforts to provide their children with the safe, stable, nurturing environments they need if they are going to be successful. In additional to her professional work on behalf of families, Rachel was a foster parent for a decade and added two daughters (and now four grandchildren) to her family from that time.

The presenter, Exchange Family Center’s Executive Director, Rachel Galanter, is being supported through a partnership between UNC-CH School of Social Work and the NC AHEC Program.

Objectives

• Explain the risk to physical and behavior health caused by adverse childhood events (ACEs) and toxic stress (including the stress caused by racial inequity and poverty).

• Describe tools for screening for social determinants of health.

• Examine a two generation approach to supporting adults who experienced ACEs/toxic stress and the children they will be/are raising.

• Discuss a plan for mitigating the risk caused by ACEs/toxic stress within their role and within their community.