Healthy
Communities
Newsletter

February 2020
Community partners working together
to build health and resilience
Greetings! Here is the latest news from the ACEs Action Alliance, Trauma-Informed Schools, Evergreen and Vancouver Faith-Based Coffee groups and
Safe Kids Clark County.
To subscribe to the Healthy Communities Newsletter, please email Jan.Dolph@clark.wa.gov.
Our Community Meetings
For more information on the ACEs Action Alliance, resources, links to past newsletters, events and more, go to:


Special Thanks!
 To our planning teams members; to Adventist Community Church and Cascade Park Baptist Church for sharing their lovely meeting facilities and hospitality; to community partner, Thea Weber, for providing snacks and coffee at Vancouver Faith-Based Coffee; to Randy DeWater and East Vancouver Community Church for providing snacks and to Dutch Bros for providing coffee for Evergreen
Faith-Based Coffee.

Meets from 8:30 to 10:30 am on the third Wednesday of each month at Cascade Park Baptist Church, 1201 SE 136th Ave, Vancouver.

This year's theme: Growing Together

  • The threat of snow did not stop nearly 100 participants from gathering at Cascade Park Baptist Church for the Evergreen Faith-School Partnership Breakfast on Jan. 15. Stories of compassion and care inspired attendee's hearts and minds. Pictured below from right: Pastor Sue Ostrom, Mill Plain United Methodist Church, and Phil Ball, National Network of Youth Ministries, share the "long and short" of why they find value in participating in Faith-Based Coffee.

  • Next meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 19, will focus on reducing the stigma of addiction and recovery. Individuals with lived experience and representatives from XChange Recovery, CVAB and Lifeline Connections will share their stories, insight and information about services for adults and youth.

  • Future meetings in 2020: March 18, April 15 and May 20

  • No meetings in June, July, August and December

Meets from 9 to 11 am on the fourth Thursday of each month at
Adventist Community Church, 9711 NE St. Johns Rd, Vancouver.

This year's theme: Partnering for Action

  • The Vancouver Faith-School Partnership Breakfast will be remembered for the sense of community, caring and commitment that was evident on Jan. 13. The event theme, "A Gift of Time," underpinned discussions about addressing homelessness, poverty and mental illness in our community.

  • Next meeting: Thursday, Feb. 27. Local trainer, Curtis Miller, will discuss how to develop genuine relationships with youth and how to harness the power of storytelling.

  • Future meetings in 2020: March 26, April 23 and May 28

  • No meetings in June, July, August, November and December

Safe Kids Worldwide lists product recalls each month. Please note: Product recalls never expire, so it’s important to check the recalls on a regular basis. This is especially important for hand-me-down or
pre-owned children’s products. Used child car seats and bike helmets should never be re-used in case their integrity is compromised.
Safe Kids Clark County monthly meeting

Meets from 10 - 11:30 am on the third Tuesday of each month
ESD 112, 2500 NE 65th Ave, Vancouver.

  • Next meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 18

  • Future meetings: March 17, April 21 and May 19

  • No meetings in July and August
Car Seat Safety class and clinic  

Meets from 10 am - 2 pm on the third Saturday of each month at PeaceHealth Southwest Education Center
400 NE Mother Joseph Pl, Vancouver.

  • Next class: Saturday, Feb. 15

  • More information here
Community Health Access Resource Group Monthly Meeting (CHARG)
Meets from 9 to 11 am on the second Wednesday, every other month, at the Bud van Cleve Community Room at Luke Jensen Sports Park, 4000 NE 78th St, Vancouver.

  • Next meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 12, will focus on building connections and networking. Local coalitions will discuss their work and the opportunities they provide. Hear from the SW Community Health and Peer Support network (CHAPS), Aging & Disability Resource Network (ADRN), Re-entry Providers, the Active Transportation Coalition Initiative (ATCI), and the Council for the Homeless’ Coalition of Service Providers – (and possibly more).

  • Future meetings: April 8, June 10, August 12, Oct. 14 and Dec. 9
News you can use
  • "Making Meaningful Change: Addressing ACEs through Public Policy" is a national webinar taking place from 8:30 to 10 am on Feb. 18. Three nationally recognized experts, Aditi Srivastav, Jonathan Purtle and Wendy Ellis, will discuss policy and advocacy strategies using evidence from studies they have conducted with legislators and the general public. They will share advocacy and messaging "how to’s" including communicating the effects of structural racism as an ACE and fostering equity as an essential component of resilience, and leveraging the power of community based ACE, trauma and resilience networks to influence policy. Register here.

  • The Transforming Trauma podcast will provide listeners with a map for increased resiliency, greater health outcomes, healthier relationships, personal growth and social change by highlighting individuals and communities that are thriving after Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). Interviews with NARM Therapists, and other prominent trauma specialists, will highlight how the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) fills a missing gap in the current trauma-informed efforts to address the legacy of developmental, relational, cultural and inter-generational trauma. Podcast guests will guide listeners through the diverse ways NARM is applied to support individuals, couples, families and communities. Intended audience: mental health professionals, educators, parents, public policy makers, trauma survivors, or anyone interested in personal healing and social justice. Tune in here.

  • There are still tickets available for the Feb. 11 Northwest Children's Foundation annual forum, Community Trauma and Child Well-Being: A Deeper Dive into the Future of Healing. Keynote speaker, Dr. Shawn Ginwright, Professor of Education and Africana Studies at San Francisco State University, and Seattle pediatrician Dr. Ben Danielson will explore the impact of community trauma on child well-being. How do systems of racism, inequality and poverty affect children and communities as a whole? What tools are available for those of us who work with children, youth and families to support healing? The event will be held from 11:30 am to 4 pm on Feb. 11 at the Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, but can also be web-streamed for only $20. Register here.

  • Join the fight against racism in healthcare. Racism continues to adversely affect the health of families across our country. Stark racial disparities are noted in health outcomes for moms and babies, and families of color have shared countless stories that reveal disturbing differences in care. The need to combat racism is undeniable, especially for those working in health care. NICHQ's new webinar provides strategies and guidance for identifying and addressing racism and racial bias. From Awareness to Action: Strategies for Combating Racism in Health Systems, 12- 1 pm, Feb. 13. Register here.

  • Trauma-informed approaches are not JUST for people who have experienced trauma. In her article, "Trauma-Informed: How about just HUMAN Informed?," author and social worker Robyn Gobbel discusses how dignity, respect and self-regulation practices advocated in trauma-informed approaches are good for everyone. As Gobbel writes: "Assume people are always looking for connection. Assume people are always doing the best they can." Read the article here.

  • Youth and adults who break the law often have a history of childhood trauma. To help law, justice and corrections professionals better understand the role of childhood trauma and its impact, the Justice Clearinghouse is launching a three-part webinar series on Feb. 6. Click on the links below to register for the individual webinars:


  • Calm down, for goodness sake! Parents, teachers and anyone who works with kids will appreciate this list of 75 Awesome Calm Down Strategies (That They will Want to Try) from Angela Pruiss, mother of three children and licensed child therapist. Some of these might just help the inner child in adults as well.
Announcements & upcoming events
Building awareness and inclusion: February is Black History Month
Washington State University Vancouver will kick off Black History Month with “Oh Freedom: Commemorating the Spiritual and the Underground Railroad” from 4 to 5:30 pm, Tue., Feb. 4 on campus in Firstenburg Student Commons, Room 105. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP at vancouver.wsu.edu/events.

The Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield will screen "Brother Outsider", a film about the organization of the 1963 March on Washington, DC, at 6:45 pm on Wed., Feb. 26. (See poster right)

Clark College will screen the film "Just Mercy" at 11 am on Tues., Feb. 11 in the Penguin Union Building. The film tells the story of world-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson and his work to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner.
For more info, contact organizer slelo@clark.edu.
Know someone with an infant?
Talk to them about Safe Sleep

Do your friends with babies know that babies should sleep on their backs? Safe Kids Clark County will be emphasizing Safe Sleep messages with new parents in 2020. They have incorporated this message at their monthly child car seat class at PeaceHealth and at local outreach events. Safe Kids Worldwide is working with the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) to conduct research in the area of safe sleep and preventing suffocation. Safe Kids Worldwide also has a Sleep Safety tip sheet .

NIH has released updated recommendations for Safe Sleep for babies. Read here for more information on their public education campaign to educate the public about Safe Sleep practices .

Cribs for Kids is another excellent resource for more information about Safe Sleep for babies practices.
Turn adversity into resilience:
Help others heal from child sexual abuse as a #SHINE Ambassador
The Clark County Children's Justice Center wants to shed light on the issue of child sexual abuse. They are looking for adult survivors of childhood abuse who can pass on messages of healing and hope to others.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Amy Russell .
It takes a big heart
to shape little minds!
Educational Opportunities for Children and Families (EOCF) works with families on goal setting, identifying needs, medical, dental, vision, and hearing screenings. We provide nutritious meals for our children, offer family engagement events, and offer our parents a chance to be a part of how we operate with positions on our Parent Policy Council. We offer an amazing preschool experience where children are prepared for kindergarten as well as family services that assist families in bettering their situation.

EOCF is now enrolling for preschool opportunities in the following Vancouver School District areas:

  • Hazel Dell Elementary
  • 99th St. Center
  • Starcrest
  • Fruit Valley
  • MacArthur

NO CHARGE for eligible families.
Call to discover more at 360.567.2720.

Gracias por su interes. Para ayuda en Español llame 360.567.2720

To learn more and complete an online application at  www.eocfwa.org   and we will contact you.
Hablamos Español.
Winter is not over yet!
Warm-hearted volunteers
STILL needed
Late winter showers are wet and chilly.

Share your warm heart with others by volunteering to help staff a Winter Hospitality Shelter.

Warm hearts, warm families!

New dates for CASA volunteer
information sessions

If you have a heart to help foster youth who are engaged in the judicial process due to abuse or neglect, learn more about the CASA program.

The Clark County CASA program is holding information sessions in January and February at the YWCA, 3609 Main Street, Vancouver:

  • Thursday, Feb 13 at noon
  • Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 6 pm
  • Monday, March 2 at 12 noon
  • Tuesday, March 10 at 6 pm

For more information, contact Katie Benzel at 360.909.9142 or kbenzel@ywcaclarkcounty.org

ABCD Dental offers dental resources for kids on Apple Health

The Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program, for eligible Clark County children birth up to 6 years old, provides dental resources and an updated list of ABCD-trained dentists who accept Apple Health.

For information, brochures or a presentation about ABCD dental, please connect with Anna Cruz, Clark County Public Health, at 564.397.7371 or via email at  anna.cruz@clark.wa.gov
ABCD celebrates 20 years of success

The Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program was created 25 years ago in Spokane by local dentists to ensure young lower-income children have access to dental care. For the child to be eligible, they must be under the age of six, a Washington resident and have Apple Health (Medicaid).

ABCD became a state-wide program in 1999 and was launched here at Clark County Public Health in 2005. The ABCD program is a system of dental care that connects eligible children with ABCD-trained dentists. Remy Eussen, DDS, a retired pediatric dentist in Vancouver, has been the volunteer ABCD Champion for Clark County since the program was established. He works with Public Health to recruit, train and mentor local ABCD dentists.

ABCD has achieved significant results in Clark County and across the state, along with national recognition. As of 2018, with the work of ABCD dentists and Public Health, 51.8% of eligible children in Clark County are receiving dental care. This year, ABCD is celebrating their 20th anniversary.
About our coalitions and community groups
The ACEs Action Alliance is:
A multi-sector collaborative of public and private organizations and individuals. We raise awareness about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their long-term impact. We promote trauma-informed approaches and policies to support resilience and healing for people of all ages. All are welcome at monthly meetings.

The Trauma-Informed Schools Team is open to anyone who works in or with schools in Clark County. We meet monthly to explore tools, resources and applications of trauma-informed principles for schools.
Check the calendar at ACEsActionAlliance.org for current meeting information and other resources.
Faith-Based Coffee is:
A non-denominational bridge that joins faith partners, communities and local schools to share learning, meet the needs of children, families and neighborhoods, and address emergent needs that arise in our community. All are welcome. Members maintain the separation of church and state at meetings and when fulfilling needs by serving from the heart without promoting personal religious beliefs or engaging in religious recruitment.
Safe Kids Clark County is:
A member of  Safe Kids Worldwide , a grassroots network of more than 600 coalitions and chapters that work closely with law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, health professionals, educators, businesses, public policy makers, and, most importantly, parents and kids to promote safety. Priorities include proper car seat use, baby's safe sleep, reducing child vehicular injuries and deaths, and water safety. Local coordination provided by American Medical Response (AMR).
CHARG is:
A local forum for community members and health professionals to connect and collaborate in order to deliver appropriate services that meet the needs of the diverse populations of Clark County. At each of our bi-monthly forums, the Clark County Community Health Access Resource Group (CHARG) strives to illuminate and educate participants on a handful of themed topics relating to health access.

The Healthy Communities Newsletter is published the first week of each month.
To submit announcements or share information, please send complete information or attach a high resolution pdf file to cyndie.meyer@clark.wa.gov by the 20th of the month prior.
All submissions will be screened and may be edited prior to publication.

If you would like to receive the Healthy Communities Newsletter, please email Jan.Dolph@clark.wa.gov