Healthy
Communities
Newsletter
February 2021
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Community partners working together
to build health and resilience
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Our Community Meetings
Scroll to bottom for a description of each group
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SAVE THESE DATES!
Feb. 10 - ACEs Alliance Learning Collaborative
Feb. 11 - Trauma-Informed Schools
Feb. 22 - Clark County Breastfeeding Coalition
- 12 - 1:30 pm
- Zoom meeting
March 25 - Faith-Based Coffee
- No meeting in February
- Check the next newsletter for a link or location.
An updated calendar for all meetings can also be found at
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ACEs Action Alliance*
*ACEs: Adverse Childhood Experiences
The ACEs Alliance Learning Collaborative continues the educational outreach of the ACEs Action Alliance. This group will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 from 9 to 11 am. Curtis Miller will continue to facilitate the workshop on belonging and inclusion that began in October.
- Meeting ID: 874 2446 7560
- Passcode: 350789
The Community Alliance Network will meet again at 9 am on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. This group combines the cross-sector efforts of the ACEs Alliance with the collaborative focus of CHARG (the Community Health Access Resource Group). The Network meets four times a year.
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Trauma-Informed Schools Workgroup
The TI Schools Workgroup is for people who work
in or with early childhood education and K-12 schools.
January meeting: Clark County Public Health shared information about suicide rates during COVID and Healthy Youth Survey results related to protective factors. Curtis Miller shared information about Vancouver Reads and the work he is doing to support resilience through literacy. School district representatives discussed their current efforts on SEL and trauma-informed change.
February meeting: Thurs., Feb. 11 from 1 to 3 pm. The RISE UP program from Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre program and Oregon Children's Theatre will join us to showcase their plays and resources that educate teachers and students about ACEs, resilience, and mental health. Most, if not all, resources are free of charge to schools. They will lead a workshop for participants about thriving while schools adapt to COVID. It will be fun and informative!
- Meeting ID: 857 2163 5107
- Passcode: 604460
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For more information on the ACEs Action Alliance, resources, links to past newsletters, events and more, go to:
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There will not be a Faith-Based Coffee meeting in February.
At our January meeting, we learned more about the foster care system, kinship care, supports for youth transitioning out of the system, the CASA program, and support for foster children and youth in our schools. To view the meeting and chat, click here.
Our next meeting will take place at 9 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. The link will be shared in the next newsletter.
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Follow us on Facebook for meeting updates and information
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Product Recalls
Safe Kids Worldwide lists product recalls each month. Please note: Product recalls never expire. 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.
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Safe Kids Clark County
no monthly meeting
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Child Car Seat Safety
class and clinic
No class in February
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Clark County Breastfeeding Coalition meeting
Clark County Breastfeeding Coalition strives to improve the health of our community by working collaboratively to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
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Next meeting: Monday, Feb. 22, Noon to 1:30 pm (different Monday due to holidays)
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On-line via Zoom - if interested, click here to register
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Speakers: Ana Sifuentes, YWCA's Bilingual Outreach Specialist and Legal Coordinator and Austin Lea, Planned Parenthood's Community Education and Outreach Coordinator will co-present to provide resources and best practices that will help attendees to serve clients that are experiencing interpersonal, domestic and/or sexual violence. The training is for any healthcare professional including but not limited to, nurses, hospital staff, community health workers, social workers, case managers WIC staff, and lactation consultants who work directly with clients.
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CCBC Planning Team recruiting for additional team members
The planning team for the Clark County Breastfeeding Coalition is looking for three new members. The lived experiences and perspective of Black, Indigenous, and people of color are fundamental to directing CCBS's efforts to to promote, protect and support breastfeeding and community health.
Planning team members:
- Listen and support all coalition members to define and carry out the CCBC strategic plan
- Assist in planning the CCBC annual conference
- Advocate for and promote membership from historically underrepresented groups
- Foster an understanding of and appreciation for diversity and inclusion
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Early Childhood, Teaching and Parenting
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Not all trauma is the same. In this interesting post, the authors Mellissa Withers and Catherine Maloney explore different experiences of trauma and their effects.
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PBS NewsHour Q&A: Childhood Trauma and COVID-19. Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., director of the Harvard Center for the Developing Child, answers questions about how the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing is affecting children and families.
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"SEL and Mental Health" is a critical conversation for all of us, especially in the school context. Aperture Education will engage panelists on topics spanning school-based mental health services, how educator and student SEL supports learning outcomes, and more. Click here to register to attend the webinar at 1 pm on Feb. 2.
Trauma and Resilience
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We Are Resilient is an SEL program for educators that focuses on developing teachers' own resilience skills. Learn more about this concept at the webinar featuring speaker Bryan Clement, MEd, at noon on Feb. 24. Pre-registration required.
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Join Rick Hanson, PhD, as he interviews Dr. Bruce Perry, senior fellow of the Child Trauma Academy and author of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog. Dr. Perry discusses how to limit the long-term impact of stressful events and heal from past trauma. Click here to listen to the pre-recorded podcast.
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Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is looking to support a statewide learning collaborative focused on the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). DOH envisions a shared space for program and policy conversations to strengthen connections across multiple health and human service sectors. Please help inform development of the learning collaborative by participating in a five-minute survey, which will be open until close of business on Feb. 3.
Equity and Diversity - February is Black History Month
- The Vancouver Chapter of the NAACP is offering trainings for youth on microagression this month. Please visit the NAACP webpage to find out more and to register for an age-appropriate training.
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Fort Vancouver Regional Library is holding a free online event "Talking with Children about Skin Color, Identity, and Differences". Katie Kissinger, author of "Anti-Bias Education in the Early Childhood Classroom" will empower parents to find the language, courage and inspiration for talking with children about skin color, identity, differences, and discrimination. The presentation will be from 6-7 pm on Feb. 10 with time for Q&A after. Register here.
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Community Announcements
Please send pdf of announcements and fliers to Cyndie Meyer before the last week of the month.
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Clark County YWCA promotes Teen Dating Violence Awareness |
The Clark County YWCA is offering programs for both adults and youth in February to build awareness and action about teen dating violence. Links to the programs are in the flyer.
In honor of both Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Black History Month, YWCA is partnering with Rogue Inspiration on a Black Youth Creator Challenge. Please share and encourage participation!
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Support for Foster Kids and Families
As of December 2020, approximately 500 children and youth were living in foster care in Clark County, Washington.
There is funding available to assist with medication co-pays for kinship children (children living with non-parent family members) and caregivers. Details provided on the flyer or call Sara Revford at 360.759.4317.
Kids need clothes! And that goes for kids in foster care as well. All types and sizes of clothing, shoes and especially underwear are needed. Contact Sarah Redford at 360.759.4317 or kinshipnavigator@dshs.wa.gov to find out what is needed and where to drop off your donation.
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Vancouver Public Schools Community Resources Hub offers updated information on services for Clark County residents including food, housing, utility assistance, jobs and more.
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SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support for people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call 1.800.985.5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
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COVID-19 and other Health & Safety Resources |
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Keep up-to-date with factual information about COVID-19
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Washington State Coronavirus Hotline: 800.525.0127. Open 6 am-10 pm Monday through Friday and 8 am to 6 pm on weekends and holidays. This hotline is a partnership effort between Washington State Department of Health and Washington 211. This replaces the DOH novel coronavirus call center. (Please note that the statewide 211 system differs from our local 211 system.)
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Concerned that a local business may be violating Safe Start guidance (requirements for face coverings, occupancy limits, etc.)? Submit a report through the Safe Start site, which will route to the appropriate licensing and/or oversight agency, such as the Department of Labor and Industries or the Department of Health, for follow up. Concerns about events that violate Safe Start Guidance may also be reported to the same site: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/report-safe-start-violation
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Suspected violations at local food establishments may also be reported to Clark County Public Health for follow up by the local food safety team.
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About our coalitions and community groups |
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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 our meetings.
The four key functions served by the ACEs Alliance:
- Educate and build awareness of ACEs and toxic stress, resilience, the Trauma-Informed pathway and community efforts;
- Facilitate opportunities for community mobilization;
- Promote and facilitate cross-sector convening, connection and collaboration;
- Collect, evaluate and share community indicators of ACEs, root causes, and resilience.
Beginning in January 2021, all meetings will take place from 9 to 11 am on the second Wednesday of the month:
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ACEs Action Alliance Learning Collaborative supports learning and awareness about childhood trauma and individual/community resilience. The learning collaborative will meet in February, May and October. Throughout 2021 we will focus on building community belonging and inclusion on a strengths-based foundation.
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The Community Action Alliance Network provides a forum for CHARG members and members of the ACEs Action Alliance to meet together to learn about community services and support inclusive and collaborative cross-sector connections. This group will meet four times per year in January, March, June and September.
The Trauma-Informed Schools Team is open to anyone who works in or with schools in Clark County. We meet monthly during the school year to explore tools, resources and applications of trauma-informed principles for schools.
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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.
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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).
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Clark County Breastfeeding Coalition is: |
A coalition that works to improve the health of our community by promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding. CCBC is committed to identify and eliminate barriers to breastfeeding among families of all races and ethnicities in Clark County in order to foster a culture of inclusion.
The coalition works collaboratively to connect, educate and promote breastfeeding practices in all Clark County communities. CCBC also works to create an environment that supports breastfeeding as the cultural norm for infant feeding.
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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
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For other formats, contact the Clark County ADA Office
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