Treating childhood trauma in Avondale

The Avondale Development Corporation has a new tool to deploy in support of the Avondale residents. The Trauma Ambassadors program helps educate the community about the devastating effects of childhood trauma on the development of neighborhood children – and offers a means to counteract them.

It is estimated that one-third of children in Cincinnati have two or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – traumatic events that occur in childhood that are linked to causing chronic health problems in adulthood, including mental illness and substance abuse problems. These events include experiencing violence, abuse or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; and having a family member attempt or die by suicide. ACEs can also stem from aspects of a child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability and bonding – like growing up in a household with substance abuse or mental health problems, instability due to parental separation, household members being in jail or prison and neighborhood violence.

Without intervention ACEs can negatively impact education, job opportunities, earning potential and mental and physical health outcomes – but the good news is negative impacts can be both prevented and reversed. That’s where ADC’s Trauma Ambassadors program comes in. 

The program is headed by April Gallelli, ADC’s Quality of Life project manager who also holds a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology. ADC worked with Joining Forces for Children (JFFC) and Cincinnati Children’s Mayerson Center to assemble best practice research on ACEs and develop messaging that would reach parents, teachers, community members and youth in meaningful, relevant ways.

Armed with this messaging and research, ADC recruited five Trauma Ambassadors – individuals that were already visible and trusted in the community. The Ambassadors received training on the basics of ACEs and trauma-informed care. Starting this summer, the Ambassadors – who decided to call their team Resilience Over Our Trauma (ROOTS) – will begin providing support to neighbors with the goals of reducing stress and increasing resilience in response to community violence. They will be supported with a variety of advocate outreach materials.

The Trauma Ambassadors are only part of ADC’s efforts to address ACEs in Avondale. The effort also includes partnerships with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Police Department, The Avondale Branch Library, Cincinnati Public Schools, Artworks and Freedom Center. The partnerships will feature such outreach efforts as a meditation mural on Rockdale Avenue, a “community paint day”, establishing an advocacy and outreach effort with CPD’s PIVOT team, and connecting with residents at community events and through a youth ambassador program. Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) – Cincinnati is providing the funding for this initiative.

Evidence shows that both children and adults can recover from ACEs. The more resilience factors a child or adult possesses, the better the outcomes.  Building individual, family and community resilience is the key. ROOT Ambassadors are trained to identify existing elements of resilience within families and communities and to empower residents with the support and resources necessary to strengthen and build upon these elements.

But the first step is to provide the community with  information to both recognize and understand, the impact of ACEs and the power of resilience. Only then can the road to healing begin.