A Regional Academy is a collaboration between AVA experts and local leaders to develop a trauma-resilency informed community. Contact connor@avahealth.org to organize your own Regional Academy!
Endorsements
The Academy on Violence and Abuse (AVA) was instrumental in making possible the symposium, Health and Resilience: Growing a Trauma Informed Community. This day of education was multidisciplinary that reached state-wide entities who serve the public in domains of education, mental and physical health, and public support. We hosted 150+ participants for a rigorous day of education on the effects of trauma across the life-span and highlighted local agency efforts. The complete symposium was orchestrated within 2 short months of planning, which included organizing 8 guest speakers and 3 panels of discussants, fundraising, advertising and logistics. The AVA was highly integrated in this process, initially providing program guidance both from the program manual (written by Steve Stone), as well as phone discussions with several board members. The four AVA speakers set the tone of excellence in the morning section, addressing medical and societal implications of the effect of trauma through the lifespan. As the Symposium Chair and Coordinator, I am indebted to the AVA for all their exceptional help.
Susie Wiet, MD
Holistic Psychiatrist
Diplomat of General and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine
Mindful Therapeutic Services
"The Regional Academy facilitated by the Academy on Violence and Abuse (AVA) is a very powerful tool to help communities begin the process of understanding the impact childhood histories of trauma have on those living in their neighborhoods. Since recently attending one of the AVA’s Academies, I have had many follow-up conversations with those in attendance. Whether the professional discipline was medicine, social work, psychology, counseling, healthcare administration, or government, the feedback I heard was that this conference completely reframed how the participant viewed the meaning behaviors our society deems “dysfunctional”. The academy helped those participants understand that approaching people from a trauma informed perspective is necessary in order to promote healing and positive change in another’s life. I highly recommend anyone working in the healing arts, healthcare administration, or policy making fields to attend one the AVA’s Regional Academies as soon as you have the opportunity."
Jerry Strausbaugh EdD, LPCCS
Executive Director Appleseed CMHC
The Regional Academy was an eye opening event. While we know that these adverse childhood experiences have an effect on adult mental health, the pervasiveness and consistency of the experiences on what we usually think of as adult medical health issues was astounding. At our Academy, there were many mental health professionals and nurses, but few medical providers. I would encourage all who are involved in Primary Care especially to attend an Academy and then to identify ways to incorporate these findings into practice.
Roger Snyder MD
Physician Samaritan Professional Corporation
