About the Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia
Research shows us how to counteract adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by designing our systems to better serve our children. We know that 20% of children in Virginia have experienced two or more ACEs. These ACEs can shape the course of children’s health and development over a lifetime. Responsive relationships and strong communities can buffer the effects of ACEs. Our systems, programs, services, and staff should become trauma-informed to recognize children who have experienced trauma and to help foster resiliency.
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Initiatives are taking shape at the state and local level to help organizations and communities become more trauma-informed. At the same time, Virginia’s elected officials are engaged in important conversations on how to improve the safety and climate of schools, transform our behavioral health system, shift child welfare towards prevention, and expand early learning opportunities. In order to promote resiliency, Voices believes our laws and funding decisions should support trauma-informed systems and communities.
Goals of the Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia
The goal of the campaign is to influence state policymakers to adopt trauma-informed approaches by increasing investments in prevention of trauma and adopting trauma-informed and evidence-based practices across state agencies that impact children and families. To this campaign Voices brings our knowledge in early childhood education, child welfare, and mental health, as well as our expertise in advocating with state policymakers.
We strive to connect local partners, stakeholder groups, advocates, state agency leaders, and elected officials in order to create and advance a unified state policy agenda for trauma-informed policy and practice. Over the last two years, Voices has championed trauma-informed policy at the state level, including the first resolution introducing the concepts of trauma-informed care and making recommendations to look across state agencies to create a definition of trauma-informed care.
Join Us for a Trauma-Informed Virginia
This is a critical moment to raise awareness of trauma-informed policy and practice in Virginia, and Voices’ policy team will continue to provide policy analysis expertise, backed by data, to further advance state policy. Please help us raise awareness by joining our Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia.
You can help by by sharing your story about trauma-informed community initiatives, resiliency, and/or the impact of adverse childhood experiences. Please also stay updated by subscribing to our advocacy updates and action opportunities!