Drug-Free Communities

At Somerset Public Health, we are working to reduce trauma and improve resilience in schools and communities. We focus on addressing the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, which are traumatic events that occur during childhood that can lead to poor health, lack of opportunity and and instability throughout his or her life time. Research has linked ACEs to an increased risk of developing substance use disorders, making the reduction in ACEs a key strategy in creating Drug Free Communities.

School

We support schools in developing a shared and deep understanding among staff of trauma’s impact on student success and life outcomes. We help educators recognize the importance of safety, trusting relationships, connection, belonging, adaptability, and working together as a school community.

We support school cultures that help strengthen student learning, foster a sense of belonging and provide a foundation for lifelong health.

The Pair of ACEs graphic

Community

We work within the community to build knowledge related to the intersection of trauma and poor life outcomes, including substance misuse.

We identify shared risk and protective factors and work within the community to make connections and share resources. We provide information through presentations on Adverse Childhood Experiences, documentary screenings and facilitated discussions.

Videos

Check out the videos below for samples of what we are doing in the community.
Video - We Can Prevent ACEs

We Can Prevent ACEs

Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. As such, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are an important public health issue. Learn how everyone can help prevent ACEs by using strategies to create safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children.
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Resilience - Official trailer

RESILIENCE (2016) Official Trailer

Researchers have recently discovered a dangerous biological syndrome caused by abuse and neglect during childhood. As the new documentary Resilience reveals, toxic stress can trigger hormones that wreak havoc on the brains and bodies of children, putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time, and early death. While the broader impacts of poverty worsen the risk, no segment of society is immune. Resilience, however, also chronicles the dawn of a movement that is determined to fight back. Trailblazers in pediatrics, education, and social welfare are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the insidious effects of toxic stress—and the dark legacy of a childhood that no child would choose.
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