Opportunities for psychologists to enact community change through adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and resilience networks.

Abstract

A growing body of evidence on the inequitable distribution of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., Merrick et al., 2018) and their impact throughout the life-course (e.g., Metzler et al., 2017) has highlighted the need to focus on their underlying causes (Ellis & Dietz, 2017). This increasing recognition of ACEs as a preventable public health problem (Bellis et al., 2019) with roots in the community environment has spurred collective responses (e.g., Srivastav et al., 2020), including the emergence of multisector, community-based networks organized to address ACEs and trauma and foster resilience, or “ATR networks” (Jones et al., 2017). ATR networks provide a platform for psychologists to contribute their theoretical, clinical, and research skills to community-level ACEs prevention and mitigation efforts collectively designed by a diverse group comprising professionals from a range of disciplines, advocates, grass-roots leaders, and community residents. Using evidence from an evaluation of Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities, a recent multisite initiative of 14 ATR networks, this article describes the structure, operation, and accomplishments of these networks to make a case for the ways in which psychologists, working with other professionals and grassroots leaders, can contribute to these efforts. Findings highlight how sectors in which psychologists typically work, play pivotal roles in ATR networks, the ways in which network members in these sectors both influence and are influenced by the networks, and the types of outcomes achieved by the networks within these sectors. Suggestions are offered for the roles psychologists can play to enhance network efforts.

Child Maltreatment and Long-Term Physical and Mental Health Outcomes: An Exploration of Biopsychosocial Determinants and Implications for Prevention

“…It therefore makes sense that interventions be multi-systemic in their approach through a mix of individual, family and social systems focused interventions (school/community) and a weighted approach to detection, prevention, early intervention and treatment. Community coalition approaches to children's mental health problems show great promise for ACEs prevention [174] and have solid efficacy for prevention of adolescent substance use and crime [175][176][177]. These approaches have utility for preventing child maltreatment through mixes of individual, school and family-oriented programs.…”

Science, practice, and policy related to adverse childhood experiences: Framing the conversation.

“…Accordingly, collaborative efforts that bring together partners across disciplines and settings hold particular promise. Rog et al (2021) explore one such collective response, examining ACEs, trauma, and resilience (ATR) networks, which they define as multisector, community-based networks organized to address ACEs and trauma and to foster resilience. Relying on data from their evaluation of Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities, a recent multisite initiative of 14 ATR networks, the authors highlight ways in which psychologists can contribute to these efforts.…”

Understanding rural social networks addressing adverse childhood experiences: A case study of the San Luis Valley.

“…Cross-sector networks are a common approach to addressing problems like ACEs with interwoven causes and effects (Varda & Sprong, 2020). Previous research has established that networks can be valuable for addressing ACEs and explored their application in several communities (e.g., Rog et al, 2021), but there is more to learn about ACEs networks in rural communities.…”