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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 19 of RESILIENCE build building ing BLOCKS A special publication from the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board www.rappahannockareacsb.org PREVENTION SERVICES Prevention Services Prevention Services at the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board provide a wide array of evidence-based curriculums and best practice initiatives to support healthy Parent Check-Ins Education and Support on a Range of Topics Second Step Social/Emotional Education for Pre-K thru Elementary Healthy Alternatives for Little Ones Healthy Lifestyle Education Too Good For Drugs Substance Abuse Awareness and Peer Resistance Skills for Pre-K thru Elementary Last year, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB) brought us a guide to having difficult conversations on a range of topics from underage substance misuse to suicide prevention. This year, RACSB is back with this important guide for parents on how to bulid resilience in our children and within our families. Historically, public health ini- tiatives have focused heavily on risk factors. But the CDC's Adverse Childhood Experiences Study in the 1990's caused a shift in perspectives. We're asked to shift our lens. Instead of asking, "What's wrong with you?" when someone behaves outside of social expectations, we're encouraged to ask "What happened to you?" This is an acknowledgement that the choices we make are based on our experi- ences. And when we experience less-than-favorable events, those things can actually get under our skin and rewire our brain development. This is where another shift has to take place. We have to increase the focus on building protective factors. And the next step in this trauma-informed progression is to ask, "And who was there for you?" Over the next few pages, you'll read more about brain development and the importance of relationships. We all have a role to play in cultivating individual and community resilience. Let's work together to build and support protective factors. Because while we can't prevent all adversity, we can control how we respond. We can control the actions we take within our homes, our schools, our teams, our organizations, and within our community to create safe and welcoming environments that support positive and nurturing relationships.