I’ll admit, until a couple of weeks ago, I never thought I’d have the experience to write a piece on hateful crimes from a first-person point of view. That recently changed when a dear friend of mine came to visit from Houston. We had an amazing time and of course her visit was not going to end without a day on the beach in South Beach. Everything about the trip seemed pretty normal. We rented an umbrella at The Stanton and found a great spot. The beach was packed as usual with a mix of locals and tourists. We had been there for about an hour when we first noticed the inebriated lady in front of us. Every so often she would turn around and say something to us, but between 30 feet distance and the ocean breeze we couldn’t really understand what she was saying. What leaves me more baffled is that I initially exchanged words with this lady. She had asked me if I had a problem with her vaping. I said it was fine as there was a good amount of distance between us and I was sure we wouldn’t even have smelt it. She then asked me if I was part of the group of “Gringas” that had just left. I replied no, and went about my business. Again, later in the afternoon she just started yelling at us. We just couldn’t figure out what it was that we were doing that was causing this lady to get upset.I suppose that’s the essence of a hate crime. Someone is usually going about their business just existing while the other person acts on some deep-rooted malice. The definition of a hate crime states its typically one involving violence, that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds. If we look at this from an evolutionary standpoint, one would think and hope that we have evolved enough that 1.) we could learn to accept other people’s differences 2.) We could have a dialogue about our differences and maybe even admit our prejudices have no bases and just move on. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for my friend. By now, the video from Local 10 News has over 1.5 million views on YouTube so there is no real reason to recount it. You can find the video here. What I want to talk about is the lasting effect this kind of behavior has on the victims. After all, I am working around the clock on a campaign surrounding ACE’s, Adverse Childhood Experiences. While this wasn’t an Adverse Childhood Experience, it was a traumatic experience and hate/hateful crimes are a harsh reality our youth are facing this day-in age. I will use this knowledge going forward to not only participate in the conversations regarding the aforementioned topic but also to spark change.Now that my friend DeAnna is back home in Houston we’ve spoken about the incident several times. It’s remarkable to think back on how both of us have been transformed since the event. In hindsight, I’m able to identify clearly every stage of grief we have encountered. Here’s a break-down of my observations. Initially, we found the situation to be hilarious, for many reasons. We were in a stage of disbelief/denial and laughing about our failures is what kept us sane for the moment. Thankfully, we were together, and Deanna and I share enough of a martial arts background that we simply laughed at our failure to defend ourselves despite the amount of knowledge we possessed. We were clearly in the denial phase – “it’s fine, we’re fine.” Shortly thereafter, we entered into the next phase of grief, anger. After the incident happened we were so angered by the whole situation that we decided to not only call the cops but Local 10 too. She got away before the police arrived and there were so many supportive onlookers that we felt empowered to share the videos with the media. This phase clearly blended into the bargaining phase as we tried to justify it with – “nothing really happened to Deanna’s face.” Are you kidding me? It is not right to get attacked on the beach for no reason, regardless of the fact that she only whaled on her leg. It was wrong and where she hit her never should have mattered in our minds but in hindsight, that’s just what we were telling ourselves to cope. It took a few days to enter into the depression stage, in part because of the amount of times you have to recount the story for police reports, media, family and friends, it felt like it was the only things we talked about for days, and rightly so. It was traumatic but the process robs you of the ability to move on. When the reality of it all set in, it hit us hard.For myself, it was a harsh reality of just how vulnerable I am after being outside in the Florida heat. I have re-played the scenario over in my head, endlessly. What could I have done differently, to help Deanna in the moment? The truth is, not much. You see, I avoid the heat like the plague. It is the single most difficult thing for me to manage with my Multiple Sclerosis and I really only go to the beach for special events. It leaves me feeling depleted of all energy and after being at the beach for over five hours, I actually told Deanna that I needed to take a quick nap to recharge to get enough energy to make it to the car and then drive home. That is when the lady attacked – when I was at my most vulnerable state. Once that reality set in, I had a good cry about it and decided that I should only return to the beach with a body guard and for very short stints. Seriously. She could have had a knife, or worse a gun. Things could’ve been a lot worse and I am one to adapt to life’s challenges. This was the second time in my life that I had a traumatic experience that I didn’t respond to, in my mind, adequately. The first was when I was a teenager at Smoothie King. I remember my back was to the door as I was watching the gentleman make my smoothie when all of a sudden I turned to hear someone yelling at me, with a gun pointing directly at my face. He was yelling at me to get on the ground. Thankfully, everyone was ok and he walked away with just the money from the cash register. For years I have laughed at the fact that on that same exact day in my martial arts class we were learning to take guns from individuals and turn them on them. It was impossible to do any of those moves as he was maybe 6 feet away, and you can’t walk into a scenario to take a gun, it must be within arm’s reach.That incident, to this day, will cause me to sit with my eyes on the door, every time I go out to eat. My friends and family all know this bit of information and everyone reserves that one seat, at every restaurant, for me. Point is, traumas stay with you and unless you are willing and wanting to put in the hard work to get past them. You will always be stuck trying to find ways to adapt to avoid the same thing happening all over again. Your brain will find that experience so traumatic that for the rest of your life it will alter how you behave. That is not right and no one should have to experience that kind of brutal reprogramming of their brain. So, what do we do about it? How do we change it?I have no idea as I feel like I joined the millions of outraged Americans wanting to spark change. Hopefully this doesn’t turn out like the pandemic, where enough of us suffer the severe consequences before we realize we needed to just mask up or in this case, have a conversation.<iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AV78fSxsoJY?showinfo=0"></iframe>

Hate Crimes Cause Individuals to Live in Fear For Just Existing.

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<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/208-million-american-adults-81-to-travel-for-summer-2022-with-80-planning-to-road-trip-according-to-a-survey-by-the-vacationer-301521002.html#:~:text=DEPTFORD%2C%20N.J.%2C%20April%2011%2C,plan%20to%20travel%20this%20summer." target="_blank">81% of Americans</a>&nbsp;plan on traveling this summer. Are you one of them? If so, it's time for you to start thinking about how you're going to&nbsp;avoid getting sick on your trip!Everyone knows that it's common to catch the sniffles after a long plane ride or a trip on buses and trains. It's also not uncommon to catch the occasional stomach bug.At a time&nbsp;<a href="https://choicemd.com/blog/what-is-the-new-omicron-covid-variant" target="_blank">when COVID-19</a>&nbsp;is still infecting plenty of people every day, it's more important than ever to take steps to keep yourself healthy. We're here with some advice that can help.<img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/970b5d77-f151-467f-acac-8ef1768ca1e6-avoid_getting_sick.png" height="287.99555685832854" width="432" style="">Read on for a few quick tips that will help you avoid common travel illnesses.<h2>Wear a Mask&nbsp;on Planes and Public Transportation</h2>It's fortunate that masks have been normalized over the past few years. While masks aren't foolproof, they've been used in other countries for decades to prevent illness. Now that masks are so accessible, use them to your advantage.You don't have to wear a mask everywhere, but it's a good idea to wear one on planes and public transportation. These enclosed spaces are full of people from all over who may be carrying illnesses without knowing it.On public transportation, you'll find many workers and&nbsp;students who have to travel despite their mild illnesses.Again, masks won't solve the problem or protect you 100%, but they do add an extra layer of protection.&nbsp;Why not add that layer so you can enjoy your trip illness-free?Plenty of common travel illnesses are airborne, and a mask will help.&nbsp;<h2>Wash and Sanitize Your Hands Often</h2>The events of the past few years have also exposed the importance of good hygiene practices. Make sure that you wash your hands often when you're enjoying your summer vacation.When you're out and about, you're likely touching plenty of surfaces that are covered in germs!&nbsp;You'll then touch your phone, which will touch your face.Don't be afraid of those germs. Regularly wash your hands when you're able to do so and use a small amount of hand sanitizer.&nbsp;Public hand sanitizer is available in many places in major cities, and you can bring your own travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer on your trip.Washing your hands with soap and hot water is always the best option, but hand sanitizer will work in a pinch.&nbsp;<h2>Avoid Large Crowds</h2>Whenever you're in a large crowd, you're more likely to encounter someone who's carrying an illness (even if they aren't visibly ill). Do your best to avoid crowded areas, especially if they're indoors.Indoor crowded areas include dance clubs, conventions, concerts, indoor festivals, and busy shops. If you want to enjoy those activities, consider wearing a mask if you're unable to find a space that allows you to put a few feet of space between yourself and other people.&nbsp;It's okay to enjoy these activities, but know that you're taking a risk.Outdoor crowds are safer, but they still pose an illness risk. Try not to get yourself in a situation in which you're shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers.Again, use hand sanitizer and masks when it's appropriate to do so. It's better to be safe rather than sorry.<h2>Try to Maintain a Healthy Immune System Beforehand</h2>Boosting your immune system isn't always possible, but there are a few things that you can do to keep yourself healthier while you await your summer vacation. While you're planning a road trip or flight, don't forget to focus on your health!You should be eating well and assessing your options for vitamins in the months leading up to your trip. Opt for foods that support immune health.&nbsp;Make sure that you're getting enough exercise. The CDC recommends that adults get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm" target="_blank">150 minutes per week</a>&nbsp;of moderate exercise. That will keep your body healthier.It's also a good idea to plan your annual doctor's visit before your trip. This way you'll know that you're in good health beforehand and you can get up to date on any vaccinations that can keep you healthy!<h2>Drink Plenty of Water</h2>It's easy to get so caught up in your vacation that you forget to drink water! Staying hydrated is key if you want to stay healthy.&nbsp;Water helps your body perform all of its necessary processes. It can also help you avoid overeating (which could give you a stomach ache) and help you avoid hangovers or nausea if you plan on drinking alcohol during your trip.&nbsp;Bring a refillable water bottle with you so you never have to worry. This is extra important if your summer vacation destination is somewhere hot!&nbsp;<h2>Continue to Eat Healthy Meals</h2>Often, the best part of summer vacation is eating plenty of tasty food. While you don't have to ditch all of your favorite salty and sugary favorites, you should do your best to eat at least some nutrient-dense foods.Eat plenty of fiber so you can avoid stomach aches. Make sure you're getting enough fruits and vegetables (and not just in the form of frozen blended drinks and burger toppings).Fresh fruits and vegetables in salads are perfect for hot summer days, so you won't miss out!<h2>Don't&nbsp;Forget to Sleep</h2>With so much to do and so little time, how can you justify wasting time on sleep?if you're not getting enough sleep, you're opening yourself up to a greater risk of illness. When you sleep, your body has time to repair and protect itself.&nbsp;Even if you don't get your full eight hours, try to get a minimum of six. Consider taking naps throughout the day (potentially on the beach). Remember, your vacation is your opportunity to sleep in and relax!<h2>You Can Avoid Getting Sick This Summer</h2>Getting sick while traveling isn't inevitable. Take these steps to prevent potential illnesses so you can enjoy your entire vacation.&nbsp;Avoid getting sick so you don't let illness ruin your fun!Are you looking for a new doctor in South Florida, either for your vacation or your local healthcare?&nbsp;<a href="https://choicemd.com/provider-search" target="_blank">Check out our directory</a>&nbsp;of medical providers to find your perfect match today.

How to Avoid Getting Sick on Your Summer Vacation

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Canvasrevel: If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later? Give us the backstory – when did you start your business, where were you at life-wise/career-wise. What would starting later or sooner have been like for you? What would have changed about your experience and looking back do you wish you had started sooner, later or at the same time?Vanessa Liebl: That’s an extremely difficult question to answer and I don’t think I will ever really know. I’ll try to elaborate, at times I think I would’ve preferred launching Choice MD sooner. To be completely honest, I just didn’t believe I had the ability to raise a child and a company, simultaneously. Already having lived with Multiple Sclerosis for upwards of 15 years, I knew I had just one shot at both and I really wanted to give them both my all. That said, I remember my thought process was that once my little Amelie was in kindergarten I would have the time and energy to work on my business. For the first 4 years of Amelie’s life I was able to stick to the plan and I loved every second of being just her mom.Once my little Amelie stepped foot in Kindergarten I hit the ground running with Choice MD and I formulated upwards of 30 partnerships within the community. Things were going exceptionally well across the board. Amelie was adjusting to school nicely and the community really appreciated all that Choice MD had to offer. I was asked to join the Miami-Dade Beacon Council Life Sciences Committee and to chair The City of Coral Gables Disability Advisory Board. Then, after 8 months of Amelie being in school, the pandemic hit. I no longer had the ability to question whether or not I would be able to do it and I was forced to face reality. Here were my two babies, Amelie and Choice MD and I was going to do everything in my will to ensure their success. Sure, it was incredibly difficult to manage but I managed both under unsurmountable amounts of stress and I proved to myself that with the right mindset, anything is possible. All things considered, had I started sooner the next phases of Choice MD would already be launched and it would be exciting to see all the new and upcoming features and capabilities in real time. Of course, the caveat to launching it sooner may have meant that I would not have been fully present for my daughter. I suppose things played out as they were supposed to.<img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/b3594dda-4d10-44db-bf31-bffce412385d-CanvasRebel_Interview-Vanessa_Liebl_(2).png">Canvasrevel: Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your business? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc. Walk us through how you knew this was a worthwhile endeavor – talk to us about the logic of why you felt this would work? Were you solving a problem that no one else was solving? Were you offering a unique approach or what about this idea got you most excited?Vanessa Liebl: Most good stories start off with a rough beginning followed by a tumultuous struggle to thrive before success is obtained. Choice MD's story is no different.The concept of Choice MD came to me after living with a Multiple Sclerosis for about 10 years. Ultimately, it was necessary to struggle navigating the healthcare system to come up with a better solution. Only after facing the challenges head on was I able to come up with a better solution. Initially after diagnosis, I felt I didn’t have anyone to talk to. At least not anyone who understood what I was going through or how I felt. Once I reached out to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, everything changed. I had stumbled upon an entire community of individuals who understood exactly what I was going through and they even helped me apply for financial assistance, find specialists in the area, connect with support groups, the list goes on. When I think back on that time, I remember that even when I did attend support groups, I was by far the youngest in the room and everyone took care of me as if I was their grandchild. It was a beautiful experience as they would always protect me and I would naively push their limits. We did everything from yoga to volunteering and charity events. After this experience, it became clear that what was missing was connecting individuals with organizations that could help them through the process.I made it my mission to formulate partnerships with any and every organization in the city that would help folks through health-related issues. Today I’m extremely proud to say that we have over 50 partnerships in the community. This is our unique approach to helping individuals navigate the healthcare system. Sure, the initial step is to find the right doctor and that’s an issue we are also making attempts at solving. For us, healthcare is personal and we understand it requires more steps than just finding the right physician. It’s also about connecting with communities that will help you thrive.Canvasrevel: For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, what type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.&nbsp;Please provide as much detail as you feel relevant as this is one of the core questions where the reader will get to know about you and your brand/organization/etc&nbsp;Vanessa Liebl: I’m a first generation American with both my parents being from Bolivia. That in itself explains a lot about my personality. I grew up with the resolve to fight for women’s rights within my own home, as I have an older brother, Jorge. I wasn’t allowed to do as much for fear of getting hurt and because most of the stuff I enjoyed doing wasn’t lady like. You would find me on the roof of the house or in a tree on any given day. Coincidentally this was happening around the same time my love of musicals was developing so “Anything you can do, I can do better” became my mantra. This, along with my martial arts training of 16 years shaped who I am to the core. I suppose that’s why fighting for rights for those disabled comes as an intrinsic trait. I’m now a board member to The Advocacy Network on Disabilities as well as a member of the City of Coral Gables Advisory Board on Disability Affairs. One thing I am extremely proud of is my desire to level the playing fields for every individual. This certainly comes from my martial arts training as we were trained to always support the underdog.<img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/71b7cba3-8a6c-40a1-9f6d-7a84561e3d0e-CanvasRebel_Interview-Vanessa_Liebl_.png">Canvasrevel: Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?Vanessa Liebl: I think it’s fair to say that the pandemic tested the resilience of all of us. I was no different, panic set it for the first few weeks but then I realize my entire life has been plagued with trials, including being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 21. Mindset has everything to do with how you thrive and with as much as I had on the line, I knew I had to give it my all to ensure not only myself thrives, but my business and my daughter as well. I remember initially thinking back on the safety instructions when flying on a plane. Always position your oxygen mask before assisting others. That’s exactly how I felt, everything was out of control but I had to ensure that I could ground myself before I could do anything of substance for my business and my family. So, I called my doctor and asked for antianxiety medication. I knew that in order to provide peace to my daughter I had to also demonstrate it. Once the medication set in, I was able to think clearly and troubleshoot. I quickly adapted my schedule to be able to dedicate 100% of my time and energy into each. In the daytime, when my daughter was awake, I would focus only on Amelie in assisting her with school work and being her play mate. I knew, developmentally, how important those years were for her life so in the daytime I had fun playing like a kid. I would find moments to rest in between jobs and I almost always dedicated the hours from 3am-7am for just Choice MD. The house was silent and with only so many hours to complete my work I found I was able to focus and breeze through tasks quickly. I pushed harder than I ever did before in an effort to help both thrive. Today, I’m proud to say my daughter is an Honor Roll student and Choice MD has since won the George E. Merrick Innovator in the Making Award and the Diamond Award through the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, coincidentally the #1 Chamber in South Florida.Canvasrevel: Can you share the story of a time when you had to pivot (in business, career or life).Vanessa Liebl: The pandemic has given us all plenty of reasons to pivot, for Choice MD, I found myself reaching out to everyone in the community in an effort to ensure success. When I launched Choice MD in March of 2019, my thought process was to begin establishing roots through community nonprofits, from there I would expand to the medical community and lastly focus on bringing the community to the site. As things played out, I started with the nonprofits and then I remember reaching out to every city council official, and any prominent individual I could contact in Miami once the pandemic hit. I spent my days emailing and calling individuals to let them know of our remarkable community-based healthcare resource. We quickly added COVID testing centers to give individuals a full picture, in real-time, of the healthcare resources Miami has to offer. At one point, I found myself emailing Dave Lawrence, founder of the Children’s Trust and he quickly became a friend and somewhat I look up to. I relentlessly reached out to anyone I could think of and well, that’s how Choice MD became a well-known entity in the city.

Choice MD CEO, Vanessa Liebl Interview with CanvasRevel

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The Red Cross is experiencing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. The dangerously low blood supply levels have forced some hospitals to defer patients from major surgery, including organ transplants. Your donation is desperately needed.The Red Cross said in a&nbsp;statement&nbsp;this week that the dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care, resulting in medical staff making difficult decisions on who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more blood is readily availableIn recent weeks, the Red Cross — which provides nearly 40% of the nation's blood — said it had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals.The organization says that at times, up to one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met. Additionally, the pandemic has also contributed to a 62% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges."Winter weather across the country and the recent surge of COVID-19 cases are compounding the already-dire situation facing the blood supply," said Dr. Baia Lasky, medical director for the Red Cross.Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows high standards of safety and infection control. Red Cross employees have implemented added precautions to ensure blood drives and donation centers are safe for donors and staff.We are taking the following precautions to help ensure the safety of our employees, volunteers, and donors.<ol><li data-list="bullet">Spacing beds 6 feet apart</li><li data-list="bullet">Requiring Face Masks</li><li data-list="bullet">Wiping down donor touched areas</li><li data-list="bullet">Having hand sanitizer available</li></ol> AABB encourages&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aabb.org/for-donors-patients/faqs-about-blood-and-blood-donation" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); background-color: transparent;">eligible</a>&nbsp;individuals to donate blood regularly to help ensure that this lifesaving resource is readily available to patients whenever and wherever it is needed.&nbsp;To find an AABB-accredited blood donation&nbsp;site near you, please provide at least a state or zip code (for best results) using the Blood&nbsp;Donation Site&nbsp;Locator below. <a href="http://www.aabb.org/tm/donation/Pages/Blood-Bank-Locator.aspx" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); background-color: transparent;">http://www.aabb.org/tm/donation/Pages/Blood-Bank-Locator.aspx</a>Once you have identified your nearest donation site, please be sure to&nbsp;first call ahead or visit their website to schedule an appointment and ensure donor eligibility.

The Red Cross National Blood Shortage

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<h2> </h2>Simply put, Adverse Childhood Experiences aka ACE’s are ten questions that explain the risk for health complications later in life. The science is truly shocking and irrefutable. Which is why II had to do something to try to mitigate it, at least in our community, where I can show the true value of having all health resources under one site, Choice MD.<h2>How on earth am I going to stop ACE’s in our community?</h2>The simple version is by making it a community effort and using Choice MD as a connector to all the resources in the community that are aided to help improve their lives. The reality behind it is I’m about 9 months into the campaign and I’m excited to share with you the news and an overview of the plan.I initially had the idea when I attended the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Legislative Round-Up at University of Miami back in March. I saw two individuals from our nonprofit partners, Representative Duran, and it happened to be right after I had discovered the science behind ACE’s. I quickly gathered my partners asked if they would be up to the task and then approached Rep. Duran to share my plan. The details are below:<ol><li data-list="ordered">expand on the ACE's test to include additional stressors including food insecurities, death of a family member due to COVID., etc.</li><li data-list="ordered">universal testing of our children in school settings</li><li data-list="ordered">increased counseling&nbsp;at schools to also help with logistics of support programs</li><li data-list="ordered">adding a class for PTG - post traumatic growth aka (Power to Grow) where kids will attend support programs virtually according to the stressor. i.e. if a child experienced violence in the home they connect with Be Strong Intl. to learn ways to break the cycle and live in a healthy way, or death due to COVID they connect with Children's Bereavement Center if needed, etc. If no support program is needed for the child they will take the time to learn mindfulness. We should take this time to also prepare them for the future.</li></ol> <h2><img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/8912b13a-cbdc-40e8-914e-57fef6f7dcbf-Screen_Shot_2022-01-06_at_9.27.57_AM.png">I have since met with Board member Mari Tere Rojas, Sally Alayon and the entire mental health department at the Miami Dade County School Administration several times.</h2>In the midst of the progress I was making at the school level, I joined forces with Nelson Hincapie and Madeleine Thakur. Madeleine is the President of the Children’s Movement of Florida and rightly so, she is brilliant and has the children’s best intentions in every decision she makes. Nelson is the President of The Voices for Children Foundation and I really can’t think of a better person to advocate for those orphans, he has a true gift of connecting with people like no other. Nelson and I met through Madeleine and we connected over the fact that we both share an ACE score of 7 and we simply understand each other through our hardships. I am eternally grateful for all the help they have provided and between their knowledge of the community and my gusto, I am confident that together we will change the future for our young Miamians. <img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/bdaa2b64-f2b8-456a-b521-96b03dbc60d1-Screen_Shot_2022-01-11_at_9.26.41_AM.png">The concept regarding mitigating&nbsp;ACE's will require the involvement from the entire community. Schools and medical professionals to identify children affected&nbsp;by ACE's, counselors and nonprofits to direct the resources for management. Medical Professionals will also screen patients for ACE's. Parents in the general public will learn about ACE's through their children's homework, this could be possible if we incorporate a class on mental wellness surrounding ACE's. Government&nbsp;officials and policy&nbsp;makers are needed to support the initiative&nbsp;and truly make it happen. Business owners will have their own reasons to mitigate ACE’s, but let’s start at the beginning. <h2>Why is it beneficial to universally screen our kids for ACE’s every year?</h2>For starters, it will most likely give teachers more empathy and understanding when trying to control an unruly child in class. Let’s look at it this way, kids aren’t usually taught ways to deal with stress so when things stress them out at home, this can play out in the classroom. More importantly, it gives us the ability to connect the child and their family with the resources necessary to stop future traumatic experiences and teach the child to overcome adversity. This is the most important step as it will change the health of our kids for generations to come.<h2><img src="https://images.sitesails.com/1/original/1b053505-edd2-418a-8272-1a04578d4e6d-20211028_134515.jpg">Why is it beneficial for business owners to work to improve ACE scores of their employees?</h2>A lot of ACE scores are generational. From a business perspective, it boils down to the dollar. Solving ACE’s could save businesses on a whole, billions in health insurance annually. The health complications linked to ACE’s are Diabetes, Cancer, Ischemic Heart disease, Depression. Etc., The list goes on and just as Benjamin Franklin said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” We are too smart of a society to rebuild after the pandemic without considering ACE’s.<h2>Why should the judicial system look at ACE scores of offenders?</h2>Same issue, ACE’s are generational and being that they happen as a child they are learned through example. Therefore, it would give us a better understanding of why things are playing out the way they are. Perhaps in some instances, best practice would be to follow baby court. After all, the main focus is to ensure future kids have the least amount of traumatic experiences and taking them from the parents would make things worse. Let’s change the narrative when possible and give the parents resources to succeed.<h2>What is B.A.B.Y. Court?</h2>I had no idea what baby court was or that it even existed. This is a prime example of the wealth of knowledge I acquire just by sitting with Nelson and Madeleine. Early Childhood Court, commonly known as “B.A.B.Y.”, is a family-focused program that uses child-parent psychotherapy to assist families during their involvement with the child welfare system. B.A.B.Y.’s main priority is the safety and well-being of children. During separation, B.A.B.Y. will assist families in achieving their goals through the following services:<ol><li data-list="bullet">Individual counseling</li><li data-list="bullet">Parenting education and counseling</li><li data-list="bullet">Case management</li><li data-list="bullet">Therapeutic visitation</li><li data-list="bullet">Community resource navigation assistance</li><li data-list="bullet">Integrated decision team staffings</li><li data-list="bullet">Aftercare support post reunification</li></ol>B.A.B.Y. is composed of a team of individuals who work closely to enhance the parent-child relationship during this difficult time of separation, and focus on the completion of case plan services to ensure permanency is achieved as soon as safely possible.<h2>Why should doctors be familiar with a patient’s ACE score?</h2>It’s every physicians job to improve the health of their patients. This would give them the full picture as to why a particular treatment may not be working.&nbsp;Here’s an interesting fact, the founder of this science, Dr. Vincent Felitti stumbled across the science when trying to figure out why his patients weren’t keeping their weight loss off. You can learn more about that story <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ns8ko9-ljU" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">here.</a>High ACE scores would give doctor’s a better understanding of why treatments may not be working. But more importantly and from the words of Dr. Vincent Fellitti “The significance of this is huge, plays out in a number of different ways. Most of which we avoid thinking about or taking about, or certainly asking about. The key finding was that with an ACE score 6 or higher there was a shortening of life expectancy of almost 20 years.”I’ve said this time and time again, ACE’s has given a true purpose to Choice MD and I will make it my lifetime effort to ensure another child doesn’t have to face the uncertainty of future health outcomes because of a rough start in life.

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