Our MissionWe envision a community in which every person can thrive. We exist to bring people and resources together to understand the diverse and complex needs in our community, enhance existing support systems, and work together to fulfil unmet needs.
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Community-Wide Network of Care:
A collaborative system where physicians, mental health providers, community supports, educators, organizations, and community members can work together to provide evidence-based resources to help prevent, treat, and heal the effects of toxic stress.
Explained more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Network of Care Leadership Team:
A cohort representing the diverse stakeholders within the Community-Wide Network of Care.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Create Shared Goals; Clarify Roles & Responsibilities:
Create a city-wide goal regarding toxic stress and resilience;
Outline roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder in the Community-Wide Network of Care. Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Care-Coordinators:
Trauma-informed specialists able to work one-on-one to ensure citizens are connected with resources needed for success.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Hospital & Police Collaboration:
Collect anonymous data from the ER to more effectively map violence in our city.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Trauma-Informed Care:
Ensuring all members of our community experience care that fosters healing and support.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Resilience Building Resource:
A guide to the evidence-based, trauma-informed supports Springfield has to offer in an easy-to-access format.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Resiliency Goal Setting & ACEs Screenings:
Annual checkups with physicians will include a screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences and collaborative, reflective goal setting to ensure a focus on how to prevent, treat, and heal harmful effects of ACEs & toxic stress.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Educate & Raise Awareness:
Ensure that all community members receive education regarding ACEs, toxic stress, & resilience builders.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Build on Existing Successes & Identify Unmet Needs:
Analyze existing supports within Springfield to identify what's working well and which needs remain unmet.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Identify Sustainable Funding Sources:
Discuss potential long-term funding sources with those already experiencing success in their community systems to address ACEs, toxic stress, and resilience.
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Collaborative Communication System:
A system that allows all providers and community supports to communicate (with permission from those receiving care).
Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Police & Mental Health Partnership:
Working with the Police Department and Mental Health Professionals to
explore options to collaboratively support our community. Read more here (or scroll down to see all explanations) |
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Community-Wide Network of Care Explained:
Treating toxic stress requires multiple layers of support. In order to mitigate the potentially deadly effects of toxic stress, we need a collaborative system in place. One where physicians, mental health providers, community supports, educators, community members, and organizations can work together to provide evidence-based resources to help prevent, treat, and heal the effects of toxic stress. Why it's needed:
In our research and in our daily lives, we see that Springfield is filled with people who care deeply and work their hardest to help those experiencing toxic stress. However, we have also heard a unanimous call from everyone we've encountered for a systemic, collaborative approach - one that will unite our community in a comprehensive and proactive approach to the challenges we face. |
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Network of Care Leadership Team Explained:
The Leadership Team will be comprised of members within the Community-Wide Network of Care. The Leadership Team will represent the diverse stakeholders within our community including but not limited to physicians, educators, police officers, hospital staff, supportive community organizations, insurance companies, lawmakers, mental health professionals, and citizens. The Leadership Team will develop the system for the Community-Wide Network of Care and ensure ongoing education & efficacy. Why it's needed:
Much work is yet to be done to create a Community-Wide Network of Care. In our research, we have spoken with many in our community who have attempted pieces of what we propose for Springfield. For true, systemic change to occur, genuine collaboration is needed from all stakeholders. COVID's challenges make the need for action even greater - but COVID has also shown us how effective we can be at collaborating in our city. We propose that we continue the collaborative efforts that have begun this past year and shift to a more proactive approach. |
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Create Shared Goals; Clarify Roles & Responsibilities Explained:
In order for us to make a systemic change, we must first clarify our goal as a city regarding toxic stress and resilience. The Leadership Team (comprised of diverse stakeholders representing the Community-Wide Network of Care) will work to draft a city-wide goal. One that will be reviewed and revised as needed by the Community-Wide Network of Care. Once a goal is approved, the Leadership Team will work to outline potential roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder in the Community-Wide Network of Care (to be added to and revised by the broader group as needed). Why these are needed:
As we've connected with community members in our research, we've noticed that everyone we've spoken with feels passionately about helping those in crisis. We've also noticed, however, that we lack a clear city-wide mission or goals for toxic stress, ACEs, and resilience. There are groups already working to change this - but it will take a collaborative effort with all stakeholders involved - a clear systemic process to ensure everyone understands the goal for Springfield (yet to be developed). Once a goal is clarified, roles and responsibilities must as well to ensure success. We've spent countless hours on the phone attempting to help families in extreme crisis - only to be bounced from organization to organization - all well meaning, but not necessarily able to meet our needs. We must clarify these roles and responsibilities within our Network of Care so that the citizens of our community can connect with those able to provide needed supports. |
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Care-Coordinators Explained:
Care-Coordinators will be trauma-informed work with citizens of our community who need support in their process of treating and healing the effects of toxic stress. Care-Coordinators will work one-on-one with community members to support physicians' discussions about ACEs, toxic stress, and resilience. They will ensure citizens are connected with resources that meet their needs and truly address the issues they face. They will walk alongside community members to help set up initial supports and will follow up with families once supports are in place to ensure success. Why they're needed:
Brain-based research has shown that people experiencing crisis - whether that be physical or emotional - are at a tremendous disadvantage when it comes to problem-solving and planning. Our brains prioritize the limbic system when we're in a fight or flight mode (read more about stress responses here) which focuses on our survival in the moment. This creates a very real problem for those experiencing toxic stress (stress that is ongoing making you're unable to recover in between stressful episodes). In our experience in working with those in crisis, we see a HUGE need for Care-Coordinators within our community. One recent example is a family who has been homeless for over 3 years. They've experienced generational homelessness, domestic abuse, and drug use. The adult daughter finally decided to leave her abuser this fall. Without someone sitting alongside her, spending hours on the phone for multiple days, she wouldn't have had the energy to sustain the wait of finding a safe place to stay. This role fell to a teacher who wasn't trained in how to provide the long-lasting mental supports needed in the immediate situation nor was she able to follow up to ensure needs were being met. The woman is now homeless again and has fled the city with her children after being hot-lined for the fourth time. |
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Hospital & Police Collaboration Explained:
Using the Cardiff Model as a guide, Springfield Hospitals and Springfield Police Officers will create a working collaborative and data sharing system. Usually, ER nurses serve as the data collectors within this system - adding a few critical and anonymous questions to the intake process regarding whether the patient's visit is due to a violent event, where the event took place, and what violence took place. This data is then mapped and shared with police officers to more specifically identify areas experiencing the most violence. Once this data is collected, it would be shared out routinely with the Community-Wide Network of Care. This would enable all stakeholders to look closely at the data to track what areas need the most attention and can serve as a data piece to evaluate successes as well as unmet needs. Why it's needed:
According to cities already implementing the Cardiff Model, including Atlanta, GA, only 23% of violence is reported to the Police. As Chief Williams has expressed, our police force is already short officers and is working diligently to keep our community safe. However, this responsibility lies within our entire community. As we collect data on specific areas to target, we will be able to utilize community supports more effectively and will also more clearly understand the extent of need within Springfield. We already spend millions on reactionary measures. This strategy would be community and relationship based. It would focus on tracking all violence that occurs on a daily basis - not solely gun violence - creating a comprehensive picture of what's occurring. Cities implementing these models have seen continued reduction in violence within their cities over several years - leading to fewer hospitalizations and fewer police encounters. This would lessen the load on our police force, save our community money in medical and legal costs, and create a safer environment for everyone. With ER staff in North Springfield feeling the need to take self-defense classes as a part of professional learning to address the violence they encounter, a change is definitely needed and desired. Cox Hospital has already expressed an interest in learning more about this model. We plan to reach out to Mercy Hospital as well to ensure a community-wide collaborative effort. The Cardiff Model has shown a savings of "over $19 in criminal justice costs and nearly $15 in health system costs for every $1 spent." Let's invest in a program that gives back to our community - one that saves money and lives. |
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Trauma-Informed Care Explained:
We will ensure that all in our Community-Wide Network of Care receive ongoing Trauma-Informed training. This will allow all members of our community to receive services in an emotionally supportive environment - fostering the healing process and leading to a healthier community. Why it's needed:
Organizations in Springfield have already developed and led Trauma-Informed trainings for some stakeholders in our community. However, a lack of understanding about Trauma-Informed practices is leading well-meaning organizations to inadvertently re-traumatize those experiencing toxic stress. In our work with families, we have experienced these situations first-hand: during interview processes for housing, conversations collecting information about a family's experiences, and in daily interactions between families and community supports. More must be done to expand this training and ensure ongoing, multiple exposures to these ideas. Even the most well-meaning supports are rendered ineffective when those they serve feel re-traumatized and refuse service due to the interactions they experience. |
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Resilience Building Resource Explained:
The circular picture on the icon to the left can serve as a foundation for our discussion on what to include in this Resilience Building Resource for Springfield. We will work with the Leadership team and the Community-Wide Network of Care to collect evidence-based, trauma-informed supports within our community to add to this resource. This will serve as a starting point for physicians as they discuss ACEs screenings and create goals to build resilience. Community members will select an area of strength and a goal area. This will allow all in our community to become more successful. As individuals experience crisis or need additional supports, this will serve as a resource for physicians, care-coordinators, educators, police officers, citizens, etc. to access high-quality resources. Why it's needed:
In our research, we've spoken to physicians, mental health providers, police officers, social workers, citizens, and community supports and everyone has identified the need for a clear and accurate resource to utilize when helping those experiencing crises. It is exhausting for all involved to spend hours on the phone collecting numbers that may or may not meet the needs identified. 211, lists of community resources, and handouts are all slightly accurate, but are unable to clearly identify who is able to provide which type of supports. And none lists trauma-informed, evidence-based resources. We've spoken to countless exhausted stakeholders who are at a loss for who could help individuals. In order to serve our community and work efficiently, we need an accurate resource. |
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Resiliency Goal Setting & ACEs Screenings Explained:
During annual checkups, physicians will meet with patients to discuss:
Why this is needed:
Children and adults in our community are suffering from physical and emotional effects of toxic stress without fully understanding the connection to ACEs or how to treat and heal themselves. This lack of awareness is leading to adults continuing the same cycles of behaviors which can affect their physical and emotional health for the rest of their lives. Research shows that these issues can then be passed down generationally through genetic code alterations - for better or worse. The good news is that with successful intervention, we can make positive generational shifts in the DNA we pass down to our children! |
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Educate & Raise Awareness Explained:
In addition to educating the Community-Wide Network of Care about ACEs, toxic stress, and Resilience Builders, we must ensure that all community members receive education regarding these issues. That includes support staff within organizations, citizens without primary care physicians, our homeless population, everyone. Why this is needed:
This community-wide systemic shift requires unity and cohesion. We want to ensure that everyone has access to this potentially life-saving information and feels supported in their journey to build resilience. Right now, the families we serve who are most in need don't have primary care physicians they see regularly. These families are most at risk for toxic stress, have high ACEs scores, and are most at risk to experience violence within our community. This process will take a community-wide and systemic approach. |
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Build on Existing Successes & Identify Unmet Needs Explained:
The Leadership Team will work to analyze existing supports within Springfield to identify what is working well, what supports are accessible, and what needs are left unmet. This process will be a part of creating the Resilience Building Resource and will create opportunities for discussion with the Community-Wide Network of Care about what needs remain unmet and what next steps might include. Why this is needed:
During our research and as we've helped families in need, we've noticed some major areas of need. Affordable housing wait lists were averaging around 500 people before COVID. People's housing applications were expiring and they were needing to reapply before they even made it through the wait list. We've been told by countless caseworkers, liaisons, and community stakeholders that the need for emergency housing continues to grow and people are facing life or death situations as they try to find shelter from the cold. We've also noticed a huge need for more mental health services - for more family-based services that target mental health needs for the entire family, as well as more intensive trauma-based therapies. With COVID, the need for proper mental health care has intensified when there was already an existing strain on our mental health care system. Families who have asked for help face lengthy wait lists or a 'not accepting new patients at this time' message from those specializing in trauma. This is a HUGE need within Springfield and experts continue to inform us that the mental health fallout from the pandemic will be years in the making. We must assess the supports in place and begin planning immediately. |
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Identify Sustainable Funding Sources Explained:
We understand that these goals will take a financial investment, most likely from our city as well as from national and other funding sources initially. We believe in our community's ability to truly analyze where our money is going. We live in an incredibly generous community and feel strongly that, as we develop a systemic plan, we will succeed in acquiring funding. The entire state of California is being funded by the CDC (along with a few other states) to implement systemic change. As we show that we're serious about making unified improvements, we're confident that we can find funding sources. Why this is needed:
Data collection with the Cardiff Model, training expenses, and Care-Coordinators will all require a financial investment. We firmly believe it will be one that pays off financially for Springfield as we spend less on reactionary measures AND as we have healthier, more productive citizens. The Cardiff Model alone has shown a savings of "over $19 in criminal justice costs and nearly $15 in health system costs for every $1 spent." Our community is worth the investment. |
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Collaborative Communication System Explained:
In order for our community to receive the most effective care, we need a communication system that allows all providers and community supports to communicate (with permission from those receiving care). A system that allows all providers to communicate and access an overview of crucial patient information will allow seamless transitions to supports and will ensure cohesiveness for all involved in patient care. A unified, collaborative system of communication also prevents those experiencing toxic stress from having to 'retell' their traumatic stories time and time again and enables providers to spend more time focusing on how to help treat and heal the effects of these traumas. Ideally, this communication system would be connected to the Resilience Building Resource for ease of use for all. Why it's needed:
Some community supports do have connected systems, but we are still in need of a unified communication system that integrates all Resilience Building Resources in Springfield. One that connects to physicians as well. As we've helped families access emergency services, we've seen them have to tell their story time and again and have seen families 'fall through the cracks' countless times as they move through our community. |
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Police & Mental Health Partnership Explained:
We know our Police Department cares deeply about our citizens. We know they do all they can to keep us safe and are grateful for all they do. We also realize that we're putting a huge pressure on them to protect and serve AND address mental health care needs that are often-times at the root of the pleas for help they respond to. We want to provide support for our officers and for our community members by exploring how to develop a collaborative partnership between Mental Health professionals and the police force. Why it's important:
As we plan for a comprehensive, systemic shift in Springfield and work to become more proactive, we see a very real need to respond in the moment to de-escalate crises and work as quickly as possible to get people connected to the supports they need. In our work with families in need, we've spoken with several police officers eager to help who spent extra time doing the best they could to help families in need connect with community supports. For a police force that's already stretched thin, we can do more to support our officers and our community members. Several communities have begun partnering police officers with mental health professionals successfully far before the emotionally charged year of 2020. Let's chose a proactive, long-term, supportive system. One that will allow the needs of our community to be met and naturally reduce violence. |
Our Why
