Resources for Families and Children Facing Tragic Events

Racial Stress – Racism – Hate Crimes

Helpful Resources to Address the Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas
Many thanks to Michelle Zabel, MSS, Assistant Dean, and Director, The Institute for Innovation and Implementation, for compiling this list of resources in response to the horrific mass shooting in Texas earlier this week.

Helping Young People Cope With Mental Health Challenges
Vox Media’s NowThis is linking arms with Ken Burns and PBS to share an upcoming documentary titled “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness.” Scenes from the forthcoming film will be shared across NowThis social platforms throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in May. NowThis will host a live TikTok conversation about the topic, as well. The goal, Burns said, is “to get this material out to young people around the country.” The film itself will debut at the end of June on PBS.

Uplift by Youth Era: Teaching Youth Peer Support Skills
More than 500 youth signed up for the most recent Uplift event! Studied by the University of Oxford and co-designed with young adults, Uplift by Youth Era is the future of peer support. Empower a young person in your life to be who they need, and apply to join the next Uplift training in June!

Randolph “Randy” Muck September 14, 1955 to April 21, 2021 in Memoriam
On the first anniversary of his death, several of us who knew and worked with Randy write this tribute to remember and honor his impact on so many people. Randy provided much-needed leadership from within the federal government to develop and disseminate evidence-based substance use treatments designed for adolescents and their families. He was successful because he had a rare ability to connect with all the groups important to improving adolescent treatment: provider organizations, schools, juvenile justice, counselors, federal agency decision-makers, researchers, private foundations, and most importantly—adolescents and their families. He saw how these groups could align their different interests and collaborate. This, in turn, helped youth, families, and systems of care in ways that continue to have an impact.

HHS Awards Nearly $25 Million to Expand Access to School-Based Health Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), recently announced nearly $25 million will be made available to improve and strengthen access to school-based health services in communities across the country. Awards will support local partnerships between schools and health centers to provide children and youth with the comprehensive physical and mental health care they need.

Investing in Prevention Makes Good Financial Sense
Primary prevention—including screening and intervention before negative health outcomes occur—is relatively inexpensive. The higher-risk behaviors it is designed to reduce are so costly to the healthcare system that it is staggeringly wasteful not to make sure that screening and treatment referrals are readily implemented and faithfully reimbursed by insurers and that interventions are convenient for parents and their children.

PAX Good Behavior Game
Speaking of prevention…
The PAX Good Behavior Game is an evidence-based universal preventive intervention applied by teachers in the classroom. This evidence-based practice consists of research-based strategies with origins in behavioral science, neuroscience, and cultural wisdom that operate together to improve children’s self-regulation. Teachers implement these strategies as part of their daily routines in carrying out tasks such as getting students’ attention, selecting students for tasks, transitioning from one task to the next, working as part of a team, limiting problematic behavior, and reinforcing pro-social behavior.

HHS Launches New Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a new, confidential, toll-free hotline for expecting and new moms experiencing mental health challenges. Those who contact the hotline can receive a range of support, including brief interventions from trained culturally and trauma-informed counselors and referrals to both community-based and telehealth providers as needed. Callers also will receive evidence-based information and referrals to support groups and other community resources.

Six Things You Need To Know About Music and Health
A growing body of research suggests that listening to or performing music affects the brain in ways that may help promote health and manage disease symptoms. More justification for the plethora of music videos posted in Friday Update!

Know Your Rights: Parity for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits
This brochure gives an overview of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. It lists some common limits placed on mental health and substance use disorder benefits and services.

Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech
Aaahhhh!!! Less than 20 days!!! Well? Have you registered for the 2022 Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit on June 8-9th yet? Can’t make it? Wondering if you can access all of the sessions with our hundreds of speakers after June 8-9th? YES, but ONLY if you register in advance. So, you should probably get on that.

Building a More Equitable Juvenile Justice System for Everyone
Racial inequities regarding the policing of children, and the subsequent disparities in their treatment within the juvenile justice system, have been problems in this country for far too long. It is encouraging that many states and counties are not only recognizing these issues but are taking action. The CSG Justice Center is committed to providing research-driven, data-informed solutions to our partners to continue building safer and stronger communities for everyone, especially our youth.

Disruptions to School and Home Life Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021
Young people have experienced disruptions to school and home life since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. From January to June 2021, CDC conducted the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), an online survey of a probability-based, nationally representative sample of U.S. public- and private-school students in grades 9–12. ABES data were used to estimate the prevalence of disruptions and adverse experiences during the pandemic, including parental and personal job loss, homelessness, hunger, emotional or physical abuse by a parent or other adult at home, receipt of telemedicine, and difficulty completing schoolwork. Prevalence estimates are presented for all students by sex, race and ethnicity, grade, sexual identity, and difficulty completing schoolwork.

CDC Survey Finds the Pandemic Had a Big Impact on Teens’ Mental Health
According to a survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than four in 10 teens report feeling “persistently sad or hopeless” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Girls were twice as likely to experience mental health troubles compared to boys. And LGBTQ students were hit the hardest. The CDC’s findings were gathered from online surveys from a sample of 7,700 US students during the first six months of 2021.

New Initiative to Define Policy Recommendations for Embedding Equity into 988
The Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity & Beacon Health Options are joining forces to create and develop an equitable crisis response for the future of behavioral health service delivery ahead of the July 2022 launch of 988.

State Policymakers Can Support Equitable School-based Telemental Health Services
This brief presents five ways state policymakers can support equitable school-based telemental health services, with recommendations based on relevant policy context, existing research, and—in some cases—feedback from interviews with five TMH providers who testified to on-the-ground experience with these interventions.

• SAMHSA Disaster/Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990
• SAMHSA Incidents of Mass Violence
• SAMHSA: Tips for Talking with and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

• CDC Infographic: 6 Guiding Principles to a Trauma-Informed Approach
• CDC Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
• NCSMH Supporting Students, Staff, Families & Communities Impacted by Violence
• NIMH Helping Children & Adolescents Cope with Traumatic Events
• Talking to Children About Terrorist Attacks & School & Community Shootings in the News
• CDC Caring for Children in a Disaster: Tools & Resources
• NCTSN School Shooting Resources
• Sesame Street in Communities: Community & Gun Violence

• AAP Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events
• AAP Talking with Children About Disasters
• CDC Helping Children Cope During & After a Disaster

• AAP Helping Children Cope & Adjust After a Disaster
• AAP Pediatric Preparedness Resource Kit

Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News

What do we tell our children?

How do we reassure them of their own safety?
At The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon, we’ve provided grief support groups for children, teens, young adults and their parents or adult caregivers since 1982.

Based on our experience, here are some things for adults to keep in mind as you struggle with how to talk with children following tragic events, such as natural disasters, plane crashes, or school shootings.

1. Don’t project your fears onto your children. They take their cues from the adults around them.
You can’t hear the news about children being murdered or communities devastated by natural disasters without thinking about how you’d feel if it happened to your family, friends, or hometown. The outpouring of care and empathy for the families who lost loved ones will be powerful, and…we all know it could have been our friends, our child, our family and community members who died or were injured.

Identifying with the senselessness and randomness makes us all feel more vulnerable. But we should remember that children don’t always see things the same way that adults do, and it won’t be helpful to them for us to fall apart. They need to see that we care, that we feel terrible about this tragedy, and that we will do everything we can to keep them safe. They will take their cues from our behavior.

It’s okay to show emotion. We can model for children that feeling sad, scared, and upset is normal after tragedies. But we don’t want to overwhelm them with our emotions, or put them in the position of having to ‘parent,’ or take care of, the adults around them. Make sure you also model taking care of yourself, by sharing with trusted and supportive adult friends, eating (and drinking) healthfully.

2. Try to limit their access to the recurring news and exposure to the tragedy over and over.
Over-exposure to the graphic and emotional news can be overwhelming for children and can cause unnecessary anxiety and fear. Some children who repeatedly watched the footage of planes crashing into the towers on 9/11 thought it was happening again and again. Some children (and some adults) may have difficulty getting graphic scenes and images out of their minds. Too much exposure can fuel their fear, so don’t let them sit and watch the news over and over. Better yet, set the example of not doing so yourself as well.

3. Understand that you can’t completely shield them from what happened.
It would be next to impossible to hide these events from children, as much as we wish we could. You might be able to shield your own child in your home, for example, by not turning on (or owning) a television, but you can’t protect your children from hearing about it from other kids. The fact is, they will hear about it, so although they don’t “need” to know about it, pretending we can shield them is magical thinking.

That said, you don’t need to give them more information than they can handle, or more than they’re asking for. A simple, “Did they talk about what happened in _____ today at school?” would be a good starter. They need to know that you’re not trying to hide the truth from them, that you’re open to talking about it, but that you’re also not forcing them to do so.

4. Model truth-telling and build trust with your children by letting them hear things, even hard things, from you directly.
Eight days after the 9/11 attacks, I was meeting in small groups with pre-school workers in New York City, talking about how to respond to the young children in their care about the events. A man asked to speak to me privately after one of the trainings, and asked for my advice around his 7-year-old daughter. For the last week, since September 12th, she had been having stomach aches and difficulty sleeping. He said it was not tied to the events of 9/11 because, “We don’t have a television.” As his story unfolded it was evident that he did not want to have to explain to his child why people would do such horrible things, a normal dilemma that we face as parents and adults. This child was experiencing physical reactions, as it turned out, not primarily because of her reaction to the events of 9/11, but because she was unable to share her fears and concerns and questions in her own home, faced with her parents’ denial.

Here are some principles to keep in mind as you talk with children:

1. There is no one typical reaction one can or should expect from children.
Their responses will vary all over the ‘emotional’ map, from seeming disinterest to nightmares, eating issues, and anxiety. How any specific child will respond will depend on their age, previous experience with death and loss, and their personality style. Fearful children will tend to worry; quiet children may keep their feelings to themselves; those who want to appear unfazed may exhibit a sense of bravado or lack of caring. Of course, children directly affected – those who had a family member die; those who witnessed the tragedy; those who had friends die – will tend to have longer-term reactions and needs. Watch for changes in behavior, or concerning trends. While it would be normal to have heightened anxiety and sleeplessness, any concerning behavior or troubling symptoms should be taken seriously, and if warranted, professional help sought.

2. Many children will have an increased sense of fear about their safety.
Understandably. So will many adults. After a shooting at an Oregon mall in December 2012, the news outlets were filled with people who said they’d never take their children there again. Others said they’d return as soon as it opened in order to support the stores and employees who had experienced the traumatic events, and whose livelihoods were going to suffer as a result of the several day closure. Some runners in the Boston Marathon vowed to return; others said they would never do so again.

While we can’t guarantee to our children that nothing bad will ever happen to them, we can provide assurance that these events are relatively rare, and that we will do everything we can to keep them safe. Children may have many questions about the events, particularly about natural disasters. Answer their questions with language that fits their developmental stage. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question. If it’s a question that might have an answer, offer to look up more information. You can also ask children what they think the answer is as they often have thoughts and ideas they want to share with you. In the case of natural disasters, if your child is fearful of something like that happening in your community, talk with them about the safety plan that you have in place for your family and home. You can also look into what community safety measures are in place and whatever elements are relevant with your children. Many children will be reassured knowing that there are specific, tangible things they and your family can do if something occurs. Some examples include, picking a meeting place, keeping flashlights in every bedroom, talking about where you will keep emergency water and food.

3. Children want, need, and deserve the truth.
In over 30 years of providing grief support to thousands of children and teens at The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, we have never heard a child say, “I’m glad I was lied to.” Many, however, struggle with anger and lack of trust toward parents or other adults who lied to them. When we don’t tell the truth, they learn that we cannot be trusted. As difficult as it can be at times, and as horrendous as the truth may be, children want, need, and deserve the truth. Being able to talk openly and honestly with your children about tragic events and other losses, creates a foundation of trust, enabling them to come to you in the future with their questions, fears, and concerns.

Physical Effects

Emotional Effects

Spiritual Effects

Potential reactions to racial stress or trauma

Insecure Feelings

Feelings of shame and lack of confidence due to feeling that a situation cannot be changed.

Lack of Trust

Feeling detached or a lack of trust for others due to experiencing multiple losses or letdowns. This can make it very difficult to seek out help and to identify potential safe sources of support.

Triggers

Reminders of the event, such as particular people or situations, can also trigger strong emotional or physical responses (e.g., crying or rapid heartbeat).

Difficulty Controlling Emotions

Difficulty controlling emotional responses (going from “zero to one hundred”) can occur as the body helps you adapt to potentially unsafe situations, making you feel constantly on “alert.”

Legislation
Much of the debate today is around gun control. Below are links to two bills currently pending in Congress.

HR 1446 Enhanced Background Check Act of 2021

HR 8 Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

PARENTING EDUCATION RESOURCES

OPEC has a new website! Visit health.oregonstate.edu/opec for the most update OPEC information. ORParenting.org will be phased out by the end of 2022.

OPEC HUBS IN OREGON

About OPEC Hubs

The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) supports a statewide network of parenting “Hubs.” As part of their role, OPEC Hubs:

• Provide infrastructure to support parenting education efforts across their region, serving as a “go-to” place for families and community partners related to parenting resources and programs, support professional development opportunities for parenting education professionals, and collect data
• Foster community collaboration to coordinate parenting programs across community partners, build relationships between cross-sector partners, and leverage available resources in support of families
• Expand access to and normalize parenting education programs through a combination of direct service and mini-grants to partner organizations to meet the needs of all families in their communities. OPEC Hubs support a blend of universal and targeted parenting programs that are evidence-/research-based and culturally-responsive

The OPEC Logic Model illustrates the strategies, outputs, and outcomes of this work.

Ready to get connected? Your local OPEC Hub can connect you with in-person and remote parenting classes, workshops, resources, and family events in your community.

OPEC Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/OPECParentingEd/

Select From the Counties listed below to fund your HUB

FOR PARENTING EDUCATORS

Resource Tip Sheets

• Getting Started: A Guide for Parenting Educators
• Going Online: Positive Strategies for Supporting Virtual Parenting Education
• Virtual Learning During COVID: Supporting Parents for Childrens Success
• COVID-19 Resources for Children and Families
• Trauma Informed Care: Considerations for Remote Delivery of Parenting Education Programming
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Resource Guide: For Working with Foster Parents
• Gender Roles in Families

Parenting Education Curricula Resources

• Foundations of Facilitation materials
• Haga de la Paternidad un Placer (Spanish Version – Make Parenting a Pleasure)
• Incredible Years
• Make Parenting a Pleasure / Parenting Now
• Nurturing Parenting
• Parenting: The First Three Years Curriculum Training
• Strengthening Families Program for parents of 7-17 year olds
• Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14

 Training Opportunities

• Essentials of Parenting Education Professional Practice
• Trauma Informed Care Training Modules
• I-LABS Training Modules
• National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds Online Training Course
• Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children
• Monitoring Fidelity in OPEC Series 2019
• Oregon Registry Online Training Calendar
• OrPEN Conference/Trainings
• Ask Phoenix Solutions
• The Ounce: Achieve OnDemand
• Division for Early Childhood – Learning Decks

Research

• Harvard University Center on the Developing Child
• Oregon State University Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

Program Fidelity Rating Tools

• Monitoring Fidelity in OPEC Series 2019 (PDF)
• OPEC Fidelity Guidelines
• How to Rate Fidelity to Best Practices in Parenting Education User Guide
• Fidelity Best Practices Shortened Tool (PDF)
• Fidelity Checklist for Facilitators (PDF) & Fidelity Checklist for Facilitators Guide (PDF)

Additional Resources

• Diversity of Fatherhood Photo Bank
• Uber Central — organize rides for families or clients
• Zero to Three: Grandparent resources
• Bright by Text
• Simple Interactions Approach
• Fred Rogers Center
• Ages and Stages Questionnaires
• CDC: Act Early
• Liberating Structures — change the way groups work together

OPEC GRANTEE SITES

Grantee Directory

Contact information for each of the OPEC Parenting Education Hubs is listed below.

OPEC Parenting Hubs

Family Resource Center of Central Oregon:
Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson

Dee Ann Lewis
Executive Director
541.389.5468
deeannl@frconline.org

Kim Pitts
Program Logistics Coordinator
541.389.5468
kimp@frconline.org

First 5 Siskiyou:
Siskiyou, CA

Karen Pautz
Executive Director
First 5 Siskiyou
530.918.7222
karenpautz@first5siskiyou.org

Four Rivers Early Learning & Parenting Hub:
Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, Wheeler

Christa Rude
Regional Coordinator
541.506.2255
christa.rude@cgesd.k12.or.us

Shira Skybinskyy
Parenting Hub Assistant Director
sskybinskyy@cgesd.k12.or.us

Frontier Hub:
Grant, Harney

Donna Schnitker
Hub Director
541.573.6461
schnitkd@harneyesd.k12.or.us

Patti Wright
OPEC Grant Coordinator
541.620.0622
wrightp@harneyesd.k12.or.us

LaneKids:
Lane

Claire Hambly
Education Program Manager
541.741.6000 ext 141
chambly@unitedwaylane.org

Emily Reiter
Education Program Specialist
541.741.6000
ereiter@unitedwaylane.org

Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, Inc.:
Marion

Lisa Harnisch
Executive Director
503.967.1187
lharnisch@earlylearninghub.org

Tiffany Miller
Communication Specialist and Parent Education Associate
503.485.3291
tmiller@earlylearninghub.org

Margie Lowe
Performance and Fiscal Officer
503.559.9610
mlowe@earlylearninghub.org

Mid-Valley Parenting:
Polk, Yamhill

Brent DeMoe
Director, Family & Community Outreach
503.623.9664 ext. 2118
demoe.brent@co.polk.or.us

Stephanie Gilbert
Early Learning and Family Engagement Coordinator
503.623.9664 ext. 2368
gilbert.stephanie@co.polk.or.us

Northwest Parenting:
Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook 

Dorothy Spence
Early Learning & Parenting Education Hub Coordinator
503.614.1682
dspence@nwresd.k12.or.us 

Elena Barreto
Regional Coordinator
503.614.1443
ebarreto@nwresd.k12.or.us

Parenting Success Network:
Benton, Linn

Mike Jerpbak
Department Chair, Parenting Education
541.917.4891
wolfej@linnbenton.edu

Sommer McLeish
Coordinator (Lincoln County)
541.557.6215
smcleish@samhealth.org

Parenting Together Washington County:
Washington

Leslie Moguil
Senior Program Coordinator
503.846.4556
leslie_moguil@co.washington.or.us

Pathways to Positive Parenting:
Coos, Curry

Charity Grover
Parenting Lead
541.266.3909
charityg@scesd.k12.or.us 

Take Root:
Douglas, Klamath, Lake

Julie Hurley
Parenting Education Coordinator
Douglas/Lake/Klamath
541.492.6607
julie.hurley@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Susan Stiles-Sumstine
Assistant Parenting Hub Coordinator
Douglas/Lake/Klamath
541.492.6604
susan.stiles-sumstine@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Sanora Hoggarth
Parenting Education Coordinator for Klamath County
sanora.hoggarth@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Umatilla Morrow Head Start, Inc.:
Morrow, Umatilla, Union

Aaron Treadwell
Executive Director
541.564.6878
atreadwe@umchs.org

Mary Lou Gutierrez
Parenting Education Coordinator
541.667.6091
mgutierr@umchs.org

Jen Goodman
Family and Community Partnership Manager (Union County)
541.786.5535
goodmajd@eou.edu

OPEC Funded Parenting Education Curriculum

Abriendo Puertas /Opening Doors

PARENTING EDUCATION BOOK LISTS

CUTTING OUT SCREENTIME: OUR FAMILY’S EXPERIMENT January/February 2022 

Run Wild 

by David Covell 

Daniel Finds a Poem 

by Micha Archer 

What to do with a Box 

by Jane Yolen & Chris Sheban

GETTING IN TOUCH 

WITH NATURE 

March 2022 

Green Green: A Community Gardening Story by Marie Lamba 

Lola Plants a Garden / Lola planta un jardín by Anna McQuinn 

Up in the Air: Butterflies, Birds, and 

Everything Up Above 

by Zoe Armstrong 

Greenie grows a garden / Verdecito cultiva un jardín (bilingual) 

by Harriet Ziefert 

Hasta Las Rodillas / Up to My Knees 

by Grace Lin (bilingual 

*This booklist provides recommendations 

based on the content of our monthly 

parent newsletter: Parenting Together. 

https://orparenting.org/parents/newsletters/ 

1 

GETTING MESSY 

AND BEING HANDS-ON April 2022 

Mix It Up! 

by Hervé Tullet 

Pinta Ratones 

by Ellen Stoll Walsh 

Edward Gets Messy 

by Rita Meade 

Ultimate Slime: 100 new recipes and projects for oddly satisying, Borax-free slime 

by Alyssa Jagan 

Mud 

by Mary Lyn Ray 

SIBLINGS & FRIENDS 

May 2022 

How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends? / Cómo son buenos amigos los dinosaurios 

by Jane Yolen 

The Evil Princess vs. The Brave Knight by Jennifer Holm 

How to Apologize 

by David LaRochelle 

Maple & Willow Together / Arce y Sauce juntas 

by Lori Nichols 

Meesha Makes Friends 

by Tom Percival

GETTING CREATIVE WITH RECYCLABLES 

June 2022 

Recycle and Remake, 

edited by Hélene Hilton 

Rainbow Weaver / Tejedora del arcoíris (bilingual) 

by Linda Elovitz Marshall 

Out of the Box 

by Jemma Westing 

100 Easy STEAM Activities: awesome 

hands-on projects for aspiring artists and engineers 

by Andrea Scalzo Yi 

Recycling Crafts by Annalees Lim 

BUILDING EMPATHY USING STORYBOOKS 

July 2022 

A Kids Book About Epathy 

by Daron K. Roberts 

I am Human: A Book of Empathy 

by Susan Verde 

Caring with Bert and Ernie: A Book 

About Empathy 

by Marie-Therese Miller 

Empatía: una guia para padres e hijos by Patricia Fernández Bieberach 

Everyone… 

by Christopher Silas Neal 

GOING TO THE DENTIST August 2022 

ABC Dentist 

by Harriet Ziefert 

Does a Tiger Go to the Dentist? 

by Harriet Ziefert 

Max va al dentista 

by Adria F. Klein 

What to Expect When You Go to the Dentist by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff 

Vamos al Dentista 

ALL ABOUT STRESS 

September 2022 

How Big Are Your Worries Little Bear? By Jayneen Sanders 

The Rabbit Listened 

by Cori Doerrfeld 

Breath Like a Bear: 30 Mindful 

Moments For Kids to Feel Calm and 

Focused Anytime, Anywhere 

by Kira Wiley 

Plantando semillas : la práctica del 

mindfulness con niños 

by Nhá̂t Hạnh 

Scaredy Squirrel 

by Melanie Watt

ALL ABOUT CALM 

October 2022 

Mindfulness Moments for Kids: 

Hot Cocoa Calm 

by Kira Willey 

Calm Monsters, Kind Monsters: a Sesame Street Guide to Mindfulness 

by Karen Latchana Kenney 

You Are a Lion!: And Other Fun Yoga Poses / Eres un león!: posturas de yoga para niños 

GET INTO THE KITCHEN November 2022 

Thank You, Omu! / ¡Gracias, Omu! 

by Oge Mora 

Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids 

will Love to Make (and Eat!) 

by Deanna F. Cook 

Plaza Sésamo: C es de cocinar – recetas de nuestra comunidad 

by Susan McQuillan 

Kalamata’s Kitchen 

by Sarah Thomas 

FAMILY CELEBRATIONS December 2022 

Dumpling Day 

by Meera Sriram 

Alma and How She Got Her Name / Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre 

by Juana Martinez-Neal 

The Heart of Mi Familia 

by Carrie Lara 

Mango, Abuela, and Me / Mango, Abuela y yo by Meg Medina 

We Are Family 

by Patricia Hegarty 

Hearing Loss Association of America/Oregon Meetings and Resources, 2021

HLAA of Portland meets the third Saturday each month (except June, July, and August) 10 am, in the Wistar Morris Conference Room in the Main Hospital Building on the Legacy Good Samaritan Campus, 1015 NW 22nd Ave. (at Marshall), Portland, 97210. Contact Mark Foster, president; email: hlaportland@gmail.com. Write P.O. Box 2112, Portland, OR 97208-2112; http://www.hlaa-or.org/portlandchapter.html.

HLAA of Lane County meets quarterly: second Thursday in March, June, Sept., and Dec., at 7 p.m. at the Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard St., Eugene. Right now we are scheduled to meet in person June 10 unless COVID-19 infections mandate otherwise.

Mail: P.O. Box 22501, Eugene, OR 97402. Clark Anderson; email: clarkoa@msn.com

HLAA of Linn and Benton counties meets the last Wednesday each month (except June, July, & Dec.) at 6:30 p.m. at the Reimar Building, next to Albany General Hospital, 1085 6th Ave. SW, Albany, OR 97321. Contact: John Hood-Fysh, email: jhoodfysh@gmail.com; 541/220-8541 (cell – call or text), 818 Broadalbin St. SW, Albany, OR 97321.

Note: HLAA of Douglas County no longer meets the requirements for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Reinstatement may occur, but right now, this group meets as a support group. Contacts: Vincent Portulano, president, email: HLAADC@outlook. com; or Ann Havens, secretary, 541/673-3119. Check with them for location for meetings and time.

NATIONAL HLAA EVENT CALENDARS

HLAA Calendar

https://www.hearingloss.org/programs-events/calendar/

HLAA Leaders Calendar

https://hlaagroups.hearingloss.org/g/HLAALeaders/calendar

HLAA Subgroups

https://hlaagroups.hearingloss.org/g/HLAALeaders/subgroups

HLAA Virtual Meetings / Captioned Recordings

https://www.hearingloss.org/hearing-help/communities/hlaa-national-virtual-meetings/

MORE RESOURCES

Hands and Voices
https://www.handsandvoicesor.org

Supports families and children who are deaf and hard of hearing, by connecting parents, mentorship, educational advocacy, community development and support programs. Collaborates with professionals to support families.

FACT Oregon
https://www.factoregon.org/

Supports, empowers and advocates for families who experience disability.

Family to Family Health Information Center
Oregon Family-to-Family Health Information Center | OHSU

Supports families and caregivers of children with special health needs to navigate the healthcare system. Many resources on the website.

AG Bell Oregon 
https://www.agbell.org/Connect/Oregon-Chapter

• Facebook page – AG Bell Oreoon
• Instagram – aobelloreoon

Local chapter of a national organization. The focus is to promote listening and spoken language education, advocate for accessibility, educational services, and health-related rights, and create connections and memories together.

Oregon Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program

https://www.oreown ov/oha/PDH/HeaIthvP eooleFamilies/Babies/HeaIthScreenino/He arinqscreenino/Paoes/index asox

For Providers: Information on EHDI Reporting, forms, protocols, facilities, OVERS Hearing Screening Module, 1-3-6 Newborn Hearing Screening Checklist For Parents: Information on hearing screening (what it involves and why it’s important), follow-up (what happens if a newborn doesn’t pass a screening), Early Intervention/Family Services, Guide By Your Side (a Hands & Voices program that matches trained parent guides with families who have recently found out their child has a hearing loss), and other resources for families

American Cochlear Implant Alliance

https://www.acialliance.org/

Facebook page

Twitter

Contains information about research, awareness, and advocacy around cochlear implants. Information about hearing loss and cochlear implants in general.

Oregon Association for Deaf
https://oad1921.org/

Advocates for the rights of people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Oregon. The website contains articles, meeting and conference information, and youth opportunities.

Hearing Loss Association of America – Oregon State Association 
https://www.hlaa-or.org/about-us.html

Education, Information and Advocacy.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
https://www.cdc.oov/ncbddd/hearinqloss/e hdi-programs.html

Information about EHDI programs Information for families including:

     • Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child’s Audiologist

     • Just in Time for Pediatric Primary Care Providers

FACEBOOK EVENTS

• ASL Social Chat:

EVERY SUNDAY @ 12:00noon to 2:00 pm

VANCOUVER MALL – Food Court [2nd floor]

Host by: Gary Holden

• ASL Social Chat:

Host by: Gary Holden

• PORTLAND OPEN-CAPTIONED MOVIES:

(See FB page for MORE information)

Order Tickets online @ bagdadmovies.com

Host by: Isaac Stone Dick

• ASL NIGHT GAMES (announcing soon)

Every Second Saturday evening

ASL Game Night page for more information.

Host by: Stephen RodBjorn

• World Deaf Timberfest

• Camp Taloali

Contact for information: Andrea Albers

• Pacific Northwest Deaf Golf Association (PNWDGA) and Portland Metro Deaf Golf Association (FB Page).

(See FB Page for MORE information)

Host by: Craig Marineau

• Northwest Deaf Traveling League (NWDTL)

(Deaf/HOH Bowling Club)

Contact: Melody Kitty McDaniel and Andrea Albers

• NW Deaf Poker Tournaments

Announcement in Jan/Feb 2022 !!!

Host by: James Forncrook

• CYMASPACE: Announcement SOON

Host by: Myles de Bastion

• Deaf Massage Therapist (see link below)

www.openhandhealth.com/book-now

Host by: Clara Bella Storry Parnell

(Email: clara@openhandhealth.com)

• ASL Coffee Podcast – see announcements on regular posting:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/334857136618534/user/100069324005062/

ASL Coffee Chats @ 3pm on Fridays at Hidden Creek Community Center in Hillsboro

• To find a Deaf ASL tutor or mentor, see ASL TUTORS AND MENTORS FB page.

Bridges in Oregon

https://www.facebook.com/BridgesOregon

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/portlandaslevents/

AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
AG Bell is another convenient resource for those seeking in-person hearing loss support groups, with 41 active chapters across the United States and Puerto Rico. Specifically designed to support children with hearing loss and their families, AG Bell hosts everything from social events to informational sessions for individuals and families impacted by hearing loss; connect with your nearest chapter to learn more. You can also join the AG Bell Facebook group to connect with fellow members online.

DeafandHoH Forum

DeafandHoH is a website featuring hearing loss news, a discussion forum, resources for financial aid and other services, search directories for audiologists, hearing care facilities, speech-language pathologists, and more. The topics covered on the site include living with hearing loss, caring for a family member or friend with hearing loss, American Sign Language, and hearing loss products. You can also join open chat nights on select Wednesdays from 6pm-7pm PST / 9pm-10pm EST to enjoy live interaction!

CALL TO ACTION FOR PEER SUPPORT

https://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/Assessment-5_Deaf-and-Hard-of-Hearing-Peer-Support.pdf

https://www.transformation-center.org/home/community/deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-recovery-project/

https://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/BeingSeen.pdf

https://www.hearinglikeme.com/why-we-need-deaf-peer-support-in-our-communities/

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=jadara

12-Step online for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Sounds of Sobriety (SOS):  This online email group was formed to help us who have a hearing loss (deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing) to find a place to recover from alcoholism. For many of us, face-to-face AA meetings no longer work. All members of AA, or those who think they may have a problem with alcohol, are welcome.    SOS_online_group-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Deaf Grateful:  This is a real-time open discussion meeting on Saturday at 4 pm (EST) for deaf & HOH people who have a desire to stop drinking. Meeting uses videoconferencing software (easily downloaded) that requires a high speed internet connection and a webcam. Our communication mode is ASL only (no audio). http://doda.omnijoin.com

Perspectives of people who are deaf and hard of hearing on mental health, recovery, and peer support

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23149648/

Is Telemental Health Services a Viable Alternative to Traditional Psychotherapy for Deaf Individuals?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27260308/

https://www.arundellodge.org/omhc/telemental-health-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/

Deaf Centric Approach / Peer Support Program

https://www.minnpost.com/mental-health-addiction/2016/01/alison-aubrecht-peer-support-program-takes-deaf-centric-approach-men/

Dougy Center: The National Center for Grieving Children and Families

Website: https://www.dougy.org

Phone: 503-775-5683

Phone Toll Free: 866-775-5683

Email: help@dougy.org

A safe place to talk. A safe place to listen.

People grieving a death often feel like no one understands what they’re going through. And truthfully, no one’s grief is exactly same. But people tell us the help they appreciate most comes from sharing with others who are also grieving a death.

Our children’s support groups are designed around age, type of death, and the connection to the person who died. Parent/adult caregiver groups run at the same time as the children’s support groups. Around 500 children and 350 adult family members come to our groups each month. Each person decides how long he or she wants to be at The Dougy Center.

In the groups, there is no right or wrong way to be. Nobody will tell you it’s time to move on. Or that an emotion you have is wrong or inappropriate. Here, through talking and listening, you’re free to find hope and comfort in your own personal way. Children can express themselves through play, music, art, games, and sharing.

Our unique approach, using peer group support to help people discover their own way through grief, has made The Dougy Center a worldwide leader in the field. More than 500 programs based on our model now thrive in the U.S., Canada, Africa, Australia, Europe and Japan. Our guidebooks assist parents, schools and others who deal with children affected by death, and our children’s activity books provide them an outlet for expression.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Dougy Center is hosting virtual support groups for our bereavement and Pathways programs. If your family lives in the Portland metro area and would like to participate, please call 503.775.5683 or email help@dougy.org.

At The Dougy Center we realize that:

• Grief is a natural reaction to death;
• Each individual has a natural capacity to heal from loss;
• Duration and intensity of grief are unique to each individual; and
• Caring and acceptance assist in the healing process.

Support Group FAQs

https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/faqs/

Bill of Rights for Grieving Teens

https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/bill-of-rights/

Orientation

Orientation lasts approximately one hour. During that time, adults and children/teens are broken into separate groups where we explain the program. Questions are answered, and everyone is given a tour. Children and teens watch a Dougy Center video produced by the TV program 20/20. The adults learn about how to have a child or teen begin participation at the Center and receive all the application forms. Coming to an orientation does not mean the child/teen becomes a participant. We encourage the adults to allow the children and teens to make the final decision for themselves.

Pathways Groups

https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/pathways/

Spanish Support (Esperanza: Grupos en Espanol):

https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/esperanza-spanish-support-group/

LYGHT Groups – Listening and Led by Youth in Foster Care: Grief, Hope, and Transitions

At the core of the L.Y.G.H.T. program, we aim to raise awareness about how grieving youth in foster care experience marginalization on various levels, create ways to provide trauma-informed peer support to youth in foster care, and promote the importance of moving the child welfare community toward a grief-informed holistic model of care.

“It helps you to feel like you are not alone. They are also going through something as well and you can help each other.” – L.Y.G.H.T. program participant

https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/lyght/

Grief Support Groups in Oregon listed with Dougy Center for those not in Portland:

19 places based on search at:  https://www.dougy.org/grief-support-programs/

*Cason’s Place: Grief Support for Children and Families of Eastern Oregon

1416 SE Court Avenue
PO Box 1142
Pendleton, Oregon 97801

p: (541) 612.0828
www.casonsplace.org

*Blue Mountain Hospice

422 West Main
John Day, Oregon 97845

p: (541) 575-1648
www.bluemountainhospital.org

*Vange John Memorial Hospice/Good Shepherd Medical Center

645 W. Orchard Avenue, Suite 300
Hermiston, Oregon 97838

p: (541) 667-3543
f: (541) 667-3544
www.gshealth.org/hospice/

Benton Hospice Service

2350 NW Professional Drive
Corvallis, Oregon 97330

p: (541) 757-9616
p: (800) 898-9616
f: (541) 757-1760
www.bentonhospice.org

*SHELL: Support and Healing for Early Life Losses

Mt. Hood Hospice
PO Box 1269
39641 Scenic Street
Sandy, Oregon 97055

p: (503) 668-5545
f: (503) 668-5545
www.mthoodhospice.org

Me Too. and Company

PO Box 10796
Portland, Oregon 97296

p: (503) 228-2104
www.oregonhospice.org

*Mercy Medical Center Hospice

Wings of Hope
2400 Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, Oregon 97470

p: (541) 677-2384
f: (541) 440-0761

*Courageous Kids/Hospice of Sacred Heart

1121 Fairfield Ave
Eugene, Oregon 97402

p: (541) 461-7577
f: (541) 461-7697
www.peacehealth.org

Mourning Resources Inc.

PO Box 82573
Portland, Oregon 97202

p: (503) 777-0433

*Light House Center

1620 Thompson Rd
Coos Bay, Oregon 97420

p: (541) 269-2986
f: (541) 267-0458

Good Grief – Lovejoy Hospice

939 SE 8th St
Grants Pass, Oregon 97526

p: (541) 474-1193
p: (888) 758-8569
f: (541) 474-3035
www.lovejoyhospice.org

*Douglas Community Hospital

738 W Harvard
Roseburg, Oregon 97470

p: (541) 673-6641

Partners in Care

2075 NE Wyatt Ct
Bend, Oregon 97701

p: (541) 382-5882
www.partnersbend.org/bend-hospice-services/childrens-grief-support/

My Friends House Inc.

1293 Wall Street #1339
PMB 1339
Bend, Oregon 97701

p: (541) 382-5882
www.partnersbend.org/bend-hospice-services/childrens-grief-support/

St. Anthony Hospital Hospice

3001 St. Anthony Way, Level 2
Pendleton, Oregon 97801

p: (541) 276-4100
f: (541) 276-4103
www.sahpendleton.org/services/hospice/

Compassionate Friends Portland Chapter

PO Box 3065
Portland, Oregon 97208-3065

p: (503) 248-0102
www.portlandtcf.org/home.aspx

*Winterspring

PO Box 8169
Medford, Oregon 97501

p: (541) 772-2527
www.winterspring.org

*Willamette Valley Hospice

Willamette Valley Hospice
1015 3rd Street NW
Salem, Oregon 97304

p: (503) 588-3600
p: (800) 555-2431
f: (503) 363-3891
www.wvh.org

The Dougy Center

3909 SE 52nd Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97206

p: 503 775-5683
f: 503 777-3097
dougy.org

Resources for Families and Children Facing Tragic Events

Racial Stress – Racism – Hate Crimes

Helpful Resources to Address the Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas
Many thanks to Michelle Zabel, MSS, Assistant Dean, and Director, The Institute for Innovation and Implementation, for compiling this list of resources in response to the horrific mass shooting in Texas earlier this week.

Helping Young People Cope With Mental Health Challenges
Vox Media’s NowThis is linking arms with Ken Burns and PBS to share an upcoming documentary titled “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness.” Scenes from the forthcoming film will be shared across NowThis social platforms throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in May. NowThis will host a live TikTok conversation about the topic, as well. The goal, Burns said, is “to get this material out to young people around the country.” The film itself will debut at the end of June on PBS.

Uplift by Youth Era: Teaching Youth Peer Support Skills
More than 500 youth signed up for the most recent Uplift event! Studied by the University of Oxford and co-designed with young adults, Uplift by Youth Era is the future of peer support. Empower a young person in your life to be who they need, and apply to join the next Uplift training in June!

Randolph “Randy” Muck September 14, 1955 to April 21, 2021 in Memoriam
On the first anniversary of his death, several of us who knew and worked with Randy write this tribute to remember and honor his impact on so many people. Randy provided much-needed leadership from within the federal government to develop and disseminate evidence-based substance use treatments designed for adolescents and their families. He was successful because he had a rare ability to connect with all the groups important to improving adolescent treatment: provider organizations, schools, juvenile justice, counselors, federal agency decision-makers, researchers, private foundations, and most importantly—adolescents and their families. He saw how these groups could align their different interests and collaborate. This, in turn, helped youth, families, and systems of care in ways that continue to have an impact.

HHS Awards Nearly $25 Million to Expand Access to School-Based Health Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), recently announced nearly $25 million will be made available to improve and strengthen access to school-based health services in communities across the country. Awards will support local partnerships between schools and health centers to provide children and youth with the comprehensive physical and mental health care they need.

Investing in Prevention Makes Good Financial Sense
Primary prevention—including screening and intervention before negative health outcomes occur—is relatively inexpensive. The higher-risk behaviors it is designed to reduce are so costly to the healthcare system that it is staggeringly wasteful not to make sure that screening and treatment referrals are readily implemented and faithfully reimbursed by insurers and that interventions are convenient for parents and their children.

PAX Good Behavior Game
Speaking of prevention…
The PAX Good Behavior Game is an evidence-based universal preventive intervention applied by teachers in the classroom. This evidence-based practice consists of research-based strategies with origins in behavioral science, neuroscience, and cultural wisdom that operate together to improve children’s self-regulation. Teachers implement these strategies as part of their daily routines in carrying out tasks such as getting students’ attention, selecting students for tasks, transitioning from one task to the next, working as part of a team, limiting problematic behavior, and reinforcing pro-social behavior.

HHS Launches New Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a new, confidential, toll-free hotline for expecting and new moms experiencing mental health challenges. Those who contact the hotline can receive a range of support, including brief interventions from trained culturally and trauma-informed counselors and referrals to both community-based and telehealth providers as needed. Callers also will receive evidence-based information and referrals to support groups and other community resources.

Six Things You Need To Know About Music and Health
A growing body of research suggests that listening to or performing music affects the brain in ways that may help promote health and manage disease symptoms. More justification for the plethora of music videos posted in Friday Update!

Know Your Rights: Parity for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits
This brochure gives an overview of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. It lists some common limits placed on mental health and substance use disorder benefits and services.

Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech
Aaahhhh!!! Less than 20 days!!! Well? Have you registered for the 2022 Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit on June 8-9th yet? Can’t make it? Wondering if you can access all of the sessions with our hundreds of speakers after June 8-9th? YES, but ONLY if you register in advance. So, you should probably get on that.

Building a More Equitable Juvenile Justice System for Everyone
Racial inequities regarding the policing of children, and the subsequent disparities in their treatment within the juvenile justice system, have been problems in this country for far too long. It is encouraging that many states and counties are not only recognizing these issues but are taking action. The CSG Justice Center is committed to providing research-driven, data-informed solutions to our partners to continue building safer and stronger communities for everyone, especially our youth.

Disruptions to School and Home Life Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021
Young people have experienced disruptions to school and home life since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. From January to June 2021, CDC conducted the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), an online survey of a probability-based, nationally representative sample of U.S. public- and private-school students in grades 9–12. ABES data were used to estimate the prevalence of disruptions and adverse experiences during the pandemic, including parental and personal job loss, homelessness, hunger, emotional or physical abuse by a parent or other adult at home, receipt of telemedicine, and difficulty completing schoolwork. Prevalence estimates are presented for all students by sex, race and ethnicity, grade, sexual identity, and difficulty completing schoolwork.

CDC Survey Finds the Pandemic Had a Big Impact on Teens’ Mental Health
According to a survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than four in 10 teens report feeling “persistently sad or hopeless” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Girls were twice as likely to experience mental health troubles compared to boys. And LGBTQ students were hit the hardest. The CDC’s findings were gathered from online surveys from a sample of 7,700 US students during the first six months of 2021.

New Initiative to Define Policy Recommendations for Embedding Equity into 988
The Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity & Beacon Health Options are joining forces to create and develop an equitable crisis response for the future of behavioral health service delivery ahead of the July 2022 launch of 988.

State Policymakers Can Support Equitable School-based Telemental Health Services
This brief presents five ways state policymakers can support equitable school-based telemental health services, with recommendations based on relevant policy context, existing research, and—in some cases—feedback from interviews with five TMH providers who testified to on-the-ground experience with these interventions.

• SAMHSA Disaster/Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990
• SAMHSA Incidents of Mass Violence
• SAMHSA: Tips for Talking with and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

• CDC Infographic: 6 Guiding Principles to a Trauma-Informed Approach
• CDC Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
• NCSMH Supporting Students, Staff, Families & Communities Impacted by Violence
• NIMH Helping Children & Adolescents Cope with Traumatic Events
• Talking to Children About Terrorist Attacks & School & Community Shootings in the News
• CDC Caring for Children in a Disaster: Tools & Resources
• NCTSN School Shooting Resources
• Sesame Street in Communities: Community & Gun Violence

• AAP Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events
• AAP Talking with Children About Disasters
• CDC Helping Children Cope During & After a Disaster

• AAP Helping Children Cope & Adjust After a Disaster
• AAP Pediatric Preparedness Resource Kit

Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News

What do we tell our children?

How do we reassure them of their own safety?
At The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon, we’ve provided grief support groups for children, teens, young adults and their parents or adult caregivers since 1982.

Based on our experience, here are some things for adults to keep in mind as you struggle with how to talk with children following tragic events, such as natural disasters, plane crashes, or school shootings.

1. Don’t project your fears onto your children. They take their cues from the adults around them.
You can’t hear the news about children being murdered or communities devastated by natural disasters without thinking about how you’d feel if it happened to your family, friends, or hometown. The outpouring of care and empathy for the families who lost loved ones will be powerful, and…we all know it could have been our friends, our child, our family and community members who died or were injured.

Identifying with the senselessness and randomness makes us all feel more vulnerable. But we should remember that children don’t always see things the same way that adults do, and it won’t be helpful to them for us to fall apart. They need to see that we care, that we feel terrible about this tragedy, and that we will do everything we can to keep them safe. They will take their cues from our behavior.

It’s okay to show emotion. We can model for children that feeling sad, scared, and upset is normal after tragedies. But we don’t want to overwhelm them with our emotions, or put them in the position of having to ‘parent,’ or take care of, the adults around them. Make sure you also model taking care of yourself, by sharing with trusted and supportive adult friends, eating (and drinking) healthfully.

2. Try to limit their access to the recurring news and exposure to the tragedy over and over.
Over-exposure to the graphic and emotional news can be overwhelming for children and can cause unnecessary anxiety and fear. Some children who repeatedly watched the footage of planes crashing into the towers on 9/11 thought it was happening again and again. Some children (and some adults) may have difficulty getting graphic scenes and images out of their minds. Too much exposure can fuel their fear, so don’t let them sit and watch the news over and over. Better yet, set the example of not doing so yourself as well.

3. Understand that you can’t completely shield them from what happened.
It would be next to impossible to hide these events from children, as much as we wish we could. You might be able to shield your own child in your home, for example, by not turning on (or owning) a television, but you can’t protect your children from hearing about it from other kids. The fact is, they will hear about it, so although they don’t “need” to know about it, pretending we can shield them is magical thinking.

That said, you don’t need to give them more information than they can handle, or more than they’re asking for. A simple, “Did they talk about what happened in _____ today at school?” would be a good starter. They need to know that you’re not trying to hide the truth from them, that you’re open to talking about it, but that you’re also not forcing them to do so.

4. Model truth-telling and build trust with your children by letting them hear things, even hard things, from you directly.
Eight days after the 9/11 attacks, I was meeting in small groups with pre-school workers in New York City, talking about how to respond to the young children in their care about the events. A man asked to speak to me privately after one of the trainings, and asked for my advice around his 7-year-old daughter. For the last week, since September 12th, she had been having stomach aches and difficulty sleeping. He said it was not tied to the events of 9/11 because, “We don’t have a television.” As his story unfolded it was evident that he did not want to have to explain to his child why people would do such horrible things, a normal dilemma that we face as parents and adults. This child was experiencing physical reactions, as it turned out, not primarily because of her reaction to the events of 9/11, but because she was unable to share her fears and concerns and questions in her own home, faced with her parents’ denial.

Here are some principles to keep in mind as you talk with children:

1. There is no one typical reaction one can or should expect from children.
Their responses will vary all over the ‘emotional’ map, from seeming disinterest to nightmares, eating issues, and anxiety. How any specific child will respond will depend on their age, previous experience with death and loss, and their personality style. Fearful children will tend to worry; quiet children may keep their feelings to themselves; those who want to appear unfazed may exhibit a sense of bravado or lack of caring. Of course, children directly affected – those who had a family member die; those who witnessed the tragedy; those who had friends die – will tend to have longer-term reactions and needs. Watch for changes in behavior, or concerning trends. While it would be normal to have heightened anxiety and sleeplessness, any concerning behavior or troubling symptoms should be taken seriously, and if warranted, professional help sought.

2. Many children will have an increased sense of fear about their safety.
Understandably. So will many adults. After a shooting at an Oregon mall in December 2012, the news outlets were filled with people who said they’d never take their children there again. Others said they’d return as soon as it opened in order to support the stores and employees who had experienced the traumatic events, and whose livelihoods were going to suffer as a result of the several day closure. Some runners in the Boston Marathon vowed to return; others said they would never do so again.

While we can’t guarantee to our children that nothing bad will ever happen to them, we can provide assurance that these events are relatively rare, and that we will do everything we can to keep them safe. Children may have many questions about the events, particularly about natural disasters. Answer their questions with language that fits their developmental stage. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question. If it’s a question that might have an answer, offer to look up more information. You can also ask children what they think the answer is as they often have thoughts and ideas they want to share with you. In the case of natural disasters, if your child is fearful of something like that happening in your community, talk with them about the safety plan that you have in place for your family and home. You can also look into what community safety measures are in place and whatever elements are relevant with your children. Many children will be reassured knowing that there are specific, tangible things they and your family can do if something occurs. Some examples include, picking a meeting place, keeping flashlights in every bedroom, talking about where you will keep emergency water and food.

3. Children want, need, and deserve the truth.
In over 30 years of providing grief support to thousands of children and teens at The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, we have never heard a child say, “I’m glad I was lied to.” Many, however, struggle with anger and lack of trust toward parents or other adults who lied to them. When we don’t tell the truth, they learn that we cannot be trusted. As difficult as it can be at times, and as horrendous as the truth may be, children want, need, and deserve the truth. Being able to talk openly and honestly with your children about tragic events and other losses, creates a foundation of trust, enabling them to come to you in the future with their questions, fears, and concerns.

Physical Effects

Emotional Effects

Spiritual Effects

Potential reactions to racial stress or trauma

Insecure Feelings

Feelings of shame and lack of confidence due to feeling that a situation cannot be changed.

Lack of Trust

Feeling detached or a lack of trust for others due to experiencing multiple losses or letdowns. This can make it very difficult to seek out help and to identify potential safe sources of support.

Triggers

Reminders of the event, such as particular people or situations, can also trigger strong emotional or physical responses (e.g., crying or rapid heartbeat).

Difficulty Controlling Emotions

Difficulty controlling emotional responses (going from “zero to one hundred”) can occur as the body helps you adapt to potentially unsafe situations, making you feel constantly on “alert.”

Legislation
Much of the debate today is around gun control. Below are links to two bills currently pending in Congress.

HR 1446 Enhanced Background Check Act of 2021

HR 8 Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

PARENTING EDUCATION RESOURCES

OPEC has a new website! Visit health.oregonstate.edu/opec for the most update OPEC information. ORParenting.org will be phased out by the end of 2022.

OPEC HUBS IN OREGON

About OPEC Hubs

The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) supports a statewide network of parenting “Hubs.” As part of their role, OPEC Hubs:

• Provide infrastructure to support parenting education efforts across their region, serving as a “go-to” place for families and community partners related to parenting resources and programs, support professional development opportunities for parenting education professionals, and collect data
• Foster community collaboration to coordinate parenting programs across community partners, build relationships between cross-sector partners, and leverage available resources in support of families
• Expand access to and normalize parenting education programs through a combination of direct service and mini-grants to partner organizations to meet the needs of all families in their communities. OPEC Hubs support a blend of universal and targeted parenting programs that are evidence-/research-based and culturally-responsive

The OPEC Logic Model illustrates the strategies, outputs, and outcomes of this work.

Ready to get connected? Your local OPEC Hub can connect you with in-person and remote parenting classes, workshops, resources, and family events in your community.

OPEC Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/OPECParentingEd/

Select From the Counties listed below to fund your HUB

FOR PARENTING EDUCATORS

Resource Tip Sheets

• Getting Started: A Guide for Parenting Educators
• Going Online: Positive Strategies for Supporting Virtual Parenting Education
• Virtual Learning During COVID: Supporting Parents for Childrens Success
• COVID-19 Resources for Children and Families
• Trauma Informed Care: Considerations for Remote Delivery of Parenting Education Programming
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Resource Guide: For Working with Foster Parents
• Gender Roles in Families

Parenting Education Curricula Resources

• Foundations of Facilitation materials
• Haga de la Paternidad un Placer (Spanish Version – Make Parenting a Pleasure)
• Incredible Years
• Make Parenting a Pleasure / Parenting Now
• Nurturing Parenting
• Parenting: The First Three Years Curriculum Training
• Strengthening Families Program for parents of 7-17 year olds
• Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14

 Training Opportunities

• Essentials of Parenting Education Professional Practice
• Trauma Informed Care Training Modules
• I-LABS Training Modules
• National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds Online Training Course
• Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children
• Monitoring Fidelity in OPEC Series 2019
• Oregon Registry Online Training Calendar
• OrPEN Conference/Trainings
• Ask Phoenix Solutions
• The Ounce: Achieve OnDemand
• Division for Early Childhood – Learning Decks

Research

• Harvard University Center on the Developing Child
• Oregon State University Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

Program Fidelity Rating Tools

• Monitoring Fidelity in OPEC Series 2019 (PDF)
• OPEC Fidelity Guidelines
• How to Rate Fidelity to Best Practices in Parenting Education User Guide
• Fidelity Best Practices Shortened Tool (PDF)
• Fidelity Checklist for Facilitators (PDF) & Fidelity Checklist for Facilitators Guide (PDF)

Additional Resources

• Diversity of Fatherhood Photo Bank
• Uber Central — organize rides for families or clients
• Zero to Three: Grandparent resources
• Bright by Text
• Simple Interactions Approach
• Fred Rogers Center
• Ages and Stages Questionnaires
• CDC: Act Early
• Liberating Structures — change the way groups work together

OPEC GRANTEE SITES

Grantee Directory

Contact information for each of the OPEC Parenting Education Hubs is listed below.

OPEC Parenting Hubs

Family Resource Center of Central Oregon:
Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson

Dee Ann Lewis
Executive Director
541.389.5468
deeannl@frconline.org

Kim Pitts
Program Logistics Coordinator
541.389.5468
kimp@frconline.org

First 5 Siskiyou:
Siskiyou, CA

Karen Pautz
Executive Director
First 5 Siskiyou
530.918.7222
karenpautz@first5siskiyou.org

Four Rivers Early Learning & Parenting Hub:
Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, Wheeler

Christa Rude
Regional Coordinator
541.506.2255
christa.rude@cgesd.k12.or.us

Shira Skybinskyy
Parenting Hub Assistant Director
sskybinskyy@cgesd.k12.or.us

Frontier Hub:
Grant, Harney

Donna Schnitker
Hub Director
541.573.6461
schnitkd@harneyesd.k12.or.us

Patti Wright
OPEC Grant Coordinator
541.620.0622
wrightp@harneyesd.k12.or.us

LaneKids:
Lane

Claire Hambly
Education Program Manager
541.741.6000 ext 141
chambly@unitedwaylane.org

Emily Reiter
Education Program Specialist
541.741.6000
ereiter@unitedwaylane.org

Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, Inc.:
Marion

Lisa Harnisch
Executive Director
503.967.1187
lharnisch@earlylearninghub.org

Tiffany Miller
Communication Specialist and Parent Education Associate
503.485.3291
tmiller@earlylearninghub.org

Margie Lowe
Performance and Fiscal Officer
503.559.9610
mlowe@earlylearninghub.org

Mid-Valley Parenting:
Polk, Yamhill

Brent DeMoe
Director, Family & Community Outreach
503.623.9664 ext. 2118
demoe.brent@co.polk.or.us

Stephanie Gilbert
Early Learning and Family Engagement Coordinator
503.623.9664 ext. 2368
gilbert.stephanie@co.polk.or.us

Northwest Parenting:
Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook 

Dorothy Spence
Early Learning & Parenting Education Hub Coordinator
503.614.1682
dspence@nwresd.k12.or.us 

Elena Barreto
Regional Coordinator
503.614.1443
ebarreto@nwresd.k12.or.us

Parenting Success Network:
Benton, Linn

Mike Jerpbak
Department Chair, Parenting Education
541.917.4891
wolfej@linnbenton.edu

Sommer McLeish
Coordinator (Lincoln County)
541.557.6215
smcleish@samhealth.org

Parenting Together Washington County:
Washington

Leslie Moguil
Senior Program Coordinator
503.846.4556
leslie_moguil@co.washington.or.us

Pathways to Positive Parenting:
Coos, Curry

Charity Grover
Parenting Lead
541.266.3909
charityg@scesd.k12.or.us 

Take Root:
Douglas, Klamath, Lake

Julie Hurley
Parenting Education Coordinator
Douglas/Lake/Klamath
541.492.6607
julie.hurley@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Susan Stiles-Sumstine
Assistant Parenting Hub Coordinator
Douglas/Lake/Klamath
541.492.6604
susan.stiles-sumstine@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Sanora Hoggarth
Parenting Education Coordinator for Klamath County
sanora.hoggarth@douglasesd.k12.or.us

Umatilla Morrow Head Start, Inc.:
Morrow, Umatilla, Union