Community Initiatives

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events experienced by children that can disrupt healthy brain development. Children who experience ACEs, which include violence, abuse, and neglect, are at significantly higher risk for mental and physical health issues as they become adults. Adults who experienced ACEs have a shorter life span than those who were not negatively impacted by ACEs. Trusting relationships for children exposed to ACEs can counteract negative effects on brain development, preventing lifelong negative mental and health consequences.

Trauma Informed Care is an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. Becoming trauma-informed means recognizing that people often have many different types of trauma in their lives. ~ The Trauma Informed Care Project

All agencies, organizations, or groups in Kankakee (and Iroquois) County are encouraged to take steps to become trauma informed as a way to support and improve the lives of children and adults living and working in Kankakee (and Iroquois) County. The following is a collection of state and national resources for agencies and organizations to promote and sustain trauma-informed care within their organizations.

Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative - A broad range of multi-sectoral stakeholders committed to expanding the understanding of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their impact on the health and well- being of Illinois children, families, communities, and systems.

Illinois Collaboration of Youth (ICOY) - Trauma- Informed Care resources and trainings.

Illinois Department of Human Services - Resources to address traumatic events, with resources and tips for various sectors of the community, including faith-based communities.

Office of the California Surgeon General - Resources for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Toxic Stress and the Roadmap to Resilience report.

SAMHSAs Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach - A guide to implementing a trauma informed framework, including adherence to the key principles of a trauma informed approach.

United Way Fox Cities Trauma Informed Roadmap - Toolkit available that includes overview, organizational readiness self-assessment and five trauma-informed principles assessment.

PACEs Connection - Information exchange and resources to support ACEs initiatives, including online communities.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -  Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence.

Join in community efforts to learn, discuss, address systemic racism, and pursue racial justice in our community. If your organization is hosting an event on this topic, please contact mariah@kanihelp.org so we can add your information to this page. 

Reading & Discussion Resources

Local Organizations Involved In Racial Justice Efforts

Pledge for Life Partnership

Pledge for Life Partnership coordinates resources and initiatives to improve the quality of life for children and their families by making the community safer and healthier, focusing on initiatives to reduce substance abuse.

As a volunteer coalition serving Kankakee and Iroquois counties, the Pledge for Life Partnership mobilizes and coordinates public and private resources and initiatives to improve the quality of life for children and their families by making the community safer and healthier, focusing on initiatives to reduce substance abuse.

Established in 1989, the Partnership is governed by a 24-member board of directors comprised of parents, community members and representatives from education, business, government, law enforcement and other health and social service agencies.

To learn more about the Pledge for Life Partnership's programs, click here to visit their full Resource page.

Partnership for a Healthy Community

The Partnership for a Healthy Community consists of local agencies and organizations, as well as community members that work collaboratively to identify health priorities and strategies to address these priority issues. In 2017, the third cycle of the MAPP (Mobilizing for Action for Planning and Partnership) was initiated by the Partnership for a  Healthy Community Steering Committee. The MAPP cycle is used to conduct the Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.

Based on extensive analysis of the Community Health Needs Assessment, the following were identified as the three priority issues for Kankakee County for 2019-2021:

To learn more and get involved with this project, visit https://www.kankakeehealth.org/about/community-health-needs-assessment-and-improvement-plan/

Project SUN

Project SUN (Strengthening and Unifying our Network) is a community initiative to bring together all the parties involved with helping children flourish. This project focuses on promoting healthy social and emotional development and life transitions, as well as, facilitating easy access to children's mental health services in Kankakee County. The goal is to develop a family-driven system of care (SOC) that promotes wellness and offers all youth (0-21) and their families multiple avenues to access a comprehensive, integrated mental health care system aimed at meeting the needs of the whole child. This SOC model involves services provided in six Kankakee County community-based systems: mental health, primary healthcare, early childhood, schools, courts, and faith-based/civic organizations. Project SUN takes advantage of the best components each system has to offer; referring, serving, and supporting families as individual situations dictate. To learn more and get involved with this project, visit www.projectSUNkankakee.org.

Project SUN is an initiative of the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley and is funded by the Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation.