Resilient Jefferson County

Group Aims to Improve the Short- and Long-term Health of Jefferson County Citizens

Madison —May 14, 2021 — Resilient Jefferson County (RJC) is a new initiative being launched to improve the lives of children and reduce the life-long impact of trauma in the local community. The mission of Resilient Jefferson County is to raise awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs, and to teach resiliency skills to children and their families and/or guardians. The initiative will also provide training opportunities for those in the fields of education, health professions, and the law enforcement/judicial system, as well as other interested community members. The initiative is supported by a $100,000 grant provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. to the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County (CFMJC). Strong Community Support To date, nearly 30 community leaders have pledged to support the work of Resilient Jefferson County. The ten-person Steering Committee has membership from the schools, mental health, community corrections, the hospital, business, and the non-profit sector. Madison Consolidated Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffery Studebaker states, “The work of Resilient Jefferson County will support schools to better prepare students to be ready to learn. A well-rounded, physical and mental health environment for our youth is crucial for developing healthy adults and families.” Building a Foundation An important part of this work is to educate our community on trauma, the impact of associated stress, and how ACEs affect youth and adults. RJC will host several community in-person and virtual screenings of the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. According to Bill Barnes, CFMJC President and CEO, “Watching ‘Resilience’ is the basic building block of understanding what ACEs are in order to address the issues that is the root of many of the poor physical and mental health outcomes in our community. After watching this movie, people will understand why we must work together to become a trauma-informed community.” Ways to Watch There will be four opportunities to view “Resilience.” Each event is free of charge. In-person screening dates are May 26 and June 16 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Opal Sherman Auditorium at Madison Consolidated High School. A virtual screening via Zoom will be on June 3 from 9:00 – 10:30 am and June 8 from 11:30 am -1:00 pm. The movie is an hour long and will be followed by a brief discussion. To register for a screening or to learn more, visit https://www.facebook.com/ResilientJeffersonCounty.