McMinnville, Ore. — We all want what’s best for our children, so why has the well-being of American children fallen to 26th place in the world? How can the growing squeeze on parents — for time, for money and for resources — literally alter the developing brains of their children? What are the implications for children, their families and the future of the nation? And how might we do better?
These questions and more are explored in “The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation,” a documentary probing how conditions faced by young children and their families form the foundation for a child’s later success – both in school and in life.
To engage leaders and explore solutions, Yamhill Community Care is presenting a series of films that explore ways we can strengthen and support our children and families, followed by a facilitated discussion about the films’ topics. Donations for each event will benefit a different local organization that addresses resiliency in our community.
The next event in this series will be a screening of “The Raising of America Signature Hour.” The episode interweaves the latest discoveries from neuroscience with the stories of families and communities doing all they can to provide the nurturing environments children need to thrive. But too often individual efforts are hindered by social conditions that depress children’s learning and eventual earning power as well as their emotional and physical health.
“The impacts that we can make on trauma and adverse effects for children at a very young age, even prenatally, change the families' path and trajectory,” says Kristina Sheppard, Special Programs Coordinator at Newberg School District. “Safe, stable and attached families create a culture for mental and physical well-being. If children are healthy, safe and ready to learn when entering kindergarten, we have increased their chances of graduating from high school exponentially.”
As a nation, we are well-versed on promoting positive parenting behaviors. But if we really want to improve future outcomes, we need to expand the conversation beyond parenting to include the social conditions, public polices and racial and economic inequities that impede parental efforts to nurture, care for, and guide our children.
Jordan Robinson, Area Director for Lutheran Community Services and A Family Place, works daily to keep children safe and families together. As host for this event, he believes that “providing a nurturing environment for our community’s next generation needs to be a priority for all of us.”
“The Raising of America Signature Hour” will begin at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 25, at the Linfield Ice Auditorium.This event is free and open to the public; however, registration is required. Please visit bit.ly/signaturehour to reserve a seat. Donations made during the event will be accepted on behalf of A Family Place.
For information about this story, contact Jenn Richter, Early Learning Coordinator, at 503-376-7421 or [email protected].
About Yamhill Community Care
Yamhill Community Care is a Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) that serves Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members in Yamhill County and parts of Clackamas, Washington, Polk, Marion and Tillamook counties. Yamhill Community Care provides a different way of delivering care to OHP members. By working within the community, Yamhill Community Care provides a different way of delivering care, by integrating physical and mental health services, coordinating educational and family supports, bringing new models of care that are patient-centered and team-focused, and being governed by people from our community, including social service providers, health care providers and community members.
