Participants will learn of the bi-directional relationship between community violence and family violence. Topics such as attachment/internal working models, adverse childhood experiences, and toxic stress effects will be discussed with an emphasis on how community violence impacts these critical mental health components.
Participants will also learn from case study examples of serial killers and recent mass shooting incidents of the connections between harm experienced in the home and acts of violence in the community. Findings from the presenter’s review of every major school shooting in the United States since and including the shooting at Columbine High School, will be discussed along with data indicating how these tragic events may increase risk for family violence in the community during the immediate years that follow.
Finally, participants will learn of collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing violence/abuse in the home and community with an emphasis on child mental health and ending cycles of violence and abuse. Safe communities start with safe homes.