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A New Way to Measure Healing from Community Violence
March 6 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
The Annie E. Casey Foundation will host a webinar, A New Way to Measure Healing from Community Violence, from 1–2 p.m. ET on March 6, 2024. The presentation and discussion will expand how we understand and respond to young-adult survivors of trauma by using a new scale to measure healing in people who have been harmed by violence.
We’ll learn how this innovative tool and companion discussion guide can help survivor-serving organizations better understand the mechanisms that promote healing from community violence, and why this is so important.
The webinar is part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Leading With Evidence series, promoting effective and equitable evidence-based approaches in a variety of settings.
Why This New Scale Is Important
In the area of recovery from traumatic violence, there are abundant measures available to assess symptoms and coping. However, a review of literature indicated that one thing was still lacking: a clear definition of healing from community violence, a definition that is based on the reality and experience of those most affected.
Through the work of our panelists and many other partners — including those harmed by violence — a definition emerged: Healing from community violence means getting to the core of the harm and reclaiming possibilities. As part of the measure, participants answer a series of questions that also serve as a catalyst for discussion.
In addition to the healing scale, the core project team developed a companion discussion guide for participants in a healing or survivor-centered program.
Panelists include:
- Cynthia Weaver (moderator) is a senior associate with the Casey Foundation’s Evidence-Based Practice Group.
- Danielle Sered, founder and executive director of Common Justice, is the author of the 2019 book Until We Reckon.
- Richard D. Smith, co-founder of Alignmeant Global LLC, is a healing strategist and trauma expert dedicated to empowering people of color and marginalized communities.
- Anna Ortega-Williams, assistant professor of social work with City University of New York’s Hunter College School of Social Work, is a scholar, practitioner and researcher focused on healing historical trauma, promoting posttraumatic growth and youth development.
