Dr. Kevin Sherin, Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, is scheduled to present two sessions on toxic stress events and “Building a More Resilient Community” at the Orange County Public School (OCPS) Parent Academy on Saturday, March 31, 2018. 

Parents of OCPS students are welcome to attend this event that will be held at East River High School, 650 East River Falcons Way, Orlando, FL 32833. 

Dr. Sherin’s sessions are in Building 500 Room 524 located on the campus of East River High School.  The two 40 minute sessions start at 10:20am and 11:10am. 

Each day, hundreds of children in our community experience what are known as ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences. These toxic stress events can be triggered by traumatic events such violence, abuse, and the loss of a parent through death or divorce.  ACEs severely impact early brain and neurological development. 

As the number of childhood toxic events rise, so does the risk of school failure, mental illness, incarceration, drug addiction and death.  Lifespans can be cut short as much as 20 years.  By building a more resilient community we can break these cycles of violence, abuse, addiction, and poverty. 

Visit the OCPS web site for more information at: https://ocps.net/ .  A YouTube video of the event can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/embed/AkMUuS8394I.