With the back-to-school season comes an opportunity to acknowledge how we can best support youth in the Greater Cincinnati region. Trauma-informed educational practices stand out, promoting resilience and enabling healthy communities. Sachika Singh, MA and Sarah Zawaly, MSW join the conversation to unpack the impacts of trauma, what it means to be trauma-informed, and the significance of these practices to violence prevention education.

Sarah Zawaly, LISW, is a committed Program Manager at the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. As part of the Joining Forces for Children initiative, she focuses on implementing trauma-informed practices and building resilience to address the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Drawing on her background as a former teacher and clinical social worker, Sarah provides practical strategies for fostering healing environments for children, families, and staff. Her expertise includes co-creating curriculums, presenting at national and regional conferences, and offering consultation to a variety of organizations. Sarah’s dedication to promoting healthy well-being is evident through her work, showcasing her passion for creating supportive environments that bolster resilience and mitigate the impact of ACEs. 

Sachika Singh, MA is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Mayerson Center for Safe & Healthy Children. She holds both a Bachelors and Master's degree in Sociology from University of Cincinnati. Sachika formerly consulted with grassroots health organizations in international, anti-oppressive partnerships and health equity. Through this work, Sachika came to understand how to manipulate organizational structures – the way that we collect data, the voices we include in decision-making, and the way we define success – to execute more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive work. Sachika now supports the research and evaluation behind Joining Forces for Children’s community-centered, evidence-based projects related to mitigating stress and trauma in children, promoting protective factors in families, and building community resilience. She partners closely with local schools and youth-serving organizations, like Women Helping Women, to support them in evaluating the impact of trauma on their organization and implementing trauma-informed systems-change. 

Visit our website to learn more about Women Helping Women and our services: ⁠https://www.womenhelpingwomen.org/⁠. Follow this link to connect with Joining Forces for Children: https://www.joiningforcesforchildren.org/.