MONDAY MEMO #31
- Resilient Georgia
- May 19
- 6 min read
Happy Monday, Partners! Welcome to another edition of the Monday Memo from the Resilient Georgia team. As always, we're excited to share updates, resources, and highlights from across our statewide network.
Please note that we’ll be pausing the Monday Memo next week in observance of the Memorial Day holiday—keep an eye out for our next edition on June 2nd. Wishing you all a restful and meaningful holiday weekend ahead!
RG UPDATES
April General Meeting: For those who couldn’t attend our Spring Meeting, you can check out the recording here and the follow up document here. The presentation slides, recording, and follow up document are now also available on our website.
Save the Date! Our next General Meeting Regional Showcase will be held on November 13th at 11:00 AM—we hope to see you there!
ACTION ITEM: Win $50 for a 5-Minute Survey on Tier 1 Services As a reminder, our partners at The Carter Center and Georgia State’s Center of Excellence are conducting a short survey to better understand universal prevention (Tier 1) services in Georgia schools and communities. Your input will help identify gaps, barriers, and opportunities to improve youth mental wellness and substance use prevention efforts statewide. Complete the survey for a chance to win a $50 gift card and share it with your colleagues and partners! Take and/or share the survey here. For questions, contact Dr. Natasha De Veauuse Brown at ndeveauusebrown@gsu.edu.
Thank You for Joining Our May Lunch & Learn! Thank you to everyone who attended our May Lunch and Learn featuring Dr. John McElveen from Georgia Agriculture Wellness Alliance. Dr. McElveen shared powerful insights on the mental health challenges impacting Georgia’s agricultural community and highlighted resources and strategies to support farmer well-being. If you missed it, view the recording here. We’d also appreciate your feedback—take a quick survey to help us improve future sessions!
New! Updated ACEs Brief & Self-Care Learning Card Now Available! We’re excited to announce the release of our newly updated brief, The Case for ACEs Prevention, and our 8th Learning Card focused on Self-Care—a powerful resource designed to support individuals and organizations in fostering resilience and well-being. Currently, the Self-Care Learning Card is only available in English but we are working on getting it translated. Please check out our newest resources and share widely!
Job Opportunity! Youth Program Director at CWC Alliance: CWC Alliance is hiring a full-time, grant-funded Youth Program Director to lead Georgia’s statewide Teen Substance Use Prevention Initiative. This role is ideal for a mission-driven professional with experience in youth behavioral health, program development, public health education, and large-scale community outreach. The position is Georgia-based (remote/hybrid), with a strong preference for candidates in the Atlanta area. Please share this opportunity widely!
Coalition Highlights
Resilient Northeast Georgia Trauma & Resilience Resources and Grant Opportunity: Resilient Northeast Georgia created a comprehensive Trauma and Resilience Toolkit and Trauma 101 webinar designed to support communities in understanding and addressing trauma. The toolkit includes downloadable resources such as social media graphics, educational PDFs, and videos tailored for healthcare professionals, educators, and community leaders.
In addition, RNEGA is offering a Trauma-Informed Communities Grant opportunity, aimed at organizations working to prevent ACEs and enhance trauma-informed awareness and care in the region. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, churches, and government entities serving the 12-county region of Northeast Georgia. The grant supports program costs, capacity building, and expansion efforts that directly impact individuals from birth to age 26. Interested organizations are encouraged to watch an informational webinar and apply here by June 30th.
Resilient Communities of Southwest Georgia & Shape Up Miller Partnership: RCSWGA is proud to partner with Shape Up Miller to support the growing Mental Health Council in Miller County. This community-led effort hosts monthly meetings featuring guest speakers who share insights on mental health and wellness. Meetings are open to the public and take place every third Thursday at 1 PM at the Colquitt Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, immediately following the Shape Up Miller meeting. To attend, please RSVP by emailing Leigh Ribolzi at lribolzi@springcreekhealth.com or Sheila Freeman at sfreeman@springcreekhealth.com.
Resilient Communities of East Georgia: We’re thrilled to celebrate Dr. April Hartman of RCEGA on her appointment to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. With over 25 years of pediatric experience and a steadfast commitment to children’s health, Dr. Hartman brings vital expertise to this national role. We’re proud to see a Georgia leader helping shape the future of Medicaid and CHIP for families nationwide—thank you for your service and leadership!
Infant Toddler Courts
Upcoming Webinar Series: GA THRIVe Infant-Toddler Court Program: Join the Georgia THRIVe team for their Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) Webinar Training Series every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 2pm, designed to strengthen knowledge and collaboration around infant and early childhood well-being in the court system. This virtual series will cover key topics including foundational ITCP principles, reflective supervision, and trauma-informed approaches. Sessions are open to all interested professionals and partners. Check out the flyer linked above for registration details. Registration is available for individual sessions or the series.
Georgia THRIVe All-Sites Conference: Mark your calendars and join professionals from across the state for the Georgia THRIVe All-Sites Conference on Friday, July 25th at the UGA Center for Continuing Education in Athens. This event brings together judges, attorneys, social workers, child welfare teams, and more for a day of learning, collaboration, and sharing strategies to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and families in the court system. Highlights include keynote speakers, panel discussions, and local and statewide program updates. Register here!
Professional Development and Events
Event Highlight: Critical Condition – Health in Black America Screening & Panel This Wednesday, May 21 from 6–9 PM Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health. PBS NOVA, and a variety of sponsors, are hosting a screening of Critical Condition: Health in Black America, followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Stanley Nelson and public health experts. The film explores the roots of health disparities in the U.S. and the impact of racism on Black Americans’ health. A catered reception will follow the event. Check it out and please share widely, especially in the Metro-Atlanta region!
GSU Child Welfare Training Collaborative: Knowledge to Action Conversation: Adoption, Trauma & Resilience: The Georgia State Child Welfare Training Collaborative is hosting a virtual event Thursday, May 29 from 10–11:30 AM on adoption, trauma, and resilience. Dr. Mark Andrews, adoptive parent and TBRI® Practitioner, will share insights from both personal and professional perspectives on how to support children impacted by trauma. Learn how to recognize hidden signs, build felt safety, and empower families with compassionate, structured care. Register here.
Building Resilient Communities for Children Conference 2025: Join the Attachment & Trauma Network for the Building Resilient Communities for Children Virtual Conference on June 23–24, 2025. This conference offers five specialized tracks—Parenting, Schools, Youth Justice, Communities, and Counselors/Clinicians—featuring live sessions, interactive workshops, and keynote speakers, including Dr. Bruce Perry. Attendees will have access to recorded sessions for 30 days post-event. Register here!
2025 Georgia Conference on Child Abuse Prevention: Join over 350 professionals on September 10, 2025, in Peachtree City for the Georgia Conference on Child Abuse Prevention. This full-day event will feature innovative workshops on preventing, intervening in, and treating child maltreatment. Hosted by the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and PCA Georgia. Early bird registration is $115. Register here.
Rural Resources
New NAMI Resource: Mental Health in Rural America: NAMI’s latest resource, Mental Health in Rural America, explores the unique challenges rural communities face in accessing mental health care and outlines policy solutions to improve outcomes. The guide outlines barriers like provider shortages, stigma, and transportation, and offers strategies like telehealth, workforce growth, and community-based care. A valuable tool for advocates, policymakers, and rural health leaders working to close the gap in mental health access. Additionally, Resilient Georgia has launched a new mental health resource page for farmers and agricultural workers, offering tools to boost well-being, resilience, and access to care. Addressing stressors like financial strain, isolation, and limited services, the page aims to reduce stigma and connect rural communities to vital support. Please share with your networks!
Youth
Yes and Know: Connect Youth to GCAPP’s New Virtual Life & Relationship Skills Program: GCAPP is excited to share Yes and Know—a new virtual curriculum from ETR designed for youth ages 14–19. This engaging program builds healthy relationship skills, supports decision-making, and promotes sexual health, all in a format accessible to youth in rural and underserved areas. If you work with teens or families, help spread the word by sharing the interest form to connect young people to this opportunity!