MONDAY MEMO #98
Happy Monday, partners! This week’s Monday Memo highlights a range of resources, including ACEs and PCEs and education resources, training for families, parents and professionals, and rural communities. Here are a few reminders and highlights from RG:
New Resilient Futures Blog! The Heavy Backpack by Isabella Roach: In October’s Resilient Futures blog, one Georgia teen shared a powerful journey about balancing academic pressures with the hidden weight of family conflict, identity, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Isabella's story offers a powerful reminder that our struggles, grades, and past experiences do not define our worth or our future. Check it out!
November Resilient Georgia General Meeting this Thursday! Don't forget to join us this Thursday November 5th from 11AM-12:30PM for our General Meeting: Growing Georgia’s Trauma-Informed Workforce. This virtual session will explore innovative strategies for strengthening Georgia's mental and behavioral health workforce, from high school career pathways and paraprofessional training to graduate education and clinical licensure. Hear from leaders representing the Georgia Department of Education, Technical College System of Georgia, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, the University of Georgia, and Wellroot, as they share promising practices, workforce initiatives, and opportunities for collaboration. Download our Know Before You Go document for more about our speakers and pre-meeting resources. This event is open to the public, so please share with your networks!
Check Out RG's Updated Community Resiliency Model (CRM) Webpage! Our updated CRM webpage now features a new introductory CRM video, beautifully illustrated by Inky Brittany, that helps bring CRM concepts and skills to life in an engaging, accessible way. You will also find a Help Now Skills Poster, also developed by Brittany, which provides a simple visual guide to practical CRM skills that can be used in moments of stress and overwhelm. Whether you're new to CRM or looking to deepen your practice, visit the updated resource hub to explore these new materials and share widely!
Election Day is TOMORROW Tuesday, November 3rd! Polls across Georgia are open from 7AM to 7PM, and if you're in line by 7PM, you have the right to vote. Be sure to vote at your assigned polling location and bring an accepted photo ID(Accepted forms of ID: a Georgia driver's license (even if expired), a Georgia voter ID card, a U.S. passport, government employee photo ID, military photo ID, or tribal photo ID). Make a plan and consider carpooling to the polls with a friend or neighbor! Our partners at Cobb Collaborative created this nonpartisan 2026 Georgia statewide voter guide which walks through all 11 statewide races in plain language, so you can look things up before you vote instead of guessing in the booth. Remember, you do not have to vote on every single race on the ballot. Vote on the issues and candidates that matter most to you, show up, and make your voice heard!
Coalition Highlights
Resilient Northwest Metro: Join Cobb Collaborative at the Behavioral Health Coordination Meeting on Black Men’s Mental Health. Speakers will explore mental health awareness, shared experiences, and partnerships supporting well-being across Cobb County. This event will be Thursday November 5, from 6–8PM at the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Mableton Service Center. Register here!
Resilient Coastal Georgia continues to make an impact locally and beyond. Congratulations to Vira Salzburn, Director of Impact at The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire, for being named to Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40, and Tara Jones for representing Georgia at the Benson-Henry Institute for MindBody Medicine and Harvard Medical School conference. Tara shared how Resilient Georgia supports coalition leaders through the Positivity and Relaxation Training (PART) program, bringing the state’s resilience-building work to an international audience. For PART workshop inquiries, contact tara@flywheelresilience.com.
South Georgia Wellbeing Alliance: Join the upcoming Connections Matter training on Sunday November 7th from 3-6pm hosted by the Valdosta State University Graduate Social Work Organization as part of VSU’s Mental Health Training Series. This professional development opportunity explores how positive relationships, supportive communities, and meaningful connections help build resilience and promote mental well-being. The training will be in Converse Hall Room 1204 at VSU and offers 3 CEUs. Social workers, helping professionals, and community partners are encouraged to attend. Learn more and register here!
ACEs and PCEs
ACEs & PCEs Resources from Veto Violence: Explore practical tools to strengthen ACEs prevention and promote positive childhood experiences, including the Data to Action Learning Hub for applying data, Beyond the Headlines for effective communication, Success Stories for highlighting impact, Making the Case for engaging businesses, and the ACE Resource Network for additional prevention resources.
Education
From Credentials to Careers: Aligning Education with Georgia’s Workforce Needs Join the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and Ellucian for the upcoming Critical Issues Forum on Thursday, November 19th from 9:30AM-12PM. at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. This free event will explore how education and workforce development can align to meet Georgia’s evolving employment needs, highlighting the connection between educational credentials and career opportunities. Register Here!
Free Your Feels has developed a comprehensive Bullying Prevention Toolkit to help youth, caregivers, educators, and community professionals recognize, address, and prevent bullying. The toolkit features practical strategies, conversation starters, and trusted resources addressing verbal, physical, social, and cyberbullying.
JEDI
The Asian Mental Health Collective is hosting a free eight-week virtual support group for Asian and Asian American adults navigating grief, anxiety, and trauma related to ICE activity. Facilitated by licensed mental health professionals, sessions explore collective trauma, intergenerational experiences, cultural identity, and emotional resilience while helping participants build coping skills and connections. Sessions run Wednesdays, October 21–December 9, 2026, from 5–6:30PM. Register here!
Parents and Couples
UGA Extension: ELEVATE: Relationship Education for Couples The University of Georgia Extension’s ELEVATE program offers free, four-week online relationship education for couples across Georgia. Through 90-minute modules, partners practice skills to manage stress, strengthen communication, and build healthier relationships. Both partners must participate. Couples can earn up to $270 in e-gift cards by participating and completing research surveys. This is an educational program, not counseling. Learn More /Register here!
Professional Development
GEEARS: First Five Forum: Building Systems with Empathy Join GEEARS for its First Five Forum, Building Systems with Empathy for Georgia’s Youngest Children, on Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 11:30AM–1:30PM. at the Emory Conference Center Hotel in Atlanta. Dr. Stan Sonu will deliver a keynote on the role of empathy in systems, followed by a panelwith Commissioner Christopher Nunn and Judge Christina Bridger. Their perspectives will highlight ways to better serve young children and families across sectors. Tickets cost $20 and include lunch and validated parking. Register here by November 20th!
Seeds of Change 2026: Join Partners in Change for its annual celebration of growth, empowerment, and community! This special gathering will recognize PIC graduates, coaches, and community partners who have demonstrated commitment, resilience, and personal growth through life coaching. Attendees will celebrate meaningful achievements, supportive partnerships, and the power of positive change. Saturday, November 7, 2026 9AM–12:30PM in Atlanta. Free event; RSVP here.
Rural Resources
Rural Health Day Summit: Mental Health America: Join MHA on Thursday, November 19th from 12–3PM via Zoom to explore strategies to strengthen mental health and resilience in rural communities. The event will cover workplace well-being, suicide prevention, substance use, and mental health screenings. Experts and community leaders will share practical approaches to addressing mental health challenges and expanding support in rural areas. Register here!
Preventing Suicide in Agricultural Communities Webinar Series: Join the Suicide Prevention Resource Center for a two-part webinar exploring practical strategies to prevent suicide in agricultural communities. Learn about the unique challenges facing farm owners and workers, ways to support those who may be struggling, and approaches to strengthen connection and belonging across the agricultural industry. Webinars will be held November 16 and 17 at 2:30PM. Learn more and register here for Webinar 1 and here for Webinar 2.
THANK YOU FROM THE RESILIENT GEORGIA TEAM!