u003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Impact-Story-Sandy-Cimino-scaled.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-12980 alignleftu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Impact-Story-Sandy-Cimino.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022225u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e In 2015, thanks to support from u003ca href=u0022https://strongfamiliesaz.com/u0022u003eStrong Families AZu003c/au003e, Arizona had its first u003ca href=u0022https://ctfalliance.org/protective-factors/u0022u003eStrengthening Familiesu003csupu003eTMu003c/supu003e Protective Factors Frameworku003c/au003e training of trainers, certifying 20 people to offer presentations on Protective Factors. Since then, with support from the DCS Office of Prevention, Arizona has grown its trainer base to 96 trainers! Our state has also certified 24 people in u003ca href=u0022https://cssp.org/our-work/project/youth-thrive/u0022u003eYouth Thriveu003c/au003e, a parallel framework that focuses on building strengths in youth, and an addition 207 practitioners of u003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/flourishing-families/u0022u003eFlourishing Familiesu003c/au003e, a curriculum designed for family serving professionals to support families to build protective factors.rnrnOn November 7, trainers of all three approaches gathered for a Protective Factors Summit, supported by funding from the u003ca href=u0022https://dcs.az.gov/services/preventionu0022u003eDCS Office of Preventionu003c/au003e. The Summit brought together 52 trainers from 14 of Arizona’s 15 counties.rnrnThe summit began with a presentation from Cailin O’Connor of the u003ca href=u0022https://cssp.org/u0022u003eCenter for the Study of Social Policyu003c/au003e, the organization that created the Strengthening Familiesu003csupu003eTMu003c/supu003e Protective Factors approach. Cailin reviewed the history of the pru003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Resilience-table.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-12981 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Resilience-table.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022225u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eotective factors and how the framework has evolved to explicitly address racism and bias. Renowned Arizona speaker Iya Affo followed Cailin’s presentation with an inspiring, thought-provoking, and reflective conversation about weaving cultural humility into our work building protective factors.rnrnThrough rich table discussions in the afternoon, attendees brainstormed about how to build each protective factor in Arizona through every day actions, professional initiatives, and policy.rnrnAttendees mentioned that the summit provided “a renewed passion for the work and advocating for the needs of families,” an “expansion of ideas on how to lead discussions on racism and bias,” and motivation to be “more open to helping others in different ways sharing protective factors with everyone I know.”rnrnThe summit was funded by the u003ca href=u0022https://dcs.az.gov/services/preventionu0022u003eArizona Department of Child Safety’s Office of Preventionu003c/au003e.
