In the past month there have been more than 200 stories published about toxic stress.  That's a lot of press. So why continue to talk about it? 

For anyone in the health care industry, terms like "adverse childhood experiences" or "trauma-informed care" are not new terms. However, the approach on how best to care for patients who have experienced long term adversity is still evolving.

Toxic stress is persistent and prolonged adversity without an adequate support system. For a child the kind of stress that elevates to toxic levels isn't your everyday worries about school or friends. According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child it can include persistent stress from family trauma, physical or emotional abuse, food insecurity, exposure to violence or mental illness and this prolonged impact takes it's toll.

Persistent toxic stress affects the development of the brain and places the individual at a higher risk for drug and alcohol abuse, depression and even cardiovascular disease later in life. It simultaneously reduces the likelihood to succeed in school, maintain healthy relationships and hold down a job.  To make matters worse, the longer toxic stress is present, the harder it is to reverse the effects.

Join Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center on Thursday, April 26th for the 10th annual Virginia Garcia Health Care Symposium. We have gathered a group of experts, led by US News and World Report health reporter, Ruben Castaneda, to have an open and informed discussion about toxic stress, the impact is it having on our children and our community and how health care can work together to eliminate the long term effects.

When: Thursday, April 26.
Networking hour begins at 5:30 with the Symposium beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Where: OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to VirginiaGarcia.org/ToxicStress