Youth and young adults who have experienced trauma are at significantly greater risk for health and behavioral health issues. Research suggests that people heal from trauma through building five resilience factors: positive connections with safe adults, affiliation, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and external support systems. The Resilience Model uses powerful strategies to increase resilience factors so that youth and young adults with developmental disabilities and mental health issues can begin a healing journey.

The foundation for the development of the Resilience Model began in 2013 with a Strong Families Safe Communities grant from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (MHAS). Over the past six years Hamilton and Clermont County Board of DD and Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services (GCBH) worked together to develop and strengthen all components of the model.

The current project participants are Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services, Child

Focus, Inc, Hamilton & Clermont DDS, Clermont and Butler Family and Children First Councils,

and Hope Community Center.

The Growing Resilience E-Book is a multi-media approach that shares the project components

through photo and video stories (see), podcasts (hear), written summaries (read), journal

prompts and pocket practices (try). It’s not a toolkit, but a companion.