JACKSON, Wyo. — Trauma is complex. It significantly impacts the body as well as the mind, and it requires a thoughtful and informed response. Healing from intimate partner violence, child abuse, neglect, or exploitation is absolutely possible, but not without caring and professional help.
In Jackson Hole, the Community Safety Network and Teton Youth & Family Services collaborate in innovative ways to help not only individuals but whole families find a path toward healing after a crisis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “The long-term activation of the stress-response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follow can disrupt almost all your body’s processes. This puts you at increased risk of many health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, memory and concentration impairment.”
In other words, the kind of harm caused by family violence, abuse, and exploitation is never exclusively physical or emotional. Each survivor is unique and needs a compassionate and holistic approach to their journey of healing.
Teton Youth & Family Services and Community Safety Network offer highly-trained advocates and staff, as well as assistance in providing resources for physical and emotional healing after a crisis. Chronic, long-term stress impacts the body and mind, and recovering from that impact takes patience and dedication — both things that are always available at these organizations.
The need for these services has increased over the past few years: a trend exacerbated by the stressful impacts of the pandemic. At the same time, the amount of state funding that these two organizations are receiving has been slashed. Together, their basic operating costs total around $4 million — 85% of which goes directly toward client services.
Over the past three years, TYFS has lost nearly $500,000 in state funding and anticipates losing another 20-30% in the next two. Similarly, CSN estimates that by the end of 2021, their organization will have lost nearly $250,000 since the beginning of last year. In short, as the need grows, the available funding is diminishing.
Growing Stronger Together directly supports the ways that CSN and TYFS help families heal from trauma — physically and emotionally. Help keep these services available, excellent, and free to all those who need them.
To make a contribution to the Growing Stronger Together fundraiser — or to learn more about the services and collaborative work of Community Safety Network and Teton Youth & Family Services — please visit StrongerJH.org.
Follow Community Safety Network and Teton Youth & Family Services on social media to learn more about these important issues, and to spread the word about this groundbreaking fundraiser.
